Brazilian Room
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Event Planning & Services Caterers Venues & Event Spaces, Caterers [Edit]
Tilden Regional ParkBerkeley, CA 94708
(510) 544-3164
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
60 reviews for Brazilian Room
60 reviews in English
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Review from Chris Y.
Los Angeles, CA
3/27/2012
The Brazilian Room is the most beautiful place to have your wedding in the Bay area. Forget the high priced wineries, this place is the best and most beautiful!
You have to choose one of their preferred catering companies if you use this place. My family and I loved "Serves You Right Catering" when we met them at an Open House at the Brazilian Room last year.
The whole event was perfect and the staff at the Brazilian Room were great but we did not see any of them at the party. "Serves You Right Catering" opens and closes the place and basically runs everything. They have an event coordinator built in to the price. So that saved us about 1500.00!
The Brazilian Room has open houses every Tuesday night and this is the best place to go and see the caterers they have that you can use. It's nice to see the caterers this way because not only do you get to taste lots of food you also get to see if that staff are friendly and dressed well etc. After coming to these open houses and meeting all of the 13 caterers, if it was really easy to narrow our choices down. Of course it was pretty easy for us right from the start as we figured we would want the Berkeley caterers anyway, as they would have the type of food we like and we wanted someone near the Brazilian Room.
But anyway, we've gotten non-stop compliments on the extraordinary job the Brazilian Room and the catering company did. Oh, and the Brazilian Room is also where we found our wonderful cake (masses in Berkley) flowers (orchid in Berkeley) photographer (Ian Martin) and our DJ (Martell). All of the vendors the Brazilian Room recommended were great!
If you want to get married at the best place in the Bay Area, go with the Brazilian Room. -
Review from Lisa W.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/18/2012
We had our wedding at the Brazilian room in September 2011 and it was a wonderful experience! It was a beautiful location and extremely affordable for a Bay Area location. We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Brazilian room on a Friday, and it came out to $2400 for a 12 hour timeslot, which by far is the best value for this venue, and I think compared to other locations in general. For Saturday and Sunday weddings, you can either choose a morning or afternoon time slot, or a full day, which I think was in the mid $3000 range. It is an East Bay parks location so the prices I am quoting are for East Bay residents.
I worked with Elaine, who I would definitely recommend. She was extremely nice and willing to spend so much time looking for available time slots for us. This place does get booked very quickly so you want to book as soon as you can. Also there are several documents that are due over the next months, such as catering information, rental fees, damage deposits, etc., so it takes some organization. However the East Bay Parks will email and mail updates, so it's not really an issue.
The Brazilian room only works with certain caterers, which for us was great because it limited the number of vendors we had to look at. We went with Carrie Dove Catering, who were great and basically ran the wedding for us (see my review for them). The AV system was not that great for anything other than mic use, so definitely look into having your DJ bring their own sound system and speakers. Also provide your guests with driving directions that go through the Buchanan Marin route (take the Albany/Buchanan exit on 80) so that they don't need to go through the park, which is very twisty and windy.
The venue has its own parking lot, a beautiful courtyard with trees and rolling hills in the background, and a reception hall with a great beamed ceiling and a cozy feel. The only minor drawbacks is that the bathrooms are kind of small--I used the disabled persons bathroom because I wouldn't have been able to fit my wedding dress in the women's bathroom. Also it can get very chilly, even in early September, so tell your guests to bring a shawl or light coat. Other than that, perfect and affordable location for one of the most special days of your life! -
Review from Katie F.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/20/2012
Okay, after almost two years of marriage, I look back on my wedding at the Brazilian room with nothing but happy thoughts, and the little things (how strict they are about the time frame, etc.) have faded away. So now I'm updating it to 5 stars. I sill love to look over our pictures with all that beautiful scenery!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/26/2010
We recently had our wedding at the Brazilian Room, and we are very happy we did! It's very… Read more »
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Review from Jason S.
Martinez, CA
4/22/2012
I've been to many weddings at the Brazilian Room as a DJ for Quantum Music over the years. It's in Berkeley's Tilden Regional Park, surrounded by beautiful scenery and family activities next to the Botanical Gardens. The vibe at The Brazilian Room is very relaxed. The park rangers for East Bay Regional Park are very friendly and helpful. As for events, they always go great. The preferred caterers are awesome and the rental cost is very reasonable for one of the most popular locations in the Bay. If you are looking around, you definitely want to check this place out. It generally books a saturday or sunday 12-18 months in advance but also does fridays and has lesser rates for a weekday event.
Listed in: Event Venues
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Review from sunshine w.
Berkeley, CA
8/18/2011
Now that the dust has settled a little from all the wedding hoopla, I can give my candid review! I had my wedding here and I do not have enough GOOD things to say about The Brazilian Room!
1st- the Look- I had the ceremony out in the courtyard and reception indoors. This place is truly gorgeous! Outdoors, the rock walls and greenery created the look of a special intimate garden so very close to the heart of downtown Berkeley! Inside, the high ceiling, beautiful wooden floors, and windows overlooking the garden outside. Seriously, when searching for wedding venue, I looked everywhere- I knew I didn't want a hotel and I wanted a space where I could have the ceremony in one area and reception in another but be in the same location. The Brazilian Room satisfied both accounts.
