Welcome to Hacienda de las Flores
Tucked away in the heart of Moraga, California sits the Hacienda de las Flores, where the amazing greenery, gardens, and Spanish-style hacienda make the perfect spot for a NorCal wedding close to the Bay Area. This historic venue, established by Donald Rheem, features multiple ceremony sites that are surrounded by a secluded and forested parkland for an intimate gathering away from the city. Situated less than an hour outside of San Francisco, residents of Oakland, Daly City, Berkeley, and Fremont can easily escape the city life for a day of romantic celebration at this breathtaking Northern California wedding venue. Take a free tour of the Hacienda de las Flores for yourself and make this your place to say 'I do.'
Inspiration & Ideas
6 min read•December 7, 2024
Venues & Locations
Tucked away in the heart of Moraga, California, lies the beautiful Hacienda de las Flores. Rich with beautiful greenery including blue atlas trees, willows, palms, and flowers, the grounds of the venue are gorgeous on their own but paired with the stunning Spanish-style architecture of the Hacienda, make this an incredible place to say ‘I do.’
The Hacienda de las Flores is within an hour of Downtown San Francisco and an hour and a half from Stockton, making this a great getaway for a quiet and secluded wedding location. With a rich history to accompany this gorgeous property, let's dive into how the Hacienda came to be the amazing estate that it is today.
History
Joaquin Moraga, the founder of the Town of Moraga, acquired the Rancho Laguna de Los Palos Colorados (the original name of Moraga) in 1841 alongside his cousin, Juan Bernal. The name Moraga is a popular one in the San Franciscan region as Joaquin’s grandfather, Jose Joaquin Moraga, was the creator of the famous Presidio of San Francisco (also known as El Presidio Real de San Francisco or the Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) and the eventual creator of the city of San Jose.
Rancho Laguna de Los Palos Colorados, or Ranch of the Lake of the Redwoods, began to see various settlers on the land up until Joaquin’s passing in 1855. After that time, the various settlers and farmers in the region continued to develop the land primarily for crops, keeping Moraga rural for the next 50 years. Jesse Williams was the settler and farmer who acquired the lands where the Rheem Estate and the Hacienda de las Flores stand today. After passing from the Williams family to Manuel Lucas in 1906, 20 acres of the 160-acre property would sell to Albert Higgins, father of Alberta Hortense. Alberta inherited the property from her father following his death and together with her friend Gertrude E. Mallette, wanted to create a home for orphaned boys. Gertrude was the primary designer of the Hacienda de las Flores.
Built in 1916, the Hacienda was originally a single-story Spanish-style ranch house with three bedrooms, oak floors, and a tile roof. The main entrance to the house was originally off Moraga Road, with the Mosaic Room as the original entry point to the Hacienda. Sadly, Hortense and Mallette’s dreams of hosting a boy’s orphanage on the property were shut down and they were forced to make other plans for the property. They refocused their efforts on raising cattle, sheep, Irish setters, and crops until the economic crash of 1929 forced them to sell the land to Donald and Alice Rheem.
While an unfortunate ending for Hortense and Mallette, the Rheems saw nothing but potential in the property, turning the single-story Hacienda into the beautiful mansion that it is today. Beginning development in 1937, Donald Rheem desired to build the land into a beautiful summer home for himself and his wife Alice.
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