WHAT. A. MEMORY. Our wedding weekend at The Holly Farm in August 2015 was a dream come true. As soon as we stepped onsite the previous year, we knew immediately we wanted to host our closest family and friends on the property for our wedding. The Moses Family was a true pleasure to work with - they are incredibly passionate and dedicated to making each couple feel like part of the family. The majority of event coordination went through our wedding planner, Michelle Lee at Simply Events, and I was floored with the final execution. To the Moses Family and the Holly Farm crew - We can't thank you enough for the most formidable, extraordinary wedding weekend a couple could ask for! I'll post some of my favorite photos from the weekend :) read more

See all

I am not sure it is possible to put into words how special the Holly Farm is, but I will try my very best. I feel so incredibly lucky that I had the opportunity to get married at this venue, and that I was able to meet and work with each member of the Moses family over the course of the last year. From the moment we signed our contract, Erin and Ryan were ON IT. They communicated with my fiance and I constantly - keeping us organized and ensuring that every detail of our special day was planned for. In addition, each of the vendors they recommended - La Creme for catering, Laughin' Gal for flowers and Kim Larson for hair and makeup - were absolutely incredible. The weekend of our wedding, the property looked stunning. Everything was so lush and green and the flowers were in full bloom. Beyond my wildest imagination. The staff works so hard to keep everything looking impeccable, and they pay attention to every single little detail. Truly, their goal is to make sure each bride and groom has the best weekend of their lives, and it shows. I loved staying in the Honeymoon Suite on the property. We were treated better there than we have been at some five star hotels! All of our guests were so impressed with all of the amenities on-site, and everyone had the BEST time playing games on the lawn. Even grandma got into the boccie ball action :) Doyle and Mary Moses were in charge of the actual wedding ceremony. They ran through the rehearsal with our wedding party, and they were there to make sure everything went smoothly during the actual wedding. I will never, ever, ever forget the look on Doyle's face after we said "I do!" and made our way back down the aisle. He stood there, ringing the celebratory bells, grinning ear to ear. It was as if he'd known us for years. There is absolutely no where else I would have wanted to get married. Our guests raved about this venue for weeks after the wedding was over. The Holly Farm will always have such a special place in my heart. Thank you, so much, Moses family! read more

Perfection. Definitely the most beautiful venue I've ever been to and the wedding weekend was amazing! The staff is incredible. Wonderful! read more

My husband and I were married at Holly Farm a few years ago and it will forever hold a special place in our hearts. The Moses family are wonderful people who become like family by the end of the week. (I still keep in touch with Erin!) Our wedding was absolutely amazing and perfect and I can't imagine a more splendid wedding venue. We were lucky to have our parents help with the cost, because it is a little high, but not unreasonably high and totally worth it! You get the place to yourselves for a week and it includes three lovely adobe homes, enough space to accommodate the bride and groom's immediate family and bridal party. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous with lush gardens and quaint accents. It feels rustic but elegant in that Carmel Valley kind of way. We got married under a giant oak tree in the middle of July. The weather was perfect and everything went off without a hitch! It was our dream wedding. I highly recommend the Holly Farm to any couple considering having their wedding in Carmel Valley. It's pricey but hey, it's your wedding day, splurge a little and live it up! The happy memories are worth it! In hindsight, the only thing I would change about our experience was being able to choose our own caterer. The Grapes of Wrath did not meet our expectations and it would have been nice to have been able to hire a company that was more accommodating. read more

What more can be said about how great the Holly Farm and the Moses family are. We can't imagine a more perfect place to have gotten married. Not only does the place have gorgeous landscaping, a variety of locations within the property to stage different wedding events, and places for friends and family to stay with you on site, but the entire team of staff are so on top of things and a joy to work with! It's been three years since we got married down at the Holly Farm and we still get comments from our friends and family who attended that this was the most beautiful, fun, and memorable wedding they'd ever been to and a lot of it has to do with how special this place is and the talented team that runs it! read more

Most magical place on earth. Our wedding weekend was better than we could have ever dreamed. Everything was perfection. The Moses family takes care of everything so all you have to do is enjoy your friends and family. read more

The Holly Farm is the hands down the most magical, unique, special place to get married. The second you walk in for a visit it is clear, and then when the wedding weekend actually arrives, it exceeds your already high expectations. It was hard to believe, but everything we were told during our initial visit came true. The entire place is transformed for each event, and it becomes your own private wonderland, with each aspect of your wedding vision realized. And if it is even possible to get any better, the Moses family is the most welcoming family, and make each couple feel completely supported and loved throughout the entire planning process. Their warmth and kindness radiate through all that they do, and we not only feel lucky to have had our wedding at The Holly Farm, but we feel incredibly lucky to know the Moses family. I just want to do it all again! read more

