I Do Venues: Los Altos History Museum Lights, Camera, DIY!
Photography by: Gavin Farrington Photography
About the Venue
How about a sun-drenched, country-style adventure at this incredibly intimate and gorgeous setting lit to perfection? With all the charm and finesse of a barn wedding, Los Altos History Museum is an incredibly fun and sophisticated indoor/outdoor location. Nestled among heritage oaks and surrounded by the oldest apricot orchard in Silicon Valley, the property includes a historic wooden house that towers three levels high at 8,200 square feet. Sprinkled with 1930's decor, what's known as the Smith House offers an aspiring collection of historical artifacts surrounded by tall glass doors, wood floors, and soaring ceilings. Filled with romance, nostalgia and lush gardens, the outdoor ceremony and reception locations are warm and magical! The brick courtyard provides a truly lovely ceremony and reception space (as you can see in the photos above). This location is perfect for a wedding of up to 230 people. For ceremonies of 140 or less, you can say your vows under the beautiful heritage Oak tree at the Smith House garden set up. Reminiscent of old Lake Tahoe, this true garden setting is tucked between the Smith House and the gazebo area. At night, ceremony locations are transformed into a warmly lit reception. With outdoor dining under twinkly cafe lighting (provided by the venue), you can dance the night away inside the Museum.
Ask the Expert
Mark Perry, wedding coordinator at the Museum, 'absolutely encourages DIY!' In fact, many couples come to this quaint and unique venue with concepts and ideas that are typically homegrown. This wedding is a great example that demonstrates making the space your own, from the colorful ribbon backdrop to the delicious array of "homemade-style" cakes. All DIY creativity is welcomed, and almost any color palette under the sun or specialty design scheme could fit right in at this venue.
Gavin Farrington, who did a gorgeous job at photographing this wedding, shares a little behind the DIY inspiration:
Mei (the beautiful bride) put a lot of work into going around to a ton of antique and vintage shops, so everything was matched but mis-matched. For the scheme of the wedding Mei knew that she wanted a soft, romantic feel, giving the scene in the Disney film Tangled with floating lights as an example. The wedding took place on May 5, Cinco De Mayo, and they thought it would be a fun thing to include a piñata. The kids had a blast with that! On a limited budget, Mei was looking for a less well-known and more unconventional venue with a beautiful natural setting and lots of trees. She stumbled across Los Altos History Museum from a friend's wedding on Facebook. Usually when you hear the words history museum, you don't automatically think wedding venue...but it's an open, outdoorsy space with crawling plants and vines that is isolated, it makes it feel really pretty and ideal.
I Do Venues wants to recognize the talented team of wedding professionals who helped to make this bride's dream a reality: Photographer - Gavin Farrington Photography; Floral - Annie Siu Floral and Events; Cake - Schuberts Bakery; Catering - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme; Entertainment - DJ Mike Ewing.