RAMONA, Calif. (KGTV) — Planning a wedding often starts with finding the perfect venue, but some couples are now turning to vacation rental properties to check off more than one item on their to-do list.
For newlywed Maya Chockley, organizing her dream wedding was a process she took on alone.
“I wanted to plan my wedding, so I did not hire a wedding coordinator or a wedding planner. I really did it all on my own over the course of months,” Chockley said.
She and her fiancé focused on their priorities while staying within budget, starting with the search for a location.
“We really wanted like a home base. We don’t want people spread out in different hotels and kind of like juggling where everyone is. Like we just wanted a central location to really maximize time with everyone,” she said.
After looking at hotels and wineries, the couple decided to browse vacation rental listings — part of a growing trend of property owners offering homes for private events. That’s how they discovered Full Circle Farms Getaway and Retreats, a family-owned property in Ramona that accommodates overnight guests and allows small, intimate weddings.
Alana Samuels, the property’s event coordinator, said bookings have steadily increased. “I think people are, especially after COVID, they’re more focused on celebrating with people that matter, not doing anything crazy big blowout events,” Samuels said.
The property books like an Airbnb stay, with a per-night rate and an additional fee for events. No extra permits are required.
“We have a two-night minimum. Um, it’s never gonna be more than $2,500 a night and then we just charge an additional event fee if you want to host an event here of $2,200 and that’s it,” Samuels said.
According to the wedding planning site The Knot, the average cost of a wedding venue is just over $12,000. Chockley said their three-night stay at Full Circle Farms was far less expensive.
“I believe it was around $6,500 for the three nights,” she said.
For the couple, the decision came down to value. “It was also bang for your buck. Like I spent a lot for the venue, but it was for 3 days, right? Rather than just like 4 hours and then getting a hotel separately,” Chockley said.
With hotel rooms averaging $100 to $150 per night, Chockley said she was glad they chose the venue, making their wedding not only more personal, but also more affordable.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
