Villa Montalvo at Montalvo Arts Center Reviews
Reviews
4.6 out of 5 rating
4.6 out of 5 rating
28 Reviews
91% recommend it
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![Angela]()
Angela D. Sent on 12/23/2020LOVE LOVE LOVE Villa Montalvo | So Much More Than Just A Venue
We could not have more good things to say about Villa Montalvo at Montalvo Arts Center! If I could give 1000 stars, I would. After having to change our wedding plans not once, but twice, Villa Montalvo and their team wrapped their love around us and welcomed us into their family of Villa Couples. As a fellow wedding pro, it was always important to me that my wedding pro team was made up of amazing people who love their clients and go above and beyond for them. The Villa team is exactly that—lovely, friendly, and extremely professional in every way. Beyond that, the venue itself is gorgeous. As a wedding photographer, it was of course important to me that our venue was picturesque and publication-worthy. In every direction, Villa Montalvo has sweeping views of the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains, historic architecture with clean details, and a variety of elegant vignettes for a truly diverse photo gallery. You could literally hold your ceremony at any spot on this property and it would be grand, glorious and dreamy. We could not be more blessed by Villa Montalvo. Highly recommend to any couple looking for a glamorous and elegant venue with a personable events team for their wedding! -
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![K. Saw]()
K. Saw W. Sent on 12/27/2020Amazing service
I’ve worked with Caitlin from Montalvo Arts center to do a few editorial shoots with real life couples along with some great wedding vendors. Her service is by far one of the best I’ve ever had. She has supported my wedding planning service from the very beginning by welcoming us with open arms to create something beautiful to inspire couples at their breathtaking venue. It was an amazing experience working with Caitlin. Planning an editorial shoot in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t easy, as venues may cancel abruptly which happened to me and my team. I originally planned a shoot somewhere else but the venue had to cancel one week prior to our shoot date. I immediately reached out to Caitlin and with no hesitation, she welcomed our team and made sure we were taken care of. She’s so responsive to emails and would really bend backwards to accommodate our requests. I highly recommend Villa Montalvo to all the couples who are planning to elope or get married because I guarantee that this will definitely be a great experience not only to you as a couple but also to your guests as well as the vendors you will hire for your wedding! -
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![Jamilla]()
Jamilla Sent on 09/11/2020Fantastic Experience for Post-Ceremony Photoshoot
We chose to go with Villa Montalvo for our official wedding photos after our ceremony - the location is fantastic and the permit allows you full access to the grounds to take pictures. The process of getting a permit was very easy. Since we did it early on a weekday, we got the grounds all to ourselves and took photos for ~2hrs. We are really glad we got to take our photos in such a beautiful location and make wonderful memories of the day. -
![DinaMcMahon]()
Dinamcmahon Sent on 03/01/2023DINA'S DELUXE EVENTS (featured on the Knot and Wedding Wire too) recommends Villa Montalvo
Dina's Deluxe Events (featured on the Knot and Wedding Wire too) recommends Villa Montalvo as a fabulous venue with beautiful trees, gardens, fountains, sculptures and floor plans for your wedding or other celebration! 5 stars to this amazing venue with a beautiful view, romantic settings and wonderful staff!
We had the pleasure of having an event at Montalvo Villa and it turned out beautiful. The staff was so helpful, professional and the beautiful venue was a great fit for our luxury event. -
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Bianca Sent on 10/20/2017This review is half for the venue and half for Tiffany! Venue - amazing, you can't get married in a better place. The flow is perfect , from ceremony to cocktails, to dinner, to dancing. Our guest flowed in and out of the venue with ease and everyone loved how it felt so private and tucked away in the middle of the South Bay. Now...the only downside, the price. It is EXPENSIVE, twice as much as some other venues. But you do get the whole place to yourself...and the venue is so amazing, you save in decoration. And with such a beautiful venue, there's no end to beautiful photo ops.
The venue comes with chairs (though most couples upgrade since they're the ugly white folding ones), but all the tables are avail for you to use. There is a set of preferred Vendors, you have to use a preferred caterer, but the rest is up to you to use anyone you wish. My one complaint was no drone footage, which we found out AFTER we signed the contract, as it was not stated anywhere on their contract.
Now the real star of the place was Tiffany, she was our contact person. She's amazing to work with, and was so responsive and sweet. She answered all my emails right away and helped us with everything. Kathleen, we met once, knows the place in and out and is strict on protecting the venue, which is understandable. Talk to Kathleen and she'll help you design the wedding layout in five seconds.
Overall, we are very happy with our experience and are glad we can return here anytime as it's a public park, to reminisce on our magical night. -
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![Rosemary]()
Rosemary Sent on 02/13/2016Kathleen and Tiffany go above and beyond to ensure your wedding is over the top. Easy to work with and very responsive. -
User2439096 Sent on 11/23/2015DREAM WEDDING LOCATION!!!!
Villa Montalvo is the most gorgeous wedding venue in the Bay Area! All of our wedding guests said that it was the best wedding they had ever been to! The Villa and the grounds are absolutely stunning! We loved that we could get married outside and then each part of the reception was in a different section of the Villa so that guests could flow from inside to outside and around the villa with ease.
