Holman Ranch Vineyards

Holman Ranch was a dream location to be married and have our reception. The grounds are so beautiful that you don't need to add much to it, our guests were also blown away by the big views and gorgeous property.

This was our dream wedding location. I can't describe in words how beautiful the property is--you have to see it to understand its rustic elegance. We needed very little added "decoration" to make our wedding picture-perfect. The staff were amazing; very responsive and easy to work with. We appreciate everything they did to make my family feel welcome in the guest houses. Thank you to Hunter and the rest of the team! It was a weekend we'll never forget! =)

I was just browsing through my wedding pictures and my heart was immediately filled with joy, and remembered that I still needed to give The Holman Ranch the 5 star review that they deserve. My husband and I could not have asked for a better venue than The Holman Ranch. It was definitely over our budget, but once we visited the property there was no turning back, every other place we looked at just couldn't compare. You don't need to worry about adding a lot of fluff to your wedding when you have it at The Holman Ranch because the scenery is spectacular and you do not want anything trying to compete with its beauty. Many of our guest are calling our wedding the wedding of the year, but honestly it's impossible to not have a beautiful wedding here. It was great being able to get there on Friday and have all of our loved ones relaxing in the game room enjoying great wine and conversation before our big day. The people who work here are really sweet and totally helpful. I would definitely recommend having your big day here. I wish I could do it again!

The entire Holman Ranch staff was very welcoming and excellent to work with! They made the entire process very easy and allowed multiple site visits so that I could clearly articulate my vision. The entire site was a little more than I wanted to spend, but Hunter worked with us and the venue is just so amazing and unique, how could we not say yes? The venue was clean and beautiful, with the guest bedrooms comfy and cozy. I would recommend this venue/vendor to everyone!

Beautiful venue.... IT WAS PERFECT!!!!!!!

My husband and I had our wedding reception at Holman Ranch and it was truly a dream come true. Not only is it a beautiful location, but the entire staff is so helpful! Hunter was wonderful to work with. She was so quick and professional in all of our communications. I would recommend this gorgeous venue to anyone interested!

Thank you Holman Ranch for making our wedding a huge success!

Aside from how absolutely gorgeous and well-maintained the property is (literally every single guest at the wedding RAVED about the ranch's beauty and that it was absolutely the most perfect wedding site for both a ceremony and reception), the main event coordinator Hunter was so accommodating and always responsive to questions. The entire planning of the event was so smooth because of her generosity and understanding about vendor arrivals and deliveries, as the event was on the larger side. The wedding and reception went on without a single hiccup. It was an absolute DREAM!

Such a beautiful place and the staff could not be more helpful, friendly and kind. This place is a bit pricey but you get what you pay for. We had a large reception (350+) and Holman Ranch was the perfect fit for our celebration. My only complaint is that we had to cut off the music at 9:00. Still, this place is so beautiful, you should not pass it up.

Holman Ranch is one of the most beautiful places to have your wedding.From the moment my husband and I saw Holman we fell in love and new right away that this was the place for us.I had the time of my life and couldn't have asked for a better venue. The staff is really helpful and nice. Our guests said it was like heaven. I would recommend this wonderful place to anyone looking for a dream wedding.

Anytime I talk to someone that attended our wedding, they always mention how beautiful Holman Ranch is and how great the staff treated us. They were on top of everything. Simply fantastic service.
Holeman affords flexibility for the day of your event. Provides easy access to venders; the accommodations afford you a leisurely and comfortable location to prepare for the special day. No running from here to there for last minute details. It's like being home and your not.

We absolutely loved it! Could not have asked for anything more from a venue

Holman Ranch is an amazing place, the people are extremely friendly and very hard working. They are very flexible and work hard at making your wedding day perfect. I would recommend this for any type of event it was the perfect weekend getaway for family and friends.

I can't say enough good things about Holman. I've been to two weddings at Holman Ranch. I attended the first wedding by myself as a guest. Attending a wedding by yourself, when you don't know anyone but the bride, can be dreadful, but I had such a wonderful time at Holman. I was able to explore the interiors of the ranch: the stately main room, the lovely courtyard, the views from the lawns. I had a wonderful time just relaxing and soaking up the romantic environment and chatting with all the other guests doing the same. My experience as a guest there was so perfect, I knew I wanted to have my wedding there. And last year, I did.

