Bear Flag Farm

Words cannot explain how utterly perfect our wedding was at Bear Flag Farm. The farm's beauty, created by Tina and her husband, is like nothing my husband and I had ever experienced before. Tina and her husband have created a magical home in which citrus trees, lavendar and grape vines take you into a whole new world, where all you can feel is happiness, relaxation and love. It is simply the BEST place to get married because of the beauty and love that you naturally feel there. Yet, the magic doesnt end there. Tina and her husband have a SERIOUSLY amazing network of vendors and contacts - they know the best of the best, from the food, to the photographer, to the makeup/hair artist, to the flowers and design, to unique and creative wedding vendors. Anything is possible at the farm, and everything, when done, is just perfect. When we showed up on wedding day we were speechless. The beauty that Tina and her team created was beyond what we could have ever imagined. And, it was us - somehow, some way, Tina was able to get to know us so well that she created a wedding that screamed us a couple, when we provided only minimal guidance as to what we were looking for. The design was more beautiful than any wedding I have ever seen in style me pretty (my favorite website). The food was 5 star restaurant quality. And, when the weather went sour the day of the wedding, messing up our big surprise for the guests, Tina found a last minute replacement that was the hit of the wedding. Not to mention, the one possibility that I dreaded, "tenting the reception," turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole day - the design of the tent, the lanterns, the candles, it was perfect, magical, beautiful, and so much more. I seriously cant stop here...the center pieces, the freshly picked tomatoes in the salad (picked that day) that guests couldnt stop talking about, the farm fruit mini cobblers that guests couldnt stop devouring, the farm fruit sangria that guests couldnt stop drinking, our unique farm table that was a sweetheart table, my bouquet, the creative photo booth backdrop Tina and her talented florist designed, it was all straight out of a dream. They more than nailed it. We simple adore Tina, her husband, and her entire team. We will be lifelong friends with them, and lifelong devoters to the farm. In Tina we trusted, always, and she delivered the most spectacular wedding of all time. Sure, we might be biased, but once the photos are up, you can see for yourselves.

Oh, Bear Flag Farm, where do I even begin? For starters, this is such a place as dreams are made of! The farm is 100% gorgeous, and it's a working farm to boot! I stumbled upon Bear Flag Farm as I was looking for a wedding venue that wasn't cookie-cutter and offered a really charming location. I was immediately smitten with the website (seriously, if you haven't looked at the photo galleries on the BFF website you MUST), and then the second I talked to Tine Reikes (the proprietor) I was hooked. Tina is absolutely, 110% professional and she's seriously organized. This wedding was being planned from Texas, so it was really important to me to have someone that I trusted on the other end of things. But, in addition to those great qualities, she has fabulous taste and she is absolutely as sweet and nice as can be! I like to be involved in everything and I'm a bit of a control freak, but I had no problems handing Tina the reigns and letting her be in charge of the wedding! I would work with her again in a second! And, the people that Tina works with are just as lovely as she is, so everything -- from rentals to flowers to catering -- is just very much in sync and beyond expectations. I couldn't believe what I saw when I arrived on our wedding day, it was just gorgeous!!! My husband and I were married on September 17, 2011 under a beautiful tent in the Orangerie at Bear Flag Farm. Everything, down to the tiniest detail, was just wonderful. From the enormous bower of flowers we were married under, to the little bouquets of oranges and fresh herbs that were tied to the chairs, to the ceremony musicians that Tina arranged for us, exceeded my expectations. And then the reception was just amazing! I was told over and over again that we'd picked the "perfect" location for a wedding and that people had never been to such a fantastic wedding before. And the food, SWOON, oh my gosh, it's so amazingly good! For starters, the menu is very personal and we selected everything from a huge, long, list of options that was put together just for us based on what we like. From the passed hors d'oeuvres to the stations to the specialty cocktail to the dessert tables to the to-go bags for the guests: delicious!!!! And the best part is that so much of what is served is actually grown on the farm. We had an amazing panzanella salad with heirloom tomatoes grown right where we were married. And our guests took home olive oil favors with olive oil pressed from the trees on the property. How cool is that?! The evening was beautiful with good friends, good food, and good wine -- and that's what we really wanted at our wedding. My husband and I have both said that the only thing we wish we could change was to have a wedding week instead of a wedding weekend! Bear Flag Farm is truly such a wonderful experience as a farm and as a wedding venue. When you roll through the gates you realize that, even though you might not think it's possible, it's actually PRETTIER than the pictures! There aren't many weddings held there throughout the year, so Tina really gives each wedding a lot of time and consideration. Thus, you end up with all of these lovely details, each one better than the next.

