Frequently Asked Questions

Venues and Resort

    • Planning Team

      • Once you’re officially booked, our Planning Team will assist with all the details—from your timeline to vendor advice, to the napkin fold! We’re here every step of the way, ensuring a seamless, stress-free wedding day. We’ll also guide your ceremony rehearsal and procession, making sure everything goes smoothly. Email us to schedule a planning visit!

    • Lodging Team

      • Our Lodging Team manages your room block and ensures your VIPs—like you, your parents, and your bridal party—get priority accommodations. We’ll give recommendations on where to get ready on wedding day, and if you ever want to see who’s booked, please ask, we’re happy to send a list!

      • Lodging coordination begins 1 year before your wedding.

    • Venue Operations Supervisor

      • Your VOS will make sure all your carefully planned details are executed flawlessly, from table setup to day-of vendor coordination. We even transport your bridal party for photos and assist guests with limited mobility. If it’s on Roche Harbor grounds, we’ve got you covered!

    • Banquet Captain

      • Your Banquet Captain ensures everything runs smoothly on your big day. They coordinate with our Culinary Team and arrive early to manage the event from setup to the final toast, making sure you and your guests have an amazing time! They are also your point-of contact during your wedding evening.

    • For weddings/receptions

      • White padded folding ceremony chairs

      • cross back vineyard reception chairs

      • banquet and round dining tables

      • all flatware, glassware and cutlery

      • white linens for food and beverage tables

      • courtyard furniture

    • For rehearsal dinners at Shipwreck Beach

      • white linens and white linen napkins

      • round dining tables

      • white padded folding chairs

      • all flatware and cutlery

      • plastic glassware

  • For wedding and receptions, linens are a required rental and need to be selected at least 4 months before your wedding. We partner with BBJ/LaTavola Linens and offer our corporate discount to you. When ordered through us, we'll handle storage, setup, and returns. If you prefer another linen vendor, a planner/coordinator is required to manage those rentals on your behalf.

  • Fireworks, sparklers and Chinese Fire lanterns are illegal in San Juan County and therefore cannot be used on property. To protect the environment, we don't allow confetti (even biodegradable), birdseed, faux petals, or balloons. Helium balloon releases are also prohibited. You may use real flower petals or dried lavender or ask us for fun other suggestions!

  • Parking is included and provoded for guests staying on property. Guests staying off property can purchase a parking pass from the Hotel De Haro front desk.

    Parking for vendors is allowed on property, but trailers, large vans and box trucks are required to park at the top of the resort (Resort staff can guide vendors to the proper parking locations)

  • A Roche Harbor tradition since 1957.

    Just before sunset each night during the summer, we retire the flags of Roche Harbor, Washington state, Great Britain, Canada and the United States. Our dock staff lower the flags while a song plays, and before the American flag comes down a cannon shot booms through the harbor.

    After the ceremony concludes we announce the weather, welcome new and returning guests, and recognize special occasions being celebrated around the resort.

    Few memories of a Roche Harbor visit last longer than the first time you see our tradition of the colors ceremony.

    The colors ceremony runs from early May through late September, and always begins 10 minutes before sunset.

Catering and Menus

  • We offer a range of menus with a full in house catering team.

  • All food and beverages must be provided by Roche Harbor, apart from wedding cakes/desserts from approved pastry shops.

  • Per health regulations, leftover food cannot be taken to-go. (In compliance with the Department of Health-Food Safety program code 3-501.19)

  • We take food allergies seriously! Severe allergies may require guests to bring their own food, but for most dietary restrictions, we can accommodate. Our buffet-style dinners are clearly labeled to accommodate various dietary needs, and our culinary team will prepare a special plate that will satisfy everyone’s needs.

  • Our Executive Chef can create a custom menu or menu items just for you! Please note, custom menus usually increase the price per person and require more communication and panning time.

  • We do not offer menu tastings due to the sheer size of our menus, and the vast quantities of offerings. We encourage dining at McMillin’s here at the resort to experience our culinary style, and the level of service you can expect at your wedding.

  • We offer a selection of mixed drinks, non-alcoholic beverages, and a customizable signature cocktail menu. For fast service, we use rocks glasses and wine glasses. Please note, shots and blended drinks are not available. We will always have beer, wine, and liquor available, but you decide what to host (we don’t require you to host a bar, thankfully!!)

    Roche Harbor staff reserves the right by law to refuse or cease alcoholic beverage service to any guest deemed to be intoxicated. All guests will be subject to show legal identification of age.

Vendors and Logistics

  • We have a list of local vendors as well as vendors we have successfully worked with in recent years, but you not required to choose vendor off of that list. However, we require all vendors to be licensed, insured, and sign a vendor agreement. Vendors are responsible for setup, breakdown, and storage of their own equipment. They must complete setup and sound testing two hours before the ceremony. Please provide your vendors' contact info in your Aisle Planner portal.

