home, or they grew up coming here,” she adds. But either way, “It is a very popular spot for a destination wedding.” It’s not hard to see why: A stunning coastline, charming little cities and fine wining and dining. But it’s not just that. “A huge thing I hear frequently is proximity to a major airport,” Ford says—San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland all fit the bill. And after Monterey Regional Airport added direct flights to Dallas, she says, there was a huge influx of couples from that area. “Things like that make a big impact.” And for those who want to have a wedding weekend, she says, Carmel and Monterey are lovely places to visit, especially for those who’ve never been to either. Ford plans mostly high-end weddings, and when she initially meets with prospective clients, she needs to establish a few key things off the bat: What’s the budget? And what’s the wish list? If she doesn’t think she can make these two answers jibe, she does one of two things—either refer the couple to another planner she thinks might be a better fit, or advise the couple that they may want to pare down their wish lists. When asked what some of the biggest surprises couples have when planning their destination wedding, Ford says, “I think most people are really shocked at the price of weddings, unless you’ve had a sibling or friend married in recent years.” A wedding in Carmel or Carmel Valley, she says, comes out to about $500- $800 per person, and most of the weddings Ford does, many at Bernardus, come in at $100,000 and up. “In my opinion, it’s unprofessional to plan a wedding with someone without being upfront about cost,” she says, adding that there is typically “zero transparency” in her industry. “My job is to DESTINATION EVYNN LEVALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY EVYNN LEVALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY 20 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® WEDDING GUIDE 2025-2026 LionverPsaPcioifinc tGrove Consistently Voted Best Place to Get Married in Monterey County The romantic City of Pacific Grove offers breathtaking coastal locations for wedding ceremonies at Lovers Point Park, Berwick Park and at the historic Point Pinos Lighthouse. Contact the Pacific Grove Recreation Dept. for reservations and permits. City of Pacific Grove Recreation (831) 648 - 3134 • 302 16th St., Pacific Grove www.cityofpacificgrove.org PGRec_1-3h_WG23_dg.indd 1 2/14/23 3:26 PM
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