Pricing- Very Affordable
Vendors- we checked out every caterer and tasted everyone's food on the list and went with Serves You Right Catering hands down. Not only do they have the best food but we really liked that they cater one wedding at a time so they pay lots of attention to you. They also have catered more events at the Brazilian Room than any of the other companies on the list. We went with Torino baking for the cake and it was GREAT! We did our own flowers.
The People- the staff at the Park District where very helpful and answered all of our questions.
In summary- a wedding day is nothing to play with- too much money, time, and effort goes into it. You want to be confident that it will go right and it starts by having the right people in your corner. At the Brazilian Room, you get just that and you don't have to be a millionaire to have such class, beauty, professionalism, and quality. Thanks guys from the bottom of my heart! -
Review from Heather H.
Oakland, CA
2/11/2012 2 photos
We had our August 2011 wedding here and it was a wonderful occasion. The room is truly gorgeous and you can't beat the view. Our photographer also scoped out a wooded area by the road that runs round the back of the building for some incredible unique photos. The only reason that I'm not giving 5 stars is for three small things that could be improved: the doors to the restrooms need a scrub (they are supposed to be white but there is a general dirtiness where everyone has put their hands); there was always a faint odor of cigar smoke in the lobby area; the cigarette stub receptacles are ugly and I had to ask our caterers to move them so they weren't the first thing guests saw when they walked in. However, these are picky details and everyone absolutely loved our wedding - including us. We wouldn't have changed the venue for anything.
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Review from Kelly P.
11/10/2011
We loved having our wedding here - the space, environment, natural beauty, and weather was perfect. I'd recommend this spot to anyone looking for a beautiful and natural space to have their event here, as long as you're willing to put in the work (booking early, staying on top of the Parks & Recs folks, acting as the main coordinator/contractor.) Luckily, I had my mom, who is a wedding planner in disguise, plus some amazing vendors that helped me pull everything off without a hitch.
You really can't beat the setup - courtyard is perfect for an outdoor ceremony followed by a cocktail hour until the sun goes down then you turn around and voila, your pristine lodge-in-the-woods is there to host dinner and dancing. We took most of our pictures beforehand on the lawn (grass is really long and not great for heels) and in the Botanical Gardens just down the hill before it closed at 5pm since it was a Sunday.
We had just over 100 people which was a good size for us - I couldn't see cramming many more in this space even though it holds 150 which would be a very tight squeeze. We had long tables and moved some around to make more room for the dance floor which was very seamless. We opted for a DJ who set up in the corner and fit nicely as well.
While no venue is perfect, this was was pretty close for us based on the atmosphere, location, layout, beauty of the building and surroundings and cost (well under the other places we visited since it is a Parks and Recs facility). Since we were on a Sunday, we avoided the whole craziness of Saturday booking and were lucky enough not to have an event before ours as well. We were willing to deal with the issues which for us, weren't many. Staff was ok, the booking folks seem disorganized at times, but the maintenance/caretaker guys were great, very knowledgeable, and leave the place spotless after every event (we made several visits to check up.) They even painted the building 2 weeks before we got married - again, a bit of luck/good wishes from above so it looked pristine on the outside too.
Some things to consider are, again that this is a Parks and Recs facility, so they basically give the keys to the caterer for the night and you do the rest - not your typical one-stop-shop wedding venue which also has its advantages if you're willing to do the work and the research. Technically, there's no hard alcohol allowed if that's important, the space is on the small side, the drive up to the venue is pretty treacherous and don't even think about having cocktails and getting back down the hill (that's what taxis are for and they do come up there) and it's definitely rustic, but that's what gives The Brazil room its charm.
For us it was a fantastic day, and a great journey to get there with all the hard work and effort that was put in surround this venue. If I did it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing or pick another spot. -
Review from Lauren C.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2011
My friends got married here. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding surrounded by gardens. The inside seating for the reception allowed guests to enjoy the beauty without giving up comfort.
Most of the wedding party was either a professional dancer or photographer so needless to say, there were no wallflowers here. And, plenty of dance space.
This could be the perfect place to start your life together. -
Review from L D.
Hercules, CA
10/17/2011
The Mrs and I had our reception here in late November. Even in the rain it was a beautiful location. Smooth day, wonderful people to work with, strict but it kept everything moving. The work hand in hand with the caterer (they have a list of approved caterers.)
Parking is limited if its a busy weekend, make use of the provided driving directions for your guests, its easy to get lost here...especially if its at night. -
Review from Analisa S.
Berkeley, CA
6/8/2011
Had my wedding here in April. I stumbled across a Saturday because someone had canceled on that date. It was a sunny day, slightly chilly, but I can't complain, it was beautiful. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and I was marrying my best friend.
I loved the Brazilian room and my husband and I had an attatchment to getting married in Berkeley. Its where we met at school and we used to go on hikes in Tilden, so the Brazilian room was perfect. I got a Saturday slot, which is super hard to come by, but I may actually recommend brides to think about having a Friday wedding. You get way more hours in the venue (granted the cost does go up with caterers and stuff) but it would have been nice to get ready at the Brazilian room (instead of the stinky ol' Claremont).