My husband fell in love with the venue at first sight. Being from the peninsula area, we worried that our guests wouldn't dislike having to drive down to Carmel Valley, but knew they'd forget all that as soon as they arrived. It's just such a perfect setting. Both the scenery indoors and outdoors hold so much appeal, just being there is entertaining enough.

As for putting on a wedding (I had both my ceremony and reception here), it went flawlessly. Hunter, the events coordinator, was always responsive, always cheerful, always helpful when it came to answering my many questions. The service she and her staff gave on the big day couldn't have been more effective, accommodating or efficient and was always friendly. Holman Ranch, along with my caterer (Bird of Paradise, whom I highly recommend) created a day that actually exceeded my expectations (and what bride doesn't have HIGH expectations for her wedding day?)

Could not have picked a more beautiful location to get married. I had my fairy tail wedding and the staff at Holman Ranch are amazing! Thanks so much for everything:)

Holman Ranch was a superb place to have a wedding. The site is exquisite, Though all vendors need to be brought in, Hunter was very good at suggesting vendors she has worked with. A wedding coordinator is suggested to make things work smoothly so Holman is not inexpensive but the result is amazing. It is also wonderful to have family stay at Holman during the wedding weekend. The facilities are lovely but service is not provided to the rooms. Still, having your own pool, fitness center, and incredible setting is very special.

My husband and I held both our rehearsal dinner and our wedding at Holman Ranch. Both events were everything we envisioned and more. We love how there are so many beautiful and unique spaces on site - both days felt unique and special for us and our guests. Having our wedding at Holman Ranch was the best decision we made while planning our wedding. During our wedding, nearly each guest we spoke with shared that Holman Ranch was the most beautiful venue they have ever been too... we definitely agree! We are so appreciative of the on site staff for all their efforts in making our event run smoothly. I highly recommend Holman Ranch for any special event.

We were the very first wedding after Holman Ranch was renovated and reopened. Everything they did to make sure it was ready for our big day was spectacular. I had attended my uncle's wedding 8 years earlier at Holman Ranch when it was under different ownership and nothing was the same. The renovations that were done were so beautiful and appropriate to the style of the property. Hunter was so proactive in helping me sort out details from 3000 miles away . I'm a professional corporate event planner in Atlanta, and I had a very specific vision for our reception. One thing I have learned over the years is to make sure you trust the venue. They know their space better than any client or event planner that walks through the door and Hunter did everything in her power to maximize the use of her space for our reception and our guests. When it comes to venues in the Carmel/ Monterey area, they are second to NONE. To make our day just a little bit more special than it already was, she created a special sign for my husband and I to remember our wedding day at Holman Ranch. Everyone still talks about the venue, the dancing in the carriage house, the reception on the lawn with the market umbrellas and the dinner in the rose patio. Thank you thank you Hunter for everything you did. I wish we could do it all over again!

Kalei and Bryce Foldy (Bride & Groom)
June 30, 2007

Holman Ranch is simply the most beautiful venue for a wedding ceremony and reception. In our search for a wedding location, we searched high and wide from Napa, San Francisco all the way to the South Bay and the Carmel/Monterey region to find a suitable venue and after seeing countless possibilities, stumbled upon Holman Ranch and instantly fell in love.

What is so wonderful about this venue - besides the unbelievable natural beauty, the pristine, impeccably manicured grounds and likely the most gracious, helpful and hard working staff - is the flexibility it gives to couples to create and control all the little details and elements of their event. Holman Ranch can be described as the most beautiful bare canvas; what you are given is a lot of space to accommodate anything from a small intimate gathering to a 250+ person wedding, the most naturally beautiful setting and backdrop for a special event and then the freedom to chose and bring in almost any vendors (naturally professional approved vendors) that you like. This was incredibly important to us when we were planning our wedding and I think it's one of the real qualities of Holman Ranch that one may not find with other venues.

