Frequently Asked Questions
PACKAGES, PRICING + GUEST COUNT
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Absolutely! We have the flexibility to upgrade and customize packages to fit our couple’s needs.
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We do not! Our packages are based on 100 guests but we can easily create custom packages for elopements or intimate sized weddings + events.
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At the bottom of each of our packages, pricing is noted for “additional guests” and “lesser guests”. For guest counts over 100, you add on the additional per person price to the total package amount. For guest counts under 100, you subtract the “lesser guest” per person price x the difference in 100 guests from the total package amount.
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We do! Our maximum capacity for weddings and events is 180 guests, including the couple, wedding party and guests (adults + children).
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Your final guest count is due no later than 30 days before the wedding.
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Unfortunately, no. With all our couples, we must guarantee your guest count at booking as we prebook catering, rentals, service and staffing immediately based on your guest count. So regardless of your final guest count, you will be responsible for the full payment amount of the guest count that was originally booked.
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Twenty percent (20%) catering gratuity is included for all our packages. If the all-inclusive bartending service is included in your ML package, then 20% gratuity will also be included. Gratuity for other services (day of coordinator, bartending, DJ, florals, etc.) is at the couple’s discretion and greatly appreciated.
To view industry standard vendor gratuity and tipping practices, please check out our tipping cheat sheet. View here.
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That’s right! Our package pricing already includes any applicable taxes and fees! Additionally, we consider ourselves an “all-inclusive” venue offering couples complimentary access to the venue’s amenities at no additional cost. We have heaters, bag toss games, additional tables and bins along with a décor closet available to our couples without any additional fees or charges. Outside of additional headcount, catering upgrades or add-ons, our couples don’t experience any surprise costs!
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Yes, absolutely! We re a very family friendly venue. We will need to account for any aged child that requires their own meal and/or seat at the dinner table. Lap toddlers and babies do not need to be accounted for in your final guest count.
Our caterer does offer kid's meal options for children ten (10) years old and younger for a discounted price- pretty standard kids’ options: sliders, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, etc. However, if you’d prefer to have kids eat the regular served dinner, then they will be considered and charged as an adult.
VENDORS + SERVICES
Miller’s Landing preferred and packaged vendors can be viewed here.
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Use of outside vendors may be allowed with Miller’s Landing approval and proof of insurance. The outside vendor’s service will be removed and deducted from the total package price and offering. A $250 fee, per vendor will apply for the following vendors removed from the package: Photographers, Florists & Bartenders.
Outside catering will incur a $1,000 fee and requires additional approval, guidelines and service. Please reach out for more details.
Additionally, all outside vendors will need to agree to the venue’s facility terms for service.
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While we have provided a variety of preferred DJs for you to consider for your big day, we are currently unable to add them to you Miller’s package or quote. Any inquiries or bookings will need to be done directly through them.
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We request you select from our vetted and preferred list of DJs, however, outside professional, wedding DJs may be considered upon Miller’s Landing approval. Ceremony, cocktail hour and reception services are required and held at separate locations on the property so additional setup or equipment may be required. The venue will provide live power outlets, however it is the vendor’s responsibility to supply any and all equipment needed for service (DJ equipment, speakers, mics, lighting, stand/table setup, extension cords, power strips, etc). Additionally, this hasn’t been an issue with any of our DJs in the past but wifi is not available in the ceremony, cocktail or barn areas so everything will need to be downloaded for offline usage.
No additional fees will apply for outside DJs, the vendor must provide current insurance policy and agree to the venue’s facility terms for service. It is also the couple’s responsibility to confirm with the outside vendor that Miller’s Landing space and facilities meet all the outside vendor’s requirements needed for service.
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Yes, we love a wedding band! Much like outside DJs, final approval will be needed by ML management as we need to understand their requirements for setup and service to make sure it aligns with our venue’s space and facilities. Additionally, any hired band will also be required to provide service for the ceremony and cocktail portions of your wedding.
Same guidelines apply as outside vendors (see above). No additional fees will apply however, outside vendor application and proof of insurance is still required. It is also the couple’s responsibility to confirm with the outside vendor that Miller’s Landing space and facilities meet all the outside vendor’s requirements needed for service.
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We can easily add desserts to the Tavern or North Bay packages, or you can simply book and bring in your own cake or desserts.
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Unfortunately, we cannot offer any space in the fridge or our prep kitchen as it will be fully occupied by catering so alternate arrangements will need to be made.
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Our floral packages offer our couples the flexibility and freedom to customize with our preferred vendors. Information about our floral packages is included on the ML Package PDF.
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We will allow couples to remove the floral allowance from their package for a discount. However, our floral packages also includes professional floral services which include design and setup for all of your floral arrangements. If flowers are removed from the package, this service is also removed, and it is the couple’s responsibility to assemble and set up all arrangements they bring in.
