Palo Alto and neighboring Menlo Park are beautiful places to get married in the Bay Area. The area is easy for guests to access via SFO, has gorgeous architecture, reliably beautiful weather and several cute downtown areas plus Stanford's lush campus.
While tempting to overlook this area for the heavy-hitters in wine country or Carmel and Monterrey - you can plan a special wedding here you and your guests will truly love.
I'm one of Wedping's founders and love helping couples and planners better communicate with their guests. I got married in Menlo Park and wanted to share my recs!
THE RECS
🛏️ Stay
Stanford Park Hotel
100 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
WebsiteLarge hotel with nice outdoor spaces and a pool. The rooms are solid and well priced.
Park James Hotel
1400 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
WebsiteNice modern hotel with a cool lounge area.
Nobu Hotel
180 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteThe nicest hotel in downtown Palo Alto - the rooms are relaxing and there's a nice bar / lounge area outside of the hotel's restaurant.
Graduate Palo Alto
488 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteComfy, quirky hotel downtown. Super cool lobby and Palo Alto's only rooftop bar.
El Prado
520 Cowper St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteAnother nice hotel downtown
Rosewood Sand Hill
2825 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
WebsiteIf you're looking for a more resorty vibe - this is it. You could have your entire wedding here. Beautiful pool. That said it's spendy, even on the weekends.
🍽️ Eat
Ethel's Fancy
550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteInventive Cal-Japanese restaurant, one of the best in Palo Alto
Palo Alto Creamery
566 Emerson St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteOld-school style diner. Bakery with massive slices of pie.
Bar Zola
585 Bryant St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteCreative French bistro fare and innovate cocktails. One of the only spots in Palo Alto open later on weekends.
Ramen Nagi
541 Bryant St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteMaybe the best ramen in the bay area - definitely the best vegan ramen. There's usually a long wait but it's worth it.
Verve Coffee
162 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteThe best coffee shop downtown for espresso drinks! With a nice, relaxing outdoor space.
Taverna
800 Emerson St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteFeels like you're transported to Greece - such good food and nice vibe.
Pizzeria Delfina
651 Emerson St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteThe pizzas here are excellent! We tried the pepperoni and mushroom pizzas, and both were delicious. You can taste the quality of ingredients. However, the cauliflower appetizer, recently added to the menu, was a bit underwhelming—it tasted like plain roasted cauliflower. What I love most about this place is the ambiance and design, both indoors and in the outdoor seating area. It’s especially nice to visit in the summer and enjoy the outdoor space and some good beer.
Philz Coffee
101 Forest Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteA bay area classic - if you like good drip coffee, this is the spot!
Wildseed
South, 855 El Camino Real Building 4, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteIf you have vegans on your guest list send them here for brunch or dinner!
Tacolicious
632 Emerson St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteFun taco spot with a nice bar. They are one of the few spots open later in Palo Alto and can host a post-reception after party.
Alpine Inn
3915 Alpine Rd, Portola Valley, CA 94028, USA
WebsiteA 15-20 minute drive from Palo Alto but well worth the trip to this outdoor beer garden with always satisfying food. A great spot to take a group of friends or family.
Saint Frank Coffee
1018 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
WebsiteA super cute coffee stall in Menlo Park. Grab a cup and pastry and sit at Burgess Park around the corner.
🚀 Do
The Dish
Stanford Dish, 400 Reservoir Rd, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
WebsiteAn iconic hike nearby to Stanford. Great for your outdoorsy guests who don't want to travel too far to get a little exercise in.
Stanford
450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
WebsiteIt's always worth talking a walk through Stanford's campus. You can easily spend hours here. Highlights are the cactus garden and the Art Museum.
Make your site a vibe
We mashed up Palo Alto and Stanford's distinctive tuscan and mission palette, with green from it's abundant trees and a modern decorative font - it's in the heart of Silicon Valley after all.
Sam
+
Dave
April 30, 2025
Palo Alto, CA
Tips & Tricks
Unlike most places, the hotels are lower priced on the weekend! So you can typically negotiate a great deal for your guests!
Palo Alto has many beautiful community spaces for rent. Great for night before events. I especially like the Arts Center.
Palo Alto gets 300+ sunshine days per year. The most reliable weather is April - November.
Venues to consider
Allied Arts Guild
75 Arbor Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
WebsiteThis is where I got married, so I'm biased, but for a 100 person or less wedding it's a magical venue. Historic architecture, beautiful architecture and gardens - it feels like you have a mini-village to yourself for your wedding. Plus their team is great to work with.
Gamble Gardens
1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
WebsiteA great option for smaller (~50 person) weddings! Beautiful gardens and a historic house right in downtown Palo Alto.
Mountain Terrace
17285 Skyline Blvd, Woodside, CA 94062, USA
WebsiteIf you're looking for a more rustic, redwoods-heavy vibe, this is a great option. It's a ~25 minute drive from Palo Alto.
Los Altos History Museum
51 S San Antonio Rd, Los Altos, CA 94022, USA
WebsiteOne town over from Palo Alto, this venue a lush, intimate venue for an outdoor wedding.
Vina Enoteca
700 Welch Rd #110, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
WebsiteA great option if you like a more dinner party vibe for your wedding. Vina Enoteca is a beautiful restaurant adjacent to Stanford's campus.
Whether you're a couple getting married or a planner interested in Wedping, I'd love to hop on a call and show you our product - you can schedule a time here: https://calendly.com/wedping
WEDPING + YOUR DESTINATION WEDDING - A PERFECT MATCH
We built Wedping to set the ~vibe~ before your guests arrive and make it easy and stress free to keep everyone up to date on all of your wedding details. And as you probably already know, destination weddings have A TON of details
- ✅ Create a one-of-one website that meets your personal style
- ✅ Manage RSVP and Save the Date info seamlessly
- ✅ Schedule and send updates over text to your guests before, during and after your wedding
- ✅ Group your guests to keep all of the comms organized