Just be aware you'll have to be out by 11 p.m. and use a caterer on their list. They have a bunch of good caterers in all sorts of price ranges, so its not that big of a deal. And you cannot put ribbons or flowers around those eye-sore fire poles they placed directly at the entrance (have no clue why) -
Review from Ames B.
Oakland, CA
8/15/2011
The Brazil Room has the best collection of things that I love about California, the hills, great wine and my husband. Okay so two of those were only there on my wedding day but that's what's important.
It's close to town but still feels out in the nature with Tilden park surrounding you. If cell reception is any indication it's more out in nature than some parts of Yosemite.
Watching the sky go into it's twilight as the fog rolled over the hills through the Brazil Room's huge windows was one of the magical moments of our wedding.
I think the only thing I wish I had thought about is that even though it is a wonderful location it's not really ours. We'd gone to a wedding here before we were married and have since gone to another one after we got married. I don't think I would change where we got married but I do kind of wish it was a bit more "ours" if that makes sense. -
Review from Sam M.
Northern, CA
8/11/2011
I have attended several wedding here and this venue is 100% beautiful. The garden is very well kept up and so is the lawn. As with all venues there are several things you really need to keep in mind.
1. BOOK IN ADVANCE. This place is booked solid every single weekend about 20 months in advance.
2. The AV system is okay, not the best. I would hire a DJ or check with them the day before your event.
3. No liquor...just beer, wine and champagne. But in the long run this will save you money.
4. Everyone guests lost coming here unless you have been hear before. I would recommend having a very good directions or renting a charter bus. I had a friend do this as she worried about her guests driving off the mountain late at night. Even though it was pricey it gave her peace of mind. -
Review from Briana S.
Las Vegas, NV
12/20/2010
I just had my wedding here this past Friday. After all those hours scouring Yelp and other bridal forums, I ended up choosing this venue. However, I am sorely regretful that I did.
My entire night would have been nearly perfect, except for one major detail gone wrong. The AV system that I had rented from the Brazil Room was broken, which caused the emcee, DJ, and videographer (with AMAZING SDE footage - Imperial Video Productions) to not be able to do their job to their full capability.
I can honestly say that even though the weather was beyond crappy, the horrible sound system at Brazil Room RUINED my wedding. Not only will I never be able to recreate this special day, but I have also lost out financially. I experienced a gut wrenching and dizzying feeling that still hasn't subsided.
My videographer (worth EVERY penny and more) was unable to show my SDE which cost me a chunk of change. Also my emcee and DJ was unable to plug in their computer with all my preloaded song requests causing them to have to resort to their backup iPod. Even the iPod plug-in was broken and caused the feed to stall over the speakers.
My first dance was ruined (I had to stop less than half way through) because the music kept cutting out. I couldn't even do my bouquet and garter toss.
The projector couldn't even lower down for me to play my SDE. Luckily my videographer brought his screen. But to my dismay the video was unable to play because of the bad feedback from the AV system. The second thing, behind actually getting married, I was excited about from the week after I was engaged until the day of the wedding.
To top it off, I was told by my videographer that my caterer (Miraglia) was not being helpful at all with the sound problem. The caterers kept pointing fingers at my videographer and my emcee saying that this was their problem, not the venue. This could not be further from the truth since my videographer (who has worked at many venues), my emcee, AND my DJ all had problems and ALL tried their hand at trouble shooting the issue - they were from different companies!!! My videographer was also told that he was not allowed to plug directly into the sound board because it was in the kitchen. After all, the sound board wasn't even in the kitchen. My sound may have been saved, but the lack of cooperation by my caterer made that impossible.
At the end of the night I felt disgusted and horribly embarrassed. I kept trying to explain to my guests that I hired reliable people and that it was the venue that was to blame. This not only made ME look bad, but my VENDORS as well.
I am lucky to have such understanding and PATIENT friends and family who were able to bear with me through this horrific experience.
I am EXTREMELY disappointed and mortified.
Another warning: Brides who expect to be able to use the bathroom (and NOT ruin their dress) should NOT book here. The stalls are incredibly small and the doors open into the stall making it impossible to close unless you squeeze right up against the toilet - totally gross. -
Review from Danielle J.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2011
BOOK AHEAD!!!!
Ok, so I'm not a resident of Alameda county officially, so technically I don't qualify for the resident discount, but thankfully my old roommate did ;-) My husband and I got married in the Brazilian Room a few weeks back and it was absolutely the perfect venue for us. Thankfully, the weather was cooperative, and we got a beautiful sunny day and were able to have the ceremony outside, which was just perfect.
The reception was also a blast, and the hall was perfect. I just love the exposed beams! It gave everything such an understated yet homey feel - just perfect/ The price was right as well (even without the discount this place is a bargain), but you have to book ahead as this place fills up fast. -
Review from Taj A.
Alameda, CA
4/6/2010 ROTD 1/9/2011
As the road was winding, the rain pouring, flashbacks of every in-the-woods slasher flick I've ever seen ran through my brain. Once I arrived, I couldn't focus on the surroundings or interior of the Brazilian Room, it was still pouring.
