Benefits of a Retreat

Looking for advice in planning your next retreat? We found a great article on Community Tool Box to help you! It begins:

WHAT IS A RETREAT?

A retreat is a type of group getaway in which the members of that group take time to form bonds with one another, contemplate their purpose and motives, and work on one or more specific goals.

People often mistake any group planning or training meeting for a retreat. Retreats are not supposed to be held at your office or any of the usual places your organization or initiative may use for meetings. Retreats often involve an overnight stay and are usually held at a retreat center where your members can take some time to enjoy nature, talk with one another, think about your organization or initiative, and have fun. Some unstructured time should be set aside in the retreat schedule to allow members to do their own thing, think, and relax.

WHY ORGANIZE A RETREAT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION OR INITIATIVE?

Retreats can be useful for your staff, members, volunteers, or board of directors. Some of the benefits of retreats are that they can:

• Eliminate the outside distractions of your usual daily setting
• Build enthusiasm and commitment among your staff or members
• Cultivate a casual mood
• Create a sense of shared experience and bonding to help people work better together
• Set aside some uninterrupted time to solve key problems
• Allow you to step back and re-examine goals, objectives, and activities.

Retreats are a wonderful way to replenish and rejuvenate in the company of your peers. If you're thinking of planning a retreat, let us know! We would be happy to help you!

Lori and Jake's Wedding!

Lori and Jake celebrated their love with grace and style. The whole family contributed to their special day, helping to decorate and pull together detailed elements. They used a rainbow of colors throughout their wedding, and played off the rustic, barn-like setting at Hidden Valley. Pops of red could be seen on their wedding cake, reception tables, and in their guestbook. 

Lori's mom also made over 100 jars of jam to give away as favors. When added to the rest of the decor, the homemade gift created a sweet, personal, country feeling for the day.

The rustic theme was carried over from the ceremony to the reception area. With burlap adorned tables and bright flower bunches in vintage tin cans, the overall effect was naturally beautiful!

Time and time again, we are impressed by the creativity of our couples. A perfect example of this is our archway that leads to the wedding circle. Lori and Jake decided on a natural, floral arrangement to

 enhance the surroundings of the oaks. 

The wedding circle was truly an enchanted space. Crystal strands hung from the oak trees to create sparkling light during the ceremony. In a moment of tenderness, Lori's father escorted her down the aisle. It was just the beginning of a beautiful day filled with love, laughter, and warmth.

For their reception, Lori and Jake chose our good friends at Bekker's Catering for a family style feast! They brought a skilled team of servers to provide top-notch service for the guests. As friends and family gave speeches and shared well wishes, the newlyweds could be caught enjoying the fun together.

 They carried the home-made, country setting into the cake display by creating a bakery scene full of pies and sweets! It was a gorgeous, rustic set-up with every fruit pie imaginable!

Congratulations, Lori and Jake! We wish you endless years of happiness as you start your life together. 

Thank you to all of the vendors whose hard work made this special day possible:

Catering: Bekkers Catering: 

Transportation: Sun Diego Charter Co

Golf Cart Rental: Escondido Golf Cart Center 

Photography: Kate Colosi

DJ: Rigor de Leon 

Cake: Crimson Cake- Alicia 

Kids' Fun at Hidden Valley Retreat!

Hanging out in the Children's Garden

Family reunions, summer camps, group retreats; no matter the occasion, kids love Hidden Valley! With 10 acres of private, natural space, kids have plenty of room to explore. Young ones can splash in the pool, throw frisbees on the built-in frisbee golf course, play board games in the Main House, walk through the Children's Garden, perform skits on the stage, and much, much more! There are bugs and butterflies to be discovered, fresh, juicy fruits to be tasted, and marshmallows to be roasted. Your kids will adore their time at Hidden Valley!

Meeting Spaces at Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa

We love to host retreats at Hidden Valley! Of course, one of the most common questions that we get from planners is, "Do you have good meeting spaces?" Well, we can proudly answer that question with a resounding "Yes!" Hidden Valley has a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces ready to use for your retreat. Whether it be a yoga session, a presentation, or a lunch, our property has the perfect gathering space for any activity!

Event Center

With 2,000 square feet of space, hardwood floors, and large windows that allow for natural light, the Event Center is perfect for indoor activities. Take advantage of the open floor plan to have a dance or yoga seminar. Set up tables for a group meal or important meeting. The possibilities are endless!

