Are you planning on getting married in Los Angeles but don’t know where to tie the knot? LA is such a large city that it can be intimidating to decide on where to go for a day trip, let alone a suitable wedding location. Luckily for you, I can help. As the city’s top wedding officiant and a Southern California native I’ve been a part of over three thousand LA weddings and I’ve been to thousands of marriage venues in every neighborhood in this wonderful urban agglomeration I call home.
Below I have complied five of the best areas in Los Angeles for wedding ceremonies, taking into account the diversity that the city has to offer. From skyscrapers to mountain tops, from secluded beaches to ritzy thoroughfares, LA weddings can be happen however you please in these five parts of town.
Santa Monica
Santa Monica is one of the most active parts of Los Angeles. It’s known for the Santa Monica Pier, which hosts a small amusement park and has great views up and down the coast. But outside of the pier it’s still an active city with some of the hippest spots in LA.
The beach boardwalk which stretches down into Venice Beach, and many parks and beach paths offer spectacular views of their own. The quintessential LA beach town, Santa Monica is one of the best places to get married in Southern California.
Malibu
Beginning about five miles to the northwest of Santa Monica, Malibu is another beach community that offers a very different vibe. A skinny city wedged between the mountains and the sea, it stretches for miles along the coast. It is well outside the urban sprawl that Santa Monica finds itself in and it’s a better place for couples who want to get away from the bustle of the city for their wedding day.
To the north of Malibu runs a backbone of mountains which includes many of my favorite LA marriage venues for large weddings. But in that small stretch that makes up Malibu proper, you can find some of the prettiest beaches in California.
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is filled with great wedding venues, ranging from elegant hotels in the city’s tallest high rises to quaint churches that stand as testament to LA’s history. Although it was considered dangerous for many years, downtown LA has undergone significant changes in the past decades. Every year new buildings modify the city’s skyline. You can even get married at the top of them. Hotels like the Hilton and bars like Perch have some of the best views in the city.
On the other hand long-time establishments like the Grand Central Market have been renovated with food stalls. The Arts District, which twenty years ago was mostly made up of abandoned warehouses, is now brimming with bars, restaurants, and galleries. I’m in downtown Los Angeles almost every week for a wedding and I never get bored of it. The center of Los Angeles is always welcoming to LA weddings.
Beverly Hills
Perhaps no part of LA has as much of a reputation as Beverly Hills. Known for its wealth and ostentation, many celebrities call Beverly Hills home. In fact when I worked as a waiter at the Beverly Hills California Pizza Kitchen in the late 1980s (back when CPK was new and hip), I waited on everyone from Johnny Depp to Miles Davis. Streets like Rodeo Drive are lined with luxury goods stores, high end hotels, and elegant restaurants.
But up north in the Flats there are plenty of well-groomed parks where you can hold a small ceremony free of charge, as well as historical venues like the Greystone Mansion, secluded in the hills (it’s also one of my favorite LA wedding venues). If you want a fancy wedding ceremony or just want something small and quiet, Beverly Hills is for you.
Hollywood
The culture of Hollywood is often taken as synonymous with that of Los Angeles, for good and for bad. As the center of the American film industry, Hollywood was one of the early economic motors for greater LA. The eponymous sign and the Walk of Fame are big draws for visitors, but Hollywood has much more to offer. Griffith Park offers panoramic views and is a great wedding venue for nature lovers.
The multitude of hotels, restaurants, and event spaces in the Hollywood proper provide an endless list of ceremony venues for more traditional LA weddings. Since I lived there decades ago, Hollywood has changed a lot and it’s been fascinating to see it grow.
These are just a few of literally dozens of cities and neighborhoods in lovely Los Angeles that are popular for LA wedding ceremonies. Whether you are planning on having your marriage ceremony in Los Angeles County, in Orange County, San Bernardino, or beyond, you can browse the hundreds of beautiful SoCal wedding venues that I have compiled on my website. Big and small, indoors and outdoors, hip and historical, there is something of everything in LA.
LA Weddings
And if you already have another venue for LA weddings in mind that you can’t find on my website, don’t worry. I can issue your marriage license for LA weddings and perform you ceremony anywhere in California. Although the marriage license I issue are from LA County, they permit you to hold your ceremony anywhere within California. Call me today at 562-547-3255 to find out more about getting married in LA, Orange County, or anywhere else.