Once settled with all the wedding materials, the fireplace roared in the back of the room, the staff working furiously to bring out appetizers and cheese plates while guests drank beer, wine, and champagne, waiting for the 2nd shuttle to bring the rest of the immediate family.
And then the sun came out.
I have stayed in cabins in the middle of Lakehead, north of Lake Shasta, with views that span the forest for 100 miles.
Here in Tilden Park,the view of the surrounding trees and escape from the rat race of the Bay Area are breathtaking, one-of-a-kind, and give you that same vacation/ " I've escaped" feeling.
Rent a big ride and have the straight edge member of your crew drive. Enjoy this beautiful landmark, while sipping various drank and dancing to the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga. It's a wedding, c'mon... quit sitting down. This chick wants to meet you.... -
Review from Jim D.
5/19/2009 ROTD 1/10/2010
The Brazilian room is similar to being in Yosemite without Half Dome, but it is set in Tilden Park in the Berkeley Hills.The pavillion is set in a meadow surrounding by big trees. Imagine this setting.... a slate patio lined with white chairs, a warm day with the bride in white and the groom in a black suit under full sun. Kinda warm but still a beautiful setting.
The main room has ample room for 100 to 125 occupants. Room for a dinner buffet and dancing. The main room is set with rich dark woods with a big fireplace. Ample parking space, driving to the location can be kinda tricky and since this was an evening wedding leaving in the dark was even more trickier.
Great place to hold a wedding or banquet.Listed in: ROTD's
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Review from mia s.
Oakland, CA
9/13/2007
We got married here a few years ago. If things don't work out, I hope to have my next wedding here too. just kidding.
It's absolutely beautiful! The place reminds me of something you'd find in an english countryside. Love the grounds which is perfectly landscaped. Love the building with original Brazilian wood panels throughout and the giant stone fireplace.
BUT....
The place comes with many rules and regulations enforced by always hippy rarely happy park ranger ladies who just don't seem to get excited about weddings. On the day of my wedding, one of my bridesmaid got so frustrated with the park ranger in charge that the c*** word was heard echoing through Tilden Park. I was surprised to get my deposit back.
Anyhoo, it was still a lovely wedding on the hottest day of the year where everyone including the bride (me) were sweating like pigs through the entire ceremony. We were rewarded, however with a balmy evening where we partied for hours on the lovely patio.
Tip: My sister is a caterer not on their approved list so we used the "potluck" option to get around their in-house caterer rule. Shhhh... don't tell the park ranger ladies... -
Review from Kathleen M.
San Jose, CA
2/20/2007
After visiting 11 venues, we chose the Brazilian Room as The Place. Here's why:
It's super gorgeous. The ceremony can be held outside on the patio which overlooks a large grassy field surrounded by redwoods and pine trees. Then the reception is inside this arts and crafts-y lodge like building (which has a slight fairy tale-like stone facade) with a soaring ceiling and a fireplace.
The price can't be beat. It's one of the cheapest venues we looked at. I think that's because it's run by the Parks Department. Since there's so much demand for the Brazilian Room, I think they could get away with charging $2000 more than what they do (not that I'm suggesting it). It's 20% cheaper if you live in Alameda or Contra Costa Counties. (Why must I live in Santa Clara County?)
Downside: The bridal changing area is a public restroom. You use the tiny lounge adjacent to it to get ready. There are a lot of policies on the space such as no flower petals or rice and no hanging anything from the ceiling; plus there are candle regulations.
In order to sign a contract, you must visit the Brazilian Room during weekday business hours or during their Tuesday night wedding fairs. This is fine if you live nearby, but is nightmare-ish if you live an hour away since you have to drive there during commute hours.Listed in: All Things Wedding, My Obsessive Search for the…
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Review from Eric B.
7/31/2009
The Brazilian Room is a gorgeous venue inside and out. The scenic outdoor patio (with the surrounding field and redwoods) would be a great place for a ceremony or reception. The inside has a comfortable, yet elegant and intimate lodge feel, with lots of nice arts and crafts and other wood touches.
Gayle and I attended a wedding here a while back that featured the best friend of the bride as the officiant. It was heartfelt and touching and provided a perfect symbiosis with the Brazilian Room itself. I have also been here during my stepdaughter's Bat Mitzvah "season" and lets just say that this event has a different combination of solemn and joyful energy that raised the roof to the heavens.
Gayle and I will be having our wedding at a beautiful private venue within the Napa Valley. Otherwise, the Brazilian Room (or the wee elegance of the Lake Temescal Beach House) was very high on our list. For the combination of price, beauty, location, and attention to detail, this East Bay Regional Park District facility is hard to beat for almost any special event.Listed in: Wedding Venues
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Review from Callie K.
1/1/2010
We had an evening wedding (ceremony & reception) here in November, 2009, and it was pretty much everything we had hoped for and more.
The location is pretty spectacular. Even in November, at night, when you can't exactly enjoy the breathtaking views, it's still insanely cozy and remote, and it feels like an adventure just getting out there. So secluded! We kept the fireplace roaring throughout the evening and actually ended up saying our vows right in front of it.