One other huge plus (one of many - I could go on and on about their incredible grounds, amenities and services) is the fact that the layout of the property lends itself to a wedding ceremony and reception perfectly. Holman Ranch has the most beautiful wedding ceremony veranda overlooking gorgeous mountain views, they have two distinct areas on property that would be perfect for cocktails and yet other options for a beautifully elegant and intimate sit-down dinner and to finish it off, dancing in their charming and cozy carriage house. the abundance of beautiful spaces allows for a great deal of flexibility and creativity to create a beautiful flow for a wedding event from beginning to end that will leave guests continuously amazed and surprised. There can not possibly be a dull or boring moment in a wedding organized at Holman Ranch.

The property is absolutely beautiful, it is private and secluded and despite some minor drawbacks (namely the fact that music has to end at 9 pm when you will wish that your wedding could last into the night in such a gorgeous place!) it may just be very very near to being THE perfect location to host a wedding. We were lucky enough to have our wedding at Holman Ranch and we couldn't have been happier. Almost 4 months later, many of our guests and of course our family are all still talking about it and we are sure to remember the incredible memories always.

We fell in love with Holman Ranch the moment we stepped our feet on the premises and knew we wanted to get married there. We wanted our guests to have an amazing time so it meant a lot to us that our guests were blown away by the beauty of the place when they were at the wedding. The different spaces on the property created little bits of surprises for the guests, which kept things interesting throughout the day. The ceremony site with the hills of Carmel Valley as the backdrop is just breathtaking and picture perfect and so were the separate spaces for cocktail hour, dinner, and the carriage house for dancing. You just can't have a bad time at Holman Ranch and all the pictures turned out beautifully. We saved a lot of money on flowers because the grounds and structures were so beautiful that there was no need for flowers.

The service was amazing and Hunter was very responsive and tried to help in any way that she can. The personalized sign was such a surprise and am extremely thoughtful touch, thank you Hunter! The place is expensive since you are paying just for the use of the site, chairs, umbrellas, and tables (but we wound up renting round tables instead because they only had rectangular ones). But...like everyone tells you, set your main priorities and don't skimp on them. We wanted a unique and beautiful venue, didn't skimp on it, and would not have changed it for the world...we just cut back on other things.

The reason I gave a 4.5 instead of a 5.0 for value for cost is the fact that the game room where the men are to hang out as the women got ready did not have a mirror or a restroom. The groom and his groomsmen were originally in the bridal suite and had to leave when we got there, they were not done getting ready so it was frustrating for him not to have a mirror or a restroom.

As for flexibility, I gave a 4.5 because they were very strict about the music stopping at 9 p.m., no open flames were allowed so you couldn't do sparklers if you wanted to, and the gates close and open at a certain time so don't leave your car there thinking that you can come and pick it up later that night! But these rules are understandable being that it is a private residence and the area is dry and residential. Nevertheless, Hunter was flexible in other ways which bumped the score back up to 4.5 :)

We had an amazing wedding at Holman Ranch and don't believe that we would have had the intimate, classy, and exceptional wedding we wanted if it was held anywhere else. Like another reviewer said, our wedding exceeded our expectations and that is a tall order. I would recommend this place to my closest friends and family without thinking twice.

I can't imagine a more perfect venue to have a wedding. On my wedding day, people could wander through the old stone houses and courtyards. Or gaze out over the beauty of carmel valley, with a garden of flowers in full bloom. What once was a celebrity getaway in the early 1900's (one room is named after charlie chaplin, he was there that much!), is now the most beautiful location for a couple to exchange "i do's".

When my husband and I started planning our wedding, we didn’t have a lot of requirements, but there were a lot of “nice-to-haves” on our list. Since I’m from the East Coast but we live in California, we knew a lot of our guests would be traveling a long way. So, we wanted to have the ceremony and reception at the same site so that people didn’t have to worry as much about logistics. We also wanted to make the trip out worthwhile for them—so, we were hoping for a venue that would show visitors some of what Northern California has to offer.

