20 Best Wedding Venues In Southern California You Need to Know

Are you looking to tie the knot on the West Coast of the United States of America? Whether you're a California local or planning to travel there for your wedding, it's the ideal state. The Golden State has some epic locations that make your snapshots drool-worthy. There are many spots that are favorites all over the state. The best wedding venues in Southern California will enthrall you and your guests.

What's so special about the best wedding venues in Southern California?

California is truly a unique state. With its distinctive blend of wine country, beachfront bliss, city buzz and mountain cool, California is perfect for marriages. Seeing and being seen is the trend, and weddings in Southern California make a statement. The best wedding venues in Southern California include some resorts in Malibu and ranch weddings. If you love nature, choose a farm. The best wedding venues in Southern California for fun couples include funky locations in Los Angeles. What's more, at some location or the other in Southern California, you are likely to pick one that a Hollywood star chose.

Why should you choose any of the best wedding venues in Southern California?

As far as weddings go, you want your day to be a dream come true, without hitches. Southern California not only offers a variety of locations to thrill every preference but has super weather for open-air weddings. With loads of event spaces, chapels and private mansions, you can take your pick. Considering the number of guests you expect, you can choose charming and elegant spaces for exclusivity or large areas for extravagance. Out of the best wedding venues in Southern California, you're bound to find some of interest.

The best wedding venues in Southern California

Here are 20 picks for socal wedding venues to make your special day memorable. From downtown Los Angeles to Carmel Valley, your dream wedding destination in Southern California is sure to make an impact. The options in Southern California are endless. You will find whatever takes your fancy. So, here comes the 'guide'.

A Wedding Estate

A private estate all to yourself and your beloved? This is what the Los Willows Wedding Estate promises. At Fallbrook, this 55-acre plot is a garden wonder with upscale facilities like a salon and gourmet service. Coordinators can plan your ceremony indoors or outdoors, and this goes for the reception too. The place is surprisingly affordable.

An Oasis in a Desert

Located thirty miles north of Palm Springs, is Le Haute Desert Aerie. This is a stone's throw away from Pioneertown and was created as a Western film set in 1946. A one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast venue, it is located on 40 acres of pure wilderness. For your wedding party, you can rent out the Moroccan-themed adobe-style home. This comes customized with a bridal suite. Two locations exist for the actual ceremony which can accommodate 150 guests.

Go Bohemian at the best wedding venues in Southern California

For all the romantic wanderers at heart, look no further than Cliff's Edge. Among sought-after spots, this area at Silver Lake in Los Angeles offers a place to die for! A rustic and secluded setting for private events, the restaurant is surrounded by a host of bamboos. There's a beautiful patio and a giant 60-year old ficus tree that you can say your vows under. Noteworthy chef, Vartan Abgaryan can whip up a storm of a feast to feed 120 guests in an outdoor seating space. An additional 40 can be seated indoors. In 2014, a quaint patio was built to host perfect bridal showers.

A Luxury Ranch

Prized among the many Southern California wedding venues, the Carmel Valley Ranch sits on a sprawling 500-acre plot. In the idyllic foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains, you can choose any location at the ranch. Recently, the coveted reception area to snag is the blooming garden. This 2-acre organic paradise has a hen house (live chickens included) and the Salt House (homemade salt is curated here). The ranch is popular for growing most of their own ingredients that are used in the kitchen of The Lodge restaurant.

In the garden, a tented cocktail reception can be held for nearly 500 guests on the Vineyard Lawn nearby. All couples that hold their weddings here are offered the "Vine is Mine" program, dedicating a vine to the newly-wed couple in the vineyard. When the wine from it is made and matured, it's given to the betrothed as a memento.

Hawk Ranch

The Hawk Ranch at Murrieta is a lakeside retreat, ideal for small weddings. With indoor and outdoor seating, of 300 guests in total, this natural bounty of a ranch offers you a great hacienda. On-site accommodation makes it convenient for brides and grooms to stay and prepare. The ranch has sites for smaller functions like showers and rehearsal dinners too.

Following Clark Gable

Selecting a place where Hollywood legend Clark Gable said "I do" with Lady Silvia is one for the books. The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort is considered among the best wedding venues in Southern California. With an ideal wine country backdrop, this place is set outside central Solvang, northwest of Santa Barbara. The terrace is open for guests numbering 200 outdoors, and 60 indoors. Indoors, the dining room has an old-world charm with wall-to-wall windows and a fireplace. You get panoramic views of wine country at its best and the private lake at the resort. The executive chef in the kitchen is Pascale Gode, serving up the best continental cuisine.

City Venue

A mainstay of the city of Los Angeles, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel offers a marvelous rooftop venue. A delightful spot for city-goers, this 80-year old hotel is a Spanish colonial masterpiece. You can have your ceremony in the early part of the evening, letting the celebration flow into the night against the city's twinkling lights. The rooftop houses 120 guests, so make sure you invite your nearest and dearest.

Celebrity Mission

Following in the footsteps of Humphrey Bogart and Betty Davis, you can say your vows at this historic Mission-style 111-year-old Riverside property. Home to the St. Francis of Assisi chapel, it accommodates nearly 150 people. The surrounding is nothing short of magnificent with authentic Tiffany stained-glass windows. For small groups, of 10 or 15, opt for the intimate St. Cecelia chapel. You may also love an alfresco experience outdoors in the courtyard. Here, 170 guests can comfortably be seated. For your reception, choose any of the flamboyant ballrooms where you can dance all night!

