I’m not a wedding guy.
When it comes to witnessing two people say, “I do,” I try to say “I won’t” as often as possible. In fact, I find weddings just slightly more appealing than having my fingernails pulled out, as the unwarranted expense, dressing in uncomfortable technicolor outfits (what is this thing tied around my neck choking me?!), and waiting…waiting…still waiting just for some rubber chicken and faking to have a good time on the dance floor until I could sneak out isn’t my definition of a good time.
I know, I’m extremely “glass half full” when it comes to attending weddings, but you only get married three or four times in your lifetime, so I guess it’s a must at times.
However, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I recently attended a good friend’s wedding at the Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills. I actually even had a good time!
I was as surprised as you that I ended up with a smile on my face after flying into Sacramento, CA last week to be a groomsman in my main man’s wedding ceremony (I won’t mention any names to preserve their privacy – and because I stole all the little fancy soaps from the bathroom). Of course, a large part of that was because I got to catch up with my old crew, but it was also because of the jaw-droppingly gorgeous venue.
For those of you who don’t know, El Dorado Hills is a high-end community in the rolling hills about 22 miles east of Sacramento, on the way to the foothills of Lake Tahoe and the Sierras. It’s also absolutely gorgeous landscape, especially in early October – the best time of year in Northern California since it tends to be right around 80 degrees and sunny every day and just crisp and cool enough to throw on a sweatshirt at night.
And, if El Dorado Hills is the jewel of NorCal, then Serrano Country club is the best of the best. It’s a signature 72-hole golf course, four pro-grade tennis courts with lights for night play, a beautiful swimming pool, spa, and all of the amenities you could want like restaurants, golf shops, etc.
It also has a luxurious clubhouse with dining and banquet rooms perfect with weddings, with floor to ceiling windows and doors, patios and balconies, and lounges adorned with comfortable leather chairs and fireplaces.
The wedding ceremony took place outside around 5 pm, with the sun gently setting and a once-in-a-lifetime view from the 800-foot-high hillcrest of the course fairways, treetops, huge Folsom Lake further down the hill, and the Sacramento valley far off.
After the ceremony, we adjourned to the banquet hall and dining area, where we enjoyed drinks, appetizers, and music while we enjoyed the 270-degree view of the sun going down. The staff were fantastic from start to finish, and Serrano is still only a $10 Uber ride back to Folsom, where I stayed for the night (after having a few adult beverages).
I’m still not a wedding guy, but I can’t wait to see the photos of the beautiful backdrop and scenery of the Serrano Hills Country Club.
About Norm Schriever
Norm Schriever is a blogger, Amazon best-sellling author, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. His work appears in the Huffington Post, Business.com, Good Morning America, The Anderson Cooper Show on CNN, NBC, MSN, Yahoo, Hotels.com, and media all around the world.
Norm grew up in Connecticut and graduated from the University of Connecticut, where he was never accused of overstudying. After expatriating to Costa Rica in 2011, he started traveling the world and documenting what he saw. He now lives in Southeast Asia, writing his heart out and working with local charities.