This one's for the guys, you know those terrified yet excited, take control yet out of control men soon to be somehow involved with the loving yet somewhat stressful process of matrimony. They call us grooms! Let me introduce you to Tina and Bear Flag Farm. My wife and I live a short distance from BFF and ride our bikes along the winding riparian and orchard studded road that passes close by Bear flags lavender fields 3-4 times a week. It remains our favorite ride for the serenity, the beauty and the strong sense of productive farming that's the heart of Yolo County. We always thought , what a perfect place to be married. Then we met Tina. Our introductory visit in her casual, country office at BFF began with sharing concepts, wishes, likes and dislikes then led us through her team concept, reviewing her players and the entire preparation process. She made suggestions based on our vision of what our wedding would be then told us to reflect on all we had learned, contact her with questions and in a few weeks reconvene to nail down specifics. My wife left, eyes dilated and excited. I left relaxed and assured we were in the gracious hands of a pro. Tina actually asked for my input and took time to calm my concerns. Her experience no doubt led to an understanding that tightly wound, stressed out grooms are a difficult group to involve. Her overall mantra remained, relax, have fun, and enjoy each step along the way, She 'd watch our backs and handle the hard stuff. As confidence grew, so did the enjoyment. The scheduling, organization, selection of team members, coordination and timing were impeccable. The team became friends and by wedding time, part of the family. Our middle aged, second time around wedding attended by experienced and discerning guests, flowed without a flaw. Under the shade of an "Out of Africa" tent our friends and family sat shaded, laughing and crying and wondering what was next, photos for us and wine for the rest until time to toast and sit down to country elegance. White linens and Bear Flag flowers and herbs covered candle lit tables beneath small twinkling lights, large shining stars, and embracing Sycamore branches. The band absolutely rocked for hours. Tunes that kept everyone and I mean everyone on the dance floor for hours. Throughout the afternoon and evening Tina and her staff were there to check in for requests and needs. We felt very attended and cared for from beginning to end. Our friends have called it the event of the decade... and beyond. The class, the cozy comfort, the phenomenal ceremony,setting,dinner, and music made it truly a night to remember forever. And for us grooms , isn't that what it's all about?

My dream came true at Bear Flag Farm. I wanted to get married there for years and it came true this summer. The farm is beyond beautiful, and pictures dont even come close to display its beauty. The staff at Bear Flag Farm are great. They were one top of everything the day of the wedding. Tina, the owner and coordinator of the Farm, is fit for the job! She knows how to orchestrate and prepare the bride and the event to be just perfect months and months before the day. I had an all inclusive wedding package that was perfect for my busy schedule of Nursing School. Tina took care of so much and made it very special. My guests have told me over and over again that this was the best venue they have ever been to, Quote: "Its so Beautiful and breath taking, What a spectacular choice." I cant say enough about the farm. Their olive oil is delicious, their wine is tasty, the farm to the table approach is so unique, and the setting is perfect. I used Grace Lee, the Farms Caterer, for our food and it was amazing. The serving staff were courteous and my guests got their food served in a special way. Our DJ, Adam, set the mood for the entire evening with great music custom to us as a couple. Our ceremony was filled with beautiful strings music from "The Dolanc String Quartet." Our photos were captured by Ann Hamilton- such a down to earth and talented photographer. She captured the perfect moments for our special day. And her side kick assistant was very talented as well. And my Guests got to have fun in the photobooth from "PhotoWorks Interactive." I wouldnt change a thing about our wedding day- Thanks to Tina and all her staff.

Where to begin to add to glowing remarks about Bear Flag Farm? In the search for the perfect wedding venue, I told my now husband, "wherever it is, it has to be magical". Enter Bear Flag Farm and Tina Reikes, who my mom came to affectionately refer to as "your fairy godmother". We first visited the farm in the middle of January on rainy day. Nothing was in bloom and sky was gray, but spending an hour with Tina in her cozy cottage with a cup of tea looking through past wedding albums and getting to know her, it was clear to both of us that we had indeed found our magical place to get married and the woman who would bring it all to life. When you have your wedding at Bear Flag, you are getting much more than a venue. You are getting a place that has so much heart and soul and that quality is in every detail of your wedding day. Even before we had signed a contract, Tina wanted to know everything about us, our tastes, our interests, who we are as a couple. She extracted a vision that I couldn't put into words and on our wedding day, it was a delight to hear so many of my closest friends and family say, "this is so YOU" What more could you hope for than a wedding celebration so personal and reflective of who you are and what you value. Throughout the months of planning and particularly in the weeks leading up to the wedding, we were both impressed and touched by Tina's incredible professionalism, her genuine kindness and effort to make our day everything we dreamed it to be. Even a rain scare the week of the wedding that threatened our original plan did not ruffle Tina, she had a Plan B in place before I could go even log on to weather.com and start to panic. She is calm, resourceful, and has impeccable taste. All of our vendors were recommendations Tina helped us with and all were a joy to work with. On the day of the wedding I couldn't have been more relaxed and present, knowing that Tina and her team had an eye on every detail. My husband organized a bike ride with his groomsmen and close friends the morning of the wedding to take advantage of the beautiful setting and great bike loops in Davis. Tina insisted they swing by BFF to say hi and take a photo. It was the start to the perfect day and a great photo of the guys that Jay will treasure. And about that wedding day...it was a dream come true. A fairy tale by many guest's notes we received in the days that followed. Saying our vows on the perfectly manicured lawn in the Lavender Field, a cocktail reception on the shaded terrace, the reception under a beautiful tent aglow with hanging lights and candles. Everywhere I looked I saw something that made me beam with happiness, the flowers, the food, the smiles on our guest's faces. We had the time of our lives and it is a day that we will never forget. We are so happy that this very special place and this truly amazing woman, are now a part of our story... where we said "I do", danced our first dance and celebrated our marriage with our closest friends and family. Simply put, it was magic.

