Love at New Heights: 5 Tips for Planning the Ultimate Mountain Wedding at Twenty Mile House
Dreaming of hosting your special day amid the tranquility and beauty of the mountains? If you’ve said “I do” to our mountain wedding venue in California, that means planning the mountain wedding of your dreams is already off to a sublime start.
Tucked away on 200 forested acres and surrounded by natural beauty at every turn, Twenty Mile House’s historic setting is the perfect place for couples who love the outdoors and want to celebrate their big day surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. Its unique location, coupled with our all-inclusive services (think: artfully designed cakes and dessert bars, spacious dance floor, and sustainably sourced floral arrangements), lets you create a custom wedding package that takes advantage of everything this remarkable terrain has to offer.
So, what’s next? We’re here to show you how, at Twenty Mile House, your wedding becomes more than a day – it's a getaway, a celebration, and a joyful connection to nature, all in one unforgettable location.
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1: Set the Stage With Breathtaking Ceremony Sites
The best part about tying the knot in the great outdoors — especially in the beautiful wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains — is that there’s no shortage of incredible backdrops that set the scene for your nature-inspired celebration. Each of our ceremony and reception locations affords expansive views of the towering trees, crisp blue skies, and the mountain peaks. Exchange your vows beneath a canopy of cottonwood pine trees at our popular forest ceremony site or a serene spot by the river. For a storybook-inspired reception, our garden site boasts vibrant flowers and cottonwood trees all around, set against the red-brick facade of our historic, 1854-built Main House.
What’s more, the scenery provides all the decor you need. Should you decide to add in extra flourishes, we suggest weaving in natural, mountain-inspired elements. Think: bouquets mixed with wildflowers and native plants, draped fabrics in earthy tones, organic hues, rattan lanterns, and even stone accents.
One woodsy wedding at Twenty Mile House featured an altar fashioned from thick logs then layered with an artful mix of fall blooms and oak leaves. Another couple lined the aisle of their forest ceremony with wood logs topped with vases of white roses.
2: Enjoy Stress-Free Planning With All-Inclusive Packages
Twenty Mile House offers three thoughtfully curated all-inclusive wedding packages, each designed to take the stress out of planning and elevate your celebration. Every package includes exclusive use of the property and access to a dedicated wedding coordination team, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.
Your celebration will be fully supported with top-tier vendors, including professional photography, a DJ, full-service catering, a custom cake or dessert bar, and beautifully designed (and sustainably sourced) floral arrangements for both the ceremony and reception.
Additional features such as bartending services, experienced service staff, day-of setup and cleanup, and all essential rentals—furniture, linens, flatware, glassware, outdoor bar, lighting, standing heaters, and event tents—are also included.
Couples also gain access to TMH’s exclusive planning resources, including the Wedding Fair and intuitive all-in-one planning software. To complete the experience, on-site accommodations for up to 54 guests make it easy to turn your wedding into a weekend getaway.
3: Choose Your Celebration Style
Want to invite only your closest friends and family? Or do you prefer your wedding day to last beyond a single day? From micro weddings, to full wedding weekends, Twenty Mile House can accommodate whatever celebration style you prefer.
The natural beauty and privacy of our venue are perfectly suited for heartfelt micro wedding gatherings, which allow couples to focus on what truly matters—authentic connection and meaningful moments. With fewer guests, there's more time for personal touches, deeper conversations, and an intimate celebration that reflects each couple's unique story.
More and more couples are turning their big day into a big weekend. Not only does it allow you to stretch out the festivities, it also gives you and your guests more time to savor the experience — and your wedding destination. The ultimate mountain wedding weekend at Twenty Mile
House calls for an itinerary packed with high-altitude adventures like horseback riding, birding, kayaking, biking, and hiking through the Plumas National Forest. When planning your activities, offer your guests a range of hiking trail options — from simple strolls through the woods to heart-pumping treks — to make sure everyone feels comfortable.
4: Spend Time Together on Site
The best part of your wedding weekend: Twenty Mile House serves as your wedding basecamp. After you’ve sent friends and family on their merry way to explore, everyone can reconvene back here for libations and conversations around the fire.
We offer on-site lodging for up to 54 guests, including our historic Main Guest house, cozy cabins, and cottage retreats with all the woodsy charm, so everyone can spend the weekend together. (We have plenty of amazing suggestions for nearby accommodations if needed, too.)
5: Capture the Nature-Filled Magic
Spread across our 200-acre property, you’ll find plenty of photogenic corners for those important first-look photos — including the charming bridge over Jackson Creek and the weathered Miner’s Cabin (a nod to California’s mining history). As for capturing your getting-ready moments, you can’t go wrong with the historic Main Guest House, which stuns with its soft, natural light and antique wood accents. Alternatively, opt for the equally stunning Mountain View Escape, a three-bedroom log cabin with floor-to-ceiling windows boasting views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The primary suite’s deck is an ideal spot for celebratory photos with your wedding party. (One Twenty Mile House bride even chose that space to host a morning yoga session with her crew.)
One of the top perks of hosting your wedding at Twenty Mile House? Our private venue is miles away from any neighbors — so you don’t have to worry about any noise restrictions. You and your guests can dance the night away to your heart’s content. We suggest taking full advantage of those late hours. Consider setting up a comfy lounge space amid the trees, complete with blankets, a hot cocoa and s’mores station, and maybe a few twinkling lights to set a cosmic mood and encourage your guests to relax and take in the brilliant star-filled sky.
Enjoy an All-Inclusive Mountain Wedding at Twenty Mile House in Northern California
A dreamy mountain wedding is one of our specialities at Twenty Mile House. And our talented team of innovators and creators are excited to help you bring yours to life. Reach out and schedule your tour of our stunning mountain wedding venue in Northern California today.