Venue Spotlight: The Brazilian Room, Berkeley

Intimate, rustic, and classic are all words that come to mind when we think of this spectacular and “very Bay Area" wedding venue option. The Brazilian Room is in Wildcat Canyon in Tilden Regional Park in the Berkeley Hills and seats 150 banquet-style. It’s one of the most popular wedding sites in California, hosting over 200 weddings a year. Think lodge meets elegance. Its historic hall features the original interior hardwood paneling from the Brazilian Pavilion at the 1939 Golden Gate Exposition on Treasure Island. The paneling was donated to the East Bay Regional Park District, who then built a building of local rock and timber to house the paneling and the hall became known as the Brazilian Room. The inside is Old English Tudor style with floor-to-ceiling leaded glass windows, while the outside features a flagstone patio that overlooks the expansive lawn and the beautiful trees of Tilden Park. Perfect place for an outdoor ceremony.

When you inquire about the facilities, you will connect with Michael McNally, who couldn’t be more friendly and passionate about the Brazilian Room, along with the other beautiful venues offered through the East Bay Regional Park District. Michael tells us they host an Open House at the Brazilian Room every Tuesday from 1 pm to 8 pm, except for the 4^th Tuesday of the month. The other facilities are available for viewing by appointment, and we’ll be sure to feature them in the coming weeks and months here on Bridebound Blog.

Lucky for you, Michael tells us they have a list of 13 Approved Caterers who are some of the top caterers in the San Francisco Bay Area. He assures us they know the facilities well and can act as a wedding coordinator as well. Michael is also happy to provide you with other vendors like photographers and florists, though you’re free to bring in your own. The Brazilian Room allows a non-catered option (at an additional fee) where you can provide your own food, however, you cannot bring in a Caterer that is not on their Approved List. Should you bring in your own food, you’d then be responsible for table and chair set up, tear down and the initial clean up. The non-catered option is restricted and can only be used on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Brazilian Room. Note beer, wine and champagne are allowed at the Brazilian Room, but no hard liquor.

The Brazilian Room stands out for so many reasons: price, beauty, location and the attention-to-detail, which you can’t miss as you take a tour of the property. It’s totally Bridebound approved and we think you should hop to it come your next free Tuesday. www.brazilianroom.org