Top Rough and Ready Venues

• Spaces for 125 Guests
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Vineyard
• 1 Estate

Rough & Ready Vineyards is a 16-acre outdoor wedding and event estate set in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of Nevada County, Northern California. Surrounded by wine grape vines, heritage oak trees, an organic family garden, and a seasonal creek, the property offers a natural, rustic backdrop in the heart of California's Gold Country — just ten minutes from Grass Valley and an hour north of Sacramento. The venue hosts weddings and private events on an exclusive-use basis, welcoming up to 125 guests for ceremonies and receptions. Ceremony options include a white Italian marble gazebo, a grapevine arch set against the red barn, and a canopy of heritage oaks. The entire 16 acres is available for photos. An on-site guesthouse sleeps up to 16 guests, making the property a natural choice for destination wedding weekends. Rough & Ready Vineyards operates with a flexible vendor policy — couples may choose their own caterer and bring their own beverages. An on-site venue host is included with wedding packages to coordinate with vendors and manage day-of details. The venue also maintains a complimentary decoration lending barn, Something Borrowed Barn, stocked with centerpieces, signage, floral accents, and ceremony décor for booked couples to use at no additional cost.

• Spaces for 25-200 Guests
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Historic Space
• 1 space at this venue

Empire Mine State Historic Park is a 856-acre California state park in Grass Valley, situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills approximately 24 miles north of Auburn on Highway 49. The park preserves one of the oldest, deepest, and richest gold mines in California — a site that operated for more than 100 years and yielded 5.8 million ounces of gold before closing in 1956. At the heart of the park stands the historic Bourn Cottage, the former summer residence of the mine's owner, surrounded by restored English-style gardens with fountains, stately trees, and meticulously maintained grounds. The cottage and its gardens serve as the setting for small, intimate wedding ceremonies, accommodating up to 25 guests in an atmosphere of preserved history and natural beauty. The park's event offerings are intentionally minimal to honor its historic character: ceremonies take place outdoors on Fridays and Saturdays from May through early October, with no receptions permitted. In addition to its event space, the park features a visitor center, guided estate and garden tours, and 14 miles of trails open to hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

• Spaces for 160 Guests

Camp Augusta is a nonprofit outdoor retreat and event facility set on 90 acres of Sierra Nevada forest along the western shores of Lake Vera, just outside Nevada City, California. Established in 1931 when Edwin William and Charlotte Ehmann donated the property, the camp has grown from a small regional program into a destination that welcomes school groups, organizational retreats, and private groups from across the country. The property features forested trails, a lake waterfront with zip lines and ropes courses, and 150+ activity areas spanning the arts, outdoor skills, climbing, circus arts, and more. Groups of 25 to 130 guests are accommodated, with a 1:2 staff-to-guest ratio and organic, scratch-made meals prepared on-site. Camp Augusta hosts school groups for outdoor education programs, corporate teams and nonprofits for customized retreats, and private groups for family reunions and community gatherings. Programming is available pre- and postseason — late April through early June and mid-August through early September — and can be tailored from self-directed to fully staffed experiences.

• Spaces for 300 Guests

• Spaces for 80 Guests

Grass Valley Courtyard Suites is a luxury boutique hotel set in Grass Valley, California — one block from the cultural heart of downtown and within walking distance of locally owned restaurants, art galleries, and shops. The property occupies a distinctive spot in the Gold Country foothills, two miles from Nevada City. Event spaces are housed in the historic Binkelman Brewery building, offering 1,400 square feet of dedicated private meeting and conference space alongside a shaded outdoor lawn and a large rooftop patio surrounded by flowers and fruit trees. The venue accommodates a range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and team-building events to family reunions and outdoor weddings. On-site amenities include fully equipped multimedia and audio-visual systems, wireless internet throughout the property, a prep kitchen, and wedding and off-site event catering with a full bar. The hotel's 48 guestrooms and suites allow visiting guests to stay on property, with complimentary continental breakfast and an evening reception with wine and hors-d'oeuvres included.

• Spaces for 290 Guests