Headlands Center For the Arts

We rented this space for our wedding a few weeks ago, and I loved the whole experience. I think there’s not enough transparent information in the wedding search process, and Unilocal helped me when I was searching, so I wanted to put in my two cents now that we’re done.
I can’t improve upon the descriptions of the space that are already here. Their website (
) has a great slideshow with more photos, or you can just go poke around in person during the open hours (Sunday — Thursday, 12 noon — 5 pm) to see if it’s the right feel for you. I can completely understand the style isn’t for everyone — there are distressed walls, and the latrine is unisex — but it worked for us.
We love the Marin Headlands and liked the idea of a wedding that has the beautiful outdoors immediately surrounding it (we had all our portraits done outside before the ceremony), but also provides a charming indoor setting for the ceremony and the meal — no need to rent tents or heaters, or worry about rain or even just the chilly fog coming in. We also liked how close to San Francisco it was, given how many out of town guests we had — all of our guests used hotels in San Francisco.
The price has gone up since the 2009 review stating it was $ 4500 — now it’s $ 6000 for the day, starting at 12 noon and music off/​last call at 10 pm. (You need to be cleaned up and out by 11 pm.) We decided that given how expensive other wedding venues in San Francisco this was not a bad deal. This also includes a fair number of supplies — 75 chairs, the tables, the seating for the ceremony — i.e., rather than having a park wedding, we wanted something more all inclusive so we wouldn’t need to rent any of that stuff. We also liked how it looked without decoration (as opposed to a hotel ballroom) so that was worth extra money to us. In the end the only decorations we used were lights and flowers.
All of our contact about renting the space and payments were done through their special events manager, Madeleine, who was unfailingly responsive, kind and lovely to work with. She was not there on the day of, but a «monitor» to ensure we were following the rules Eliza was present, and she was friendly, helpful and easy as well.
There is one exclusive caterer, Katie Powers, and we never tasted her food before the wedding. This was a risk, but part of our confidence in doing that was reading her other reviews online, and we can now agree with the positive ones whole-​heartedly. She uses local and seasonal ingredients, and is a wizard — people are still talking about how amazing the food was weeks later. Also, Katie worked with us to create a menu that felt perfect for the time of year and for what we wanted to be eating, and she was also very easy to work with around some tricky dietary restrictions. And she was pretty in line with what other caterers in the area cost.
And as the exclusive caterer, Katie knows her way around Headlands and puts on a flawless show. She’s in charge of the rentals and the staff, so you’re not dealing with multiple vendors. Katie just takes care of what needs to be done. Day of the wedding, I knew I had nothing to worry about because Katie had an answer for everything. She generously made some changes at the last minute to make sure everything flowed well, and generally did whatever was needed. (She even is able to officiate your wedding in case of emergency!) And she was the one who helped figure out what to do when it became clear my now-​husband had forgotten his tie. Her attitude was perfect too — everything was achievable. I can’t speak highly enough about her expertise, and how easy it was to trust her.
A couple other notes that may be helpful:
* The space you rent is on two floors, with the ceremony and cocktail hour held upstairs, the latrine and mess hall where dinner is are downstairs, and the after dinner reception is upstairs again. There is no elevator. There is a second room upstairs that is not public space for your guests, but we used it for changing and other bridal needs. We loved having everything in one building.
* A previous review was concerned about the limits on candles. We used votive candles on the tables and some windowsills, and they worked great.
* There is no cell phone service in this part of the Headlands. We warned people of this multiple times, worried some people were planning to Über home. Some arranged shuttles ahead of time, and others used the landline available at the venue for 415 area code calls to call a taxi. It worked well.

This is a beautiful location for a romantic, rustic wedding. The staff is wonderful to work with and the food is delicious. All locally sourced and organic. Served family style with a wonderful plated presentation. This is some of the best wedding food I have tasted and they took care of us vendors just a delightful as being the guest. I would give 5 stars but the only downside is the awkward and shared bathroom they have for everyone to use (keeping with it’s artistic and rustic ambience) but just a little too odd for me.
Thanks for making Kathleen & Jorgens wedding beautiful. Hope to do another event there in the future.

This is a beautiful place for a wedding. Very lost in Jane Austen kind of feel. The empty space may seem a bit intimidating upon first glance, but it fills up quite nicely. The dinner reception was simply to DIE for. The caterer did a wonderful job with the family style meal – very farm to table. The bathrooms are probably the least desirable aspect, but it worked out okay.

