Outdoor Wedding - Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California

Special events range from birthday parties and group picnics to weddings, family reunions and company picnics. Group activities can include meetings, retreats, group activities on trails, or group camping. The National Park Service invites families and organizations to bring their activities to our sites in conjunction with our regular park visitors. If you are an event planner or producer interested in offering an NPS site to your clients, please refer to the Business or Commercial Use Permit section.

Events that require a permit:

An event or activity that involves more than 25 people, or a trail activity that involves more than 15 people.
If you intend to set up any equipment such as chairs, sound equipment, or a dance floor.
If the event involves catering or entertainment, or if you hire anyone to provide services for the event.
If people will pay a fee to participate in the event.
If you request use of the interior of a public building or need vehicle access to the event area.

Scheduling your event or activity:

Our parks accommodate both regular park visitors and special events or group activities at the same time. Therefore, we avoid scheduling more than one event per day for each site. All events and activities are scheduled during regular, daytime hours. You should contact us as far in advance as possible. Requests are taken first come, first served. We begin reserving dates each winter as soon as our cost recovery schedule is set for the upcoming year. Small events can be booked a month in advance, if the date is still available. Call the Permit Office at 805-370-1854.

Costs:

The cost for using an NPS site varies with the complexity of the activity. Factors include the number of people involved, whether there will be food and beverage service, and the amount of time you will be on site including deliveries and pick ups, preparation and clean up. You can get a rough estimate of the costs by describing the event to our staff. Exact costs will be calculated based on your application. Modifications to your plans may impact the permit costs.

When you submit your written application, you will make a non-refundable deposit. The balance is due before when you sign the permit. If any additional costs are incurred, or if you fail to complete clean up after the event, you will be billed at the conclusion of the event.

What about catering?

You are welcome to select your own caterer for your event. As the permittee, you will still be responsible for meeting all the conditions of the permit, including site clean up.

You might want to have your event produced by a full service caterer/event producer. The National Park Service maintains a list of event producers/caterers who have permits to produce picnics and group events at Paramount Ranch. While the NPS permit is not an endorsement, these organizations are familiar with the NPS rules and sites and have agreed to provide the full range of services for organized picnics. If you contract with one of these caterers/event producers, they will be responsible for meeting all the NPS conditions for use of the site.

How to reserve a site and date:

First, visit the parks to see which site meets your needs. Then call our office at 805-370-1854 to see if the site is available for your preferred date. If it is, we will send you the application and hold the date for 10 working days to allow you to complete the application and send it to us. If the application and deposit are not returned within ten days, the site and date are released.

Based on the information in your application, we will write the permit and calculate the permit costs. You will have two weeks to review and sign the permit, and return it along with the balance of the permit costs. Once we have received the signed permit, we will return your approved copy.

Approximately two weeks before the actual event, you should contact our office at 805-370-1854 to schedule a pre-event visit and review. If you have made modifications in your event plans, we will review the permit and the cost calculation and make any needed adjustments.

If you need to cancel the event, you must do so in writing at least a week in advance. Site use costs are refundable, minus the cost of processing the refund. Weather adjustments are decided on a case by case basis.

Other Requirements:

You will be required to show proof of liability insurance from you own insurance company. The amount, like the cost, is related to the complexity of the event. Catering, alcohol, and entertainment are all taken into consideration in setting the amount of liability insurance required. If the event is sponsored by an organization, the organization must provide the insurance. For family events, liability insurance can be based on homeowners (not renters) insurance. We will provide you with information to show your insurance agent.

You are expected to provide the people to make your event run smoothly without interfering with other park visitors. You will need to designate people to clean up the site, separate the recyclables and take all trash to the dumpster. You may also need someone to help people park efficiently.

Depending on the complexity of your event, we may assign a National Park Service monitor to be on site during your event. That person can assist in an emergency. If a full time monitor is not assigned, you will have access to a pay phone for emergency assistance.

What types of games or activities are appropriate?

Traditional picnic games are allowed, as long as there is no danger to park plants or animals or interference with other park visitors.
Pony rides or wagon rides are allowed.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages by adults is allowed. Contact us for more details.

What is not allowed at special events or group activities?

Night time activities
Sound system or music exceeding 70 decibels
Helium or water balloons
Wading pools or dunk tanks
Mechanical rides, petting zoos
Activities or games that involve food such as egg toss, throwing rice or birdseed
Any form of gambling or gambling devices (including raffles or lotteries)
Selling or marketing merchandise
Firearms or weapons

Wedding information from the National Park Service. Please check the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area website and contact the appropriate resources to obtain complete and current information.