I'm really happy that my
overview post on Southern California oceanfront wedding venues seems to be a great resource for planning brides! In light of that and the pictures on my harddrive sitting around gathering dust, I thought I would post more thorough reviews and pictures of the wedding sites that I visited. When I was planning, I wanted to see the sites from every possible angle before visiting. And it always ended up feeling/looking different from the photos when I visited. So I thought I'd share some of that with you!
Overview: A gorgeous venue in Laguna Beach that plants you right on top of the ocean. No beach and sand in front of you, just waves out to the horizon.
Details: Completely outdoors. Max of ~175 people.
Packages: All inclusive, even things like DJ, cake, centerpieces, parking lot, coordinator, favors, and table umbrellas. Things that AREN'T included are drinks, personal flowers, photographer, and officiant.
Costs: $130-230pp BEFORE drinks/bar and site fees. Site fees range from $1,500-$4,800 depending on time of day/week.
Other: You can do ceremony-only or reception-only packages. Also, I can't remember what they do in the event of rain. Your tables all have umbrellas, and I'm sure I asked, but I can't remember! Rain is uncommon but always a possibility, so make sure you check
weather forecasts and ask!
Bottom line: It's the most gorgeous ocean venue you could really find, with the ceremony and reception on a patio literally on top of the ocean. Surprisingly, it was not immediately out of reach as far as pricing goes, but it was still more than we were willing to go over our budget. Their package was all-inclusive all the way down to the cake and favors, so that is super convenient for someone who doesn't want to shop around. However, I knew my wedding was going to be crazily customized, so even though they try to allow as much customization as possible, it wouldn't have worked for me. Had I been willing to go over-budget and give up a lot of customization, I would have gone with Occasions for sure.
Pros:
- The view is breathtaking, especially at sunset. You won't find a venue like this anywhere else! All other ocean-front venues are either further away from the ocean, or on the beach itself, or marry you on the ocean and then put you in a windowless reception venue.
- Venue is very fancy. It feels like a fairytale!
- Packages are very convenient and nearly all-inclusive. Takes a lot of pressure off from finding your own vendors.
- One on-site bridal waiting room, which is small. One party will have to get ready somewhere else!
- You can go down to the sand for wedding photos!
Cons:
- Windy, cold, and high potential to be overcast. (Same for all ocean-front venues)
- No private parking lot, but a closeby (walking distance) lot is included in the fee.
- Packages include nearly everything without too much wiggle room. For example, you can customize the look of your favors, but they have to be molded chocolates.)
- Pricey
- Heat lamps are an additional cost, if necessary
- There's a restaurant with an outdoor dining area that overlooks the venue. (See photo) So you will have random people watching your wedding from above. Other than that, it's private.
- Weddings all have to end by 10pm at the latest, due to Laguna Beach city law. However, there is a bar upstairs that is open later!
- Four hours total for ceremony & reception.
(DISCLAIMER: All my information is from 2009. So obviously things may have changed since then!)
Photos:
To help orient you for these photos, here's a professionally produced floor plan:
On the left is your ceremony with gazebo and astroturf! Chairs are set right on the grass. (I think if you're over a certain guest count, they'll actually set up the aisle in the reception area and then clear it for tables.)
To the left of the previous photo, you can see how close the people eating at the restaurant will be to the ceremony. (To the left is the bar.)
To the right of the venue, the main reception area.
View from the circular platform of the reception area, looking the other way. Note the stairs in the back - the guests and wedding party has to come down these steps. There is a handicap elevator.
View on an overcast day!
Overhead view of reception area. When you're at ground level, you can't really see people on the beach unless you look over, which is nice.
Closeup view of the steps, also overlooking the ceremony site.
See more photos of live weddings, here!
Got questions or corrections? Comment below!