A great destination for a bike ride. I came here for the Fall open studios, which are held a few times a year. There were some really wonderful artists, including a smell artist, several site-​specific pieces, and an amazing black cellist that played in the unique and wonderful acoustics of the «gym» while rightly calling out issues of race. Volunteers served some really tasty food, and there was a shuttle to get around. I biked over to the other sites but some people walked, and it was a long walk! I recommend taking the shuttle if it’s available. The facilities are great to walk around too.

I just attended a wedding at the HCFA last night, and it was BY FAR the best food I’ve EVER had at a wedding in my entire life.
Everything is local and FRESH (I had never had fresh honeycomb, but this won’t be my last time!) and the appetizers went FAR beyond the *coldcuts and fingerfoods* staple of most weddings.
There were cheeses there I had never even HEARD of (YUM!), all sorts of roasted and marinated veggies, at LEAST 5 different types of salami (I’m Italian, so this was my favorite part) and other fresh meats and breads that were to DIE for.
Also, I’m a BIG fan of figs, and there were many different kinds of figs, as well as appetizers made with figs that brought out flavors I never knew were there.
I could go on and on…
The venue was interesting in a good way as well. There are 2 floors and 4 active rooms, so there were never too many people in one spot, the *décor* is spartan and vintage and gorgeous! (I love all primitive furnishings, so this was right up my alley) and the bathroom is one you won’t forget anytime soon!
On the grounds we saw a mommy deer and babies, a couple of Canadian Geese, and my open car was visited by a curious raccoon, though he didn’t take much.;)
I am still unmarried, but I’ll definitely consider this place for my nuptials, for the amazing fare, space and staff, who were all EXTREMELY doting and friendly as well.
Thanks Marin Headlands Center for the Arts Wedding Venue!

Beautiful place for a wedding — the interior is charming, elegant, and a perfect spot for both the wedding ceremony and cocktails/​dinner reception. Plus, we even saw a deer (a doe?) outside! November in San Francisco…
The kitchen also made very tasty food — I definitely recommend!

I attended my first event at The Headlands Center for the Arts last week. It was the 5-​course artesenal insect meal and mezcal pairing. I really didn’t think I’d eat any bugs, but evidently a little crack was open in that door, as by the 3^rd course I was chowing them down like there was no tomorrow. The whole event was wonderful, from start to finish. The people there had a GREAT vibe. I had never been to the facility at all before this. This location is visually stunning in a pastoral canyon sort of way. It seems like another country there in a good way. Very quiet and serene and there is just this great energy all around – from the people who volunteer, to those in the arts, to the artistic way these old army buildings are presented. Every nook and cranny is a major photo op. Kudos to everyone involved in this fabulous organization! This institution is a valentine to the arts.

The very first time I visited the HCftA, I knew it would be my wedding location. We got married here on January 8, 2011 and it was a dream come true!
Overall, I’m more than happy that THIS is where my wedding memories take place. It was a beautiful day that I will always remember fondly.
For you brides who are planning, I thought I’d give some helpful pros and cons based on my experience.
Pros!
–The simple, rustic beauty of this venue is what I love most. Sure, the price is somewhat high (especially when you start adding in the cost of the required caterer, linens, extra chairs/​tables, etc.) but we saved big time in the area of décor. All we brought in to the venue were candles and flowers. Nothing else was needed — the venue is gorgeous on its own.
–Katie Powers, the on-​site required caterer, is amazing. Her food is fantastic and she was really willing to work with us on a unique menu (breakfast for dinner) that was relatively low in cost. All of our guests loved the meal.
–Rebecca, the on-​site coordinator is very helpful and sweet. She was always quick to reply to my emails. I was sad that she was not the actual coordinator present on the day of my wedding.
Cons? Eh, Not really.
–The co-​ed bathroom is definitely unique, but it’s easy to «separate» boys from girls by using one section of stalls for each gender. It ended up not being a big deal at all and I didn’t hear of any guests complaining.
Cons!
–As I mentioned above, Rebecca was not our on-​site coordinator on the actual wedding day. Sadly, the guy who was the on-​site coordinator was not very helpful at all. First of all, we arranged to arrive at the venue at 11AM. Naturally, we needed to get in there quick to begin setting up/​getting ready. It was cold and misty outside, so I really needed to get in quick before my temperamental hair went frizzy. Well, our coordinator was nowhere to be found. We waited for about 15 – 20 minutes outside until an artist in residence happened by and let us in. The coordinator didn’t arrive until about noon! That was a big inconvenience. At one point we needed to know if there were extra paper towels for the bathroom and he said he’d «try to find out» — but never got back to us about it.
–The contract does talk a bit about what is and isn’t allowed candle/​flame-​wise. It was my understanding that the only restrictions were that the candle had to be in a glass votive, taller than the flame. Knowing that I wanted LOTS of candles to provide a warm glow, I ordered over 300 of them. The week before the wedding, I emailed Rebecca to confirm a few things. She replied and at that point let me know that no candles could be placed on the floor and no candles could be set on the ledge in the downstairs hallway. This was the first I’d heard of this rule. I was a little miffed, but let it roll off. Then, on the wedding day, the coordinator saw us setting candles on windowsills and the ledge around the foyer on the second floor and told us that that was also not allowed. At this point, I was very disappointed. If no candles can be on the floor and none can be on windowsills or ledges… where can they be??? Basically the only place they were allowed was on the dining room tables and on the wide ledge around the dining hall. I just wish I had known this before I had spent a couple hundred dollars on votives. Future brides: beware of those candle rules!
In short, I’d recommend the HCftA in a heartbeat to any bride! But I thought I’d mention those little surprises so that future brides can be fully prepared.

