Make your reservation now!
Photography by Mark Winkler Photography
On June 26th, 2010 Tricia and I had our wedding at O’Malley’s Portola Inn in Atascadero, CA. We had approximately 120 guests, and every one of them has told us numerous times how wonderful the estate is. The grounds were astoundingly beautiful and all of the buildings were well cared for. The flowers and trees were brilliantly landscaped and groomed. They provided such a beautiful backdrop for us on that very, very special day.
We had heard about this estate through a friend of Peggy’s who had been to a few events there. We decided to just drive up there and take a look. When we pulled up Tom practically dropped his tools in the middle of the driveway to give us a tour. It was obvious from the very beginning how proud the O’Malley’s are of their estate; From the sculpted paths to the beautiful planters, from the lush lawns to the wonderful hand crafted signs, the pride of the O’Malley’s shines through in every last detail. And all of those little details that they have worked so hard on made our wedding day shine that much brighter.
For our wedding we had our reception and dinner in the outside terrace and our dancing in the carriage house. The tables were set up on the grass beside the outdoor dance floor. This gave our guests plenty of room to mingle and talk, and the wonderful trees provided shade for everyone. Having the large outdoor area was so nice for the children who came along, as it gave them plenty of room to play.
The carriage house was decorated beautifully and arranged beautifully. Their dance floor was wonderful, and their sound system was loud enough, but far from overwhelming for the people in the carriage house and just outside who preferred to talk.
After the wedding we just stayed at the guest house on the property, as did my wife and her bridesmaids the night before the wedding. That was such a wonderful touch as well. We did not have to worry about anything that night. When the dance was over we walked 50 yards and were alone for the evening. The guest house was just as well maintained as the rest of the property. We were also able to use it during the reception to store our valuables and some snacks and waters for us and the wedding party.
Planning our reception with Tom and Peggy was also a wonderful experience. They had some wonderful recommendations for us on some vendors to use, and openly welcomed others. We live a good distance from Atascadero so it was not always easy for us to keep up with all the vendors, and when we couldn’t be there Peggy was able to step in and coordinate with them. Naturally, we changed our minds a few times about exactly what we wanted, but Peggy and Tom were always more than accommodating.
On the day of our wedding not only did Peggy and Tom make sure that we had nothing to worry about, they also made sure our parents and the rest of the wedding party had nothing to worry about. They worked with everyone on the wedding day. We were able to sit back and enjoy ourselves while they coordinated with the florist, the photographer, the caterer, the cake delivery and I’m sure a host of other things they went out of their way to make sure I wasn’t aware of. They took care of anything and everything that day.
The other staff members at the Portola Inn were wonderful as well. On the day of the event we had some elderly relatives that needed assistance to get around, and the staff at the Portola Inn jumped right in to help with them. They also helped direct people where to go, and were always friendly and courteous.
The Portola Inn was the perfect place to hold our wedding reception. The natural beauty combined with the gorgeous buildings gave us the scenery we wanted. The O’Malley’s and their staff made it so we were able to fully enjoy our day. The guest house gave us a wonderful retreat after the reception. Everything about the Portola Inn made our wedding day spectacular.
Tricia & Jake
[metaslider id=934]