We had an amazing event for my daughter's wedding celebration. We had over 100 people with 40 people sleeping in the retreat. The facility is in a wonderful setting surrounded by redwoods and trails and nature! There is a wonderful large, flat area to set up tables for dinner and a band. We had the retreat for the weekend and hosted a dinner for 40 people inside on one night, dinner outside, one night, and dancing and karaoke inside! The Staff at the retreat center are wonderful and accommodating. I highly recommend the Ralston White Retreat Center! read more

This place is seriously a hidden gem! Ralston White Retreat is a gorgeous redwood venue that has a lovely romantic history and is the perfect balance of being secluded but also not too far from civilization. You truly feel transported into another time when you arrive. I'm so happy me and my now husband got married here last May. We got exactly what we wanted which was to be married in a redwood grove. The people who run this venue are extremely nice and laid back. They were some of our favorite people we met while wedding planning and although there are some rules to follow you can almost do whatever you want with the place! Seriously people, this is the best venue in the Bay Area, you will love having your wedding here!!! read more

The Ralston White Retreat - The redwood ceremony grove - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Mill Valley, California

I had my wedding here - rented it for the day and for the overnight, and it was the best venue I could've possibly chosen. It's absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. There are no other buildings around it, so it feels completely secluded deep in the woods even though it's easy to get to by car. Everything was so lush and green. The mansion was to die for. I highly recommend getting the overnight if you're having your wedding here because then everyone can explore the upstairs and it is so fun spending the night with all your friends at this amazing mansion. We liked it so much that now I want to rent it out for my own parties. I researched tons and tons of wedding venues in the bay area and this was the best of all and the clear winner. Gabe and Christy were both so nice and so helpful with everything. read more

Beautiful (and quirky!) venue situated in an absolutely magic setting. I've participated in both weddings and professional events here over the years, and it's quickly become a favorite venue of mine in the Bay Area. Christy and her team are a dream to work with--collaborative, professional, and accommodating. read more

The views and grounds are beautiful. The place smells of mildew. Kitchen is filthy. Saw a care taker filling "pure" water bottles from the sink. Can't believe I paid for this. read more

Updated review: While we have still not been offered our deposit back, Christy was able to come up with options for us to use the deposit as credit in the future. This venue is absolutely stunning and is a perfect place for weddings and family retreats. If it were not for the pandemic, we believe it would have been the perfect venue. When we first had to cancel/postpone due to Covid-19, we did not receive the kind of service that we were expecting during these unforeseen times, which resulted in the initial negative review. After talking with Christy and the team, Ralston has provided options for us to use the deposit. Christy handled the whole situation with grace and patience, and we are grateful we were able to come up with a solution that works for both parties. Thank you Christy! Previous Review: I would rather write a good review for this venue, but sadly they are a great disappointment. My daughter had planned her wedding for Aug of this year (2020). We were very excited to plan and support her big event as her parents. We were asked for a sizable deposit in February to secure our Aug. date. Then in March we ran into the unprecedented conditions of Covid-19. As much as we hoped for the conditions to change they only got worse, the Retreat was closed, and my daughters dreams of a fairytale wedding were forced to change. We made all the arrangements for a small intimate backyard wedding on the date as planned. To our amazement the Ralston White Retreat and its foundation have chosen to hold onto our deposit of almost $4000 saying they could only change the date and can not refund the deposit, even though we legally were not allowed to hold any events at the venue. Meanwhile, their financial reports show they had over $600,000 on their balance sheet. When we contacted businesses much smaller than Ralston they agreed to refund the deposits. I expected at least the same level of integrity from The Ralston White Foundation and its President Josh Rafner. read more

This a beautiful venue in a gorgeous location. Just be warned that the road to the venue is very narrow and twisty at times. Two cars going opposite directions cannot pass each other in many areas. If you come across someone going the opposite direction you might have to reverse on the winding road till they (or you) can pass. Something to consider if you are not a skilled driver or have a very large vehicle, especially if it is after dark. I'm shocked there are not more reviews mentioning this. read more

We just had our wedding at The Ralston White Retreat this last weekend and it was incredible! The mansion is stunning with so many cute little rooms and balconies. It's surrounded by redwoods. We spent the night with over 20 guests. Overall it is spectacular and affordable for what you are getting. The staff was incredibly helpful and flexible too. Can't recommend this place enough! read more