My husband and I just got married at the headlands on November 6^th and we couldn’t have been happier. This place is magical… there is an energy that hits you from the minute you open the doors downstairs that is like unexplainable. The spaces are intimate yet grand and the history of the venue makes for very interested conversation!
Rebecca and her staff were completely amazing to work with and don’t even get me started on Katie Powers– that girl knows food! She always had a smile on her face (even when I could tell things (we) were stressing her out ;)) … if you’re not into gazebos, manicured lawns, gardens, or fountains and would rather have history, eucalyptus trees, white washed walls, hardwood floors, exposed pipes and lightbulbs, grand staircases, tin ceilings… this is your place!!!
Don’t forgot curtains for the bathroom … its… interesting ;)

My husband and I just had our wedding at the Headlands Center for the Arts, and we couldn’t have been happier! It is the most magical place on earth and surrounded by the most beautiful scenery you could ask for. The staff at the Arts Center was unbelievably helpful and so easy to work with, the entire evening went off without a hitch.
The caterer, Katie Powers, is a total genius and I heard so many «This is the best food I’ve ever had!» comments. She was also incredibly helpful with planning and answering our million questions.
I can’t say enough good things about this venue, everything was perfect and better than we could have ever dreamed!

I loved this place! The inside of the building is very cool and artsy. The scenery is gorgeous. It is such a unique venue for a wedding or party. The bathroom is funky and single sex, which didn’t bother me, although I can’t say the same for my parents…

Went here on the search for a wedding venue. It was $ 4500 for the day. The location is ideal, in the awe inspiring Marin Headlands amidst fields of fragrant flowers. The exterior is rustic and charming and the interior has some beautiful details, like the iron coffered ceilings, original to the building, wooden banisters, and beautiful windows that flood the rooms with light. Minor cavils: the dancing and ceremonial area are on the second floor, while the dining hall is on the first. That means you have to go up and down, which my older relatives (including my parents) wouldn’t appreciate. There are also columns in the dance space, which I would be afraid of running into during the wedding frenzy. Also, many interior details are charming (was recently redone by architects), but some are labored and annoyingly hipster. I’m talking about the weird bathroom with lots of cramped elliptical stalls (really poor use of space as the room itself is enormous), and the affected drawing/​wallpaper in the mess hall. Verdict: I would love to be an artist in residence here, but it is not ideal for a wedding.

Just went to a wedding here last weekend. This place was a little hard to find, but well worth the drive to see my friend get married. This place is an awesome place to get married, very old and rustic… but has tons of charm. The building was really neat and showed the years it had been there. The mountain setting with beautiful views was nice to take in at sunset, it was the image you want to think of when you say the bay area. The bathrooms were interesting and made you laugh every time you went in, you will have to see to understand. This place is old vintage style but very beautiful. I had a great time seeing friends and enjoying the building and breath taking views. Great intimate place to have a wedding.