My husband and I live in Denver, Colorado and we got married at Bear Flag Farm on September 10, 2010. When I started the wedding planning process, my heart was set on a Napa Valley wine country wedding, however with many hours of research, I found the wineries I wanted to get married at did not host weddings, and the wineries that did host weddings were not exactly what I was looking for. During the process I was also getting frustrated with properties not being responsive as well as receiving scripted responses that seemed to sound like "you are bride #54 out of #72 and this is the paperwork you need to fill out and this is the deposit you need to put down etc. etc." I was so disenchanted by the whole process during what is supposed to be such a magical experience, that I was close to giving up on a traditional wedding and eloping with my husband. I told myself I would give surrounding Napa Valley areas a few more hours of research and that is when I found Bear Flag Farm. Just by her website I could tell the owner behind this property had style, class, personality and individuality - how refreshing! I sent in my request for information via her site late on a Friday evening and received a response from her first thing Saturday morning - unbelievable! When I talked to Tina (owner)for the first time, I was relieved to hear that she does not partake in the "assembly line of brides” strategy for her venue and she actually only does a handful of weddings a year and never more than one a week - Perfect! She told me every wedding of hers is very different based on the couple and that it is important to her to get to know both of us so she can tailor the day to our preferences. I made a quick trip to Winters, met Tina, felt like we bonded instantly and the farm was everything I hoped it would be. Best of all, I was still able to base my guests in Napa and since Tina grows Syrah grapes, my wine country wedding was still going to happen - but now with lavender fields, citrus orchards, olive trees, an organic garden that our guests would be dining from and of course, her precious honey bees in the background that became the theme of our wedding. Since we live in Colorado and would be planning a destination wedding, it was extremely important that I could trust our wedding planner as well as find a package deal that did not have me pouring over every detail. Tina over delivered in every area and offers an incredible package that made the process extremely easy. Our wedding day mirrors the rest of Bear Flag Farm’s reviews. The day was perfect, extremely organized, every detail was well thought out, the farm looked like a dream and we received many comments from our guests that it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to. As a bride, my favorite part was Tina’s extra special touches that made the day just as much of a surprise for me as it was for our guests. The highlights of our wedding include getting married with the smell of lavender in the air, a ferris wheel that Tina talked us into that became the hit of our wedding, incredible food prepared by Grace Lee that came from Tina’s farm, stunning décor and lighting, an amazing band (Hip Service) and of course Tina and Leslie’s (Tina’s assistant) constant attention to ensure the day went perfectly. Our wedding was an absolute dream and I am excited for all future brides who decide to get married there!

Bear Flag Farm is a magical place where stunning weddings are created by fabulous people! Picking Bear Flag Farm was the best decision we ever made in our wedding planning process. I fell in love with the place the moment I visited the website, which is filled w/ gorgeous pictures that so accurately portray the feel and beauty of the farm. Tina (owner of the farm & wedding planner extraordinare) is amazing to work with, and the suggested vendors she has for food/photo/cake/music/etc are similarly wonderful. In our first few meetings, Tina was able to take all our ideas and create an overall theme/feel to the wedding that perfectly reflected what we wanted. I am from the bay area, but living in NY with my fiance, so our meetings with Tina were very spread out, but it didn't matter because Tina was great about communication via phone and email. Every detail was addressed, even those I didn't think of (and I'm a pretty detail-oriented person!) The farm itself is so meticuously maintained, respected, and well-loved by its owners who place a huge amount of importance on the field to table concept. It's not just a selling point gimmick, but something that continously comes through...the produce from the farm is used as much as possible in the wedding menu, even in the floral arrangements if fitting! I loved that our guests were able not only to enjoy the surroundings of the farm but also able to taste the bounty that the farm produces. You can even use their olive oil and wine. There are so many places of beauty on the farm itself, from the lavender fields to the orchards to the vineyards..it creates endless opportunities for ceremony locations & photo ops. Your wedding day will always run smoothly in Tina's capable hands. She surrounds herself with a staff of competent and caring people who make sure that your special day is flawless...and if there are any issues that come up, you'll never know about them because Tina makes sure that the bride and groom get to experience every moment of their wedding (rather than spending time worrying about the details of the day). Our wedding day was perfect from start to finish...I didn't want it to end! I would recommend Bear Flag Farm in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a gorgeous outdoor wedding location.