Every part of our wedding day was even better than I dreamed of as a little girl! From getting ready in the bridal suite over looking the great lawn, to walking down the long, grandiose aisle and saying our vows in the gorgeous Italian Garden, to cocktail hour in the courtyard next to the fountain, to dinner on the veranda watching the sunset, to cutting our cake in the stunning floor to ceiling glass-windowed room, to dancing the night away in the ballroom, everything was just spectacular! I felt like a princess marrying my prince in a castle!
I have nothing but love and praise for the staff! My husband and I live out of the country so planning the wedding from afar could have been quite difficult, but Kathleen and Tiffany made everything so easy and fun for us! They were so flexible and detail-oriented and had such great advice & recommendations. They are true professionals and are so sweet!
Getting married at Villa Montalvo was truly a magnificent experience and one that we will never forget! -
User2353485 Sent on 10/06/2015Fairytale Wedding!!
Villa Montalvo is the best wedding venue in the bay area, hands down! It exudes elegance, art, sophistication and grandeur. You will feel like a Princess and your husband will feel like a Prince! It felt like getting married at a castle.
I can't say enough about the venue and the staff is excellent as well.
Kathleen and Tiffany are very professional and had the experience to put me at ease. I loved the quality of the vendors they recommend and the flexibility to use my own vendors.
Villa Montalvo is absolutely stunning!!! -
![kate from San Jose]()
Kate Sent on 02/23/2011GLORIOUS & HISTORIC, every step you take is memorable! Steeped in art, politics and elegance, Villa Montalvo is the classic "it" venue in Northern California, if it's good enough for a U.S. Senator... (say no more.) -
![Tammi]()
Tammi Sent on 01/10/2016Kathleen was a true professional who provides great advice and is very on top of things. The Villa was perfect for our wedding of 140 guests, but easily could have accommodated up to 200. We got a ton of compliments on the venue and loved the indoor/outdoor feel of it. We provided shuttle transportation from the hotel, which was a great move to get everyone there and home comfortably and safely!
There is plenty of room to get ready and, while there are rules (as expected) about setup and tear down, everyone was flexible and reasonable during the entire event. One added benefit is most of our vendors had worked at Villa Montalvo before and had also worked with one another, so this made the entire event run smoothly. -
Jessi C. Sent on 11/16/2020
Had a very nice and punctual communication with the coordinator
The venue is so beautiful, nestled privately and transports you to a place other than California. The Italian garden made us feel like we were in Italy even just for a second😊 gorgeous location and the people we were in contact with from
the venue were very nice and professional. -
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![Michelle]()
Michelle Sent on 11/27/2018Words cannot describe how magical Montalvo was.
I got married at Montalvo on 11/8/18 and it was an amazing backdrop for our wedding. Bruce Munro's light installations made our wedding all the more magical!
We toured 14 wedding venues throughout the Bay Area, but after we toured Montalvo, we knew it was the one. The estate is incredibly gorgeous and vast and it makes you feel like you're transported to a different country. It was the perfect setting for our elegant and romantic aesthetic and everyone had a blast exploring the grounds and taking pictures.
We had both our ceremony and reception at Montalvo. They have a few different spots on the estate you can choose from to have your ceremony and cocktail hour. With our 120 guest count, we were able to hold our ceremony in the beautiful Italianate Garden at the Love Temple. We held cocktail hour in the lovely Spanish Courtyard and had our reception on the veranda where we could get an amazing view of the light exhibits.
There were some hiccups with event management initially. Kathleen, the event manager, was sweet but she was the only one running her department after her assistant left. So in the first several months after we signed the contract, Kathleen was incredibly busy and difficult to reach. We understood she was a one-woman team so we only reached out to her when it was urgent, but I can understand if some couples were unhappy with the lack of communication. Eventually Kathleen hired a new assistant and things were smooth sailing from there. Her assistant, Caitlin, was responsive and friendly in the months leading up to our wedding.
We had such a blast at our wedding and I'm sad the party's over now. I really can't wait until our wedding photos arrive to relive our special day! -
![Brittney]()
Brittney Sent on 06/04/2009It is a beautiful outdoor venue with plenty of room and space to really enjoy and spread out the day. I would have my wedding there again in a heartbeat. They arent super flexible on rules and space, due to the historical nature and preservation of the place, but it ended up not even being an issue and the most beautiful ceremony and reception. -
User1187793 Sent on 06/05/2013The venue is gorgeous! I live around the area but never knew it was there until I searched for wedding venues. Very private location but open space. Lots of greenery and flowers that allow for a natural backdrop (don't need to spend too much money on decorations). I love how the villa is divided into different areas (oval garden, love temple for ceremony, spanish courtyard for cocktail area, solarium for cake/dessert table, dinning room for coffee and tea, main room for dance floor, library for guest lounge area, front terrace for reception dinner, bridal suite upstairs with enough rooms and lounge area to accommodate the wedding party and family, beautiful glass window and stair case that I used for first look photos) - great flow throughout the event. The venue itself is a great way to set the tone for the event. Though it is definitely on the higher price point, I do believe it is worth it and was able to cut down on decoration & flower costs to make up for the budget. Kathleen was great to work with (very professional and helpful in providing suggestions and sharing experiences from other weddings), but due to high volume requests and the amount of events to plan for, her responses may be delayed (please be patient).
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