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We do! We have plenty of recommendations for local and local-ish vendors and services for photo booths, overnight accommodations, transportation, hair & makeup vendors, rehearsal dinner restaurants and more on your Welcome Page.
If you haven't booked Miller's Landing for your wedding and are interested in seeing these recommendations, please reach out and we'll send them over!
BOOKING + PAYMENTS
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We require a 20% non-refundable retainer and signed contract to secure your date, the venue, and applicable packaged vendors.
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Yes, we do! We will break up your remaining balance into monthly or multiple installment, interest free options for you to choose from. Payments will be due on the first of each month and your final payment must be made at least 30 days before the wedding.
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All payments will be invoiced digitally unless otherwise notified. For your retainer and balance payments, you will receive an automatic email from Square including your digital invoice to pay directly online.
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We accept cash, checks and major debit or credit cards. Cash is only accepted in person and all checks must be priority next day or 2-day guaranteed mail through the post office to our PO Box 528, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 with the check made out to Miller’s Landing at the Lake, Inc.
ADULT BEVERAGES + BAR SERVICES
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We do! Our adult beverage guidelines are explained here.
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We’ve partnered with local bar service, R&B Mixing Co. to craft a variety of bartending and service packages to meet your needs. While R&B’s bartending packages are designed specifically for Miller’s couples, we cannot add them to any ML packages. Please reach out to R&B directly to book. R&B Mixing Co’s bartending packages can be viewed here.
All alcohol must be supplied by the event host, R&B’s offering is limited to strictly bartending and service packages.
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We allow couples to bring in multiple selections of beer, wine, seltzers, and champagne. If you want any type of hard alcohol or liquor served at your wedding, it will only be allowed in the form of two specialty cocktails noted on venue’s guidelines linked above.
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Unfortunately, no. The ONLY alcoholic beverages allowed to be consumed at a wedding or event are the ones done so through the hired, professional bartenders.
We cannot have anyone bring in or consume their own alcohol, this applies to the couple, wedding party, immediate family, vendors and guests.
If we see anyone consuming outside alcoholic beverages, we kindly ask them to stop and confiscate the item. If the issue continues throughout the event, our staff has the right to ask the individual to leave the property and/or shut down alcohol service for all.
CATERING PACKAGE DETAILS
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Yes! With the exception of our characterize grazing table, all appetizers are passed around to guests at cocktail hour.
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All of our catering packages include a fully staffed and served buffet. If interested, plated and family style service is available for an upgrade.
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The North & Emerald Bay packages include a complimentary tasting. The pre-set Tavern Bay package does not include a tasting but can be added on for a fee. Each couple will receive more details upon booking in your “Welcome Email” but we offer couples their choice of a private or group catering tasting.
Private Tasting: You will select and try the items that are included in your package. Due to limited weekend availability, we only schedule private tastings Monday – Thursday.
Group Tasting: The venue will host an open tasting for you and other couples to try our most popular menu items.
Tastings are based on availability and held between November and May.
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Yes, our caterer offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten and dairy free menu options for an additional fee. Specialty meals will be added on to the final balance at 30 days.
Specialty meal options & pricing are noted in both Tavern & North + Emerald Bay catering menus.
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Absolutely! Kids meals are available for children under the age of ten (10) for a discounted price. Children over the age of ten years old will be charged adult prices and if the regular catering menu is preferred for children ten and under, adult prices will apply. Kids meals will be added on to the final balance at 30 days.
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Yes! Eight (8) vendor meals are included in your catering package and will go towards the day of coordinator, photographer, videographer (or second shooter), DJ, two bartenders and two Miller’s Landing team members assisting with your wedding.
If needed, additional vendor meals can be purchased.
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While not recommended, outside catering may be considered with Miller’s Landing approval. Outside catering requires additional guidelines, fees and service. Additionally, all outside vendors will need to agree to the venue’s facility terms for service and provide proof of insurance.
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Unfortunately, outside food will NOT be allowed to be served to guests alongside your professional, hired caterer.
We do encourage couples to bring in lunch and snacks for getting ready but any food served to guests must be done through a professional, licensed and insured catering service.
ADDITIONAL VENUE INFO + DETAILS
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Yes, the town of Lake Arrowhead has a local noise ordinance so all events must end at 10:00pm.
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Yes, the venue, buildings and restrooms are all handicapped accessible. We also have a golf cart readily available for assistance across the property and parking lot if needed.
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Yes, we do have wifi!
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We will allow couples to have their dog as a part of the ceremony and photo portion of the event only. Alternative plans will need to be made off site for your pup directly after the ceremony & photos as they will not be allowed on the property for any part of the cocktail hour, dinner, or reception (there is just way too much going on).