  • No, hiring a coordinator is not required at Roche Harbor. Whether or not to hire a coordinator is a personal decision. If you have lots of DIY décor, unfamiliar vendors, or prefer more hands-on help on the big day, you may want to consider hiring one. Please note, we will remain the primary point of contact for all venue-related matters, including layout, timeline, food, and beverage.

  • Pavilion venue access begins at 9 am on the day of your wedding. Vendors are required to be set up 2 hours prior to ceremony. All decor and items need to be removed by 8 am the following morning, but can be removed on your event night if desired.

    Rehearsal dinner venue access begins at 1 pm day of and we recommend removing all decor and personal items that night.

  • We can provide ladders if needed, but we do not provide an AV equipment for DJ’s and/or any decor items for planner, decorators or florists.

  • We welcome specialty rentals like farm tables, lounge furniture, or ceremony arbors. However, due to limited storage, all personal or vendor items must be delivered and picked up on the same day as your event. We can't store rentals, personal decor, vendor items, refrigerated items, or assist with setting up/breaking down non-Roche Harbor rentals (including tableware). Roche Harbor also cannot wash or take responsibility for any outside rentals.

    Please let the Planning Team know of all décor items and outside rentals, as some items may not be permitted and we need to ensure enough items are ordered to successfully host your event.

Policies and Fees

  • We have a 25% service fee that applies to your venue fee, food and beverage.

    Venue Fee 

    • Our venue fee is inclusive of everything that comes with our venue spaces, for example: 

    • choice of ceremony venue, ceremony chairs, (and tables if needed)  

    • cocktail hour tables, soft seating in the courtyard, firewood for both fireplaces (for 5 hours) 

    • reception chairs, reception tables, linen receiving, storage, and returns 

    • dishware, glassware, barware, silverware, all catering equipment 

    • utilities for our venues, and venue exclusivity – only one wedding a day! 

    Service Fee 

    • Our service fee covers all staff gratuities and all staffing wages, for example: 

    • front of house staff: servers, food runners, bartenders, bar-backs, banquet captains, bussers (service fee on f&b)

    • back of house staff: chefs, prep cooks, dishwashers, housekeeping staff to clean the pavilion  (service fee on f&b)

    • set-up/break-down staff: set up of your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception spaces, and break down of same spaces (service fee on venue fee)

    • admin staff: planner who works with you from booking to reception - assists with timeline, layout creation, menu selection, runs your rehearsal and ceremony, unlimited planning visits (in person, phone, or virtual); concierge who assists vendors and set up team day of your wedding (service fee on venue fee)

    • lodging and room block supervisor who works with you from booking to your wedding, assists you with your room reservations, booking upcoming planning visits, coordinates and advises your guests on room reservations, gives travel information to guests) (service fee on venue fee)

    Tax

    In Washington State, tax must be collected on all revenue, which includes the venue fee AND service fee. 

    1. Venue Fee, Service Fee & Taxes. All site fees/venue fees are considered final at the time of booking. All food, beverage, and site fees/venue fees are subject to our current resort service fee and current Washington State sales tax.

    • Your venue Fee is due at the time you secure your event date and venue and is considered your initial deposit.

    • 120 days from event date (four (4) months) 50% payment due based on contractually listed guest count, appetizer, food, and beverage menus selected, estimated service fee and tax.

    • 30 days from event date (1 month) the estimated final payment is due based on final guest count, appetizer, food, and beverage menus selected, estimated service fee and tax. This final guest count is not subject to reduction after this point. Any overpayments will be refunded within five (5) business days of the event. Any balance owed will be charged to the credit card on file within five (5) business days of the event.

     

  • Kids under 2 eat free, ages 2-10 are half-price, and over 10 are priced as adults.

    Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult at all times as Roche Harbor staff is not responsible for child supervision.

    Babysitters: While Roche Harbor doesn’t have a list of babysitters on island, we recommend using www.care.com to research and hire the childcare provider that best fits your family’s needs.

  • While we don't provide candles or holders, we're happy to light them during cocktail hour. All candles must be in containers to keep the wax and flame enclosed to protect linens. We also handle fireplace setup, lighting, and clean up if needed. Roche Harbor is not responsible for damaged outside rental items due to candle wax or flame.

    Potentially Damaging Fasteners for decor (e.g. nails, staples, screws, or tape) may not be used to hang signs or other materials on walls, ceiling, or floors. We also do not allow stakes in the ground due to our irrigation systems.

  • Music and/or entertainment must pause during the Colors ceremony (20 minutes before sunset May through September). Client also agrees to turn off amplified music in the Courtyard Venue when dinner service begins, keeping all Pavilion doors closed when dancing begins.

    1. Music to cease and pavilion venue to be vacated by 11:00 pm.

    2. Client agrees to keep bass to a reasonable level out of consideration of other resort lodging and dining guests.

  • We do not require you to purchase your own event insurance.