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The Pelican Inn

Marin, California

Intimate, Cottage wedding at

When L + J shared their vision for their intimate wedding day at the Pelican Inn Marin and Muir woods, I swooned. There is something gritty about small inn weddings being surrounded by your closest people and tucked away in a not-so-busy space. It's slow. It's present. It's got character. The Pelican Inn Marin truly is a perfect intimate wedding backdrop. While L+J opted or a tree-side ceremony 20 minutes away with no one except the photo team and J's sister to officiate, the Pelican Inn would still make the cutest little ceremony space too. They wanted to allow the space to speak for itself with the decor so they aligned their tables accordingly. Brass candlesticks to compliment to woods and eclectic collection of cottage chairs. Greenery to add some color and life to the tables. A fire in the hearth to warm the space up on this cool February night. We all danced the night away in the greenhouse out back and I don't think it could've gone better.

Some of my favorite parts of this venue are...

+ This venue is so cozy. The decor, the woods, the fireplaces are all inviting intimacy and presence.
+ There are lots of little corners to get a little quieter and have good conversations.
+ You can stay at the inn with your friends and family!

vendors that made this happen

Photo: @oliveandoath
Venue: @pelicaninn
HMUA: her sister
Catering: @pelicaninn
Florals: a friend

getting married at THE Pelican Inn

If you're looking for an intimate wedding location in Northern California, this might be the spot for you. You can rent the whole Inn for friends and family to stay at. You should get the Snug Room for your getting ready moments because of it's cute window bay seating and easy access to the main lounge space. The Pelican Inn is definitely an intimate wedding space only. The main eating room most comfortably seats less than 40 people. The ceremony can be done outside on the main lawn or, if your group is small enough, you can probably fit 20 people or less in the greenhouse.

This venue includes the entire space, tables, chairs, food, getting ready room (if you stay at the inn) and dish wares. You'll need to source your own photo, video, florals and DJ.

wedding photography at The Pelican Inn

As many Inns are, the Pelican Inn is DARK. I mean really dark. Even in broad day light the dark woods of the Inn absorb quite a bit of light. While there is a nice assortment or windows in certain areas, the overcast skies of the greater bay area are not indoor venue friendly. You should definitely hire a photographer that is an expert in flash and/or grainy low light (if you have a lot of candles). Without the necessary equipment or skill for this lighting, you may find yourself quite unhappy with the final result.

inquire for detailed pricing

The getting ready spaces are actual rooms in the Inn and they work quite well for photos. There are at least one window in each room and that's all you need for some moody side lit imagery. As for your family photos, I definitely recommend taking the group outside. If it's raining and that isn't possible, just be mentally prepared for taking photos in the greenhouse or in a tighter space inside.

If you want to add another location for more photos of just you two, I recommend driving to the redwoods or the cliffs/beach for a different vibe than the main inn. There are plenty of other locations within 30 minutes of the Pelican Inn.