I Do Venues: Presidio Log Cabin Fun and Whimsical
Photography by: Cara Mia Photography
About the venue
History meets the gorgeous views of the Gold Gate Bridge - what a fantastic location to host your dream wedding. San Francisco at large is filled with the most to-die-for wedding locations, but few are as fun and whimsical as the Presidio Log Cabin. The Log Cabin has been perched upon the hillside of the Presidio since 1937. A landmark along the west shore of the Presidio, the ruggedly handsome structure is a throwback to the Pioneer days of California.
The charm of the "Log Cabin" design is rooted in the beauty of nature and old-fashioned craftsmanship. The woodsy frontier-style split log architecture is topped with a classical Spanish red tile roof, but don't let the understated and simple design of the front fool you.
Ruggedly handsome and uniquely American, rough-hewn log home-plans bring woodsy frontier style to mountaintop, lakeside, or riverfront vacation houses. Typically constructed of cypress, fir, or cedar timbers, contemporary log house designs are rooted in the beauty of nature and the charm of old-fashioned craftsmanship. Centuries away from the simple one-room log cabins and dogtrots that inspired this design, today's multi-level log houses often feature view-capturing walls of windows, elaborate decks, vaulted ceilings, skylights, and massive stone fireplaces. Their open sunlit floor plans are ideal for grand-scale entertaining with great rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms that open on to each other for a casual traffic flow.
Ask the expert
Who can tell the story behind the design and inspiration of a wedding better than the bride herself? Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
My husband is an architect, so the structure itself was very important to him. We wanted something that looked beautiful on it's own and held some meaning for the city of San Francisco and for us. When we found the Log Cabin we just knew it would be perfect. It's an historic building in the Presidio, is beautifully designed, and has the rustic cozy look we were going for. We also liked the irony of a Log Cabin in such a big bustling city.
We drew inspiration for our wedding from the city itself. Greg and I both went to college in the city, met in the city, and live in the city. We feel it really defines who we are. So we drew inspiration from the different neighborhoods and elements that make this place so great - the trolley car to transport our guests and the bridal party, the maracas to show our love of the Mission, the Golden Gate Bridge cake and surfer cupcakes (Greg's a surfer), the scenic drive sign table cards, and the 'This Is San Francisco' storybook for our guests to sign.
My favorite part of the evening was the dancing! The Log Cabin has a great dance floor right in the middle of the room. The floor was packed all night long and DJ Bobby A did an amazing job of keeping the party going. Everyone also enjoyed the amazing cake. It was not only cute, but deeelish too!
I Do Venues wants to recognize the talented team of wedding professionals who helped to make this bride's dream a reality: Photographer - Cara Mia Photography; Floral (corsages and bridal bouquet) - House of Flowers; Cake and Cupcakes - Cynically Delicious; Catering - Ludy's Main Street BBQ and Catering; Printed Materials - Oakland Printing Company; Ceremony Chairs and Heat Lamps - Classic Party Rentals; Videographer - Brandon Hopp Productions.