After 16 years, my boyfriend and I decided to get married at home and hold a wedding reception with friends and family. There was only one place we considered - the beautiful Ralston White Retreat in Mill Valley. It's the best kept secret in the county. You wind your way up West Blithdale Canyon through the redwoods, and the house comes into view - and it's just stunning. The staff are so helpful and accomodating that it made the reception go off without a hitch. This easter, we held our family reunion there, which was a big treat because none of our homes can accomodate all of the family. My younger sister's boyfriend was planning to surprise her with a wedding proposal - she said yes! read more

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This was a beautiful venue, tucked away up at the top of a single Lane road in Mill valley. It serves as a great place to host a relaxing event, whatever that might be. If anyone is curious about parking: I was told the property has two parking lots. I only got to see the first parking lot as you approach the venue. It fits about 30 cars, if people park close together and in a particular way. I was lucky that a staff member from the venue was coordinating the parking. Apparently there was another parking lot in the gravel lot in the back, but I don't know how big that one is. when approaching the property and still 0.5 or 0.4 miles away, there are small turnout parking spots on the narrow road that you could use, and then it would probably take you about 5 to 15 minutes to walk to the property. read more

I'm the mother of a very happy bride! I'm also a native San Franciscan and I had not only never heard of this place, but neither had any of my friends...even Marin natives!! It's amazing!!! Gorgeous old home and gorgeous grounds. People wandered around the property before the ceremony and during the cocktail hour. The wedding vows took place on the front lawn and we had the reception in the "tennis court". At 8pm, we moved the music indoors, as is the rule. No problem!! We had a fantastic time!! Gabe and Christy were so kind, helpful and accommodating every step of the way. We couldn't have found a more beautiful setting for my daughter's wedding and loved showing off our beautiful Northern California redwoods to our 60+ guests from Philadelphia! Thanks, Ralston White Retreat!! read more

We had our wedding here 3 weeks ago, and could not have been happier with the setting! We spent the weekend too, and everyone had an amazing time, hiking, playing games and just sitting on the porch catching up. Leading up to and on that weekend, Mike was super friendly, helpful, and easygoing (and very patiently answered our 1001 questions leading up to the day). Our families and friends kept commenting on what a perfect place it was for a wedding, and my only regret is that we didn't get to spend more time there after the wedding just relaxing! We also had brunch there the morning after, and the food was to die for (I'm still craving the frittata!). Stunning setting, wonderful staff, and now one of my favorite places in the world. read more

I am writing this review as I reflect back on our daughter and son-in-law's amazing wedding weekend at the Ralston. Our daughter had a vision for her wedding. She wanted to get married in the California red woods surrounded by nature and she wanted to find a venue that would allow for an entire weekend of celebration with housing that would allow friends and family to stay on sight and enjoy a weekend of fun, celebration, and relaxation. That was a very tall order. Since our daughter lives in Chicago my wife and I were in charge of finding a venue that would allow for our daughter's vision to become a reality. After a lengthy online and in person search process we had the good fortune of discovering the Ralston White Retreat. As my wife and I drove on to the property for the first time our hearts skipped a beat as the Ralston came into view. It is a spectacular sight. The home surrounded by the redwoods was exactly what we were looking for. The house is a beautiful 3 story mansion that has an old-world charm about it. As you enter the front door you feel like you are stepping back in time. The center staircase and rotunda with its beautiful word work reminded of the Titanic. There are bedrooms that allow for nearly 40 overnight guests. We took possession of the venue on a Friday at 11am and it was all ours until Sunday at 3pm. The mansion is surrounded by beautiful redwoods on all sides, and it completely secluded. You feel like it's your own private home for the weekend. We had a beautiful 3-day celebration that never felt rushed. The 3-day rental allowed for my daughter's vision of a "wedding weekend" to come to life. There are options for a ceremony on the beautiful heart shaped front lawn or a more natural setting on the lower area next to the mansion surrounded by redwoods. It was a special weekend in a very special place. We were blessed by our time at the Ralston. In closing I want to take time to acknowledge the amazing staff that were a big part of making the wedding weekend such a success. Christy & Gabriel were AMAZING from start to finish. In our search for a venue my wife and I encountered venues that seemed to be most interested in giving you the rules and requirements. From our first encounter with Christy, she was most concerned about making sure we could plan the wedding that our daughter was dreaming of. This was a wedding planned long distance by two out of town families with no local presence in the Mill Valley area. I knew that was going to require someone that we could work with on the other end. Christy was the person from day one. Our daughter's wedding was originally planned for June of 2020 but like so many other life events covid caused us to have to regroup and reschedule. Each time we had to reschedule Christy was so kind and patient at helping me get the new dates secured and on the calendar. As the wedding date drew closer Gabriel made sure to have everything we needed ready and available for when we arrived. Both Christy and Gabriel have the gift of hospitality and it shows in their work at the Ralston. When we said goodbye on Sunday it felt like we were saying goodbye to friends. If you are looking for a venue that provides the things I have mentioned in this review do yourself a favor and plan a visit to the Ralston White Retreat. It may just be the last venue you visit! Thank You Christy & Gabriel for being an important part of Hannah and Mitch's wedding weekend. read more