The Gallery

The Forum

Yoga in the Event Center

Main House

The Main House is a cozy space for intimate meetings. The library can be used for individual work during breakaway sessions. The interior space can be used for a buffet, meeting tables, or just relaxing on the plush couches. The attached deck with its picturesque views and substantial space is perfect for exterior meeting and dining experiences!

Main House

Library in the Main House

Deck of the Main House

Dining Tables on the Deck

Main Stage

For a more natural and unique setting, we have our Main Stage and surrounding areas. Have an outdoor discussion on the lawn. The tranquil, outdoor environment allows for contemplative activities like meditation, journaling, and art. The tiers are another feature of Hidden Valley that is suited for a group gathering. Use the levels as a natural amphitheater overlooking activities on the lawn. Set up banquet tables along the tiers for an outdoor dining experience. The rock lined garden paths provide your guests with spectacular views.

Main Stage and Lawn

Looking out from the Main Stage

A view from the tiers near the Main Lawn

Tiers adjacent to the Main stage

Tiers with Seating

Concrete Patio Adjacent to the Main Stage

Hippocrates Circle in the Oak Grove

Hippocrates Circle, located at the heart of Hidden Valley's oak grove is as enchanting as it is functional. The trees provide a canopy of shade in the summer, and they frame the area with a protective enclosure year-round! All that's missing is your wonderful presentation and group discussion. This intimate space is sure to make any retreat a success!

Seating

Meeting at Hippocrates Circle

Mandi and Ben's Wedding!

For Mandi and Hidden Valley, it was love at first sight! From her very first tour, Mandi saw the property for all of its beauty and possibilities, and she knew that it would be the perfect place to marry her other love at first sight: Ben. From the very beginning, we knew that Mandi and Ben were going to be a really fun couple to work with. Their family was very involved in the planning. A big group of extended family came to tour the property as they prepared. Brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents all helped to build the detailed elements of the event. Mandi came to Hidden Valley with a clear vision for her wedding, and that vision carried through into a collection of amazing details. With the help of their family, this dynamic couple created a wedding that was well planned and very well executed. We want to share some of their special details with you! 

One of their incredible details appeared right in the men's clothing. Ben took advantage of his wedding day to gather his groomsmen and subtly reveal their super-identities. He made his wedding attire exceptional by equipping each of his groomsmen with awesome cuff-links to reflect their inner heroes. 

This family is handy bunch! They used their creativity and skills to hand-make many of the elements of their wedding. For example, they created a photobooth for their reception. It was assembled in true vintage rustic style, with cute frames and delicate vintage fabric. Mandi and Ben completed the set with masks, hats, and mustaches for dressing up. Their photobooth was a smash hit with the wedding guests! Local Escondido photography company, Dapper Images, did a fantastic job capturing these and all the other amazing shots of the big day!

Many of our couples choose to have a special lovebird's table for their reception. Mandi and Ben chose to place their table on the Wedding Stage. The display was thoughtfully constructed with numerous details including mismatched chairs, vintage picture frames, graceful florals, elegant china, and a celebratory bottle of champagne. Word has it that grandma hand-made the vintage-style chairs! The beautiful florals were constructed by our extraordinary friend Kelly Fiorito with Petals and Lace. 

We were impressed and inspired by Mandi and Ben's signage. The signs used an array of materials, textures, and hand writings to create the rustic, vintage flair that we love at Hidden Valley. The superstar family even built the entire wooden Bar booth themselves! They've inspired us to create our own new signs for the property (keep your eyes peeled for a blog when they're ready!).

As the evening progressed, the entertainment continued. We were especially impressed by the tender moments Dapper Images managed to capture between Mandy, Ben, and their parents during the dancing portion of the evening. It is clear to us that their family shares a lot of love.

Many congratulations to Mandi and Ben! We have nothing but warm wishes to send to you as you begin this new journey. We hope your happiness only continues to grow.

Thanks to the vendors who made this special day possible:

• Photography: Dapper Images
• Florals: Petals and Lace
• DJ: DJ React (949) 842-8465
• Caterer: Out Of This World BBQ
• Bar: GYD Bartenders
• Transportation: Wess Transportation (760) 741-9953