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Weddings

About

River Highlands Ranch is a tranquil wedding venue located in Smartville, California. The 433-acre ranch features an elegant 7500-square-foot barn, including a vast private suite with a full kitchen. The outdoor space is surrounded by rolling hills, a vineyard, a pond, fountains, blooming gardens, and plenty of green lawns for games. River Highlands Ranch can provide event space for various wedding-related celebrations, including engagement parties, showers, elopements, rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, and receptions. The venue's professional staff is dedicated to providing each couple with an unforgettable, stress-free experience. They know that getting married is a truly special occasion, and they delight in assisting you in finding the vendors that will help bring your dream wedding to life. Please also consider renting our very private "Duck Pond" cabin as a honeymoon cabin.

Services Offered

  • up to 12-hour access to our venue, no need for you to rush!
  • Beautiful 7500 square foot temperature-controlled barn includes indoor dimmable lighting, draping, and chandeliers.
  • Our massive 18' double barn doors open on each end of the barn to give you a seamless indoor/outdoor feel.
  • Vast outdoor space with rolling vineyards, pond, tiered lawns, gardens, and fountains
  • Dimmable bistro lighting and plenty of space for outdoor lawn games
  • The romantic fire pit is accessible all year round.
  • Two stunning ceremony sites to choose from
  • Use of our vineyard collection of wood farm tables, chairs, and cocktail tables ($3000+ rental value)
  • Leather lounge furniture collection
  • Large bridal suite with full kitchen for you to get ready
  • BYOB- Bring your alcohol with no corkage fees
  • Our beautiful secluded "duckpond cabin" with waterfalls, indoor/outdoor shower, and fireplace make the perfect spot for getting ready photos and a honeymoon suite.
  • Also available; on-site add-ons including custom LOVE sign, arches, photo booth, and decorative rentals

Location

Nestled in the scenic foothills of northern California, the ranch is situated on the Nevada and Yuba Counties border. Your out-of-town guests will appreciate this venue's convenient location, as it is only one hour from Sacramento and about two and a half hours from San Francisco, with lodging, excellent restaurants, and wineries available in the darling towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City within a 20-minute drive.

Facilities and Capacity

This venue is ideal for weddings and other special events, from intimate affairs to large gatherings. Both indoor and outdoor event spaces are available to host your special day. The meticulously-manicured lawns allow plenty of room to say your vows, play lawn games, mingle with guests, or dine in the fresh air. This area's stone-top stage works especially well for ceremonies creating a striking backdrop as you prepare to say "I do." Couples and their guests can meander through the gardens while enjoying the lavender, roses, lemon, and olive trees. You can also use the fire pit as the sun starts to set. Here, you and your loved ones can roast s'mores and enjoy the cozy ambiance of the crackling fire. Majestic trees offer shade for those warmer days, and market lights help create a welcoming atmosphere for evening events. For indoor celebrations, River Highlands Ranch features a 7,500-square-foot barn. This charming structure boasts lofted ceilings and expansive barn doors that open to scenic views of the gardens and vineyards. Eight glass chandeliers hang from the ceilings, adding a delicate touch of elegance. The barn also includes heating/air conditioning, installed string lights and drapery, and indoor restrooms. A full kitchen provides space for your caterer to prep your wedding meal. In addition, a spacious on-site bridal suite is a comfortable space to get ready before the festivities begin.

  • Veteran-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$8,900

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$7,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$7,700

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$6,500

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Lighting/Sound
Parking
Set Up
Tables

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

1

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

Multiple indoor and outdoor

Describe your venue:

Barn
Farm/Ranch
Garden
Winery

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What bar services do you provide?

Outside Alcohol

What event items are available?

Chairs
Drapery
Furniture
Lighting
Tables

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
December

Reviews of River Highlands Ranch

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

River Highlands Ranch received glowing reviews from couples who had their wedding there, praising the stunning setting with wildflowers and modern barn, efficient and supportive staff like Andrew and Melanie, seamless planning process with preferred vendors, and exceptional service on the wedding day. Guests were impressed by the picturesque locations, ease of planning, and helpful team who went above and beyond to ensure a perfect day. The venue's beauty, professionalism, and attention to detail left a lasting impression on the newlyweds and their guests, making their wedding day truly memorable.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

River Highlands Ranch received glowing reviews from couples who had their wedding there, praising the stunning setting with wildflowers and modern barn, efficient and supportive staff like Andrew and Melanie, seamless planning process with preferred vendors, and exceptional service on the wedding day. Guests were impressed by the picturesque locations, ease of planning, and helpful team who went above and beyond to ensure a perfect day. The venue's beauty, professionalism, and attention to detail left a lasting impression on the newlyweds and their guests, making their wedding day truly memorable.

Lauren
Lauren Sent on 06/28/2023
5 out of 5 rating

RHR and the team are incredible!

River Highlands Ranch was the perfect venue for us! We loved that it was not too far away, but still secluded and remote enough to feel like a true destination wedding. The barn is immaculate and the enormous green doors at both ends are truly unique and special (and make for some awesome photos!). Unfortunately, we had some unusual weather for our May wedding and it ended up pouring rain throughout our entire ceremony; so instead of having our ceremony outdoors and enjoying the beautiful grounds, we were forced inside. Quite fortunately, though, the barn is big enough to hold the entire ceremony and reception indoors, which means we thankfully didn’t have to also rent a tent. The RHR team did an amazing job transitioning our wedding to all indoors and making it look absolutely beautiful. The bridal suite upstairs is huge! and a great space to sneak away to for a breather from the chaos. RHR offers great value—we especially appreciated that there were no hidden fees. We hope to go back to RHR in the future to stay at the on-property cabin, too! Thank you, RHR, for making our wedding truly perfect!
MJ Grechko
Mj Grechko Sent on 05/04/2024
5 out of 5 rating

An Absolutely Unforgettable Place

From the moment we first visited the venue to the final farewell at the end of our celebration, every moment was truly magical, thanks to the amazing duo of Melanie and Andrew. They went above and beyond to ensure that our wedding day was everything we had hoped for and more. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and genuine care for us made all the difference in creating a day that we will cherish for a lifetime.

The beauty of River Highlands Ranch speaks for itself, but it was the impeccable service and hospitality that truly set it apart. From the stunning architecture to the picturesque surroundings, every aspect of the venue provided the perfect backdrop for our special day.

Our wedding day ran so smoothly; from setting up the ceremony space to coordinating the reception, our day was perfection. To anyone in search of the perfect wedding venue, we cannot recommend River Highlands Ranch highly enough. Not only is it a stunning location, but the team behind it is truly exceptional and absolutely dedicated to making your wedding dreams come true in every way possible.

- Jess and Max
Kierstin
Kierstin Sent on 04/27/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Magical venue, great service and amenities

The new management under Melanie and Andrew is fantastic. I fell in love with the property as soon as I saw it...it's pretty magical. The amenities are great and made planning much easier since the venue was already well-equipped.

The location is a perfect 1-hour getaway from Sacramento and felt secluded even though the next town is only 20 minutes away.

No complaints, we had a great wedding here. I am an event planner for a living and so from both the guest and the host perspective, it was a truly excellent experience.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

14

Professional Network & Endorsements

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