Like all of the other reviews, it is really hard to put into words how amazing the Holly Farm and Moses family are. My hubby and I found the Holly Farm when we were started getting frustrated with our search for wedding venue in the Carmel / Monterey area. From the second that we stepped into Erin's office and met her, to walking through the grounds a few minutes later and having a glass of Doyle's homemade red wine, both Brett & I knew that this was the magical perfect place for our wedding. It is so down to earth, so whimsical and so very special that it is hard to capture in writing... We had our wedding on 23 April 2011, everything leading up to that date was a dream - it went so smoothly. Erin and her family are so on top of things that we barely worried about a thing! From all of the vendor recommendations to the small details, Erin & family are so well organized that they completely spare the bridge & groom any worries. Sure the Holly Farm was beyond our original price range, but it was worth every penny. Erin answered all of our questions quickly and with the most helpful answers. And on the day of the wedding, Ryan, Mary & Doyle had everything running so smoothly - from setting up our seating cards, calming nerves, even helping out with our guest book photos. They even told me exactly how many votives to order that they placed around the Farm in the evening! I loved how accommodating they were also - my brother is a wine supplier and they let him order all of our wine. No corkage fee! My brothers also catered our rehearsal dinner outside of the Adobe Hacienda where Holly Farm staff had set up tables, chairs & heat lamps, and we had a couple of friends do a Safeway run for breakfast the morning after the wedding. We had kegs through Vince at Bottles and Bins, and when we ran out of good beer on the wedding day (gasp horror) they called up Vince and he came right away with another keg. Rosa, Gus & Gus junior run the Farm with such care also - the fires were always stoked, the gardens kept perfectly, and we could always find them when we needed something! And on the day of the wedding when there was a hint of rain, the weather suddenly cleared up and the sun came shining through for the ceremony. Gus & co were out there removing the heat lamps and putting up sun umbrellas for our wedding dinner! For appetizers / dinner, we enjoyed the great abundance of food and attentiveness from the Grapes of Wrath (the exclusive caterers for H. Farm). If there was only 1 thing that could have made our wedding any better, it would have been to have had warm food for the buffet dinner. GOW however are incredibly attentive, well staffed and on the ball - especially the bartender! Our guests also liked the fun appetizer stations. We stayed the whole weekend, and it was so much fun to have our family and friends on site, and anyone could drop by when they wanted. All of our family and friends were coming from out of state or from the UK, and having the Holly Farm was a meeting place all weekend really extended our party & celebrations! There was a keg tapped from Thursday morning, and we spent the weekend catching up with people who had come from near and far. My hubby and the guys even had a game of pick up soccer before our wedding rehearsal! We had a few kids running around too, and they roamed the Farm with no shortage of fun things to do. Sure I had a small battle with the ferns when I was making my entrance and walking down the aisle, but I loved every minute of the wedding. So if you plan on getting married in the Carmel area, DEFINITELY try to book in with the Holly Farm. Especially if you want a memorable weekend and a stress-free wedding planning experience. Thank you so very much Erin, Ryan & family for everything. Here were our vendors (loved them all): Food - Grapes of Wrath Beer - Vince at Bottles n Bins (Monterey) Cupcakes - Parker Lusseau Pastries (Monterey) Flowers - Amanda at Laughin Gal Floral DJ - Chris from Denon & Doyle Hair & Makeup - Kim Larson Photography - Lindsey Walker read more

Yes, this place is outrageously expensive. But if you're only planning on getting married once and you want to do it up big - this is the place. Beautiful little hide-aways, breathtaking landscaping, not too far from Monterey, and accommodating, kind staff. They only do one wedding a week ,and they take care of all the little details (flowers, etc.) so that you don't have to. It was nice not to get kicked out of the place after a certain time and to just be able to pass out where ever (that was the bridal party - not me - see the review for Casa Verde Inn). The DJ did screw up the music a bit, but it was the smoothest wedding I've ever seen. read more

We got married here in July, and it was the best wedding I have ever been to, and pretty much every guest said it was the best or one of the best weddings they have ever been a part of. It is the most perfect, indescribably magical places I have been. Really. We looked a A TON of places from wineries to estates to resorts to ranches and when we arrived at The Holly Farm, everything just felt exactly right. Yes, the price is intense and intimidating, but after you consider how much you save by not having to decorate or do flowers or pay for hotel rooms, etc then it isnt that outrageous. PLUS- all our friends stayed within walking distance! We had our closest peeps with us from thursday night until sunday afternoon. It was non stop fun. We had a keg tapped for three days, bocce ball and tons of space to hang out together. Everyone said it was a total vacation for them. A TRUE destination wedding weekend. AND Erin is amazing at what she does. She reads your mind and makes you totally at ease. Doyle Moses helped us cut bamboo for our chuppah. Mary baked homemade cookies for our guests and had them ready in the morning! There are orchids EVERYWHERE. The property is like being in Alice in Wonderland. It was the best weekend anyone could possibly imagine. It is worth every extra dollar. read more

Perfection! That is the best way to describe our wedding at The Holly Farm. The venue is beautiful, the staff is superb and they truly made this experience better than I could have ever imagined. This was the first location my fiance and I looked at and from the second we walked the property we knew this was where we were going to get married. Even after we saw 4 other venues in the area, there was never any doubt we were headed back to Holly Farm that evening to reserve a date! We were looking for a venue that felt like home to us and our guests. A place people could come to all weekend to hang out, relax and enjoy one anothers company. That's exactly what we got. Erin and Ryan worked with us from Day 1 to make this our dream wedding. They were there to answer any questions, troubleshoot problems and come up with ideas when we lacked them. I've never met a pair of individuals so truly fulfilled by what they do as Erin and Ryan. Their energy and passion is what makes everything work. From the moment we arrived on site everything was taken care of. The staff there was incredible. They not only turn Holly Farm into the magical place it is, but they were so accommodating and helpful no matter what we needed. After being there for a few days they felt like family and we were so lucky to share the weekend with them. All of the vendors that were suggested or we were required to use were great. Loved the amazing food prepared by La Creme. The flowers provided by Laughin' Gal were beautiful and created just to our liking. Zephyr's of course made sure the party went all night by handling everything anyone needed at the bar. What an incredible team everyone had. I can't thank the Moses family, venue staff and the vendors enough for making this the PERFECT wedding. Truly, I was constantly impressed by everything that was done. I've had so many people reach out since the wedding to tell us what an amazing time they had and that would not have been possible without everyone involved in putting this weekend on! If you are considering getting married in the Monterey or Carmel area, want a fun weekend wedding and to have your guests walk away talking about your wedding for weeks then there is absolutely no other choice but the Holly Farm. It really is that simple. Thank you again Erin and Ryan, love you guys. Can't wait to come back and visit soon! Can we do this all over again next year?! read more

Magical. That is exactly what this venue is. I went to a wedding here and it was magical. Disneyland meets garden magical. I have been to many weddings and this venue puts all of the others to shame. Even the food was amazing which is hard when you are feeling that many people. I now want to get married here. read more

