A relatively new hotel that opened in 2008, Pelican Hill Resort is a wedding hot spot and the ideal picturesque location for your Southern California wedding. Located just south of Newport Beach, CA, the resort offers beautiful grounds with panoramic views of the Pacific, making it a romantic and luxurious location. We had a chance to speak to George Nickels, the Director of Special Events at Pelican Hill who gave us some exclusive insight into the resort’s unique wedding services.

George Nickels knows the hotel and catering industry, starting his career in the food and beverage industry at just 13 years old in Philadelphia. Nickels entered hotel catering in 1999 at The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel and helped to open the Four Season’s Silicon Valley as the Director of Catering in 2005. When Nickels saw that Pelican Hill Resort would be opening, he jumped on the opportunity knowing it would be the premiere wedding venue of Southern California. Appointed Director of Special Events in 2010, George was able to answer some questions for us about the resort and its special wedding services.

GO: What is your unique role when it comes to a couple’s wedding day and how does your property distinguish a couple’s experience as opposed to getting married somewhere else?
GN: At first, couples visiting the resort are captivated by the century–old olive trees, rows of lavender and panoramic views of the Pacific as golden light sparkles across its surface. But it is our unequaled service that defines The Pelican Hill wedding. We developed weddings at Pelican Hill in a very unique way. Coming from two distinguished hotel management companies, I was able to see what is really needed on a couples’ very special day. I personally manage every wedding, partnering with the Catering Manager.

GO: What sort of wedding staff do you have on board?
GN: We staff a wedding butler to be the personal assistant to the bridal party on the day of the wedding, as well as a wedding concierge who greets all guests, takes the gifts and creates a gift list for the bride and groom. We have the Director of Banquets, Banquet Manager and a Banquet Captain overseeing the service for the wedding reception. We also have the highest staff to guest ratio for events in the luxury market, at one server for every 8-10 guests.

GO: From start to finish, what can a couple expect if they choose to get married at your property?
GN: Couples can expect to see warmth and passion from the staff of Pelican Hill. From the beginning, the couples meet with one of our very talented Catering Managers who help them understand the Pelican Hill wedding experience. We assist them in finding the perfect wedding coordinator to help them bring their vision to life. On the day of the wedding, the quality of food and service makes a profound impression, and guests rave that the wedding was the best they have been to. I am always delighted when guests of a wedding come to me during the dinner to tell me how impressed they are with the food and service. Even after the wedding, we personally contact our past brides and grooms to invite them back to the resort to celebrate their anniversary with some special surprises.

GO: What are the unique locations that a couple can host their ceremony and reception at in your venue?
GN: We book only one wedding per day, in order to ensure complete privacy and exclusivity for our couples. The preferred ceremony site, our Rotunda Event Lawn, is a manicured oval lawn spilling out to the end of the ridge, where a timeless, iconic Italian rotunda is perched 300 feet above the ocean. The views and the peaceful surroundings are unmatched. Our premier reception venue, Mar Vista, is also a grand and flexible space, featuring a limestone fireplace and floor–to–ceiling windows that frame gorgeous ocean views.

GO: Do you have customizable packages? Tell me a little bit about them?
GN: We do not offer packages, as we prefer to sit down with the couples, get an understanding of what they like and what is important to them. Then, we customize an experience that is theirs, uniquely.

GO: Food is such an important element at a wedding; tell me about your menus and culinary team?
GN: We customize all of our menus to the couple’s desires. We offer traditional filet mignon and lobster dinners, authentic eight-course Chinese dinners, Japanese fusion menus, authentic Persian menus and everything in between. Our talented culinary team can perfectly create most any cuisine requested by couples. Our Executive Chef, Jean-Pierre Dubray, hand-selects all of the produce for the resort from local Irvine Ranch farms each week, so that we are always using the freshest locally grown products.

GO: What is the first thing a couple should do if they are interested in getting married at your property?
GN: We have a wonderful website for them to visit at www.pelicanhill.com, or they may contact the wedding team at (800) 820-6800. We are also in process of developing a wedding blog.

Nickel’s tells us, “The Pelican Hill Resort offers 504 acres of natural beauty overlooking the Pacific Coastline, breath-taking Palladian inspired architecture and a feeling of being transported to a Tuscan seaside resort” making it the ideal place for your wedding and photos. Pelican Hill according to George can be described in three words; luxury, exclusivity and quality.

Thank you George for speaking to us about the superb services and elegant venues the Pelican Hill Resort has to offer!

Pelican Hill Resort
22701 Pelican Hill Road South
Newport Coast, CA 92657
T: 949.467.6800

www.pelicanhill.com