Green Wedding

Building a beautiful future together? How about starting it out with a fabulous eco-friendly celebration at the Environmental Nature Center or ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary!

Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach

Our award-winning Newport Beach venue has a dreamy 8,500-square-foot facility that includes halls, patios, and native gardens planted in the midst of its gorgeous 5-acre natural setting. The first building in Orange County to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification, it features energy-conserving climate control, water efficient systems and fixtures, and the imaginative use of recycled and recyclable materials throughout.

Flanked on one side by a catering prep kitchen and patio, library/lounge with private powder room for the bride and her attendants, and a butterfly garden…and on the other side by the pale desert shades and dramatic shapes of its California native gardens, this is a stunning outdoor venue—day or night—for your scrumptious seasonal, earth-friendly reception. It’s also great for dancing under sunny skies or beneath a nighttime canopy of stars and the facility’s softly luminous solar-powered lanterns. At the foot of the patio, a small amphitheater with built-in bench seating frames a large open fire pit that’s ideal for an elegant version of a favorite campfire activity—that’s right, how about toasting the good times with champagne and s’mores?

Wondering about indoor options? Follow the paw prints in the sand-textured walkway to the Oak and Sycamore Rooms, two cozy chambers separated by a movable airwall that can be used individually or combined into one large space. Well-equipped for just about any function, the rooms have picture windows, high ceilings, handsome honey-colored cabinets (composed of recycled materials like wheat chaff and sunflower seed), and AV and internet capability. Center staff can help by providing all kinds of exciting biodegradable and reusable decorating options.

For a surprisingly affordable celebration with the tiniest possible carbon footprint, consider a picnic wedding and reception. You can tie the knot in a picturesque way in the little garden amphitheater or at the end of the small garden stream. Then hold your reception amid berries and blossoms on picnic tables under the trees before releasing guests to wander off along the ENC’s many enchanting paths. Whether your affair is large or small, you can be sure that you’re doing the world a big favor when you have it here. And you’re helping the local community, too, since your event fees are also recycled: Most of them go to supporting the Center’s operating costs and programs, and a big portion of your bill is tax deductible, too.

ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon

Our Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon is a 12-acre wildlife sanctuary that includes a natural history museum, trails, and a bird observation deck. The venue offers a picnic area beneath gorgeous oak trees, an outdoor patio off the historic Tucker residence, and a spacious amphitheater nestled amongst native gardens and walking paths.

Tucker is the perfect location for a cozy eco-friendly wedding. Hold an intimate ceremony in the amphitheater surrounded by plants and the sound of trickling water from the stream. Then head up to the historical residence for cocktails or dinner on the patio. Larger groups (up to 50) can head across the way to dine on the picnic benches for a rustic dinner under the oak trees. Guests can wander the paths and enjoy the peacefulness of the canyon. Tucker is an excellent choice for a smaller, “off the beaten path” celebration in nature.