FAQs

Absolutely! You can book a tour slot through our website. If you’re looking for a slot outside of our availability, please email events@kennolyn.com.

Each property takes about 30 minutes to see.

Kennolyn is a private venue with you as our only client on your special day, allowing us to offer both personal attention and privacy.

This means we provide a majority of the services and infrastructure for your special day. The venue fee at the Hilltop Hacienda includes:

• Ceremony site, reception space and restrooms

• Tables, chairs and lounge furniture

• Linens, glassware and tableware

• Lights, heat lamps and market umbrellas

• Catering, open bar and service staff

• Professional Event Coordinator

• DJ/MC

• 2 Nearlywed Suites

For additional services, we have a comprehensive list of preferred vendors, but you are also welcome to use vendors not on our list. We’re also happy to accommodate most rentals.

When you book with Kennolyn, our coordinator services are included in the package. Our experienced Event Coordinators will support you from start to finish, as detailed below. 

Planning: We’re happy to discuss your ideas and how to bring them to life at our property.

Vendor Coordination: Your vendors can contact us for guidance, including receiving the final timeline and arranging any pre-wedding visits.

Detail Meeting: We’ll schedule an in-person or phone meeting to review all details and create a timeline approximately 2-3 months before your wedding.

Rehearsal: We’ll conduct a rehearsal of the wedding ceremony.

Décor: We’ll review your décor and set it up as requested, including table numbers, centerpieces, signage, and gift tables.

Day-of Coordination: We’ll execute your timeline and alleviate as much stress as possible for you and your family.

Some clients with unique visions or a desire for minimal planning involvement choose to hire a wedding planner. If this sounds like you, we’re more than happy to collaborate with your planning team and provide support on your wedding day.

We use contract minimums based on guest count, which ranges from 90- 175 guests. Please contact events@kennolyn.com to receive current contract minimums.

You can reach your contract minimum using various add ons, some of which you may already be planning to add.  One of our Event Coordinators can assist in choosing add ons that fit within your vision and contract needs.

Sales tax, currently at 9.5%, is added to all invoices. A 20% service fee is added to catering and beverage prices. Per the California sales tax code, all service fees are subject to sales tax. 

We can hold a date for you for 7 days by starting with a contract. You will receive a contract via email that both you and your partner need to sign. To secure your date, please return the signed contract along with the non-refundable reservation deposit.

The deposit is required within 7 days of placing a hold on your event date. This deposit, which is 25% of your estimated event total, will be specified in your contract. An additional 25% of the estimated contract total is due 90 days before your event. Your final guest count is due 2 weeks before the event, after which your final invoice will be issued. The remaining balance is due 10 days prior to the event.

Payment may be made by credit/debit card via Kennolyn’s secure payment portal, or wire. There is a transaction fee when paying by card.

The deposit is non-refundable. You can cancel your event in writing up to 60 days before the event and will receive a refund of the 90-day payment. However, if you cancel less than 60 days before the event, you will be responsible for paying the full contract amount.

We offer dates between March and November but are open to discussing other dates. The price does not change per month, however the contract minimum may.

Our permit with Santa Cruz County allows us to hold weddings on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. The price does not change for a Friday or Sunday wedding. If you are looking to hold a reception event, which may be on a weekday, please visit Soiree on the Hill page.

You can reach your contract minimum using various add ons, some of which you may already be planning to add.  We can assist in choosing add ons that fit within your vision and contract needs.

Our base package includes 5 hours and 30 minutes of event time. Most hosts opt for a 4:30 ceremony start so the event can go until 10PM.

At the Hilltop Hacienda, you can arrive as early as 10 AM to start using Casa de Caldwell. Please coordinate with your Coordinator regarding available times for loading and unloading belongings during your event weekend.

A Sound Ordinance in Santa Cruz County restricts outdoor amplified music past 10:00 PM. At the Hilltop Hacienda events must end at 10:00 PM. Guests must begin departure at or before 10PM.

Absolutely! Most of our paths are paved, and we will have trained staff on hand to assist guests in navigating gravel or grass areas. The reception spaces are fully ADA accessible, including a designated restroom.

