From the San Diego Zoo and the Napa vineyards to Joshua Tree National Park and numerous luxury resorts, you’re spoiled for choice when deciding between the best wedding venues in California.

California is a huge state, though, so picking a wedding venue out of all the possibilities can, understandably, also turn out to be a little stressful. We’re presenting you with some quick suggestions to help you narrow down your options, with top picks for LA, San Diego, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara and the Central Coast, Big Sur and Monterey, the Bay Area, Napa and Sonoma, and Lake Tahoe.

As you compare and contrast venues, use our wedding budget calculator to anticipate your costs.

Best Wedding Venues in Southern California​ (Los Angeles and Santa Monica)

Tons of venues throughout Southern California are equipped to host your special day, from historic buildings to outdoor event spaces. A few favorites include:

• The Oviatt
  The Oviatt rooftop penthouse is surprisingly one of the ​best affordable wedding venues in California. With a starting price of just $3,500, the historic Art Deco space includes a two-level, 4,703-square-foot terrace, cocktail lounge, and suite area for prepping for the ceremony.The flexible venue can host up to 120 guests, and a tent is available if you’re hosting part of your special event on the rooftop deck and rain is in the forecast.

• NOOR
  The award-winning NOOR event venue offers multiple options. There’s an Art Deco ballroom, an Art Nouveau ballroom, and an outdoor courtyard. The space is equipped to accommodate weddings with guest lists of up to 320 people.

• The Bel-Air Bay Club
  In Malibu and just a short jaunt from Santa Monica and LA, the Bel-Air Bay Club offers breathtaking views. The space is suitable for weddings ranging from 120 to 275 wedding guests, and features the grand lawn (with ocean views), a courtyard, and several other enchanting rooms for you to choose from.

Best San Diego, California Wedding Venues

For a San Diego wedding, you’ll want to decide if you want to host your wedding day in the city or if you’re willing to drive a bit further afield. If the former setting appeals to you, a few top-tier options include The Ultimate Skybox and The Harbor View Loft.

If you do head outside city limits, you’ll find a wealth of great options, such as:

• The San Diego Zoo & Safari Park, where you can even add an animal encounter to your reception. This add-on feature alone might make this one of the best outdoor wedding venues in California, if not at least one of the most memorable.
• The Los Willows Private Wedding Estate has multiple ceremony sites, a reception pavilion, and even a lake. There’s nothing more magical than the shimmer of decorative twinkle lights reflecting off the surface.
• The Old Rancho was built in the 1840s and offers all-inclusive packages. With floral archways and gorgeous mosaic artwork scattered throughout the space, this is a winner if you’re dreaming of colourful photography with authentic, rustic charm.

All of these award-winning venues offer something unique for every couple.

Best Palm Springs and Desert Wedding Venues

In and around Palm Springs, you’ll find an array of indoor and outdoor venues, with top-rated favorites.

• Falkner Winery will give you an elegant atmosphere and vineyard views, as well as some breathtaking sunsets.
• Casa Cody is one of the city’s oldest operating hotels, offering partial-buyout weddings and elopements Monday through Wednesday year-round.
• The Ruin Venue is an ideal spot for a bohemian-style wedding that takes advantage of the vastness of the desert. There’s plenty of space to set up your decor, and any photos you take during the sunset are guaranteed to look like they belong on a postcard.
• The Frederick Loewe Estate offers a mix of luxury and history, and may just be one of the best garden wedding venues in California. The venue features sculptures, water features, and a massive deck against the backdrop of the gorgeous San Jacinto mountains.

You can even host your wedding in Joshua Tree National Park, since the park service allows for weddings in select spots. Bear in mind that each of the outdoor options has its own limit as to how many people and vehicles can be there at any given time. Considering these constraints is integral to the planning process!

Package restrictions range from five people and three vehicles to 100 people and one vehicle (a shuttle). You’ll also need a permit, and the park has certain rules that help protect its natural integrity, such as not bringing dried flowers into the park.

Best Santa Barbara and Central Coast Wedding Venues

Vineyards, wineries, ranches, and resorts await if you’re planning to host a wedding in Santa Barbara. Put these venue options at the top of your list:

• San Ysidro Ranch, ideal for smaller weddings
• Ojai Valley Inn, for a wealth of space options, including gardens and multiple ballrooms
• Camarillo Ranch, a historic mansion with manicured grounds and a red barn
• Zaca Mesa Winery, for a rustic-elegant wedding

Best Big Sur, Monterey, and Carmel Wedding Venues

Big Sur, Monterey, and Carmel are known as supremely beautiful travel destinations, so you can expect just about every wedding venue in this region to provide a beautiful backdrop. 