Beautiful, amazing. Possessing of that unique quality, that which makes me doubt my entire half-​a-​pack-​a-​day-​just-​by-​breathing existence in Los Angeles. Wild turkeys and raccoon named stumpy.

Me: (loud whispering to friend 1) «Wow the pastor woman is really hot.»
Friend 1: (nods)
Me: (loud whispering to friend 2) «Do you think she’s hot too?»
Friend 2: (nods)
Person in front of me: (Turns around and irritatingly glares)
Me: (I silently mouth) I know right!!! She’s hot. I call dibs!
This hill top venue was the kind of kick in the pants I needed in my Wedding Tour ²⁰⁰⁸⁄₉ (Currently on my 11^th of 12 stops). That’s right, I’ve gone to 11 weddings this year. It’s either love or the desperation for duel incomes and tax breaks that is in the air. A wedding can be traditionally opulent with doves being released at the apex of exchanging vows or serve caviar topped crab cakes paired with foie gras during cocktails. However, after the 4^th dove sighting it gets a bit boring (no disrespect to the other 10 beautiful weddings on this Tour).
What I appreciated about The Headlands Center for the Arts was it offered my two friends a unique ambiance that resonated in parity to their own artistic gifts. That is a big statement coming from a guy that has the understanding and sophistication (demonstrated by above dialogue) for the arts as impotent as a 78 year old X-​ray technician.
I would recommend you read Hope D.‘s and Connie C.‘s reviews as their detailed descriptions of the location are extremely illustrative. The only thing left for me to add is the suggestion to accompany any ceremony or event with live music. This wedding had a jazz group (
) who’s notes were transformed into something a bit more soulful as they echoed off the distressed wood flooring and paint flaked moldings.
ps. The gal wasn’t really a pastor, just a friend asked to preside the ceremony. Although the fact that she flaked on me later that night makes me want to believe that she is a pastor. Worthless dibs.

Working on the art program for the redevelopment project of East Fort Baker, I came to hear about the Headlands Center and their amazing residency program. I was invited to attend a lecture being given by a current residents whose work we were considering for our project.
Open to the public, these lecture nights begin in the dining room where drinks and an amazing family-​style dinner are served out of the artfully restored kitchen. Originally, the room was an army mess hall but with its pressed tin ceilings, warm wood floors, patched plaster walls, and piecemeal collection of vintage tables and chairs, one would hardly guess that the space was ever designed for anything military.
The food was fantastic. How great it must be as a resident to be treated to this every night. After dinner, everyone poured into the kitchen to help clean up. It was really fun to chat and have a few drinks with the artists and program directors while we all washed dishes.
The lecture was given in the upstairs hall, though it felt more like a slide-​show given by an artist friend than it did a formal lecture. It was familial and warm and unpretentious. Guests and fellow artists asked provoking questions. Afterward, we walked through the lecturer’s studio to see his current works-​in-​progress. The quality of the art produced by the residents is stunning.
Leaving the Center, driving past herds of deer running along the fire roads, towards the glowing Headlands tunnel that magically transports you from urban modernity to the pastoral and back, it’s hard not to wonder why this place is visited so infrequently by much of the SF arts community. Such a wonderful place, I can’t wait to go back.

In a dreamy haze of mist and rain most of the year, Headlands center for the arts offers artist residencies year round for a unique experience. The walls have been peeled down to reveal their under-​structure and history, which is lovely in a rustic way. When you arrive you really feel like you’ve come to an enchanting place far away. I’m not surprised that people choose to get married here, it has such a rare feel of untypical beauty.
Its not generally open to the public, but I highly recommend checking their website out and going out to see it during one of their special events, they have open studio days, where you can come and see the work that is being made there and meet the artists which is a really unusual and cool way to take in some art, culture, and nature.