It took less than 30 seconds from the time my fiancé and I walked onto the Holly Farm and met Erin and Ryan to realize we had found our venue. The Holly Farm is an absolutely magical garden of interconnected nooks, paths, and lawns. We kept describing it as the best parts of Hawaii meet the best parts of Carmel. Dappled sunlight by day became an enchanted web of twinkling lights as twilight set in; our wedding couldn't have been more picture perfect! The staff is incredible: Erin and Ryan are so friendly and helpful in planning the day and making sure everything goes off without a hitch. Gus, Rosa, and Sylvester do such an amazing job taking care of the place and making sure you and your guests are comfortable and taken care of, and Doyle and Mary help to nail down a perfect flow for the ceremony. You can feel that family vibe, and from the moment we arrived, we all felt like family. In the end it was perfect! We loved the Holly Farm approach of being able to spend several days with our friends and family rather than rushing in and out in 8 hours like most venues, and so many of our guests have told us not only how great a time they had, but also that it was the best wedding venue (and wedding, to shamelessly plug ourselves, lol) they had ever been to! read more

I had the privilege of photographing a wedding at the Holly Farm for the wedding of a beautiful, sweet couple and to this day they are some of my favorite photographs I have ever taken. Not only is the venue absolutely beautiful in a style uniquely theirs, but the staff and coordination of the day really help things go smoothly to make things happen for the couples. I know that both my Bride and Groom were floored with how great everyone working at the Holly Farm was. Thanks to their beautiful decor and the background of the Holly Farm, the wedding I photographed at the venue ended up getting featured on the popular wedding blog The Wedding Chicks. I cannot wait to photograph at the venue again. You will not be disappointed having your special day here. read more

I have so many good things to say about our experience at The Holly Farm. The Moses family was warm and helpful throughout the wedding planning process and the wedding weekend. Every time I came by I was welcomed with a warm hug and often a glass of wonderful wine. We arrived Thursday and were pampered from the moment we drove in and parked until we were leaving Sunday afternoon. The rooms were kept up beautifully and the grounds are amazing. Everything was decorated and restaged just right for the whole weekend. I absolutely loved the ceremony site on Friday and the intimate dinner in the Carriage House that followed. Saturday was amazing and so much fun. Sunday led to games in the field and a relaxed ending to the weekend. I never worried about a thing because Erin, Ryan, Doyle, Mary and their staff had every detail under complete control. I just wish I could stay at the Holly again soon...I miss it and as I live locally I drive by frequently and want to do it all over again. I've talked with several friends who have said the same thing! I highly recommend this The Holly Farm for a VERY special wedding experience. Thank you! read more

I was married at The Holly Farm in August 2008. I have only the absolute best things to say about this place. Erin and her family take such good care of the property and guests. Gus and Rosa were absolutely amazing and catered to our every need for the entire 4 or 5 days we were there. We checked in Thursday and left Monday... I believe there were 24 of us staying on the property for these days and everyone had such an unbelievable time. The property is huge and there are lovely meandering walkways that take you through all these beautiful sections of the property, each one feeling remote and removed from everything else surrounding. Just a beautiful place. The beauty simply can't be explained. The wedding was absolutely amazing... not a single thing went wrong and this was largely due to the amazing job The Holly Farm staff does from start to finish. The planning and preparation were made so easy. They have an exclusive catering relationship with Grapes of Wrath who also ended up being incredible to work with and execution on the wedding day was flawless. Erin (the woman who runs the Holly Farm) provides a list of vendors in the area, but (with exception to the caterer) you can bring in your own vendor. The only vendor that was recommended who we did not love was Kim Larsen for bridal hair and make-up. I can't blame The Holly Farm for how poor her customer service and day of services were, so THF still gets a raving review from me! In summary... they were just wonderful to work with and everything was PERFECT! The Holly Farm property is beautiful and the Holly Farm team just really works. I can't express how happy we were with our entire experience there. If you're considering a wedding here, definitely check it out. Visiting the website just isn't enough. They know the website is awful, but they're too busy to update it! And they're so popular even with the outdated website! read more

Holly Farm and the entire team behind it are absolute magic. My husband and I were all set to get married May 2020 and had to postpone to May 2021 due to COVID. Erin, Tamie at La Creme, and all of the other vendors who work closely with Holly Farm often were a dream to work with when we were forced to delay. Everyone made the postponement as seamless as possible and the May 2021 wedding was well worth the wait. We were the first wedding the Holly Farm held post-COVID shutdowns and the team didn't miss a beat. We had the time of our lives and are so grateful for their kind, calm, and fun energy. The venue itself is stunning and different - a lush jungle oasis hidden in Carmel Valley. All of our guests commented on the uniqueness of the venue. The entire weekend was better than we could have ever imagined. read more

The Holly Farm was our dream wedding. Everything from being able to relax and setup at leisure over our 4 days, to having the amazing staff be so accommodating of our vision. We feel lucky to be part of The Holly Farm family. I am sure many couples will feel the sticker shock, but the amazing thing is how much is included. Accommodations for 10 - 25 people for 2 - 4 nights, tables, chairs, heat lamps, incredible staff, and much more. Once we started tallying up costs at other venues, this was an easy decision. My only regret is that I couldn't attend my wedding. I keep hearing how amazing our wedding was, and I hope some day I get invited to be a guest at The Holly Farm. It is because of places like this that I cannot give 5-star reviews to other businesses. They are far and away superior! read more

I've been a wedding photographer the last 15 years and this is actually my first time photographing here at Holly Farm. When I walk into a venue, there are a few things that I look for: 1. How beautiful is the location? 2. How's the staff in terms of politeness? 3. How accommodating is the staff in terms of changes? 4. How's the food? I have to say Holly Farm has exceeded my expectations and beyond. The staff there is uber wonderful, kind and most of all, cheerful. Not many venues have this kind of vibe. The family that owns this place is possibly one of the most generous and kind people that I've met in the last 15 years in this industry. Their goal is to ensure their guests (and vendors this time around) are well treated. This is unique. Let's talk about how beautiful the grounds are here. As a photographer, I was "sensory overload" ... in a good way. There are so many good little locations to take pictures of my couple! I almost didn't know where to start! and this is a great thing. I told my team that there is no bad corners in this place :) I was inspired and had a ton of fun working there. If another couple hires me to do pictures here, I would be more than thrilled to be back once again. read more