We had about 80 people attend and only received positive feedback about the location. Especially I'd say from out-of-towners who may have had somewhat misguided misconceptions about the general Berkeley/Oakland area.
I know people have a hard time with the approved caterer requirement, however we found it actually made things easier. Not being originally from the Bay area, neither my husband nor I would have had the slightest idea of where to start with choosing who would provide the food for our big day. What's more, because the BR has the same 20 companies catering the weddings there, week after week, year after year, they really know their stuff. They're familiar with the setup and they basically organize the day for you from providing you a time-line of activities (toasts, first dance, etc.) to taking care of the cleanup so you and/your friends & family don't have to! It truly takes A LOT off your plate. We also found the catering options to be extremely high quality, offering mainly local organic cuisine and super accommodating to our somewhat tight budget (see my review for SYR)!
Downsides: Yes, it's part of a public park so dealing with the paperwork, deposits, etc. was a bit of a hassle and we found the BR to be slightly unorganized. We had to fax a couple things several times before they were accounted for and had a couple of frustrating moments with trying to figure out whether or not they could provide a sound system, etc. (apparently they just started offering sound for an additional $100 but it basically only includes speakers to hook an iPod up to, and a microphone).
Still, it really wasn't a big deal when all was said and done.
The price was right, the location was ideal, and it really was the coziest spot we could have ever imagined our winter wedding taking place at. We have absolutely no regrets with our location selection and are so happy we chose to show off the city we currently call home by staying local.Listed in: Berkeley Bride!
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Review from Victoria M.
Walnut Creek, CA
9/17/2010
Ok, I know I'm going to be in the minority here but my so called "affordable" experience with using the Brazil Room for my wedding was not so much.
Sure the venue fee is "affordable" by itself, but then you must also add onto that the "caterer's fee", which not only includes your food but also: the bartender, the alcohol/beverages, the servers (waiters), the plates, the silverware, the linens, the buffet, the tables, the set up, the clean up, and the delivery fees and any other hidden fees that you need for an event. After I added all of that onto the venue fee I was spending over $120 per person for a wedding of 60 guests! This didn't even include the cake, flowers, or the DJ! none of that stuff! I was agast and immediately started looking elsewhere.
I don't know, maybe it's because we were only having 60 guests....maybe the cost per person goes down when you're having more people...the flat fee for the venue might make it more worth while with more people. This is probably an affordable venue if you're having over 120 people, but then, is this venue big enough for that many people comfortably? I've heard maybe no.
And then there was the issue of guests driving on those windy roads.....especially my elderly guests.....getting lost.....yikes.....
In any case I got my $100 back from the deposit (I'm considering the rest a "donation" to EBRPD) and most of the deposit back from the caterer.
If you're having less that 70 people I suggest looking at other venues. We ended up going with Scott's Restaurant in Walnut Creek, their "Scott's Garden". -
Review from Rachel H.
El Cerrito, CA
12/5/2008
I have been to many weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs here, and it is a lovely venue. It is especially great for a wedding because you can get married outside under all the trees and nature stuff. I love the wood panels, the architecture of the ceiling, and the soft lighting at night. All the food i've had there has been great, and I believe they have a few different caterers to choose from when having an event there.
This is definitely a venue for those who like nature and things that look like nature and are related to nature. It's very nature-y. -
Review from Mike E.
Walnut Creek, CA
9/22/2009
My wife and I were married here last August and it was perfect. Big enough to make 110 people comfortable, but room for a few more. The hill in back gives a nice little view and the whole area is tucked away in an oak forest with some redwoods here and there.
For weddings, I would wholeheartedly recommend both Quantum Music and Wild Thyme catering. Jason from Quantum Music is definitely able to read the crowd and will interact/MC as much or little as you want. -
Review from Teri B.
Vallejo, CA
4/6/2007
Wedding No. 2 -- held here mid-August 2003. A total of 15 guests, an evening wedding for which the sun was not required as ceremony under a hand held chuppah was indoors in front of the large stone fireplace.
Ceremony was followed by photos on the lawn, a brief cocktail period and then a sumptuous sit down dinner.
And oh yeah, on a Wednesday evening...which meant a price tag that even the tightest budget could afford and no lookie loos wandering into the reception! Did not book a year in advance (as is necessary for weekends at this venue) -- instead I think I called about 3-4 months before the date...no problem!Listed in: Bridezilla Advice...
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Review from Angela O.
San Leandro, CA
8/18/2008
The Brazilian Room was perfect for our intimate wedding in June 2003. We visited a number of locations prior to this one, including the Piedmont Community Center, Preservation Park, Faculty Club, Hacienda de las Flores, and Wildwood Acres. However, the minute I saw the leaded glass windows, the old wood, and the vaulted ceilings at the Brazilian Room, I was sold. Even better was when we returned during the day and saw the gorgeous park setting from the patio and the room set up for a wedding.
From what I recall, the calendar year opens up for reservations on January 1 of the previous year. You need to go to the office in person and put your name down to hold the date. We were looking for a date between April and June and when we arrived to look at the calendar in April 2002, the only weekend dates available were Mother's day Sunday in May or Father's day Sunday in June. We settled on the June date on the spot.
