25 Unforgettable Wedding Venues in San Diego

In San Diego, where it's almost always 72 and sunny, nearly every day is the perfect day for a wedding. Couples planning to tie the knot in this enviable locale can choose from among venues like a Balinese cliff-side boutique hotel with panoramic views, a sandy beachfront on a private island, a tropical garden in a bayside resort, and a historic chapel in a picturesque park. Exclusive golf course country clubs, chic urban warehouses, stylish yachts, restaurants, and even the famous San Diego Zoo provide a plethora of exotic to whimsical venues for your special day. Photo: sergojpg/Fotolia

Horton Plaza Park offers couples a modern, urban, outdoor wedding venue at the north end of San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. Located adjacent to Horton Plaza retail center, this brand new urban park provides three venues from which to choose – South Plaza, the Amphitheater, and Historic Park. South Plaza and the Amphitheater provide a trendy modern hardscape, with South Plaza being much smaller. Historic Park has a lush grassy landscape with wide walkways, palm trees, and a gazebo. All three venues are highly visible to the public. This park is great for the extroverted couple who needs lots of outdoor space and isn’t bothered being on display.

900 4^th Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-544-8180 Photo: Horton Plaza Park

St. Francis Chapel, the wedding venue for the San Diego Museum of Man, is directly across the street from the museum in picturesque Balboa Park. The Spanish mission-style chapel is simple with tiled floors, beamed ceilings, and bench seating yet elegant with an ornate gold leaf altar and Virgin and Child statuary. The venue is nondenominational and welcomes same sex couples. Services include a bridal dressing area, organ (sans organist), and altar candles. The chapel seats 100 guests – eighty-eight on the main floor and twelve in the balcony. The museum rotunda seats 250 reception guests. There are five reserved parking spaces for the wedding party.

1350 El Prado, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-239-2001 Photo: Ritu Jethani/Fotolia

Located in the trendy Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, Ortega’s Restaurant is a Mexican bistro in the style of Puerto Nuevo lobster restaurants. It’s an upscale venue for casual chic couples looking for intimate locale. They have three spaces couples can reserve for the big day. The upstairs veranda accommodates up to sixty guests; it is contemporary and stylish with exposed brick and modern furnishings. The galleria/cantina also accommodates up to sixty guests; it features modern booths, high top tables, a bar, and a fireplace. The bistro seats up to seventy-five guests and opens onto a patio for an indoor/outdoor experience.

141 University Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-692-4200 Photo: Ortega’s Restaurant

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Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, a San Diego icon, sits at the tip of Harbor Isalnd and offers unparalleled views of the bay, the San Diego skyline, and Coronado Island. Two reception venues on the property are the California room that accommodates up to 230 guests and has a dance floor, built in bar, and wrap around patio. The Harbor View Room accommodates up to ninety guests and also has a dance floor and patio. Tom Ham’s provides arguably one of the most stunning wedding ceremony backdrops in San Diego. A giant contemporary sculpted archway frames the San Diego skyline – imagine the ceremony photos. The ceremony space can accommodate up to 240 guests.

2150 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-291-9110 Photo: Tom Ham’s Lighthouse

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The Prado at Balboa Park is a premier wedding venue located in San Diego’s distinguished Balboa Park, one of the best urban parks in the world. The Prado is a National Historic Landmark that exudes the grace and charm of its Old World Spanish roots; a multi-tiered terrace overlooks the park’s lush gardens. Couples can choose from two elegant banquet rooms with balconies that hold up to eighty guests or a larger luxury banquet room that accommodates up to 500 guests. The culinary team has garnered numerous awards, and the banquet staff is trained in flawless synchronized service.

1549 El Prado, Suite 12, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-577-9441 Photo: The Prado at Balboa Park

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Carmel Mountain Ranch Golf Course offers couples the elegant ambiance of a private country club. There are several lovely outdoor spaces for a private lawn ceremony, followed by a fashionable reception at the clubhouse that sits atop a hill overlooking the undulating hills of the golf course. The Chandelier Room accommodates up to forty guests and opens onto a private patio area. The Mountain View Terrace Room seats up to 200 guests, and floor-to-ceiling windows offer 180-degree panoramic views of the mountains. Both venues at this inland country club are well-suited to traditional weddings requiring formal settings.