Pets may never be left unattended at any point on the property and will need to be cleaned up after immediately. We also cannot have any additional guests bring along their pets unless they are certified service animals. Additionally, you will be financially responsible for any and all damages on the property, including bodily harm to individuals attending or working the event.
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Absolutely! The venue is fully insured however we require all our couples and vendors to provide a current, wedding insurance policy. This is pretty standard with all venues across California, and it protects our couples in the event of any damages to the venue, personal property or guests and is usually less than $150 for the day. Host liquor liability is required if you’re planning on serving any alcoholic beverages at your event and we require the minimum coverage limit of $1,000,000 occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate. More information and recommendations will be included on your Welcome Page.
Proof of insurance is not due until 30 days before the wedding.
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Yes! We have outdoor heaters available to use at no cost. The barn can also be heated if needed!
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Yes! Depending on your guest count, we have the capability to hold both the ceremony and reception in the barn in the case of inclement weather. It will require additional setup and effort from the venue staff and may incur an additional setup fee. If you wish to bring in a commercial tent due to weather, we will allow last minute rentals however, it will need to be provided and paid for by the couple. We also have a few awnings and clear umbrellas available if needed.
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We do! We have plenty of recommendations for local overnight accommodations, transportation, restaurants and more! To view, click here.
We also have a guest FAQ page that is more geared towards venue visitors. To view, click here.
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While we love the four seasons and year-round temperatures in Arrowhead, the best time of year weatherwise is the middle of May through the middle to end of October. For additional temperature and weather resources, please visit weather.com.
PARKING, TRANSPORTATION + OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS
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While we do not offer any onsite or overnight lodging accommodations, we can provide some local accommodations.
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Yes, we do! All guests and attendees, including the bridal parties and family, are to park in our asphalted lot behind/below the barn. Handicap accessible parking spaces are provided in front of the Groom’s Suite. Overflow parking is available in designated areas but parking is not permitted on the main street, access roads or driveways on the venue or surrounding areas.
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Unfortunately, we do not provide any transportation to or from the venue but we do provide our couples with additional transportation information and local recommendations.
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Weddings guests & attendees are welcome to arrive at the venue as early as 30 minutes before the ceremony start time. Immediate family, bridal party and ceremony participants will be allowed in earlier if needed.
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Rideshare options are few and far between in Lake Arrowhead so we highly recommend commuting in groups or scheduling transportation services. We’ve also provided additional transportation info and recommendations above.
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Unfortunately, we do not allow any overnight parking.
COORDINATION + TIMING
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All of our packages include a full day venue rental with access to the property from 8:00am to 11:00pm. However, due to the local noise ordinance your event has a hard stop at 10:00pm. The last hour is typically used for goodbyes and packing up as the venue will need to be cleaned, cleared and vacated by 11:00pm.
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More information will be shared after booking but your ceremony start time will be at 4:00pm.
Options for earlier or later ceremony timeframes may be considered and may incur an additional fee.
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Since so many details are still being worked through in the final weeks, the timeline creation is one of our last steps in your planning process. Your coordinator will work with you, the venue and all your vendors to create a detailed, personalized schedule for the day of.
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Your coordinator will reach out 4 weeks before your wedding!
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While part of your coordinator’s services will assist with last minute details, their responsibilities are mainly focused on organizing and executing all the actives on the actual day of your event. In the weeks leading up to your wedding they will be helping with things like your day of timeline, coordinating final details with vendors, finalizing the ceremony and reception layouts, and organizing logistics for your big day. If interested, additional planning services may be available.
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Due to active bookings, ceremony rehearsals are not scheduled until three (3) months before the wedding day. If we are wedding free the day before your wedding, then we will schedule the ceremony walkthrough at or after 4:00pm. If a wedding is booked, your rehearsal will be scheduled at 9:00am or 10:00am, while setup is going on for the other couple’s wedding. We’ll schedule an hour, but it really shouldn’t take longer than 35-45 minutes. You’ll want to make sure everyone involved in the ceremony is present - officiants, bridal party, parents, pups, flower girls & ring bearers and any other family members you want walking down the aisle.
Additionally, if a wedding is booked the day after yours, their rehearsal will be held during your wedding setup. The other party will only be allowed in the ceremony space to ensure privacy. Most couples don’t even realize another rehearsal is taking place, but I just wanted to give y’all a heads up!
CEREMONY + RECEPTION seating
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Once your guest count is finalized, your coordinator will provide you with a detailed ceremony layout. We typically set up 80-90 chairs in the middle grass area, surrounded by wooden benches arranged on the outer grassy areas for a balanced space.
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Yes! Once we have your final guest count in hand, your coordinator will work with you and the venue director on your dinner layout and seating. Depending on your final guest count we can offer the following seating options: family style seating (multiple tables pushed together), angled tables, large bridal party tables, sweetheart seating, benches, chairs and more.
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For guest counts under 100, we can seat 8-10 guests per table. For guest counts over 100, we will seat 10 guests per table.