This location was ideal for us because we were able to hold the ceremony and reception in one location. Plus it was perfect for the outdoors wedding I wanted. We did rent white wooden chairs for our event because they only had these ugly grey plastic chairs at that time. I'm glad to hear that they have nicer, more suitable chairs now.
The rental rates here are so reasonable compared to other venues (so it was still worthwhile to pay for chairs!). They do have a long list of requirements, but I found the same to be true of most other sites we visited. We didn't have to do any type of orientation or anything like that, so that must be something new. We did attend one of the on-site wedding fairs, which is such a great service they provide, and we were able to taste some food and choose our caterer that night.
There is a small parking lot, but also plenty of room for parking along the road. We didn't have any issues with other people using the park space or crashing our wedding. Ultimately, it was a beautiful spot for a very memorable occasion. -
Review from kathryn f.
El Sobrante, CA
2/28/2009
I still think the Brazillian room is a fabulous place to get married, but if you want to use the fireplace you need to make a big fuss about it. We wanted to use the fireplace and we paid the fee and when we called to confirm we made sure that they knew we wanted the fire built, but when we got there on the day there was no fire, and worse, no wood to build one ourselves! It was a minor detail, but when you pay for something you kind of expect to get it. They did refund our $30 'fireplace fee' when we kicked up a stink.
Also, I wanted to let anyone thinking of booking the Brazilian Room know that it is way cheaper to get your event insurance through your renters or home owners insurance. The East Bay Parks wanted $150 for insurance, but State Farm wrote me a one day policy upgrade (I already have renters insurance with them) for only $50. So that is a good way to save yourself $100. -
Review from Lee R.
Oakland, CA
3/15/2008
My friends Gretchen and Craig got married here three years ago on April 1st.
It was a fantastic wedding and reception. The view was amazing and the Spring flowers were in bloom. We loved every minute of the day.
It is so nice to be in nature and have a celebration with friends and family. This is a great place to enjoy everything the Bay Area has to offer.
The pictures of the wedding with the sun setting behind the bride and groom are perfect. Hire Eliot Kuhner, one of the best photographers around, and you will have fabulous wedding pictures too. -
Review from Kelsi P.
Belmont, CA
12/25/2006
The Brazil Room is the first place my husband and I visited 9 months before we got married. We then went to Piedmont Community Center, The Faculty Club (men and womens, on Cal's campus), Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Botanical Gardens, and Sequoia Lodge in Oakland. We went on New Years Day, when it was very rainy-and the park was empty. We thought it was a great spot-and while a bit expensive considering it is a public park (you get a discount if you live in Alameda county) we thought it was a fair price for such a great venue.
The Pros: Beautiful park, nice patio for a ceremony and great room for reception (we had less than 100 people but I think you could fit ~125-150 fairly comfortably.) They just replaced their chairs (before they had really outdated ones that reminded me of my public elementary school chairs-now they have normal white "wedding-looking" chairs. We turned out to have beautiful (no fog!) weather for our Sept. 17 morning wedding; almost too hot for some! Another bonus about morning weddings vs. afternoon/evenings, is that I believe you have less 'on lookers' near the public park grassy hill (we had none, but I had read of some people being annoyed about this). All in all, the Brazil Room, combined with our caterers (see below) who basically run the show other than the decorative details. Anyway-the morning 9am-4pm session was perfect for our short wedding with a nice vegetarian lunch.
The Cons: They have you jump through hoops to get to use the space such as coming for an orientation which do to a misunderstanding, we had to come twice from the peninsula after work which was a bit inconvenient. The purpose of the orientation is for them to give you a folder full of rules, regulations, and forms. It seems to me that this could have easily been mailed to us, but in any case, this is their policy. Also con: you are limited to their list of approved caterers, most of which seemed quite pricey for our modest wedding. However I quickly researched the 'cheapest' of the caterers, which turned out to be "Shai's Catering" and this turned out to be great. Shai's was very accommodating, fair priced, an friendly. -
Review from Sid F.
Alameda, CA
5/15/2010
Brazilian Room is aweome. Location, location, location! The backdrop of the rolling Berkeley Hills is spectacular. If you ever attend an event here, take 10 minutes and just sit out front on the lawn and stare away and unwind.
It's a nice, smaller venue if you 10 or less tables and still have a dance floor. Depending on the layout, if you have more guests, you'll feel cramped. I think their tables are on the smaller side to fit 10 guests but the perfect size for 8.
The only downsides: zero cell phone reception (excellent if you do not want your event to be ruined by a cell phone. Terrible if you're "that guy" who is lost and needs to call someone). It is in the hills, so anyone sensitive to windy roads will need to guzzle some motion sickness pills. -
Review from Karina E.
San Francisco, CA
3/24/2010
It's a beautiful spot. I got married there 6 years ago. Scenic, beautiful and memorable. However, couple of pitfalls are:
1.) The staff was so rude. Rude when I booked and very rude in regards to our deposit getting paid back. After our wedding we got yelled out (not exaggerating) for some of the rose petals being left on the grounds. They took $150 for the rose petals. ?
2.) we had acoustic guitar for our ceremony and they wouldn't even allow the smallest of amps to be used so the guitar playing couldn't be heard during the ceremony.
