“Our experience having our wedding at Big Bear Mountain Resort was absolutely amazing!! From the planning to the venue to the staff to the food, everything was fabulous. Here is the breakdown of our experience:
Planning Process: Working with Elizabeth, the BBMR coordinator, made planning so much easier. She was super responsive - always quick to reply to emails or texts - and really helped me think of details and questions I might have forgotten on my own. She kept everything organized and made sure nothing slipped through the cracks, which made the day feel completely stress-free.
The Venue: The locations we used were beautiful and worked really well for our wedding.
Ceremony (Top of Chair 2): Taking the chairlift up to the ceremony was a fun experience that our guests really enjoyed. The ceremony site has a gorgeous view of Big Bear Lake and is surrounded by trees. The wooden arch they built was a nice touch. For ADA guests who couldn’t take the chairlift, BBMR can drive them up, which was great.
Cocktail Hour (Hog on the Rocks): The cocktail hour deck had amazing views of the San Jacinto mountains - it felt like we were on top of the world. Even though it’s up on the mountain, we had an open bar and a tasty charcuterie board for everyone to enjoy (I’m pretty sure you could choose to do hors d’oeuvres up there too, but we didn’t personally choose that).
Reception (The Meadows): The reception area at the base of the mountain was cozy and inviting, with string lights, fresh mountain air, and a roaring fire. It was a great space for everyone to relax and have fun.
The Staff: The staff were fantastic. Guests commented multiple times on how friendly, attentive, and genuinely helpful they were, and how they really helped make the day run smoothly.
The Food: The food was really good - definitely better than what you might expect at a mountain venue. We went with the Timber Ridge menu (salad, tri-tip, garlic-roasted chicken, vegetables, and thyme-roasted potatoes), and it was all delicious. They were also flexible with dietary restrictions, which was helpful for some of our guests.
The Price: After looking at a bunch of other venues, I felt like BBMR was the best value for the quality of the venue.
Preferred Vendors: BBMR’s preferred vendors list made choosing vendors easier. We used the photographer and bakery from the list, and both were excellent. Lee Stockwell captured beautiful photos, and the strawberry champagne cake from Sister My Sister Bakery was both delicious and a hit with our guests.
The Extra Touches: BBMR went above and beyond with adding little details that made the day feel complete—directional signs, lanterns on the tables, themed cake-cutting utensils, and even gold sparkles in the signature cocktails. Those small touches really added to the overall experience.
So basically, I would 100% recommend BBMR for your wedding!”