Black Bear Inn

Due to our intimate size, weddings at Black Bear Inn are not for everyone, but only for the discerning bride and her guests. This is a special event and we want it to be just right for you.

Our capacity is seasonally limited because of the weather. We can only accommodate 30 people indoors and 50 people outdoors (outdoor weddings are possible June through September). Ceremonies with up to seven guests (plus bride & groom) do not need to rent all the inn rooms. Out of consideration for outside guests, for any larger event, we ask that you take all the rooms.

Our license allows us to serve only beer, wine and champagne. We cannot serve liquor, and liquor cannot be brought on site. We sell wine and champagne by the bottle. A corkage fee of $20 per bottle applies to all wine and champagne brought in by guests. The site fee does not include the outside rental of tables, chairs, linens, glassware, flatware or china.

You are welcome to write your own vows if you like. If you would like flowers, a cake or a photographer, please contact us and we will send you referrals.

Due to the strict local noise ordinance we do not allow amplified music outdoors.

In order to reserve your spot, a non-refundable deposit is required. Payment must be paid in full at least six months in advance of your wedding date.

A site fee guideline is shown below, though it may fluctuate due to certain circumstances. Please call for pricing.

Same sex marriages / gay weddings are no longer legal in the state of California and the County Recorder's office has stopped issuing licenses. On May 26, 2009 the California Supreme Court decreed that the marriages that were performed while it was legal are still valid. The matter is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, and a ruling is expected by June 2013.

For California weddings, no blood test or waiting period is required. The couple must be at least 18 years of age and have identification. Any divorce/termination within the last 90 days requires verification. The fee is $60 for a public license and $53 for a confidential license (a confidential license carries more conditions). The license is available at any California county recorder-clerk's office. For more information, visit the El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk's Office in South Lake Tahoe at 3368 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 108, or call (530)573-3409.

Testimonial

"Let's be candid. We have all seen beautiful locations advertised in magazines, on postcards or on the internet but upon visit, we have been disappointed. I have to admit the pictures of the Black Bear Inn looked too good to be true so I made a special trip from Pasadena to check out the Inn.

I have to tell you, I found the Inn to be picture perfect: rich, lush, filled with color and beautifully decorated. Upon seeing the Inn in person, I so fell in love with its beauty, tranquility and charm that on the spot, I reserved the whole Inn for our September 17, 2011 wedding. I was mindful that the Black Bear Inn is a business but for an everyday Joe like me, our wedding plans came down to the issue of trust. Could I completely trust that the Black Bear Inn staff would fulfill the vision of our wedding? After sitting down and discussing the proposed plans with the Black Bear Inn staff, with their warm and caring reassurance, I bet the farm and placed all of our hopes and dreams for our wedding into their hands and came up aces.

Our wedding was absolutely beautiful. Everything we had hoped and prayed for came out exactly the way we wanted it to be. Looking back on it now, the wedding was perfect principally because the staff at the Inn made sure everything turned out beautifully just as they promised it would some months before. All of my friends and family members were so impressed and reported that the Black Bear Inn staff were always professional, caring, willing to go the extra mile to assist and always treated them with respect. To each and every one of the staff members at the Black Bear Inn, my wife and I want to thank you for our gorgeous September wedding and for our perfect beautiful memories that will always be cherished."