3.) a large percentage of our guests and our limo driver got lost on the way there and the way out, because the roads and signs are confusing.
this was 6 years ago, so staff may have improved. -
Review from Christine G.
San Francisco, CA
8/23/2008
This place is gorgeous! One of my very dear friends had her wedding here early this morning and luckily we were blessed with sunshine. My husband and I didn't know what to expect at first because the Brazilian room is in the middle of Tilden Regional park in Berkeley.
We were blown away by the luscious view of the park (tall trees and lush green fields). While the couple exchanged their vows, we were able to enjoy the beautiful view of the background.
This is a great place for you to have your wedding if you're planning to have one with 150 people or less. One other tip, it's also great to have your wedding early in the AM so the weather is better. My friends started at 10:00 AM (ceremony) until 3:30 PM (reception). It started to get a bit chilly towards the end so it was great we had an early start.
One nice touch was that they had chocolates in the women's restroom. We had such a great time! This is definitely a good place to have your wedding for a great price. For 2008, the price to rent out the space is only $300 and this is definitely a steal. -
Review from J. M.
Pleasant Hill, CA
4/17/2009
My husband and I married here--outdoors on the patio. We had our reception inside the historic building immediately following.
For all the beauty and charm of the place, there are a lot of rules/restrictions/limitations----but these were actually helpful for us, b/c they helped us keep it simple!
* Max occup is about 150 (which was perfect for our needs)
* Limited--but good---choices for caterers (b/c only trusted vendors "get the key" to the place, so to speak)
* Two different weekend time slots to choose from (about 6 hours per slot)
* Limitations on candles/rice/confetti/doves(!), etc. (the natural beauty of the place simply must be preserved and protected)
* Lots of paperwork to fill out and keep track of for months (but if you meet them halfway, this facility completely follows through, too) -
Review from Graham F.
Berkeley, CA
4/4/2007
Did I give the Brazilian Room five stars because it's worth it, or did I do it because I got married there and wouldn't want to think I got married in a mere four-star facility?
Well, I honestly think the five stars are earned.
The scenery is gorgeous (statue of the dead white guy notwithstanding), and yet the location is practical for folks from out of town, with limited mobility, and/or those on tight schedules. Tilden Park is great. Watch out for bicyclists on those twisty roads, though! Take it easy, drive slowly, watch the road, and you just might spare someone's life and your paint job.
The pricing is reasonable, especially if you go mid-week and get the Alameda County resident discount. Even without the discount, it's worth considering.
While the majority of the many, many rules are sensible, some of them make me think that the staff said "We had a problem with this once, therefore we should make a rule against it." Also, it's a bit disheartening to see the parade of weddings that come through this place - I'm not exaggerating by that much when I joke that they have three weddings per day here. If they had fewer wedding and fewer rules, that'd be great... But then again, the place already books up 6 months in advance, so maybe they're already striking the right balance.
The list of approved caterers is limited, but that's not uncommon and we found that the caterers on the list made for a good selection. We were happy with Culinary Excellence.
Parking is plentiful, and yet it's not concentrated in a single huge parking lot, so it doesn't spoil the scenery.
The building itself is very pleasing to the eye. Not ostentatious, yet very classy. I like the high ceilings and many windows.
The patio is in great shape, with a fantastic view and easy access to the interior of the building. It was effortless to spread out our reception and ceremony between the two areas.
With beautiful evening weather, we were very comfortable with about 100 guests interspersed between the inside and outside seating areas. We could probably have fit at least another 25 without feeling cramped.
Yep, five stars. -
Review from Diana K.
Cupertino, CA
8/30/2010
The drive to get up to Tilden park and to the Brazilian Room is absolutely gorgeous (we drove along Fish Ranch Rd off of hwy 24 to Grizzly Peak Blvd). There are also plenty of spots to pull over and take in the scenic views. It can be a little nauseating at times but well worth it on a beautiful day.
I came here for a friend's wedding and was impressed with the intimate and lush setting. The green rolling hills was a perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding ceremony and pictures.
The room is spacious, has tall vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors and fits over 100 people comfortably. The service here was very good. Chairs were set up and taken down promptly for the ceremony and transitioning to the reception. Appetizers were passed around in a timely manner and there were cool little stations for us to try. There was an espresso and smoothie bar, cocktails, and a photo booth for everyone to put on funky costumes and take pics.
The bathrooms were clean, a bit small with only two stalls but that never seemed to be a problems. There is also another little vanity room within the women's bathroom to store stuff and put makeup on. And though it was a pretty cool evening in Berkeley, the room temperature was perfect. And as soon as the tables and chairs were cleared, there was plenty of room for music and dancing.
From what i read from other reviewers, the value for having your wedding here is top notch. One can have a beautiful and simple wedding here at an affordable price. -
Review from Gerald U.
Oakland, CA
9/12/2009
I don't have much to add, all the accolades are well deserved.
I first saw the BR when I was 19 and fell in love with it. Fast forward 18 years later and it was the first place I considered when searching for wedding venues. And we did get married there. This place stays with you like that.
We got married in the evening and the fog rolled in quickly over the tree tops and literally swirled around us. It was so beautiful and dramatic. Blue skies, rolling fog, or rain, it's always beautiful there. -
Review from Mary K.
