The rose garden is a wonderful place to have your ceremony! We had our ceremony there and it was a beautiful spring day and the roses were blooming. The people were responsive and easy to work - quite possibly the easiest of all our vendors because he process is so straightforward and they returned the security deposit portion of the rental cost in a very timely manner - which was good because I had completely forgotten!

I had my wedding reception at Lake Merritt Sailboat house in the evening . There was a large window which provided a view of the lake with tiny yellow lights reflecting off the water....the sight was priceless.. Great for photos. In addition, I used one of their caterers and was impressed by the professionalism and quality of service. Finally, all of the Oakland parks and rec facilities that I have used are really clean . I was also provided an attendant who cleaned the place afterwards so it was well worth the price . It seats 100 people comfortably. I am very picky and viewed dozens of places. I was really happy with this place.

Staff was easy to work with, but slow to return emails and voicemail messages. On-site staff better to work with than office staff. Gorgeous view of Lake Merritt and great price, especially for Oakland residents who get a discount. Available lighting less than desirable (bright fluorescent only), would highly recommend using additional lighting. Candles are allowed!

This is the 5th party we have held at the Lake Merritt Sailboat House. We used the Joaquin Miller Cascades for the ceremony. Both are Oakland Parks and Recreation venues. They are great deals and saved us a ton of money. However, don't wait for them to return a call or email- go directly to the office to make a reservation. Also nothing is very perfect or running well in Oakland. The cascade pump was broken (so we received 1/2 the cost back) and there was graffiti at the site. The stove wasn't working properly and the sewage backed up at the reception. Overall we love supporting Oakland and getting a great deal but be prepared to be flexible and roll with the punches.