My husband and I just got married and the Holly Farm this month! This venue is stunning. It's so lush it almost feels like you are in Hawaii..it feels magical. It's a privately owned estate with housing onsite for the bridal party and other guests. Having exclusive access of the property for the entire weekend allowed us to settle in and spend more time with family and guests which we loved. You would never guess this little gem exists right in the heart of Carmel Valley. Aside from this being a unique and beautiful venue...it is owned and run by the nicest family. They only hold weddings here so they have strong relationships with amazing vendors and understand the planning inside and out. If you're looking for venues in California I'd urge you to take a look at Holly Farm. You won't regret it! read more

Wedding venue of my dreams! We had so much fun designing for our clients here! Holly Farm is overflowing in personality and has an abundance charm, and I LOVE being able to lean into their tropical oasis vibe. You are completely transported away the moment that you step onto the grounds. So many beautifully overgrown gardens, it was hard to leave! read more

Holly Farm is THE most magical place in the world!! Not only is it the most fantastic, tropical oasis that transports you instantly to a place of zen, it is owned and operated by the BEST family ever- The Moses Family! They have truly created a destination wedding location of every bride's dream! My husband is from Carmel (we live in Brooklyn) and I was looking at venues and the second I saw photos of Holly Farm and that your entire family and wedding party can stay in the 3 gorgeous houses on site, I was in LOVE. I sent a quick email and the AMAZING ERIN MOSES wrote back with such warmth, excitement and all the information I needed! It was meant to be! I called the first day they opened for booking for the following year and Ryan Moses helped me pick the perfect wedding date! Every vendor I reached out to was SO excited to work at Holly Farm- I had 15 reply emails telling me that the best decision I will ever make is choosing Holly Farm for my wedding- and they were right! It still gives me goosebumps! I just loved that you could stay there, have a full 4 day wedding weekend and have Holly Farm all to ourselves (what?!) I also loved that we could have everything there- welcome party, rehearsal dinner, wedding, brunch morning after- pure heaven!! Doyle Moses created this oasis in Carmel Valley that will take your breath away! His wife Mary is amazing and their children Erin and Ryan truly became like our best friends that weekend- we love them SO much! There is no other venue in the world that will treat you like FAMILY and being Midwest, my family were won over completely! 18 months of planning and every email, Erin wrote back with love and enthusiasm and support. You honestly have no idea the rush you get when you arrive at Holly Farm for your wedding wknd! They have music playing, the houses are immaculate, the magic begins instantly! When we arrived, Erin immediately took all of our wedding decor and had it organized to a T! She runs the entire weekend for every bride with such grace, humor and attention to each and every detail. Erin truly gets how important this time is! Our photographer Sarah Kathleen told us out of the 9 years she's been doing weddings, Holly Farm is the ONLY place where the wedding day is seamless- and she was right! The whole day was coordinated- the whole wknd really!- and the staff they have is SO stellar, they take care of every detail all day long and are SO fast! Gus and Rosa are the best!! Every second of our wedding day was a dream and every guest STILL tells us they had never seen anywhere as beautiful as Holly Farm "that VENUE!!" The wedding went from 230p to midnight and everyone just said the whole time "I love it here! I never want to leave!" Neither did we! I must have cried 100 times over the beauty of Holly Farm and how amazing the Moses Family is. Wedding planning can be exhausting and they made it all so easy and perfect beyond what I could ever imagine. All of our friends and family that stayed in the houses had the best time and we all MISS Holly Farm so much! The memories they created for us will last a lifetime! It was timeless! Please book this venue as fast as you can and stay for as many nights- I wish we had stayed 5! We never wanted to leave! It is the most special place you will ever find bc not only is every corner beautiful but it is where your life with your partner begins. We definitely left our hearts at Holly Farm! Thank you to the Moses Family!! FYI for brides planning their Holly Farm wedding, we used: Sarah Kathleen Photography (!!) Epic Studios Videographers (!!) Amanda at Laughin Gal Floral (!!) DJ Antonio!!! and of course Tamie at La Creme!!! https://vimeo.com/228777397 read more

Holly Farm - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Carmel, California

If you're lucky enough to book the Holly Farm you'll never regret it. If they have an open weekend book it now. I booked sight unseen - and it was magical - and I hate using that word...but its the only word that captures the experience you and your guests will have. Wonderful family, amazing grounds - its a special place that works for every type of person. We had friends from Manhattan, San Francisco, Seattle, WA, Hawaii and Australia - whether in black tie or Hawaiian shirts (which is what we did) - it all makes sense at this lovely place. Thank you Holly Farm and congrats on your 2012 Best of Business Award for Carmel, California in the Event Planning category! read more

I feel like everything I have to say is echoed by all the other amazing reviews for this insanely unreal wedding venue. We got married here back in May and it was easily the best 4 days of our life, hands down. Not only is the property insanely beautiful, but we cannot speak highly enough of the Moses family, and their extended family of Rosa, Gus, Gus Jr and Sylvester, and their slew of wedding vendors, every one of whom they recommended, who did amazing jobs. Erin and Ryan make you feel like family the moment you meet them, they are so warm, welcoming and genuinely lovely people, it's hard not to want to go on and on singing their praises! My husband and I didn't even think we were going to have a wedding at all, even thinking about planning something like that filled us with dread,but when we found the Holly Farm we knew that if we were going to do it, we were going to have to do it there. It was magic the moment we set foot on the property. The planning process was so smooth and easy and in all honesty, not very stressful! If you are looking for a place that is going to exceed all of your expectations for your wedding, a place that is filled with caring people who want to make your special day because they actually care, then this is the place for you. I still look at my husband randomly some days, smile and say " Wasn't our wedding just the BEST??". We had so much fun and so did our guests and that was what really mattered to us. You cannot go wrong with Holly Farm, and we feel very lucky that we were able to have such an incredible experience getting married there. read more

I was at Holly Farm last September for a wedding and the level of family, care and welcoming spirit was absolutely amazing! The property is the most enchanting and lovingly cared experience and it's a treat to be there! read more