Had our September 2015 wedding here and could not have been happier. We were looking to have our wedding somewhere where you could choose your catering and bring your own alcohol and the Ralston was perfect. The staff was great to work with, very helpful and responsive but laid back at the same time. I highly recommend renting the place for at least the night of the wedding. We were on the fence but are so glad that we did. Our guests talked about how much they enjoyed it and how nice it was to not have to worry about getting home that night since the road getting up there is quite narrow and windy in places. Now I just wish we could go stay there again. Maybe we'll save up to rent it out again for our 10th wedding anniversary. read more

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What an incredible place for a wedding! This place is a seriously hidden gem in the hills of Mill Valley! It can host a smaller wedding and has a wonderful rustic feel. All of the furniture and deco is old and gorgeous, and the architecture is the same! I had so much fun at my best friends' wedding and this place was the perfect fit for them! The heart shaped front lawn is a must see along with the third story of the building! read more

Not writing this post as a lucky guest of an event at the Ralston White Retreat, but as a neighbor in the Blithedale Canyon of Mill Valley. Not only does RWR host epic weddings and special events (check out other reviews), the staff/management are super respectful of the surrounding community in regards to overall operation and policy. Audible music always shuts off well before 10pm (municipal code for amplified music outdoors), and faint voices, easily drowned out by a closed window, tell me folks are having a great time on a special day. Can't wait for a friend to rent this venue. If you're considering and can afford it ~ DO IT! read more

One year later and I am still raving about The Ralston White Retreat! I am a day-of wedding coordinator and just completed a wedding this past weekend on site. Gabe and team are ah-mazing! They cater to your every need and are great and easy to work with. We needed some last minute items, moving of some tables, a compost bin, etc. and the team was extremely accommodating and provided our requests without a hitch. I would recommend this site for any and all events. Some things I love about the venue is the location, being surrounded by the lush forest, and the crazy amount of rooms and people it can accommodate for a weekend! Check this place out for your next wedding or event :) read more