14050 Carmel Ridge Road, San Diego, CA, Phone: 858-487-9224 Photo: Carmel Mountain Ranch Golf Course

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For the couple seeking a tropical beach wedding, Catamaran Resort & Spa is the destination. Located on the shores of Mission Bay, this hotel is one of San Diego’s most popular wedding venues. The resort offers four ceremony locations on the property – the beach north lawn accommodating up to 350 guests, the beach south lawn with the San Diego skyline in the background accommodates up to 120 guests, an on-the-beach site that accommodates up to 200 guests, and an intimate tropical gazebo accommodating up to seventy guests. Wedding packages include a hosted cocktail hour between the ceremony and reception.

3999 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, CA, Phone: 858-488-1081 Photo: Catamaran Resort and Spa

The historic El Cortez Hotel is in the charming Victorian Cortez Hill neighborhood of San Diego high above downtown San Diego and San Diego Bay. Once the playground of presidents and movie stars, this wedding venue offers epic views. El Cortez is a great choice for busy couples with its one-stop-shop wedding service. The Don Room is limited to one event per day, which is hard to find, and the octagonal room with its 24-karat gold carved ceiling and 10,000-square-foot terrace offers an opulent space for any size wedding. El Cortez works exclusively with hand-picked vendors, which makes it amazingly simple for couples.

702 Ash Street, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-338-8338 Photo: El Cortez Don Room

What wedding venue says San Diego better than a yacht? A Flagship Yacht wedding is completely flexible depending on the couple’s needs, but it can include a Captain ceremony where the yacht’s captain officiates, flexible catering to meet every budget, DJ or other entertainment, photography, flowers, and themed décor. Wedding packages include private yacht and crew, table set up, coffee/tea service, champagne toast, hosted bar, day-of-event coordinator, an optional one-hour rehearsal, and an optional wedding cake. The onboard chef serves SoCal coastal cuisine featuring fresh catch fish and seafood, and farm fresh ingredients. Flagship Yacht also offers rehearsal dinner cruises in San Diego Bay.

990 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA, Phone: 800-442-7847 Photo: Flagship Yacht

Luce Loft is the perfect choice for a vintage, rustic, or casual wedding. Housed in the 1928 Carnation Dairy Factory, this gorgeous space specializes in weddings and other celebrations. Expect beautifully stained concrete flooring with inlaid tile accents, large street-facing windows, an open beam ceiling with modern lighting and strings of Edison lights, and of course, a loft. It’s a blank canvas waiting to be personalized by the happy couple. The front entrance is tall and wide enough to drive a vehicle through (which has been done), making it easy to deliver ceremony and reception essentials.

1037 J Street, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-630-5570 Photo: Luce Loft

Couples looking for the perfect venue for their nontraditional wedding will find it at Moniker Warehouse. It’s located in the trendy East Village art district of downtown San Diego in the former Snowflake Bakery Company building. The modern urban space is warehouse chic with white walls, dark wood flooring, and an open ceiling featuring large wooden crate chandeliers and strings of Edison lights. A blank canvas, Moniker Warehouse is ready for the happy couple’s wedding day vision. The Moniker events team provides sound equipment and table and chairs rental and a preferred vendors list upon request. There is ample parking.

705 16^th Street, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-300-2415 Photo: Moniker Warehouse

Old Venice Restaurant is an icon in the tony Point Loma neighborhood, and they offer couples a wedding venue with casual European elegance. This venue provides space for both ceremonies and receptions with separate price points. Ceremonies are set up in the outdoor patio space and can accommodate up to 100 seated guests. Professional staff set up, coordinate, and break down the ceremony space. Catered receptions feature superb Mediterranean cuisine, which can be served in a banquet room or on the outdoor patio. This venue is a good choice for couples who choose traditional or vintage wedding themes.