See all

I could write all day about the indescribable experience I just had at the Holly Farm! One of my bridesmaids said it best, "I challenge ANYONE to find a better venue". Everything from the location, to the staff, to the vendors they recommend is absolutely top notch. From the moment you walk on the property, all of your pre-wedding stress is immediately lifted by the incredible staff. I'm not sure I've ever felt a waive of relief like I did when I checked in for our wedding weekend. The day itself was absolutely flawless, but by having the property for an extended period of time, you truly get an experience that you and your guests will always remember. The fun lasted for 5 days straight!! Erin, Ryan, Doyle, Gus, Rosa, Sal, and Gus - you guys are the best! I'd say in the business, but there is no other business like The Holly Farm's. It will always deserve its own category, and it would still win every time! If you are searching for a Northern California venue, do yourself a favor and visit The Holly Farm! You will not regret it! read more

Holly Farm - The Andersons 8-25-17 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Carmel, California

The Holly Farm was an amazing venue to get married at. I'm giving five stars because in all ways possible it deserves a "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" rating. The reasons for it being so amazing include well organized owners, caring and attentive staff, and an incredibly magical landscape that wows with it's beauty. The Holly Farm being a real place allowed me to have the wedding of my dreams. read more

Holly Farm - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Carmel, California

Best Wedding of Our Lives! Holly Farm is an enchanting setting with a talented staff that anticipated every touch we imagined for our daughter's wedding. You name it-catering, flowers, DJ, hair styling, Taco Lady etc. This is an oasis nestled in the natural beauty of Carmel Valley, with a cluster of groves surrounding magical outdoor room-like settings for a charming ceremony, rehearsal and wedding dinner, dancing, pre-wedding athletic activities and picnic, and cottage accommodations and grounds continually serviced by a warm attentive staff that felt like family. read more

We had the great fortune of getting married at The Holly Farm in June 2008. We would not have changed a single thing. We wanted an outdoor wedding in June, but knowing the unpredictable weather (or is it the predictably cold weather) in San Francisco at that time of year, we looked at many properties outside of the City. The Holly Farm in Carmel Valley was the best facility hands-down and had everything we wanted in a venue. We rented the entire 6.5 acres for 3 nights (with sleeping accommodations for 21), which allowed our families and wedding party to celebrate with us all weekend long. Because we had exclusive use of the property, we were also able to invite guests for activities for the entire weekend, including a catered BBQ with bluegrass band and movie on the lawn on Friday night, an incredibly beautiful and fun wedding and reception on Saturday, and a casual brunch on Sunday. We also arranged for a late check-out at 5:00 pm on Sunday so no one would be rushed. Erin and the entire Holly Farm family went out of their way to make sure that all guests were treated like royalty. Also, the vendors that Erin recommends are fantastic, especially Vince with Bottles N Bins in Monterey who took care of all our libations at fantastic prices and Grapes of Wrath who catered 3 great meals. After 5 months, we still have guests telling us how incredible the Holly Farm was and how the wedding weekend was a one-of-a-kind experience. Yes, the Holly Farm is pricey. Also, it's website is great need of a serious re-design, but we've been told by Erin that change is in the works on that front. read more

Close your eyes and imagine the MOST beautiful, luscious, magical place in the world. That is the Holly Farm. Actually, your wildest imagination might not even do it justice, that's just how gorgeous this fairytale land is. It's like Costa Rica meets Hawaii meets your wildest fantasy. It's truly Heaven on Earth! Add the Moses Family who owns/created/manages the Holly Farm, the Holly Farm Staff, La Creme Catering, Amanda Laughing Gal Florals, DJ Antonio, Rosa's Taco Truck, and the list goes on and on, then you really have created the BEST/MOST PERFECT day of your life. Last weekend, 04-08-17, my dreams came true. I married my husband at THE Holly Farm!!! From the moment my now husband and I arrived at the Holly Farm to begin what will forever be the most epic weekend of our life, Erin and Ryan Moses, daughter and son of Mary and Doyle Moses, took such genuine care of us and every family and friend that walked onto the property. They took care of EVERYTHING and I mean everything! They unpacked all of ours cars upon arrival, organized and set up all of our stuff for Game Day ( games included crochet, ping pong, lawn jenga, bacchi, volley ball) and for the wedding on Saturday. After I handed over all our stuff, I never had to think about it again. They took everything off our plate and they managed every single second, every single detail, and they did it with such passion and poise. I hear so many people say they weren't able to enjoy their wedding because they are managing so many things or having to worry about the details and they made sure there wasn't a worry in our minds. I completely and thoroughly got to enjoy every minute of our wedding weekend at the Holly Farm and everything went off without a hitch. Everything was perfect and it's because they made sure it was. We have so much love for the Holly Farm and the Moses family! It was the best weekend of our lives!! Thank you guys for all of your kindness and care! Love, The Balleres read more

planning our wedding here... everything is going quite well so far, and Erin is awesome! We can't wait for our day!!! woo hoo!!! the whole atmosphere is amazing, if you are looking at this place as your wedding locale, definitely go and check it out yourself!!! read more

This place is heaven on Earth - I can't say enough about how magical every facet of The Holly Farm is. Upon arriving you instantly feel like you've stepped into another world, one you'll never want to leave. The grounds are a lush paradise of perfection with palm fronds and beautiful orchids gracing every romantic nook. Each structure offers a beautiful respite in which to relax or play, each thoughtfully and comfortably appointed. That's enough to entice me, but what really makes The Holly Farm stand out is their incredible staff. Erin, Ryan, Gus, and Rosa and everyone else on their team are the best in the biz. They have a way of thinking about each and every detail, as if they can read your mind providing not just what you need but what you want before you even know you want it. Their hospitality is unsurpassed and their amazing energy is tangible. They have an incredible team of vendors to recommend, making wedding planning a cinch but I also love they'll happily accommodate their clients wishes and work with you to create the unique celebration of your dreams. I always deferred to Erin - she knows what's up and you can rest easy your celebration will be top notch with her at the helm. From the moment you step into this Shangri La, you'll know its otherworldly. There's no place I can recommend more highly than The Holly Farm, each and every moment of my time there was utter perfection. read more

