About San Mateo
Situated on a highly sought-after strip of land between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, San Mateo is a city where you can experience the best California has to offer. While nearby San Francisco may steal all the limelight, San Mateo offers a great blend of major attractions and facilities along with a friendlier, small-town feel.
It’s a city known for its wonderful climate, thriving food scene, and abundant outdoor attractions and natural scenery. So if you’re looking for the perfect spot to get married, you’ll find a huge range of options to choose from in the San Mateo area.
Wedding Options in San Mateo
Planning a wedding can be a hugely stressful experience, but the most important thing to remember is that there’s always help available. From sorting flowers and decor to food, entertainment, and even finding the best San Mateo wedding venue, San Mateo’s top wedding companies will make your special day one to remember.
- Florists
Flowers can sometimes seem so simple but they have a huge impact on the overall look and feel of your wedding. And with an experienced florist in your corner, everything from your bridal bouquet to table centerpieces at your reception will be on point.
- Caterers
The best San Mateo wedding caterers can provide a delicious feast for you and all your guests, and they can do it at an affordable price. Whether you want something simple or an extravagant menu, the right caterer can tailor a menu to suit any occasion.
- Wedding Planners
If the stress or hassle of organizing your big day is too much to handle, you might want to hire a professional wedding planner to take over. Your wedding planner can help you find the best San Mateo wedding venue, liaise with vendors, and provide day-of coordination, meaning you won’t need to worry about a thing.
Wedding Companies in San Mateo
For your wedding day to run smoothly from start to finish, you’ll need to find the best local businesses to help organize every aspect of the event. Here are just a few of the options you might like to consider.
- All Set Events
This boutique event planning, design, and management company serves clients in the Bay Area and around the country. With a focus on customer service and innovative design, the company can help you execute the wedding you’ve been dreaming of.
- San Mateo Catering Company
With a commitment to making catering simple, the San Mateo Catering Company provides delicious food for everything from corporate events to weddings. View the wedding menus and packages it offers to decide whether it’s the right catering company for you.
- JAX Party Supply and Rental
From balloons and linens to sound equipment, lighting supplies, and photo booths, JAX Party Supply and Rental provides a huge range of options for your wedding or reception. With an aim to make your occasion a memorable experience, the company serves the Peninsula Bay Area and sections of the South Bay and East Bay.
Pros and Cons of Weddings in San Mateo
To ensure your day is extra special, put some thought into the pros and cons of San Mateo wedding venues.
Advantages
- Great climate
If you prefer relatively mild conditions all year round rather than extreme highs and lows, San Mateo is a great place to tie the knot at any time of year.
- Outdoor opportunities galore
With several beautiful parks and gardens in the area, San Mateo is a wonderful spot for an outdoor wedding.
- Thriving food scene
San Mateo’s food scene has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, which is great news when you’re comparing the best San Mateo caterers for your wedding.
- Myriad beautiful venues
With lots of great San Mateo wedding venues to choose from, plus a whole lot more in the Bay Area, you’ll be able to find a venue to suit any wedding theme or mood.
- Lots of choice when organizing a wedding
From florists and decorators to caterers, entertainers, and more, you’ll find plenty of options to choose from when planning a wedding in San Mateo.
Disadvantages
- Expensive
San Mateo is notorious for being an expensive place to live, so be aware that holding a wedding in the area may not be cheap.
- Crowded
San Mateo is busy all year round, so be prepared to put up with crowds if you’re getting married in any sort of public space.
- Traffic
Traffic in the San Mateo area is notoriously horrendous. Keep this in mind when choosing the time for your ceremony and reception, and also if your ceremony and reception will be held at separate venues.
- Public transport
Public transport in the San Mateo area could be better, so keep that in mind when choosing a wedding venue and deciding how your guests will get home at the end of the night.
- Competition
Whether you’re booking a San Mateo wedding venue or finding the best catering, decor, entertainment, and more, expect to face plenty of competition to lock in the vendors you want.
Famous Locations in San Mateo
- San Mateo Japanese Garden
Situated in San Mateo Central Park, this beautiful space was designed by landscape architect Nagao Sakurai. With its koi pond, tea house, and granite pagoda, it’s the perfect place to go if you’re searching for some serenity. If you want to tie the knot in the heart of San Mateo, book a truly unique train station restaurant just minutes from the San Mateo Japanese Garden.
- Coyote Point Recreation Area
If you love exploring the great outdoors, this is the San Mateo attraction for you. This park encompasses 149 acres of land and almost 540 acres of water, with sailing, kayaking, fishing, and hiking all popular here.
- Hillsdale Shopping Center
If retail therapy is more your cup of tea, you’ll feel right at home at this modern shopping mall. Hillsdale Shopping Center boasts 120 fashion, beauty, and home stores, plus plenty of casual and fine dining options when you need to take a break from shopping.