Bear Flag Farm is the perfect wedding venue! Not only is the farm absolutely and naturally beautiful with its lavender fields, vineyard and fruit orchards, Tina (the owner) and her team are delightful to work with. Tina is consistently responsive and ready to assist with anything you might need. She works with excellent, top quality vendors and is able to help steer you toward the best bands, caterers, florist, etc. based on your preferences and wedding style. Our wedding was sort of a sophisticated french country style affair as my husband and his family are French. Everything was customized to include English and French translations. My husband is also a chef so he loved the idea of using the produce from the Farm in the meal. Our caterer, Grace Lee, was fantastic! She incorporated so many elements from the Farm and even created an amuse bouche with korean water kimchee as a little nod to my Korean family members. The wedding was in August, so we had an open, billowy tent to shade the ceremony on the vineyard lawn and parasols available for guests who desired additional sun protection. As the sun set, we migrated over to the cocktail area for awhile, then to dinner on the cottage lawn (a lovely sunken in area surrounded by mature trees and rose gardens). Our guests raved about the wedding! We've had several guests tell us (multiple times) that it was the best wedding they've ever attended - we thought of everything (and, by "we," they meant Tina and Leslie). Our guests were transported on shuttle buses to and from the Farm which was super easy and alleviated any concerns about getting lost or driving after the festivities. I'm still getting calls about the "amazing food" and "beautiful location." My husband and I had so much fun at the wedding due, in large part, to the fact that we knew we were in good hands and didn't have to worry about a thing. All in all, you can't go wrong with Tina and Bear Flag Farm. Rest assured, it will exceed expectations!!

Bear Flag Farm has been one of my favorite venues to work with as the Editor in Chief of Project Wedding. If I were getting married again, I would definitely consider this beautiful venue!

I was lucky enough to have my wedding at Bear Flag Farm in August, and I'm so happy with how the whole day unfolded. Going into the wedding planning process, I felt overwhelmed and confused. Finding the perfect venue was proving to be a very frustrating experience until I stumbled upon BFF. It had everything we were looking for--beautiful gardens, orchards, fields, and, most importantly, a totally private feel. Having exclusive use of the property was very special to us; our guests appreciated it as well and felt very welcome! Many have commented that it felt like they were on a vacation. We've received rave reviews from so many people--the food, music, and flowers were all wonderful. Tina was great to work with, and I'm so glad I followed her vendor recommendations. I chose a package, which I definitely recommend because it takes some of the decision-making off your plate. If you put your trust in her I promise you won't be disappointed!

We were married at Bear Flag Farms this summer. I had an idea in mind of what I wanted, something like a Midsummer's Nights Dream and a fancy outdoor dinner party, and Tina and the BFF team made it happen. We live in New York, so having the BFF team take care of all of the design aspects made it a breeze. I had some ideas about the aesthetics and the color palette, and they truly realized it into my perfect wedding! We are still getting calls from friends and family that tell us it was the most beautiful wedding. We went with the package that included food, music, design and some other things. Even though the vendors were chosen by the farm, we had complete access to them to discuss the details of our day. Each vendor took time to meet with us individually on our very limited schedules to make sure we had exactly what we wanted. It was wonderful. Because we planned from a distance, we communicated primarily through email. Tina is extremely accessible and responds quickly. If you are a long distance bride like I was, this is a great option! You will want to be sure that you are very organized in communicating what you want, and they will deliver for you. Although I think you could be completely hands off if you wanted! Get married here. It is incredibly beautiful and a wonderful venue. My only wish is that we had more time on the farm - it went so fast!

We would use the following words to describe the Team at Bear Flag Farm: thoughtful, attentive, organized and FUN! Bear Flag Farm is an amazing place. It is an idyllic outdoor venue with a collection of unique spaces that create a inspiring whole. The Farm worked well for us because it allowed our wedding to take place in natural setting, while not sacrificing any comfort or luxury for our guests. The ability to incorporate food from the farm and surrounding area made this experience very genuine. The most important part of Bear Flag Farm is the people. Their execution of the event was superb. The most important part to us was that they took the time to get to know us and our family. We are blessed to count the people at Bear Flag Farms as our friends. We would recommend this venue to any of our friends!