Holman Ranch was everything we could have asked for in a venue. Aside from being gorgeous and having a layout that made the flow from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception incredibly smooth, they took care of a lot of logistics that made our lives so much easier. The tables and chairs, plus their set-up, was included in our venue costs, and they even took care of shuttling guests from the parking lot all the way up to the actual wedding site. In addition, we had our choice of any insured vendor for everything from catering to floral design. We also loved that there was an area for food preparation so our reception meal could be served hot and fresh after being cooked on site. However, it was the little details that really made our big day amazing.

Holman arranged a tasting of wines from their vineyards for our cocktail hour to give our guests a taste of the area (literally). We also served their olive oil with bread as part of our crudité selection. Furthermore, they not only allowed fire pits—they provided them! This was perfect for my husband and I since we always felt a fall or winter wedding would be more romantic and pictured guests keeping warm around a fire. And, the service we received all day was excellent. When I arrived on site, Kim checked with me that the glasses for the wine tasting should have been delivered along with our other rentals (they hadn’t been). When I confirmed that they were supposed to have been, she took care of everything—I never heard about the problem afterward and by the time the cocktail hour rolled around, the glasses were ready!

Booking Holman Ranch was a splurge for us, but it was worth the money. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about how amazing our venue was and asking how we’d found it. One of them mentioned our wedding was “the most beautiful wedding [he’d] ever seen” (commenting on the mountain backdrop where we said our vows) and another one friend posted an album with a caption that if he ever got married, he would want to do it at Holman. When the guys take as much notice of the venue as the girls do, you know you’ve chosen a great spot!

Based on our experience, I’d recommend Holman Ranch to anyone who wants a magical wedding. Hunter and Kim are so well-organized and responsive to requests and the property is beautiful in any season. If you are considering an off-season event, you should know that we got married December 3rd and had sun, clear skies and perfect 65 degree weather! After visiting the venue yourselves, you’ll probably book it on the spot, but if not, I hope this recommendation sways you. My husband and I have nothing but love for Holman Ranch and look forward to future wine tasting visits in the years to come!

I think very highly of both the venue and the staff, who I felt took a personal interest in our success. It's hard to mark down on my ratings other than to give legitimacy on my review... Could it have cost a little less? Yes, but that's the wedding industry.

I would recommend this venue to anyone intested in a Carmel wedding.

Holman Ranch is a pituresque setting for any wedding or party. Hunter and staff are so friendly and helpful. I am so lucky I got to get married at the ranch. We had a lovely weekend and everyone was so great to work with.

beautiful place for a wedding

Holman Ranch is an exquisite setting in Carmel Valley. Our daughter's wedding/reception/dinner/dancing were held there. Everything turned out beautifully. That all being said, the low marks for Holman Ranch are reflective of their management. Given the cost of renting the facility, I expected the customer service would be commensurate with the venue. I was terribly incorrect in that assumption. Never was there any communication from management asking to be of assistance in the wedding particulars. Instead, they were irrationally inflexible. Their only concern was the bottom line. Simply put, be sure to have a wedding planner who has a positive relationship with Holman management so you can focus on the more pleasant aspects of wedding arrangements
re: recommending this vendor to a friend? yes, with reservations.

I may be biased, but I think Holman Ranch is one of the most stunning venues I've ever seen for a wedding ceremony. The number of compliments we received after the wedding were incredible. I am thrilled we chose Holman, if only for the pictures alone!

That being said, the six months leading up to the wedding once we had decided on our venue were excruciatingly painful. The staff at Holman is not only inefficient, disorganized, and plain obnoxious at times, they made us feel like we were the vendor and they the client. Juxtaposed with all the other vendors with whom we worked (particularly our wedding planner and caterer), it became increasingly apparent that customer service was not in their vocabulary.

I would recommend this venue to a friend but I would warn them WELL in advance that you need an intermediary to deal with the owner or you'll pull your hair out pre-wedding (and then the pictures won't look so...

For a spectacular event or wedding contact Holman Ranch. It is my concept of heaven... Chrisanne

We love everything about the Holman ranch from it's amazing views to the top notch staff... Love it!!

A beautiful and intimate venue! Surrounded by oak trees and sunshine. One of my favorite venues!