Oh, the Holly Farm, where do we even begin!? Seriously, we could write a book about how much we love it here. My husband Marley is very non-traditional and wasn't sure he even wanted to have a wedding. We looked at many beautiful venues in wine country and SF but nothing really felt like "us." I almost gave up and agreed to elope. Then, we decided to go down and look at some places in the Carmel area. Holly Farm was our first stop, and needless to say after leaving that appointment we cancelled the rest of our day and called my parents to say we found the place. My non-traditional fiance looked at me within minutes of arrival at Holly Farm and said "I really want to marry you here." We were done! Working with Erin & Ryan for our 11-month engagement could not have been easier or more enjoyable. They were my co-wedding planners and always eased my mind, answered my questions, and gave me great ideas. Planning a wedding is so stressful but I honestly felt like they had everything completely under control and I trusted them 100%. Erin & Ryan were always so accommodating- we visited a couple of other times throughout the year when our parents were in town and they gave us their undivided attention and full tours- it really helped put our parents' minds at ease to meet the Moses and to see the amazing, magical space.... That space. OMG. Pictures will NEVER do this place justice. You have to see it in person to see how breathtakingly beautiful it is and to feel the energy- the word our guests keep using over and over again is "magical" and it really is. The feeling at this place is truly magic and is something very special. One of my bridesmaids arrived on the Thursday of our wedding and immediately started crying!! Her exact quote: "This place is so beautiful it makes me physically ill"- haha! Sarcastic of course but it really is beauty that can't be described or seen in photos. When we arrived for our weekend on Thursday, Erin and Ryan immediately welcomed us like we were family and started helping us get organized. Or actually, they did all the organizing for us. We simply dropped all of our stuff in the office and then didn't see it again until it was magically arranged on our wedding day. They were also so creative in using our decor like a photo board, R + M light-up letters, etc.- they moved things around throughout the night and weekend to make sure everyone got to see everything! We had Lawn Game day and our Rehearsal Dinner on Friday, Wedding on Saturday, and Brunch on Sunday. It was so nice to have so many different spaces for different types of events, and yet we didn't have to go anywhere! Our guests came to us and Holly Farm did all of the work! Admittedly it was hard for me to relax until after the rehearsal dinner was underway, but the entire weekend was SO much fun and I knew in the back of my mind that everything was being handled. I didn't have to communicate with a single vendor- everything was coordinated for me through Erin! That was a HUGE weight off my shoulders! We didn't have to worry about anything- and our entire wedding weekend went off without a single hitch that we know of. They also gave us an incredible vendors list and every single vendor we worked with was AMAZING. Namely, La Creme catering, Amanda at Laughin' Gal floral and Will Magid as DJ. Everything was so seamlessly executed and that's no accident- it's the Moses family magic! This venue is worth every single penny and more. The fact that we got to stay on the property with our best friends for an entire weekend was more special than we can even say. Every single person in attendance told us it was the most beautiful, magical wedding they had ever been to. One of our friends who had a gorgeous destination wedding in St. Lucia said, "if I knew this place existed in CA I would have saved a lot of aggravation and money!" We honestly could go on and on. The best thing about the Holly Farm, apart from it's stunning beauty, is the sense of family and love. The groundskeepers and housekeepers are also SO sweet and wonderful. I miss Rosa so much!! Erin and Ryan have true passion and talent for what they do and it's so obvious that they take it very seriously. Our wedding weekend was the best time of our lives and our familys', as well. It was so much more than just a wedding. It was a truly amazing, once in a lifetime experience. My husband actually cried when it was time to leave on Sunday! lWe were sad it was over but also just so so grateful for such an incredible experience and memory. I hope I'm lucky enough to be back at Holly Farm soon! We love you!! Rachael + Marley p.s. I got my first married apology at the Holly Farm ;) My new husband said he will ALWAYS trust me from now on because even though he didn't want a wedding it was the best weekend of his life and he can't believe he almost didn't want it! Haha thanks Moses'! read more

We had our wedding at The Holly Farm in August and wholeheartedly agree with what other reviewers have said about this place. THF itself is a dream - lush, private, romantic and tropical. Since you typically rent the place for a minimum of 3 nights, yes, this place is expensive. But if you break down the price among everything that the package includes - you're getting housing for 20, housekeeping service during your stay, setup and take down of chairs, tables and decorations for your ceremony and reception, lawn games for your guests, and countless other details that make your wedding day as stress free as can be - you'll find the price to be reasonable if not a real value. For us, the highlights were the privacy (no sounds of cars whizzing by during your ceremony), being able to party all night long (since you've got the place for 3 nights, there's no Cinderella deadline to pull the plug on your party at the stroke of midnight), and a dream in the form of Erin Moses. From the start, Erin was detailed, organized, accommodating, patient and fun. She's everything you could ever dream of in a wedding planner and consultant - times a hundred. We opted for a casual & elegant, garden-style wedding with a focus on food, booze and fun. Our overriding priority was to have fun at our own wedding and not get sidelined by trivial details. That being said, The Holly Farm is a well oiled machine. They've got great recommendations for vendors (with the exception of catering, you can pick your own vendors and supply your own alcohol) and a venue layout that is customized for weddings (e.g. an outdoor (covered) Spanish tile dance floor complete with an alcove for a live band or DJ, two bars and multiple areas designated for hors d'oeuvres, buffet service, etc. that keep guests flowing from one part of the site to the next), and unbelievable service. From parking attendants to greeters, programs, ushers, you name it, they provide top notch service with a vibe that is professional without being pretentious or stuffy. This place is perfect for anyone looking to break free from the wedding bandwagon. If you do decide to have your wedding here, here's a list of ideas and vendors that we loved: (1) DJ & MC: Antonio Diaz (Soundshine Mobile Entertainment) - one of Erin's top picks, and it's not difficult to see why. Antonio MC'd our wedding party intros on top of DJ'ing our wedding - he interacted with guests, kept the party going by reading our guests preferences and adapting the music to keep the dance floor going - and served up a cool, easygoing and professional vibe. (2) Flowers: pick your own herbs at The Earthbound Farm stand just up the road. All the girls took a trip to Earthbound the day before to pick their own bouquets and boutonnieres for the groomsmen. Janna Jo went out of her way to provide a tour of the herb garden, offer some great tips and techniques, and brewed up an amazing iced herbal tea! She even offered to let us store our herbs in their walk-in fridge overnight. All in all, about $60 for 8 bouquets and 20 boutonnieres. Not to mention, it's a fun girls activity (Earthbound's even got a cafe that serves up panini sandwiches and tasty frozen yogurt). (3) Cake: Patisserie Bechler. We're sugar snobs (our baseline is Tartine Bakery in SF), but not superficial ones. Gerard Bechler's cakes were not only delicious but amazingly, reasonably priced. We ended up ordering three cakes (brie au kirsch, st. michel, and princess). Gerard decorated the cakes simply and beautifully with some chocolate flowers and curls (standard decorations, so no extra fee), which were assembled at varying heights by Grapes of Wrath catering. (4) Photo clothesline: THF doesn't really have an ideal area for wedding slide shows. Instead, we did a photo clothesline: photos were clipped to twine using mini clothespins (Erin found two perfect spots to set this up). Not only can guests and family members take their time looking through photos without having to listen to sappy music, we interspersed wood escort hang tags between the photos - overall, it blended in perfectly with the venue. (5) Photo booth: Snap Cubby - like THF, Snap Cubby's got great service, value and delivers! The photo booth provided hours of nonstop giggles for all ages and provided a welcome option to guests that don't like to dance. THF's got the perfect spot for the photo booth right next to the dance floor. (6) Solo guitarist (ceremony): Les Farrington. We found and booked Les through gigmasters.com and found him to be professional and accommodating. He was patient (we selected our ceremony music less than a week before the wedding) and helped us personalize our ceremony music to include a blend of classical (Bach, Beethoven) and rock (Beatles - "And I Love Her"). THF really is a magical place, and Erin is very much the fairy godmother. read more