The Hilltop Hacienda has about 100 parking spaces.

While we encourage shuttles at the Hilltop Hacienda, they are not required.

Our license allows us to serve beer, wine and hard seltzer, which are all included in our open bar package. We are also able to serve sangria, cider and specialty cocktails, which could be added to our bar package. The specialty cocktails use a fermented liquor as the base.

You are required to use our reception meal and beverage package. You can cater cake and desserts with an outside vendor. If you would like any food or beverage available in the getting ready spaces, you are permitted to bring those on site.

Kennolyn has an ongoing commitment to sustainable business practices. We produce solar power on site and have recently doubled our production capacity. We participate in a composting program to remove our food waste from the landfill, and, through our summer camp programs, teach thousands of children about the importance of minimizing our impact on the Earth.  Beyond that, we own, maintain, and protect over 400 acres of redwood forest.  Our forest is considered new growth, the trees being “only” up to about 150 years old.  But even at that age, a redwood forest can store nearly 350 metric tons of carbon per acre.  Maintaining our business success on this property, while leaving the vast majority of our land undeveloped, allows us to protect these forests for future generations.

The Hilltop Hacienda offers both indoor and outdoor spaces. In case of inclement weather, indoor areas can be adapted. We can provide specific details about the backup plan based on your guest count and vision.

Absolutely! You are also welcome to get ready onsite before you depart for your ceremony.

Our menu has some excellent options for vegan or vegetarian guests! We offer vegetarian entrées for those guests requesting it, or we can design a customized vegetarian or vegan menu for the entire wedding. Additional costs may apply.

Our location allows us to source most ingredients locally and we opt for organic products when possible. We can also design a customized menu or substitute specific ingredients to accommodate special requests. There may be additional costs associated with a more expensive ingredient, which would be dictated by the market rates at the time of the event.

Yes! Children’s reception meals are priced as follows:

• Children under 2 years old - no charge  

• Children 2-4 years old - $72

• Children 5-12 years old - $112  

• Young Adults 13-20 - $142

At a private event venue in Santa Cruz County, you can skip the event permit you would otherwise need for hosting in a public space. We will guide you in observing any local noise ordinances and alcoholic beverage service restrictions.

We welcome service animals, those that are specially trained to provide some of the work and tasks which an individual cannot perform on his/her/their own.  Emotional support, comfort, companion, or therapy animals are not service animals as defined by the ADA and California law and we do not allow such animals onto our properties.  A minor exception can be made for couples that wish to have their furry loved ones in photos or as part of the service.  In this case, a designated handler must bring the animal onsite immediately prior to when they are needed and remove the animal immediately afterward.

At the Hilltop Hacienda, our dinner chairs are distressed white cross-back chairs with cushions, while ceremony chairs, if used, are white folding banquet chairs. Our table linens are ivory, and napkins are available in ivory, black, or cinnamon. We’re also happy to accommodate rental linens and custom napkin colors that you provide.

We have two spaces, named Casa de Caldwell and the Casita.

Casa de Caldwell showcases stunning details that complement the Spanish-style architecture of the Hilltop Hacienda. The space includes two sitting areas, two side rooms, a dining area, and three restrooms indoors. Additionally, there's more space for dining, relaxing, or taking photos on the lower lawn, which overlooks the Monterey Bay..

The Casita is a spacious room ideal for relaxing and getting ready. It includes comfortable sofas, a table, a mini fridge, mirrors, and a restroom. Its close proximity to the reception space makes it perfect for use during the party.

Cada de Caldwell is available beginning at 10AM and the Casita is available beginning at 12PM. While Casa de Caldwell closes at 6PM, the Casita is available through the end of your wedding.

Yes! We have 3 large sun umbrellas and 3 freestanding outdoor heaters, all typically used in the courtyard for cocktail hour and dancing. There are also heaters integrated in the awning to warm the space during dinner.

The Redwood Grove can fit about 200 seated guests.

The Estate Lawn can fit up to 300 guests, which is our maximum capacity.

All dancing music must be held in the courtyard as it contains the sound level. Music on the lawn travels over to our neighbors.