2910 Canon Street, Point Loma, CA, Phone: 619-222-5888 Photo: Old Venice Restaurant

Pantai Inn is San Diego’s premier Balinese-inspired boutique hotel. It specializes in romance and the celebrations that go with it – proposals, elopements, weddings, and honeymoons. This classy venue features custom crafted Javanese furniture, Balinese artwork, manicured gardens with Balinese statuary, and a courtyard with both a fire pit and water feature. The oceanfront property sits on a bluff in picturesque La Jolla. It is the perfect choice for the couple that wishes to elope without sacrificing elegance and style. Elopement packages include a ceremony with an officiant, flowers, a wedding cake, champagne toast, and a photographer. Couples can expect to be treated with exceptional Balinese hospitality.

1003 Coast Boulevard, La Jolla, CA, Phone: 858-224-7600 Photo: Pantai Inn

Paradise Point Resort & Spa is synonymous with dreamy San Diego destination wedding. The 44-acre private island venue located in Mission Bay will exceed the most lavish couple’s fantasies. This resort offers five ceremony locations on the property. From a grassy peninsula accommodating up to 100 guests to a tropical garden in the island’s interior seating 175 to a bayside location with epic views accommodating 400 friends and family, there is splendor for every couple. This resort & spa is for the couple looking for opulent ceremony and reception venues, extravagant bridal party services, and a romantic honeymoon.

1404 Vacation Road, San Diego, CA, Phone: 858-274-4630 Photo: Paradise Point Resort & Spa

The hip and cool couple that appreciates sustainability and 1960s vintage-modern style will be impressed by the Pearl Hotel wedding venue. This hotel specializes in small, romantic weddings with receptions of up to 150 guests at an affordable price point. Upscale boutique room accommodations allow guests to make a weekend of it. The restaurant/bar opens onto the pool area making for a seamless indoor/outdoor reception setting, and the chef prepares seasonal California cuisine for the perfect wedding dinner or small plate. A dedicated event planner and professional staff will help make sure the day goes off without a hitch. Read more or Things to Do in San Diego

1410 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-226-6100 Photo: The Pearl Hotel

Rose Creek Cottage, a mid-1920s cottage that has been meticulously preserved, is the best deal in San Diego for couples wanting a beautiful wedding on a budget. A bare bones ceremony for up to twenty guests that includes the chapel, officiate, and music, is an unbelievable bargain; add flowers, candles, and a photographer and it’s still only several hundred dollars. Complete wedding packages with all the trimmings including a patio reception for up to seventy-five guests are also affordable. Rose Creek Cottage makes it easy to plan with a menu of services from their exclusive vintage Rolls Royce limousines to their gorgeous wedding cakes in a dozen flavors.

2525 Garnet Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 858-490-0468 Photo: Rose Creek Cottage

Stylish couples looking for a wedding venue with urban sophistication will appreciate Hotel Palomar. There are three venue choices on the property – their stylish ballroom, chic skyline penthouse suite, and rooftop pool deck and patio with a dazzling San Diego cityscape. Couples can expect special rates, extra amenities, and help with hotel related wedding planning. They have preferred group block room rates if San Diego is a destination wedding. It is located at the north end of the Gaslamp Quarter, and there’s plenty for the wedding party and guests to do over a long weekend. Hotel Palomar is proud to be a “love is love” wedding venue.

1047 5^th Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-515-3000 Photo: Hotel Palomar

The outdoorsy couple may find just the venue they’re looking for at the San Diego Zoo. They offer two affordable outdoor wedding packages that include one-day zoo passes for all the guests and complimentary parking. Packages also include hors d’oeuvres, plated or buffet dinner, cake cutting service, and champagne toast. The difference between the two packages is based on choice of catering and beverage service. There is a flat fee for the venue, and packages are priced per guest. Between the zoo and safari park, there are thirteen ceremony locations from which to choose. The newlyweds are gifted two annual passes to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park.

2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-685-3259 Photo: San Diego Zoo

Sunset Temple is a unique event space in the heart of San Diego’s hip North Park neighborhood. The 6,500-foot space has a ballroom that accommodates 120 guests with an intricate proscenium (theater style) stage fronted by a dance floor. A VIP mezzanine lounge can accommodate fifty-five guests. State-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, a projector screen, an array of vintage furniture, and two bars – one upstairs and one down – round out the amenities. The venue rental includes table and chairs, club furniture, space planning, lighting design, set-up and break-down, and day-of coordination for a five hour event. Event staffing, linens, and centerpieces are available.