We got married here in mid-october, and as every other reviewer has already raved, it truly exceeded our expectations. Our families were both luke-warm, if not downright negative at our venue choice (they thought it looked small, would be too hot/cold, etc). Needless to say, by the end of the weekend, both sides of our families were raving about the venue and admitted that they had been wrong. It was a incredible time of hanging out, getting to know the other side's family, and just soaking in the love. We, like others, were hesitant because of the cost. In retrospect, it was worth it because we really wouldn't have been able to spend the same amount and quality of time together with our friends and family at any other venue. Erin is a true professional and the wedding itself was seamless. I really felt like I could relax and let others worry about the details. She really let me relax and enjoy the entire process (both the planning period and the weekend of the wedding). I can't recommend the venue highly enough. Here's a quick rundown of our vendors: 1. Hana Chung Photography - Hana is a real gem. She is bubbly, fun, and most importantly, terrific at her craft. We were thrilled with our engagement pictures, and can't wait to see the wedding pics when they are ready. highly highly recommend! 2. Flowers - on our own. roses from costco and the rest from the SF flower market. 3. Grapes of Wrath - I have very mixed thoughts about GOW. They were overall very professional and easy to work with prior to the wedding. We hired them for our rehearsal dinner as well as for our wedding reception. On the night of our rehearsal dinner after about 2/3 of our guests had gone through the food line they. ran. out. of. food. it was horrible. truly truly horrible. the caterer suggested that it was my fault because we had too many guests, and swore this had never happened to her before. but i counted twice and there were actually 7 people LESS than we had paid for. Apparently the chef didn't chop up the food in small enough portions so everyone in the front of the line was walking away with HUGE portions of meat, and there just wasn't enough food. I spent a third of my rehearsal quietly crying in the corner as the servers awkwardly stood behind the empty food trays. it was absolutely horrible. about 30 minutes later the caterer came around with fresh trays of chicken and ribs they magically found (no idea how they did that since it's impossible to make ribs in 30 minutes), but oh well. in the end, everyone went home full. the reason i feel mixed about GOW is that they did a fantastic job at the wedding reception. everyone raved about the quality of the food. many commented that it was the best wedding food they'd ever had. mistakes happen i suppose. it is what it is and i can't go back and change it now. 4. Hair/Makeup - Kim Larson did an amazing job with my hair. She really created a work of art. I would highly recommend working with Kim (and definitely do a trial run with her. It's worth it!). She also listened to me cry about the disastrous rehearsal dinner as she did my hair so i got it out of my system. it was very therapeutic and allowed me to put it behind me for the rest of the weekend. 5. Guitarist - Ken Constable. Did a great job! Love the sound of classical guitar. Really easy to work with and affordable, too. 6. Officiant - Brian Lyke. Can't recommend highly enough. Really easy to work with. Many many guests told us at our reception how much they liked the ceremony, and more specifically, Brian's words. i thought he did a fantastic job. overall, despite the GOW episode, i look back at our wedding weekend with incredible memories. if you are looking for a unique venue and prioritize time spent with your family and friends, THF is truly the way to go. you won't regret it! read more

We can't say enough great things about this place! Erin, Ryan, and the whole Holly Farm crew (Rosa, Gus, etc.) were absolutely amazing. The venue itself is incredible, and there's just a magic to the whole place that's hard to describe. Everyone is so friendly, so helpful, and still so on top of everything. They have great relationships with amazing vendors, and that really helps things go smoothly. The team really operates as a family and made us feel taken care of every step of the way. The planning process can seem laid back and unconventional at times (if you are a Type A bride like myself who likes a lot of communication) but when it comes down to it they are extremely detail oriented and on top of it, so there's no need to worry. Erin somehow remembers every little thing you tell her and makes it feel like your event is the only one on her mind. They executed our multi-cultural, large scale events with ease and did everything they could to make sure we were happy. You don't need a day of coordinator because they run things so smoothly and efficiently while somehow still making it feel relaxed for you and your guests. All of our vendors were thrilled to be there because they love the venue + the Moses family. And, all of our guests still rave about the magic of the weekend -- there is just something about being on the property that brings people together and it feels incredibly special. If you are looking for a unique, retreat style wedding, our advice is to book quickly and trust their process because they really are experts. We fell in love with the Holly Farm the moment we walked onto the property, and even a year later, we couldn't imagine having our wedding anywhere else. read more

