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Empire Mine, Grass Valley California Wedding, Jana Johnston
Updated: Jul 25, 2019
Empire Mine, Grass Valley California
Historic State park, Jana Johnston Photography
Tami and Kellen we’re married at the Empire Mine State historic Park in grass Valley California.
If are you are planning a destination wedding or looking for location just outside your backyard, this venue is of if the most incredible, affordable and beautiful venues in Northern California.
I met up with Tami at a sweet, quaint cottage located on the property where she and her bridesmaids were all getting ready. It was the perfect space for a small wedding party.
Braden met Kellen in a small room attached to the main cottage which was cool and shaded.
This venue would lend itself perfectly to a rustic, country, formal or garden style wedding.
The backdrop to Kellen and Tami's wedding ceremony was the Grand Empire Cottage surrounded by stately gardens, lush lawns and formal fountains.
The amazing features this park has to offer are to many to list, but some of Empire Mine’s best, are the gorgeous rose gardens, fields of daisies in the early summer, perfectly manicured lawns and historic metal and brick buildings.
Each year the park welcomes around 100,000 visitors from all around the world. There are nearly 850 acres of scenic beauty located within this park.
Empire Mine was an active Goldmine for nearly 100 years. During that time the mine produced nearly 6,000,000 ounces of gold. Today miles of underground tunnels and caverns dug during the mining years,fill with water, which is then used to irrigate the expansive gardens.
The park is also loaded with an abundance of trails, a huge reflection pool, brick arches, enormous pines and various small ponds.
There are literally hundreds of incredible places with the Park to create unique and fun wedding images.
At an elevation of around 2400 feet nestled in the tall pines the venue stays cooler than many surrounding venues during the hot summer months.
Weddings are held at the historic state park from May 1 to the first few weeks of October. If you’re interested in this venue I suggest you contact in the them no later than June 15 of the year prior to your wedding, as they book out quickly.
Ceremony only - 50 to 200 guests will run you anywhere from $500-$1000 if you’re interested in booking both their ceremony and reception sites for up to 200 guests your cost just under $3200. If you plan on having alcohol that is an additional charge of around $350.
Special film commission permits are required to photograph at this location, so please check ahead of time with us or with your wedding or engagement photographer to make sure that they are aware of and able to meet the requirements. (additional fees are required as well as a seperate insurance policy.)
Here is a link to the California Film Commission permit page: http://film.ca.gov/
You can find the Empire Mine State Park here: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=499
The Empire Mine Park association is a 501(c)3 not profit that helps support this historic Gem. http://www.empiremine.org/
2019 is fully booked but there will be a lottery for the 2020 dates. if you’re interested please contact or special events or need her at 530-272-0123
Braden and I would love to come and spend the day with you and capture your Grass Valley Wedding or engagement session at Empire Mine State historic Park!!
For More information and help planning your wedding, please email us at
jana.johnston.usps@gmail.com and tell us a little more about your day!
If you are engaged to be married, come check out this blog:
Photos: @janajohnstonphotography
www.janajohnstonphotography.com
I would love to talk to you, Give me a call!
209-304-9235