As a Santa Barbara wedding minister, I’ve been all around the county at the city’s most beautiful wedding venues. But my favorite still is the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Just off of Santa Barbara’s highly walkable State Street, with its Spanish-style architecture and its preponderance of unique little shops and restaurants, is the magnificently designed Courthouse. Someone once called it the most beautiful place in American where you can be sentenced to death. But while capital punishment is currently on a moratorium in California, you can experience the flipside of that coin by getting married there.
Historical Wedding Venues
Please consider these historical wedding venues for your wedding venue in Los Angeles. And please consider one of the best officiants in California.
Bel-Air Bay Club | Top Pacific Palisades Wedding Minister
As a Pacific Palisades wedding minister, I’ve worked with beautiful Bel-Air Bay Club plenty of times. Above the event center are the lush hills and stunning homes of Pacific Palisades, below are beaches that continue for miles in either direction. The Bel-Air Bay Club, situated on a bluff overlooking Pacific Coast Highway as it winds parallel to the coastline, offers views of it all at its prime location in Pacific Palisades.
Built at the end of the Roaring Twenties, the Bel-Air Bay Club has a long history in Los Angeles’ social scene. With red-tiled roofs and a whitewashed exterior it’s reminiscent of the Spanish colonial style, one of the last remaining of its kind that were once so abundant in throughout LA.
Griffith Observatory | Hollywood Wedding
The Griffith Park Observatory is a Hollywood wedding venue that provides one of Los Angeles’ best views. Sitting along the face of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park to the north of Downtown Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills, the observatory’s sweeping views of the LA Basin extend from Santa Monica south to Long Beach, Huntington Beach, and beyond.
Step away from the observatory and you’ll find numerous trails winding between the rugged chaparral landscape. The towering trees and hill shrubs take you miles away from the city into scenes reminiscent of much larger Angeles National Forest, making it hard to believe that you’re still in the center of California’s largest metropolis.
Rancho Los Alamitos – Long Beach Wedding Minister
As a Long Beach wedding minister, I have gotten to know the city well. One of my favorite Long Beach wedding venues is the calm and secluded Rancho Los Alamitos The Rancho was built in the early 19th century during the late Spanish rule of the area. At one time, the Rancho was given authority over nearly all of Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Garden Grove, and Stanton. Today, the Rancho is confined to a humble hill in the center of a quiet Long Beach neighborhood, reminding visitors of simpler times. The original ranch house still stands today, enveloped by tree-lined courtyards and lush gardens.
Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens – Pasadena Civil Ceremony
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens was founded by railroad magnate Henry Huntington in 1919. Today, after more than 100 years, the Huntington Gardens haven’t lost their charm. This Pasadena civil ceremony venue (actually located in the affluent suburb of San Marino) draws visitors from across the world for its diverse foliage and serene beauty.
The Botanical Gardens spread over 120 beautiful acres. It comprises multiple themed gardens, including Japanese, Chinese, Australian, California, desert, and many more. Walking between every garden, you feel like you are walking across countries and continents; it truly is hard to believe that every one of them is in the same sprawling complex. After tying the knot anywhere in the Huntington Gardens, you can spend endless hours exploring the boundless outdoor property.
Getty Villa – Pacific Palisades Wedding Venue
Located above the sunny Pacific Coast, the Getty Villa is a spectacular Pacific Palisades wedding venue for any and every couple. Although thousands of miles away from Europe, the Getty Villa is reminiscent of an aristocratic European estate. Constructed in the 1950s by oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, the Getty Villa’s facade was modeled after the Greco-Roman architecture of the ancient world. On the inside is a museum dedicated to the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, featuring priceless artifacts and sculptures. Along with its sister museum (the Getty Center, located approximately five miles away), the Getty Villa holds innumerable cultural relics and works of art.
The Loft on Pine
Wedding Location:: Downtown Long Beach, CA
Vibe: Urban chic meets historical
The Federal Bar Long Beach
Wedding Location: Long Beach, CA
Vibe: Hip and Historical
Lakewood Country Club
Wedding Location: Lakewood, CA
Vibe: Elegant, but casual country club
The White House Banquets and Events Center
Wedding Location:: Anaheim, CA
Vibe: Classy and big. Very white.
Five Crowns Corona Del Mar, California
Newport Beach, Orange County California is home to the unique and popular Five Crowns, which offers wedding ceremonies and receptions. Five Crowns has the feel of an English country inn with fireplaces in the 5 Crowns private dining rooms and a garden that serves as a colorful backdrop for your wedding photos. Wedding rehearsals, ceremonies, and receptions are some of Five Crowns many wedding specialties.
Jalama Canon Ranch and Vineyard
Jalama Canon Ranch and Vineyard is situated six miles south of the Santa Rita Hills, seven miles inland from Jalama State Beach, and almost one mile west from the entrance on Jalama Road.
Santa Barbara Zoo
500 Ninos Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 962-5339
Paramount Ranch – Western Town
2903 Cornell Road,
Agoura Hills, CA, 91301
General Park Phone Number
805-370-2300
Get married in a unique and rustic wedding location that is still used for western TV & movies.
Langham Hotel Pasadena
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue,
Pasadena, California 91106
(626) 568 3900