Sausalito, CA
1/7/2012
LOVED HAVING OUR WEDDING HERE!!!! It was so affordable, elegant and wonderful. I hope many more people get to be lucky enough to use this space. Also I would recommend Serves You Right Catering for your caterers. They were very reasonable, worked with our budget, and our foodie guests loved it. They took care of the set up and clean up and even took back our beer kegs for a small extra charge. Have a good one!!!
-
Review from Heather T.
San Mateo, CA
7/21/2009
We are so glad that we chose the Brazil Room for our wedding and reception venue in late June 2009. We held our wedding on a Sunday morning, renting the location from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. As a result, we could enjoy the gorgeous large windows that are at the venue. The ceremony was outside, and the reception was inside, which not only helped with our budget but was also more convenient for guests. Many guests commented on what a beautiful location it was, and the photos turned out beautifully.
We had about 75 guests and were worried that the location would be too large given less than 10 tables inside, but it was perfect.
The only drawbacks we saw--which didn't make us regret the choice but are worth noting--are:
- No air conditioning, which was a bit of a problem since the day was over 90 degrees.
- Not enough windows or doors to open, which would have helped with air flow given the heat.
- Not enough shade for the ceremony portion, so it helped having parasols for guests to use.
- Very strict rules on decor, including very specific candle holder requirements (over 4 inches tall, one piece of glass only, etc.) as well as no flower/lavender dropping allowed for the flower girl or exit. Our flower girl had a basket with flowers that she didn't remove, as well as having bubbles for the guests, so it wasn't a problem in the end.
- Not a huge parking lot. There is parking available nearby, but it's worth mentioning on your wedding website, etc. -
Review from Marie R.
Mountain View, CA
8/21/2008
I absolutely love this place!!!!! This was my top choice for our wedding. The grounds are STUNNING! The photo of the patio is slightly deceiving because it looks like it's a quaint "backyard" kinda feel but the trees back there are actually very far away....the lawn is HUGE (I'm talkin' football field huge). It is so green and pretty...I just fell in love.
The price is unbeatable. Non-Alameda and CC county residents pay 20% more, but that is truly nothing compared to other site fees I've seen. So, for us it would be about $2,400 for a site fee, which is an absolute STEAL for what you get. I just can't say enough about how beautiful the place is.
I guess the downside is you have to choose from their list but some of the caterer's on their list have really good reviews (esp. Ann Walker Catering). Blue Heron was there when we stopped by - honestly, the Paella they had was totally flavorless. It sucked. Schumann's Four Seasons was also there and he seemed to have great prices - and he caters all over the Bay.
Unfortunately, The Fiance feels it's just too far for our guests to drive. *Sigh*.
Even if you don't get married here, Tilden Park is just a beautiful place to visit for a weekend getaway. Highly recommened!!! -
Review from Serena H.
Hercules, CA
3/8/2009
3.5 stars
This place has a really warm and cozy feel with its wooden walls and ceilings. I wouldn't want to have more than 120ppl here. Really the only think I didn't about it was getting there. The windy roads and limited signs make it easy to get lost. Not a good thing for our out of town guests esp after few drinks. The outside area is really cute for a small outdoor wedding too.
I wish it was easier to get there so I could consider it. =( -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Walnut Creek, CA
2/17/2009
I love this venue! It was one of the first places that I showed my fiance and he was sold. Nothing else we looked at later compared (to be fair I purposefully left out all places that were a so-called steal at 5K). The ceremony can be held on the patio with forrest views and the reception can be held inside. It holds 150 max (meaning you'd have to clear tables for the dance floor), but this helped my fiance cut his list down (we are having 110-120).
The rental price varies depending on what day you select, and Alameda and Conta Costa residents get a bonus 20% discount. Fridays are a little over 2K, and half days on Saturdays are a little more than that (they do morning and evening weddings on Saturdays). I don't remember the rental price for Sunday, but the weekdays are a steal! The price is not cheap, but compared to other places it is a bargain. The deposit is only $300. You MUST book early. The summer months book a year and a half in advance, with dates opening up in January for the next year's dates. We booked 15 months in advance and had to go with a Saturday morning, a Friday, or Halloween.
Included in the price: parking (there's a lot right there, not at all destroying the views), white folding chairs, tables, a piano, patio umbrellas, and a full kitchen. This can add up to a considerable savings.
This is a park run facility, so be prepared - park rules apply! There is a list of approx 13 must-use caterers (I found them all to be very familiar with the facility and professional). Beer, wine, and champagne only (I think the limit is 14% alcohol), but you are able to bring it in yourself (more savings!). The won't let you hang anything from the ceilings, use rose petals, have rice or bird seeds, and candles must be in approved holders. The wedding has to end at 11pm so that clean-up can be completed by midnight. We plan to have an after party at the hotel. The restrictions are a little annoying, but manageable.
I've heard that some of the staff is less that friendly (one laughed at us for calling in June for a Saturday date over a year later), but so far (other than that first call), so good. When we went in to sign the contract the two men there were really great and even suggested ways to get around the 14% alcohol rule (soju cocktails anyone?).