3911 Kansas Street, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-795-3630 Photo: Sunset Temple

The Abbey on Fifth Avenue is the venue of choice for a spectacular traditional wedding in a grand historic setting. The dazzling Spanish Colonial Revival event space features twelve stained glass windows and two stained glass domed skylights, a dark wood balcony, and ornate chandeliers hanging from 50-foot ceilings. The space accommodates 300 guests between the main floor and mezzanine. Ceremony and reception packages are separate, and ceremonies must be accompanied by receptions. Reception packages offer a variety of beverage, menu, and hors d’oeuvres/ dessert options. Four hours of complimentary event space rental are included. Food and beverage minimums apply.

2825 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-686-8700 Photo: The Abbey on Fifth Avenue

The Lafayette, San Diego’s premier retro hotel, exudes Old Hollywood charm. Located at the north end of the trendy North Park neighborhood, this glam hotel is a great choice for the bride and groom looking for a touch of class in a hip setting. The hotel’s light-filled conservatory with its wall of French doors that open onto a veranda overlooking the pool is one of the best ceremony sites on the property. Big and lavish or small and intimate, the Lafyette has the right reception space too. The Mississippi Ballroom accommodates 300 seated guests, the Louisiana Ballroom 110, and the Veranda 50. This venue is a Wedding Wire Couple’s Choice Award recipient.

2223 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-296-2101 Photo: The Lafayette Hotel

The Thursday Club is perched atop stunning Sunset Cliffs in San Diego’s Point Loma neighborhood overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The 1927 Spanish architecture-style venue offers couples both indoor and outdoor wedding space. The 2,500-square-foot ballroom has a stage, terrace, patio, two adjoining smaller rooms, and an adjoining commercial kitchen for the caterers. The ballroom accommodates 175 seated guests. The lush outdoor garden seats 135 guests and provides a romantic ceremony setting. Tables and chairs are included with the space rental, and the outdoor space is for ceremonies only; receptions must be held inside. The Thursday club is a perfect venue for a sunset wedding.

1224 Santa Barbara Street, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-224-5264 Photo: The Thursday Club

The Westgate Hotel is the San Diego venue of choice for the couple seeking an opulent fairytale wedding. Three wedding packages in the ballroom or on the rooftop terrace include Le Classique with three butler passed hors d’oeuvres and a two-course menu, Le Royal with three butler passed hor d’oeuvres with a one-hour deluxe hosted bar and two-course menu, and Le Majestique with three butler passed hors d’oeuvres, one-hour premium hosted bar, and three-course menu. All packages include champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, a midnight meal for the couple, and complimentary reception room rental and set-up among other perks. Special room rates are available for the wedding party and guests.

1055 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-557-3636 Photo: The Westgate Hotel

DiamondView East Village is a 15-story office tower adjacent to Petco Park. Ultimate Sky Box is the penthouse event venue overlooking the Padre ballpark and providing epic views from the downtown skyline to Coronado Island across San Diego Bay. The 4,500-square-foot venue accommodates 220 guests and features a full kitchen for caterers, 14-foot outdoor fireplace on the terrace, floor-to-ceiling windows, bar, state-of-the-art sound system, and designer lounge furniture. Five TVs and a projection system are also available. The venue provides a list of approved event caterers, and a partner discount with True Photography Weddings.

350 10^th Avenue, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-993-0710 Photo: Ultimate Sky Box at DiamondView Tower

VENUES at Liberty Station provides a host of upscale indoor and outdoor locations for couples to choose as their wedding venue. Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a grand affair, Liberty Station Provides the right location for the wedding that demands a timeless classic, romantic, or historic setting. Liberty Station is the former San Diego Naval Training Center renovated for public use, so couples will discover outdoor park-like settings accommodating up to 2,000 guests, a scenic courtyard rose garden accommodating 150, an intimate sanctuary in a historic chapel seating forty guests, and more. Venues are spread across a 28-acre historic and cultural oceanfront mecca.

2640 Historic Decatur, Suite 101, San Diego, CA, Phone: 619-573-9306 Photo: VENUES Liberty Station