We had our wedding reception here very recently, and I must say this was one of the best decisions we made. Our wedding involved two meals at the Ralston (rehearsal dinner and a continental breakfast the day after) as well as numerous guests staying for two nights. The Ralston mansion and its grounds are beautiful, and only a visit can convey this properly. There are gardens, chicken pens, fruit trees, an old pool, and the heart-shaped lawn for croquet. Huge porch with comfortable chairs for relaxing. Every guest who set foot on the grounds were amazed, and the isolation of the place allowed our guests to unwind and relax, go hiking, or do whatever. Well-kept wood and plaster work, and plenty of vintage character to the building and grounds. The mansion was essentially ours for the entire weekend beginning Friday morning and ending on Sunday afternoon. This allowed us ample time to greet guests, prepare and decorate for the wedding, take down decorations, and enjoy conversation on the generous porch until the wee hours of the night. For those who stayed overnight, including ourselves, there was a significant variety of rooms to choose from, family-friendly options, and all around incredibly comfortable, new bedding. As for the catering, this was equally excellent. We had a barbeque prepared by the Ralston staff for our rehearsal dinner, which included fresh, warm bread, an excellent set of potato and green salads, professional, attentive and friendly staff, and perfectly prepared meats and vegetarian options. Our continental breakfast was a very nice, plentiful mix of freshly baked scones, muffins, boiled eggs, and plenty of additional items. We greatly enjoyed the ability to make these meals feel informal and were particularly pleased with the flexibility offered at the RWR. We were allowed to bring in our own beverages (alcoholic and otherwise), have a perfectly nice buffet setting (keeping staff expenses down) and customize the menu entirely. Mike, the property manager, is an incredibly helpful, accessible individual who knows the Ralston inside out and is a highly capable manager for both the retreat and catering operations. This has been mentioned in previous reviews, but it is utterly worth re-discussing because a person in his position can either make or break such a complex event. He very much made this event possible. He was absolutely friendly, personable, and easy to work with, always prompt in answering questions, and taking a personal stake in seeing that our festivities worked well. Our guests had frequent contact with him, and to a person they were impressed with his kindness and willingness to help with anything. A previous reviewer indicated that this is the best kept secret in Mill Valley. I can't agree more. We looked at several other venues and this one approaches perfection, and given the price point, you could clearly pay a lot more for a great deal less. The Ralston is also a nonprofit, meaning all money goes back into the retreat center, and for us this was nice to know. Altogether, we had a perfect wedding. The Ralston was an essential ingredient. We would recommend this to anyone having a nice mid-size (50-120 people) wedding or any sort of party of equivalent size, particularly if out-of-town guests need an affordable place to stay. read more

This is a gorgeous place for a wedding, but a nightmare for the disabled. I am disabled and recently attended a wedding here (I wear a brace and cannot walk or stand well or for long periods of time and stairs and hills are problematic, at best). After the beautiful wedding ceremony, the cocktail hour was held on the porch of the main house, which provides no handicapped access and no seating. Then dinner was held in a lower meadow outside which required walking down a very uneven, fairly steep pathway (women in high heels were provided floppies to navigate). Even walking from our table to the buffet was difficult as the meadow was uneven ground. Unfortunately, because of my problems getting around, I was in quite a bit of pain about halfway through dinner. Because my pain medication makes driving hazardous (especially on the dangerous road to and from this venue -- very narrow with no guardrails), I had to leave early so I could get home to take my medication and was in pain most of the following day. So, if you are planning a wedding here and some of your guests are disabled, be warned, they will have a hard time getting around. read more

I have a special place in my heart for the Ralston. My husband and I got married here four years ago and had the most wonderful wedding I've ever been to (of course I'm not biased at all). The site is a beautiful old estate nestled in the redwoods on the base of Mt. Tam. There is a perfect green lawn in front for the ceremony and 50 of our guests spent the night in the dorm and private rooms on the second and third floors. My husband and I spend our wedding night in the private quarters off the back, but then were able to have an amazing (prepared by the site) breakfast the next morning with our closest friends and family. Mike, the caretaker, is wonderful to work with and met all of our needs. It was an amazing place to get married, but I hear they do retreats as well. I give the Ralston my highest recommendation. read more

We just had a yoga/hiking Retreat at the Ralston White Retreat Mansion. Mike White, the Retreat's manager was extremely helpful with good ideas on everything from how to set the rooms up to hiking trails for us around the lovely property and outside the property on the local trails. The food was excellent and on presented on time. It just appeared when a bell rang We felt it was our home to enjoy. It was our first Retreat here but we are already planning next year. Thanks again to Mike and the staff for such a lovely and well organized experience. Nancy C read more

We held our wedding at Ralston White. It was incredible. The venue is spectacular. Mike the property manager worked hard to make sure everything went off without a hitch, he's a gem, very easy to work with, went the extra mile. The food was great. I can't recommend Ralston White enough. read more

I am a wedding coordinator and coordinated a wedding at The Ralston White Retreat this past weekend. I was so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Gabe, one of the co-managers. This location was absolutely beautiful and Gabe went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly and all requests were met. It was great working with the team at The Ralston White Retreat and I would recommend this location to all! read more

Beautiful setting and the facilities are very good for a relaxed meeting or event.. The meals are special as they are prepared by professional chefs. Great spot for hiking, biking and enjoying the ambience of Mt. Tam. read more

