We are so thrilled that you are coming to celebrate with us in just a few weeks! We wanted to give you some information about what to expect so that the weekend goes swimmingly.
Ranch History
A century-old guest ranch, Dawn Ranch was named in celebration of the rare Dawn Redwood, of which there are two mature trees on the grounds. Believed to be extinct for over 15 million years, the Dawn Redwood was rediscovered in the 1940's growing in remote provinces of China. A handful of saplings were reintroduced to North America from these Chinese saplings.
Dining
There is a restaurant on site called the Roadhouse. There are also dining opportunities in downtown Guerneville. There is a small health food store just a stone’s throw from the Ranch as well. If you are staying at the Ranch, breakfast is included in your room fare both mornings at the Roadhouse. If you are joining us on Friday night for the BBQ, please bring your appetite! For those staying Saturday night, please join us Sunday morning for breakfast together at the Roadhouse.
Friday Night Barbeque
We are looking forward to delicious food, entertaining toasts, a slideshow of Chris and Christine over the years, and music by the bonfire. If you have an instrument you’d like to bring, please do! We are imagining a sing-a-long next to the boathouse with warm, gooey marshmallows roasting over the fire. If you want to sit on the grass after dinner, feel free to bring a blanket. It may get chilly at night, so bring an extra layer.
Saturday Events
You will soon discover that Guerneville is downright hot! So bring a bathing suit and sunscreen. You can cool off in the river near the boathouse or in the pool next to the restaurant. There are also wine-tasting opportunities, Armstrong Woods National Park, and a golf course nearby. No matter how you spend Saturday, plan on being dried and dressed up by the 4 o’clock ceremony in the orchard.
The Ceremony
We have chosen to model our ceremony after the Quaker tradition of marriage. Basic Quaker belief states that each of us carries a “light,” an element of truth, or some part of the divine within. During our ceremony we will be seeking your collective blessing on us a couple. The ceremony will include a Quaker worship, in which we sit for a period of silence. We invite everyone who feels moved to speak out of the silence to share a message relevant to the occasion. Your spoken message might be a blessing, a bit of wisdom gained from your own partnership, or a story about or for us. Please know that all of you are invited, but not expected to, speak. We would like everyone to sign our wedding certificate at the end of the ceremony.
Attire
We’ve been warned that high-heels do not fare well in the orchard, so it would be wise to go with a wedge heel or flats. We’ve gotten some questions about what to wear to the wedding. Well, we are dressing up and you can, too, in ties and jackets, summery cocktail dresses, etc. It would be wise to bring a shawl or sweater for cooler evening temperatures.
Photographs
If you bring a digital camera to the wedding, please share the photographs with us afterward by uploading them onto our flickr photo account, which is http://www.flickr.com/tineandtopher/ Many thanks for contributing to our memories and our photo albums!
Location, Location!
Dawn Ranch is located about an hour and a half north of the Bay Area. There is ample parking for the weekend right in front of the Ranch. The address is 16467 River Road (Hwy 116), Guerneville, CA 95446. Phone: 707.869.0656 (See below directions.)
We can’t wait to see you on July 10th or 11th!
To Dawn Ranch from San Francisco:
Take 101 North towards Santa Rosa
Take the River Road exit
Turn left
Follow River Road to Guerneville
Turn left directly after Safeway Grocery Store
To Dawn Ranch from the north:
Take 101 South towards Santa Rosa
Take the River Road exit
Turn right onto River Road
Follow River Road to Guerneville
Drive through downtown Guerneville
Turn left directly after Safeway Grocery Store
