If you were lucky enough to have grown up in Southern California, then the following list should come as no surprise, but if you are from out of state and looking for a city in Southern California to have your wedding, we put together our list of top cities. After photographing weddings up and down the coast of California and visiting hundreds of different venues, we have compiled a list of the best cities to get married in here in California as well as a few of our favorite reception venues. Hope you enjoy!

Orange County – The name itself resonates with people from out of state. From Laguna to Huntington Beach there are so many beautiful areas to explore and choosing a venue is just as exiting. The Colony House offers a modern environment with influential architecture and space that can be customized to fit your exact needs for your wedding. The best part is not needing to worry about how many guests The Colony can fit, unless you plan on having over 750 guests. Another favorite venue of ours is The Anaheim Packing District. Located in the heart of Anaheim, just minutes from Angel stadium, the venue is tucked away with beautiful décor and an urban scenery in a new developed area of Orange County. Check out a few of our favorite photos below.  

Los Angeles – The staple of Southern California, LA offers so many different areas and ideas to look into. Whether you are looking for a large hall or getting married on the beach, there is a ton of option for getting married in LA. One place that would be incredible is MacArthur Park. This beautiful park sits in the area of Westlake with views overlooking downtown and the lake/pond right in the middle makes this one of the most beautiful spots to get married in LA. Possibly one of the coolest spots is the Smog Shoppe, now I know what your thinking, really a smog shoppe? But check out the photos and you will be stunned. The venue can hold up to 150 guests, the space used to be a smog check engine center in the 80’s and has since been converted to a private event and wedding space which is fully solar powered with tropical and desert plants hanging from the walls. This vintage space is great for creative, artsy couples looking to capture amazing photos in one of the artsiest cities in California.

Palm Springs –  Palm Springs is where Orange County and Los Angeles locals escape for the weekend. Filled with pool parties and DJ’s many brides and grooms will choose to have their bachelor and bachelorette parties here. This is also a great area to get married, and suggest looking into The O’Dnnell House known as the eye of the desert. The venue sits on four acres and can fit up to 125 guests with the reception area taking place on the terrace overlooking all of Palm Springs. Cactus, Palm trees and rustic vintage vibes are all part of the venue.

Riverside – Sitting smack dab in the middle between Orange County, Palm Springs, Temecula and Los Angeles is the Inland Empire. Riverside encompasses so many beautiful venues and offers couples a ton of variety when it comes to venue ideas. If you are religious and looking to have your wedding in a church (primarily Catholic church) look no further than the Mission Inn. The Mission is a Spanish mission founded in 1876 and one of the most iconic hotels not only in California but in the U.S. The hotel sits in the middle of downtown Riverside and is the cities most famous attribute. For couples looking to go with a Spanish inspired/film look, the Mission Inn is for sure one to look at.

Temecula – The wineries are one of the most sought after locations in Southern California for weddings. It is crazy how many people are choosing the wineries for their weddings and has become a destination venue for many. We have covered many weddings in Temecula and suggest looking into the Stone House at Temecula Creek Inn. To get to the 1800 stone house, you must park your car at the lobby area and be shuttled to the venue location. The historic cottage was built as a bunkhouse for quarry workers and now serves as a perfect space for weddings, where desserts and food entrees are stored while the party and reception is outside. Surrounded by century old oak trees, the Stone House has a romantic setting for any Temecula wedding and makes for amazing wedding photos.

San Diego – Living here has allowed us great insight for top wedding venues in San Diego. A top favorite of ours has to be Moniker Warehouse. Known as the “dream factory” if you are searching for a dreamy venue, with lots of art and design make sure to check out Moniker Warehouse. The venue serves as a modern event area for weddings, art shows, and anything else you can throw their way. The urban space the have is a blank slate and ready to be transformed by your imagination with tons of flexible options. We have provided an in depth article on our favorite San Diego venues here which you should also take a look at if San Diego is on the top of your list for local wedding venues and local wedding photographers.