After 25 years in the catering business, and having worked at countless locations, we can truly say Holman Ranch is the most beautiful venue in California. Paradise has had the honor of catering hundreds of events at Holman and each one has been as memorable as the last. The staff is accomodating, the scenery is beautiful and the feeling you get when you walk through the gates is indescribable. It's no wonder Holman Ranch has been the subject of so many articles, features and blogs, it is hands down the most amazing wedding spot around. Uniquely California and full of old word charm, with all the modern ammenities, Holman Ranch is a must see for your big day.

I grew up in Carmel Valley, so when I see a place that helps the history and beauty of this area endure, I can't help but endorse it. This is a fantastic place to get married. It has commanding views and a genuine sense of history that most venues in Monterey County can only try and copy. I love photographing here.

Holman Ranch is simply one of the most beautiful places on the Monterey Peninsula! The ceremony platform is one that will have you catching your breath! The warmth that comes from the Rose Patio and Hacienda are like being in your own home. We have done countless events at Holman Ranch but all are unique and special to each couple because of the beautiful blank canvas. The staff at Holman Ranch is very helpful and delightful to work with. Simply put...everytime we have the chance to work at Holman Ranch we jump at it because the clients are always happy as are we!

An absolutely fabulous and unique location for any event. I have had the pleasure of directing weddings at Holman Ranch for over 10 years, even before the Lowders took over the reins on the property and made it the spectacular venue that it is. Hunter, and the rest of the Ranch staff, are a pleasure to work with and all visitors can enjoy a warm visit similar to just hanging out at a friends' house.

I look forward to all of our weddings at Holman and know anyone considering Holman for their special event will as well.

Patty Speirs, Executive Coordinator
Every Last Detail Wedding & Event Coordination
www.eldweddings.com

The Holman Ranch is an absolutely beautiful, historic property. The location and scenery are unsurpassed. If you are looking for a private venue for you event, definitely check out Holman Ranch.

Holman Ranch is a stunning event site. The property is laid out perfect for a weekend wedding. Complete with reception dinner under the pergola, ceremony on the lawn with a view of the vineyards, dinner on the rose patio and dancing in the barn, this site has it all. The attention to detail is evident everywhere you turn. I love working in Carmel Valley and this site is what it is all about. Working With Hunter, as well as the rest of the Holman Ranch staff is a pleasure. Karissa and I are honored to work with such a fabulous location.

Holman Ranch is so elegant and romantic. A slice of Carmel Valley to enchant your guests. What ever event you plan on this pristine property, it will not be forgotten soon.
Chrisitne Cater

This venue is one of a kind with some breath taking views! If you are looking for something extra special and exclusive, make sure to visit Holman Ranch; you will love it!

Holman Ranch is nothing less than paradise. From its humble beginnings as a gentleman's retreat, through its "hay day" as a destination for the rich and famous, and now, to its pinnacle as Carmel Valley's ultimate destination for weddings and events, Holman Ranch has managed to WOW everyone once again! When you think it couldn’t get any better, the staff at the ranch always delivers. The rejuvenation of the main house is simply stunning, the reworked landscapes are breathtaking and the views are indescribable. (They’ve been there forever!) Now with the addition of the valley's most beautiful guestrooms, Holman is unchallenged as Monterey County's most sought after wedding and event venue.
I’ve never had anything but an amazing experience at Holman Ranch. The staff, the history, the beauty and the unmistakable feeling of home make the ranch the place to be.

Have you been to Holman Ranch lately? All I can say is "Wow!" No detail has been overlooked. The vibe is warm and wonderful. Every improvement has been thoughtfully crafted and in keeping with the historic Spanish hacienda ranch style. Those of us who have been working at this property for years have grown to love Holman Ranch - and it keeps getting better!
Owner/Manager Hunter Lowder is very attentive to detail and will oversee your event masterfully. Hunter and her team are also pioneers in their painstaking selection process of the venue's preferred vendor list. I'm very proud to be included in this list and I always look forward to our next shoot at Holman Ranch! Peri Basseri, BigTime Video Services