The following spots provide glorious environments for tying the knot:

• The Holly Farm, a magical gem offering inclusive, retreat-style weddings
• The Sanctuary Beach Resort, arguably one of the best beach wedding venues in California
• Folktale Winery & Vineyards, for the ultimate in idyllic romance
• The Brothers Ranch, with its modern barns and 25 acres of gardens

Want something particularly unique? Host your wedding at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, where you can combine coastal views with marine education.

Best San Francisco & East Bay Wedding Venues

From downtown hotels to outdoor event spaces, some of your top choices for a wedding in the Bay Area include:

• The Westin St Francis San Francisco on Union Square, for something in the heart of it all
• The Willow Heights Mansion, with its views of picturesque hills and vineyards
• The Bridges Golf Club, with dramatic rolling hills beyond the golf course

Best Napa & Sonoma Wedding Venues

If you’re considering hosting your big day in Napa or Sonoma, you’re probably imagining a winery-filled wedding weekend. Truth be told, however, your options are more varied than that, and include resorts, ranches, and world-class dining experiences.

Consider:

• The Meritage Resort & Spa, with its many ceremony and reception spaces, including the village lawn holding up to a thousand guests, and a very unique cave that can hold 200
• Auberge du Soleil, if luxury spas, pools, and Michelin-starred dining are your thing
• Buena Vista Winery, the oldest in the Golden State
• The Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, where your catering can include food and drink produced right on site

Best Lake Tahoe & Sierra Wedding Venues

Lastly, if you have a Lake Tahoe or Sierra wedding in mind, plan an unforgettable celebration at one of these highly-rated picks:

• The Landing Lake Tahoe Resort & Spa is, according to many, one of the best wedding venues in Northern California, and features some absolutely jaw-dropping views that make the perfect backdrop for an outdoor ceremony.
• Twenty Mile House is, by and large, one of the best forest wedding venues in California.
• Heavenly Lake Tahoe offers even more dreamy views for outdoor weddings
• Zephyr Cove Resort offers you the chance to tie the knot right by Lake Tahoe, with a beach bar and a mile of sandy beach at your disposal.

How to Pick and Book the Right Wedding Venue for You

1. Decide on a general geographical area and what kind of venue you’d like (vineyard, barn, forest, ballroom, etc.), as well as how large it needs to be based on your guest count.
2. Find six to eight venues that match these requirements and then email them with your desired wedding dates, capacity needs, budget, and desired inclusions.
3. Based on the venues that respond positively to you, schedule tours and ask plenty of questions while touring those venues.
4. Based on your tour findings, discuss the venues with your partner and shortlist those that are right for your needs and budget.
5. When you’ve narrowed down your choices, settle on a winner, request a draft contract, and confirm the venue’s insurance requirements.
6. Move forward with booking your wedding.

Will My Wedding Venue Require Wedding Insurance?

Most wedding venues do require some sort of wedding insurance. As such, ask any venue you tour if they require general liability wedding insurance, as well as if they need to be added to the policy as an additional insured. They may also request that you provide a certificate of insurance (COI).

Furthermore, many venues often require this COI before finalizing your reservations, so plan to get wedding event insurance early. Don’t ever assume that your venue’s existing insurance policy will cover you and your vendors.

Get your certificate of insurance fast, through BriteCo. Plans start at $125, and you can get your wedding liability insurance quote now.

California Wedding Location FAQs

When should we book a wedding venue in California?

Popular wedding venues can end up fully booked as far as a year to a year-and-a-half in advance.

Which parts of California are the cheapest for holding a wedding?

Areas in the Central Coast and inland tend to offer cheaper wedding costs than high-cost-of-living areas like San Francisco or Los Angeles, or areas known for their luxury offerings, like Napa.

Do you need a permit to hold a wedding ceremony on a beach in California?

Often, yes, you will need a permit to hold a wedding on a beach in California. Confirm exact rules with the city or county well in advance of your proposed wedding date.

What’s the cheapest day to get married?

Getting married on a weekday is usually cheaper than getting married on a Saturday.

What if rain or wildfire smoke interrupts my wedding? 

To avoid major rain- or wildfire-related wedding disruptions, choose a venue with indoor space that you can use as a backup (if your wedding’s outdoors) and invest in wedding cancellation insurance to cover cancellations and postponements due to severe weather.

Ready to Plan Your California Wedding and Reception?

Whether you’re dreaming of a grand ballroom wedding, gathering with your loved ones among lush gardens, or in search of a little hidden gem for a micro wedding, California’s diversity in wedding venues means there’s a perfect match for your style, guest count, and price point.

As you begin planning the wedding of your dreams, ensure that nothing goes wrong on the big day by investing in wedding liability (often a venue requirement) and cancellation insurance. Get your quick quote for wedding coverage now. Plans start at just $125.

In the meantime, use our wedding budget tool to begin calculating your costs.

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