We got married here in August 2017, and absolutely loved working with both Christy and Gabe, who run the venue. You have the option of staying over a full weekend with ~45 guests in semi-private rooms, or just renting the venue for the day. The property is beautiful - it's blanketed in redwoods, and guests can even do a 4 hour long hike up to Mount Tam directly from the property. It's a relaxed and serene setting. Note that this isn't a full-service wedding venue - Ralston hosts yoga retreats, offsites, and a bunch of other types of groups, so you'll need to find and bring in your own caterer, chair / linen rentals, and other vendors. But if you're hoping to customize those things anyway, it's a real gem. read more

It is a very unique place to have weddings, it feels like a grand old home, which it is. I am the florist in Mill Valley, which loves doing weddings there. It is absolutely beautiful, and cozy. The caretakers are so warm and friendly, specially Mike, he goes out of his away to accomodate the wishes of the guests. This beautiful place is definetely worth inquiring about for your wedding or any other event. Annabella, Mill Valley Flowers, www.millvalleyflowers.com read more

WE had our wedding at Ralston White Sept 2018 - BEST place ever. 50 of our friends stayed with us - a spectacular, intimate and connected weekend of joy, calm and connection with Nature ensued. The Grove (5 min walk from the house) is a Redwood stand that holds 120 in a cozy embrace for the Ceremony. The house was our HOME for the weekend with its gorgeous porch, great room and total embrace. Gabe (site coordinator) and Christy were faboulous. 6 stars!!! read more

We are so glad that we went with Ralston White for our late June wedding celebration. When looking for a venue, we knew we wanted a place where we could really make a weekend out of our wedding. Where we could settle in and actually spend time with the guests who had traveled so far to be with us. Where there were plenty of accommodation options on-site and nearby so that guests could stay the weekend at a reasonable price. We wanted a place that was beautiful, would be laid back about music late into the evening, and would let us do our own thing for food and alcohol (without charging a corkage fee) so that we could save some money. We found all this and more at Ralston White. Our friends and family members are still raving about it. My family has spent lots of time in Mill Valley over the years and had never heard of it until we started searching for venues - truly the region's best kept secret! I loved the balance of a laid back vibe in a beautiful setting. It felt nice enough for a formal event, but cozy and comfortable (as opposed to many of the stuffy, staged places we visited when searching for a venue). Thinking about the magical, tree-lined drive to the place still gives me chills. I have such good memories of catching up with old friends on the balconies, drinking coffee on the huge front porch in the morning with my family, sitting in the grass chatting with guests, getting ready in the blue room, and dancing late into the night in the dining room. Mike, the site director, knew all the ins and outs of the property and surrounding area, and was able to help us think through all the important details. In the end, he under-promised and over-delivered. For instance, we were not expecting it, but when we pulled up the first day with a U-Haul full of alcohol and stereo equipment, the staff immediately started helping us unload, despite the heat. Ralston did breakfast for us one of the mornings and it was great. They were also super flexible about working with outside caterers and other vendors. Ultimately, you want to like the people who are running the place where you're getting married. These are nice people who will help you create a special event. read more

This was the perfect place for our wedding. Beautiful but not fancy, and a wonderful way to spend a whole weekend with friends and family rather than just a day-long event. The staff are great! read more

We had our wedding and a three-night stay at Ralston with a number of our guests two weeks ago. Obviously this requires a good bit of planning beyond simply planning for the wedding, but the site director, Mike, was great to work with. He's obviously very busy and we wonder if he ever takes a vacation, but on the phone he took the time to answer all our questions and was very helpful, friendly, and flexible. The weekend of the wedding, everything went as we had discussed in the many prior emails and phone calls. We had one meal prepared by the site (a casual replacement for the rehearsal dinner), which was very good, particularly the chocolate cake that Mike had suggested! He also suggested we have the dinner outdoors on the front porch, which everyone enjoyed as we had beautiful weather that weekend. At the end of our stay, several of our guests told us we should have a vow renewal next year so they could come back again. ;-) The lazy, cute onsite dog and the rest of the staff were great as well -- and they helped us out by happily taking leftover cookies and flowers (which we couldn't fit in the car) as we were packing up. I hope they enjoyed them! read more