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Unfortunately, we do not allow open seating for dinner as we require couples to assign all guests to a seat or at the very least, a table where they can pick their own seat. The lack of seating assignments tends to make guests feel very uncomfortable as they must find their own seats that might require parties or pairs to split up.
VENUE setup + DECOR
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Yes, we do! While we do have a decent offering, most couples still bring in some of their own personalized items and decor (welcome sign, framed photos, seating chart, bar menu, guest book, etc.). And you aren’t required to use any of our available items, you’re more than welcome to bring in your own decor that better fits your wedding. If you do wish to use any of our candle votives, you will need to provide your own battery operated candles. Just a friendly reminder that open flames are not allowed.
An inventory list for available décor and venue items will be shared upon booking.
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Yes, we do have an electric baby grand piano! Typically couples set it up in the barn or outside of the barn in the courtyard area and add photos or special decor on top. While the piano is real and can be played, we do not regularly tune it so if you are planning on using it in a musical way, you would need to have it prepared prior to use. Please note, the piano will only be available in the barn and barn courtyard. We cannot move it to the cocktail decks or ceremony space.
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Due to mountain environment and forested surroundings, we strictly prohibit any type of open flame throughout the property, including all buildings and outdoor areas. We have great recommendations for battery operated candles if you need them!
Additionally, enclosed or floating candles, lit lanterns, portable heating devices, smoke or powder bombs and sparklers are also prohibited.
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A full list of decorating guidelines will be included in your booking contract but our golden rule is that it cannot damage the venue, property, buildings or surrounding forested areas.
In order for use to keep a clean and preserved environment and space, the use of plastic, paper, synthetic, wood or biodegradable confetti related items are not allowed. Additionally, loose glitter, bird seeds, flower seeds, feathers, bubbles, rice, and dried flowers are also prohibited.
Fresh flowers and leaves are a great alternative!
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The venue staff, your coordinator and vendors will work together for your wedding prep and setup. The venue staff will oversee the physical event setup (tables, chairs, etc.) and your vendors will set up their designated spaces (catering, florals, desserts and so on).
Your day of coordinator will assist with decorations, setting up welcome and gift table, signage, tablescapes (name cards, napkins, candles, etc..), sweetheart table and so on. If your decorations require more effort for setup, your coordinator may need to bring in an assistant (for a fee) or you will need to designate someone to assist with these items.
We ask that all that all décor and items come built or assembled, clean and ready to be set out (stickers/price tags removed, unwrapped, etc.).
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We provide them! Feel free to go through our Real Wedding section to see photos of our farm style wooden table and chairs that are included with all of our packages. We also have similar, wooden benches to supplement seating if needed, along with sweetheart, dessert, cocktail tables and welcome/gift table available for use that are featured throughout our couple’s galleries.
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Our dinner tables are 8.5’ x 3’ and our dessert and sweetheart tables are 3’ x 5’.
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Yes, all our packages include tableware rentals! However, what is included varies by the package, which is broken out on package PDF and Fox in the Woods catering menus. The tableware is standard white China plates, silver cutlery and clear glassware. Photos for these are also featured throughout our couple’s galleries in our Real Wedding section.
Our caterer also offers upgrades such as chargers, gold silverware and black wine/water goblets and we do allow couples bring in their own tableware items/rentals.
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Since we have farm style wooden tables, we do not provide any table linens for dinner tables. Your choice of polyester or vintage linen napkins are included with all packages in a wide variety of colors to choose from and we provide black linens for catering and cocktail tables. We also have some sheer ivory table runners available for use but you are more than welcome to bring in your own linens or runners.
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The venue staff and vendors included in your package are responsible for clean-up and takedown at the end of the evening. Your coordinator will put away all Miller’s Landing decor and pack up any décor and gifts brought in for you to take with you when you leave. It will however be the couple’s responsibilities to pack up, clear and clean up any and all personal items in the bridal and groom’s suites at the end of the evening.
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Unfortunately, we cannot have decor, liquor or any items dropped off before or picked up after your wedding day as it becomes a liability if anything gets damaged, lost or stolen. We do however give our couples an extended rental period the day of the wedding, with access to the venue as early as 8:00am and as late as 11:00pm.
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Approval is needed for any additional lighting, draping or hanging florals and will heavily depend on what, where and how these plans are envisioned and executed. If approved, our team will not be responsible for any setup, installation or takedown for these items.
Due to the height of the barn (up to 30ft tall) and risk, we require a hired, professional & insured service to install anything requiring a ladder or scaffolding for setup, installation and takedown during the rental period day. We will need everything cleaned up at the end of the evening and returned back to it’s original state.
Additionally, we can’t have anything directly drilled or attached that would be damaging to the wood ceilings and beams nor hung on or close to the light and fan fixtures.
Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.