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Exclusive | California Woos Gay Travelers With Wedding Packages Part Two

Exclusive | California Woos Gay Travelers With Wedding Packages Part Two

RUSSIAN RIVER
Lying at the heart of the picturesque and long-gay-popular Russian River area an hour north of San Francisco, Guerneville is home to the Highlands Resort, a gay-specific but heterosexual-friendly clothing-optional compound set amid the redwoods.

With no phones, TVs, or radios, the resort's rustic 1940s-era cabins offer a break from civilization.

The Highlands' two-night Honeymoon Package ($625) includes a private cabin with king bed and two-person soaking tub, breakfast in bed, two hour-long massages (indoors or out), a self-guided tour of the local wine region, and a gourmet picnic.

RANCHO SANTA FE
Just north of San Diego sits Rancho Santa Fe, one of the country's most affluent communities, where the ultra-elegant Vivienda Estate has embraced the gay marriage phenomenon.

With a package starting at $5,000, the couple is whisked by limo from San Diego International Airport to the courthouse for license procurement, then to the palatial estate for a gorgeous private ceremony for up to 25 guests. Packages can also include six guestrooms ($350 a night each) for the couple and their guests for one night.

Those on budgets can save by opting for a little less privacy, i.e. sharing the estate with up to five other couples at the same time.

A film crew will capture the proceedings both for the couples themselves and (with their permission) for a larger documentary being put together to help defeat the November ballot measure.

ANAHEIM
''Bring little girl dreams to life when you arrive at Sleeping Beauty Castle in Cinderella's coach beneath the twinkling stars,'' suggests the wedding-related web presence for that most magical of kingdoms, Disneyland, about an hour south of Los Angeles in Anaheim. Disney announced in April 2007 that it would open its Fairy Tale Wedding packages to include same-sex commitment ceremonies, which now means actual marriages are available with packages from $2,950 with a four-night stay.

As with opposite-sex weddings, options for the proceedings include the floral Rose Court Garden of the Disneyland Hotel, the secluded Wedding Garden at the Disneyland Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, or the incomparable dreamland that is Disneyland itself.

Part One | Part Two

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