I love art and nature, and I can’t believe that I’ve never been to Headlands Center for the Arts before. Tucked away in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Sausalito, the Center for the Arts is located in what used to be historical military buildings at Fort Barry. So close to the city, but yet you feel like you’re way out in the countryside.
The main building, 944, was the site used for a magazine photoshoot that I went to, and it provided the most beautiful backdrops. Each of the public rooms have been renovated by commissioned artists over the past 2 decades. Think earthy textures, paint peeled away intentionally and cracks left in the walls. Creeky stairs and hard wood floors. The latrines and mess hall on the ground floor retain that early 1900’s military feel. You even have to pull on a cord coming from the piping above to flush the toilets.
I just read Hope D’s review, and can only imagine how amazing the wedding she attended must have been here.
Project Space, located on the 3^rd floor, is an open studio that gives people a chance to meet artists and watch them work. It’s free and open to the public in the afternoons during the week. 3 times a year, the Center has an Open House where all the artists open their studios to the public showing works in progress. The upcoming Open House is this Sunday, July 16^th. For art enthusiasts, this is a wonderful place to spend the day. While you’re in the Headlands, take a hike or ride your bike and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Don’t bring your cell phone and just be at one with nature — you can’t get reception here anyways!

This place is magical. My brother and his wife had the most beautiful and most amazing wedding weekend there. They rented out the family and youth hostels for all their friends and family, and we had the most marveous time. The two of them were artist in residence in 2000 and 2004, and they speak very highly of their experience, so much so that they got married there!
The Center for the Arts has art openings, special showings, performances and art residents working/​living out there all year long. Check it out or go stay at the hostel some weekend. It’s gorgeous out there. It’s so tucked away and peaceful in the valley there, yet so close to the city. It’s like a little retreat.
— — — — — –
just to paint a picture:
THE ARTISTS’ STUDIOS
The Headlands’ buildings are home to nearly 40 studios such as this one, where artists in residence pursue their work and often make it available for the public to view.
THE ARCHIVE ROOM
Over the years, bits and pieces of the rich military history and the remarkable natural phenomena of the Headlands Center for the Arts have been discovered, uncovered and left behind. The Archive Room contains a collection of these objects. As a testament to the layers of history that we have unearthed, this room contains layers of debris generated by each renovation project. As this place ages and changes, new layers of detritus are added. New additions are welcome.
THE MAIN BUILDING
Renowned artist David Ireland transformed the rooms and halls in this 1907 military-​barracks building, where the wedding ceremony was held.
Twenty four young artists volunteered for a year on an artistic journey that in many ways was more like an archaeological dig than an art project. Ireland conceives of his work as exploration rather than imposition. Things that have acquired an identity of their own over time — broken chairs, brooms worn by use, stained walls — intrigue him, and this sense of history informs his work.
David Ireland and his crew sandblasted the layers of paint off the stamped-​tin ceilings and pillars, and using sandpaper, solvents and even dental tools, picked the paint off the beautiful stairwell, railings and banisters. In the East Wing (the ceremony site), they stripped the walls down to the original plaster and the baseboards to their fine wood.
These rooms are not only beautiful works of art, but important gathering places. Their functional duality — aesthetic and practical — reflects the Headland’s mission and the kind of art it exists to support. Simply put, public and site art seek to take art out of its frame and put it back into the real world. Public art responds to its audience, as site art responds to its location. David Ireland’s rooms serve both goals, situated at the heart of a thriving art center, sharing its artistic treasures with the public.

if you missed out on the spring open house today (⁴⁄₂₄), pencil in your calendar the dates for the two remaining open houses as this not to be missed event only takes place thrice a year. a wonderful opportunity to visit studios while meeting the artists themselves and viewing works in progress. i cannot think of a single better way to spend a sunday afternoon (if you live in the bay area), in beautiful, scenic sausalito (just minutes from golden gate). meet the artists in residence and affiliate artists, while drinking a beer purchased from the mess hall café (designed by ann hamilton, furniture and the rodeo room designed by david ireland) and munching on a choco chip cookie and/​or mac n cheese. you’ll find yourself walking through this charming old fort space with incredible views of the marin headlands and wishing you were an artist yourself so you could take advantage of such wondrous project spaces. just be sure to watch your step so as not to tread on any leashes of the dozen or so dogs that are warmly welcomed here by artists and viewers alike. adriane colburn’s installation was fantastic and a favorite, claudia tennyson’s «the repair project» touched a personal chord, and jeanne finley’s haunting space transported me to another time. i’m definitely returning to future events at the headlands center, ⁵⁄₂₂? for an experimental performance of «the dangerous stranger» followed by the family style dinner in the mess hall (w/​hopefully family, friends, and a date in tow), and am only sad to have not visited earlier. check out
for more info (and i normally don’t believe in such advertising… i’m the first to take off the dealer plates on a new car!, but i know you won’t regret visiting this extraordinary site/​space).