Moroccan Splendor

Wedding venues in Southern California are so eclectic, you get everything from uber-cool to exotic chic. The Acabar restaurant is the most talked-about Middle Eastern Hollywood haunt owned by a movie director! Formerly the home to Dar Maghreb, Roland Emmerich bought the attractive restaurant and turned it into a lounge. Seated parties can house 120 guests and receptions go to 350 people. The Middle Eastern-inspired design of the place along with the tantalizing selection of cocktails is enticing enough, you'd think. Not nearly as you wow your guests with theatrics. In the open-sky atrium, aerialists give jaw-dropping performances and the sky's the literal limit!

Lake Arrowhead

Looking for a woodsy wedding? Look no further as this serene setting on 150 acres of the San Bernadino National Forest transports you into an ethereal world. Choose from ceremonies in a pristine chapel, a lush meadow, or an area beside the creek. Later, dining and dancing on the Whispering Pines terrace is awesome with trees and bistro lights.

Run for the Hills

Clean-lined Spanish Mediterranean style desert landscaping sets the Anaheim Hills Golf Course Clubhouse apart from some of the best wedding venues in Southern California. Looking like something out of a villa in Palm Springs or the Costa del Sol, this upscale venue is in central Orange County. On this 30,000 square foot (27.87 a) property, several brides and grooms have tied the knot in casual elegance in a contemporary space. Staffed by full-service wedding/event planners, you can get your whole wedding tended to by experts, right from the cake to the decor. Different themes exist, depending on what you want. Additionally, planners help you with entertainment, including live bands, DJs, florists, photographers, etc, in keeping with your customized theme.

Outdoor ceremonies can be held on a sprawling terrace, overlooking the fairways of the golf course. The scene is natural, dotted with sycamores and oaks. A sheltered enclave is a famous spot to take photos, and the emerald golf course is a distinctive backdrop. The Grand Ballroom is also a great spot to have your ceremony and reception. With a high, coffered ceiling and ironwork chandeliers, you get a Byzantine feel.

Pacific Aquarium

This is a place to exchange vows like no other. Situated in Long Beach, it has a marine setting. Slivers of light filter downward behind you in a soaring expanse of aqua. Tall sea plants and iridescent sea creatures abound as your audience. The magical effect of the mystical kelp exhibit is the ceremony site that's popular in the Aquarium of the Pacific.

You can opt for a Rooftop setting too, where gorgeous sunsets await you. In the Great Hall, you get a generous amount of space to hold large parties. Here, multiple skylights and a huge blue whale suspended from the ceiling add to the glam quotient. Skylights are paneled with automatic screens that project images around the room. The setup is dazzling.

Exclusive Club

Among the best wedding venues in Southern California, entry into the Sherwood Country Club is by invitation only. This exclusive club in Thousand Oaks has been the preferred marriage spot for many who want to add a touch of class to their nuptials. This lush enclave, located in the neighborhood of Lake Sherwood, is tucked away against the Santa Monica Mountains. You'll find this spot in the midst of celebrity homes. The 1922 film,Robin Hoodwas shot here, the woods providing an ideal location for the movie. The club was built later and that's how it gets its name. Often featured in films, likeBridesmaids, the Clubhouse is decorated with Georgian accents and the venue makes a great space for a wedding.

An Island Wedding

Any venue on Catalina Island promises a historic and unforgettable wedding experience. On the coast of Southern California, the Hotel Metropole and Beach House is a glorious place to host a wedding. Located in Avalon, any area seats 150 guests and this is great for small functions. Overlooking the beach and the bay, you can have outdoor or indoor ceremonies and receptions.

A Hideaway

A private mountainside hideaway is all you need to have a wedding to remember. The O'Donell House resonates an old-world aura, and there's The Willows Inn on the plateau above. Under the shade of towering palms, you can say your vows, and all the scenic beauty of cacti and rocks is overwhelming. A cliff-side stone terrace is great for receptions, and it seems to float above the ground.

Prestigious Indian Wells

A short drive away from Palm Springs, you'll find the region's most sought-after community - Indian Wells. The town was originally a Native American reserve. Now one of California's wealthiest cities, it houses the Indian Wells Country Club. Distinguished by its heritage and pedigree, the club offers professional wedding service and the grounds offer a great place to have a wedding. There's a sparkling lake with rock formations dotting the area, and with exceptional service standards, you don't need much more.

Carlsbad

A few moments away from a significantly wonderful stretch of beach, the Westin Resort and Spa is a super wedding locale. You'll love this location as you experience a cool ocean breeze and terrific views from any angle. In the northern part of San Diego, this is touted as among the best wedding venues in Southern California. Carlsbad is known for its panoramic beauty and with some spacious accommodation, you can continue your honeymoon here.

Serendipity in Oak Glen

Located at the edge of a mountain canyon, who could ask for more? You can enter your venue in a horse-drawn carriage in this wedding estate set perfectly in the San Bernardino Mountains. High up at 4,200 feet (1.28 kilometers), you can have a cool wedding and the views are more than stunning. This place is famous for outdoor receptions at different mountain levels.

An Abbey Wedding

In San Diego, on 5th Avenue, there is an old abbey that is as resplendent on the outside as the inside. A stunning embodiment of the Spanish Colonial Revival, this structure boasts two stained-glass domes, giving the interiors a yellow glow. A century old, this former church is the perfect setting for a wedding.

Temecula Winery

Southern California is famous for its wineries and the Mount Palomar Winery is a constant feature among wedding venues. Wine and love go together, and this winery gracing the highest hill of wine trails stands out as a premium wedding site. Ornate gates lead to a 50-acre winery and you can be sure to have a big wedding here. A high-perched Bella Vista ceremony site is reserved for taking your vows.