I'm a lucky duck to have been invited to a couple of amazing events at The Holly Farm. The moment you step onto the property you feel a world apart. I've been to so many big parties and somehow the staff here make you feel genuinely at home, welcome, and appreciated - even as they are tending to the guest's every need they have an easy, relaxed way about them that makes everything feel so effortless. Erin truly puts her heart and soul into every single detail, and has an exuberant positivity that keeps the mood bright and buoyant. The attention to detail, the exquisite food and drinks, the lush beauty of the tropical gardens (are we in Hawaii or Carmel?!), and the eclectic whimsy waiting to be discovered at every turn make for a truly magical place where the dream is oh so real. read more

Our wedding at Holly Farm can only be described (not only by us, but by many of our guests) as: MAGIC. 3 weeks later, we're still dreaming about walking through the beautiful green maze that is the property and hosting the best party of our lives. There is no other place that we visited that could have made this dream come true for us. When it comes down to it, it's because of the Moses family and their Holly Farm staff that we had such an amazing time. No matter what crazy idea we had, they worked with us to make it happen. Erin was our main contact and she gave us the space to be creative and came up with ways to implement all of our ideas. We loved our interactions with all of the Moses Family... Ryan helped from the moment we came onsite to when we left. Doyle and Mary helped us make our ceremony possible. Gus, Gus Jr. and Rosa made sure everything was clean, and all toes kept warm (seriously, the two heated blankets in the bed were life changing). This family has thought of everything. They work with La Creme, a catering company owned by the one and only Tamie who helps make anything happen for you food and cocktail wise. Their food was phenomenal and their staff was extremely dependable. Everyone was raving about the stuffed chicken, brussel sprouts (with bacon - hands down best wedding food I've ever eaten), veggies & delicious cocktails Tamie and her team put together. Basically, Holly Farm and La Creme are the dream team. I couldn't believe how well the day proceeded. A lot of people told us to be aware that things would go wrong on the day of but when it comes to things within our control, the venue, dinner, dancing, schedule - everything was beyond perfect. Major thanks to Erin for day-of hand holding, hugging and pushing us along in the craziest and best, most memorable day of our lives. If you have the means to make this happen, don't look anywhere else. We all left that weekend thinking that it couldn't have been any more perfect. read more

I realize I'm not adding a whole lot of new information here with all the glowing reviews below, but there really aren't enough good things you can say about Holly Farm. It is truly an amazing place to get married, and the staff and owners are helpful, professional and friendly almost to the point of ridiculousness. You hear so many horror stories about wedding venues and vendors, and I can honestly say that my wedding was flawlessly executed with very little effort on my part. A few of the many incredible things about Holly Farm: -The owners. The Holly Farm is family-owned, and they are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Erin--daughter of the owners--is the wedding planner, and she is incredibly helpful. She was also a very refreshing change from lots of the wedding planners we ran into over the course of our search--there's not a speck of snobbery anywhere at the Holly Farm, and Erin is all about making your wedding perfect for you, not for anyone else. -The grounds. I looked everywhere--and I mean everywhere--along the Northern and Central California Coast (Napa, Los Gatos, Carmel, San Francisco) and the Holly Farm is really one of a kind. It's a sort of tropical paradise tucked away on a country road just a few miles from downtown Carmel-by-the-sea. The whole place is a maze of pretty little pathways and sitting areas, and everywhere you look there's something interesting to see. There are also lots of different gathering areas--the windmill lawn, the dining area, the oak tree ceremony site, the bar, the cigar/liquor nook, etc.--so you have a lot of flexibility with how you'd like the wedding to flow. -The perks! This is where things get really impressive. There are a few things you look for when you're planning your wedding, and you start to think they're impossible to find. But! The Holly Farm pretty much have all of them. First, there is no limit to how long your guests can stay or how late you can stay up drinking and celebrating. The band or deejay has to stop playing at 9:30ish (9 maybe? can't remember) because the farm is in a residential area, but you can play your own music through the sound system for as long as you want after that. Second, you can bring in your own alcohol. Seriously, this particular perk is epic. Almost anywhere else you go, you'll be charged retail prices for your wine and alcohol, and that adds up incredibly fast. The Holly Farm lets you bring in your own alcohol to be served by their catering staff, so it's much, much cheaper. We didn't have a huge alcohol budget and we were still able to ship a bunch of cases of wine from one of our favorite wineries in Oregon because we could just pay wholesale prices. Finally, there is no cake-cutting fees or other silly add-ons that lots of other places seem to be so fond of. -The houses. Yet another really unique thing about the Holly Farm is that you don't just rent the property for a night (or for something like 6 hours, which is the case at most venues). You can rent the whole property for anywhere from two to five nights, and up to about 22 guests (depending on whether you want people to share beds, etc.) can stay on the property with you. There are three houses--a family-style home with about four bedrooms and a couple futons, a bungalow with another bedroom and a bunch of futons, and a romantic little honeymoon suite (wood-burning fireplace!) where the bride and groom can stay. The honeymoon suite also has a big dressing/vanity area where the bride and bridesmaids can hang out and get ready on the morning of the wedding. -The vendors. We chose most of our vendors from a list provided by the HF, and I couldn't have been happier with all of them. Grapes of Wrath catering does all of the Holly Farm weddings, and it was some of the best event food I've ever had. The GOW owners are incredibly nice and fun to work with, and (more importantly) they really know their stuff. GOW and the HF work together so seamlessly, I would quickly mention a detail to one of them, and it would be completely figured out and on the schedule by the next day. Anyway, this rave has gone on long enough, but if you have any other questions about the HF or are considering getting married there, please feel free to send me a message with questions. I can't say enough good things about them, and I'm happy to spread the word. read more

THE HOLLY FARM WAS THE BEST! What an incredible team of wedding planners and human beings. My husband & I got married on the farm in late September and it was the best weekend of our lives. Cannot tell you how many times we heard "this is the most fun/ prettiest/ best wedding I've ever been to" from guests and it's largely due to the Moses family. Wish we could get married there every year. :) read more