Hey friends! As y’all know… I’m engaged just like you! It’s my turn to start looking at wedding venues! It’s really exciting, but I now understand firsthand how hard it can be to vet through a ton of venues trying to find the perfect one.
Is it in budget, is it gonna be my style, how convenient is it for guests, and does it have all I’m looking for?
That’s a lot for one location. But you can absolutely get everything you hoped and dreamed for… you just gotta know what questions to ask and where to look. Click here for a list of questions to ask venues on venue tours
Being in the industry for almost 7 years now and by doing my own research, I’ve looked at over 200 wedding venues in the SoCal area. Here is a list of my absolute favorites that are on a DIY wedding budget. The info here is what I gleaned from venue tours & brochures I got for my spring 100-person wedding.
I chose these venues based on the overall beautiful aesthetic, the likelihood for absolutely STUNNING photos, and flexibility for what I wanted.
I really wanted to bring in my own vendors, have shade for guests, get ready in a beautiful bridal suite on site, and take baller pics.
Mount Woodson Castle in Ramona, CA
Rustic, outdoor, vintage, 100 year old castle
VIEW MY TIK TOK VENUE TOUR HERE: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJhYbLVe/
Pros:
Free shuttle service for a nearby hotel
A huge decor room with a ton of cute things like candle holders, colored napkins, signs, table numbers, etc. No need to spend time DIYing when they give it all for free.
Saturday weddings are pretty affordable!
Their food menu is huge and looks delicious! Burgers for midnight snacks, chicken and waffles for cocktail hour, Mexican food, Italian food, and more!
Food and cheap open bar included
Totally rain proof. Get married inside the castle if you want!
Really close to Ramona Grasslands, which is a great spot I always take golden hour pictures at!
3 options for ceremony site and reception site
Cons:
I’m not in love with the groom room and bridal suite
You can only be on property for 7 hours, which for me is NOT enough time for photos and I wanted to be able to get my hair/makeup done there
Since it’s in Ramona, there’s not really any cool things nearby for the weekend
Sounds dumb, but the chairs aren’t as cute as other venues haha. They’re basic white folding chairs
Green Gables Estate in San Marcos
Ethereal, fairytale, green, romantic, intimate
VIEW MY TIK TOK VENUE TOUR HERE: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJhYEkbf/
Pros:
They’re one of 5 venues owned by TRADEMARK VENUES in San Diego. All 5 of them are INCREDIBLE. They’re very well known for their outstanding service, full planning included, and 5-star food. Right when I arrived for my tour, they offered me champagne and were so kind.
All 5 venues known for their aesthetic and designs
Bridal suite and groom rooms are out of this world.
Easy, central location to SD
Cute chairs, signs, decor, tables, linens included
Lots of shade (good for guests/hot weather and better for mid afternoon pictures)
Twinkle lights everywhere
Irish pub bar
Cute corners for photos (like the cool truck)
11 hours onsite to get ready in
Cons:
High sticker price, but a ton of stuff is included and if you get married on a weekday, can be cheaper than most other venues.
Sacred Mountain in Julian
Woodsy, rustic, mountain-y boho retreat
VIEW MY TIK TOK VENUE TOUR HERE: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJh21jYP/
Pros:
Bridal suite & Groom rooms are cute AF BOHO DREAMS
Julian retreat - we can make a weekend out of it
PHOTOOSSSSSSSS AND GOLDEN HOURRRRR would look amazing
Cute chairs, signs, decor, tables, linens included
Potential for it to be the prettiest wedding in the history of weddings
Everything else can be DIY - catering, bar, everything
Cons:
Not super close to SD
A little bit further for vendors, which means travel fees
No Ubers up there
Winter White Barn in Temecula
Vintage, rustic, country barn
VIEW MY TIK TOK VENUE TOUR HERE: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJh2RFDw/
Pros:
The venue manager is a designer and pro coordinator (which means everything is organized well and looks pretty)
Huge decor room with anything you could need
Low sticker price
Golden hour photos & lots of photo opportunities on the 8 acres
Rain proof
We can move stuff in early/pick up next day & get married on Saturday
Airbnb only 1 min away to use for groom room
Everything else can be DIY - catering, bar, everything
Cons:
25 mins further into Temecula (which means harder to Uber or get to hotels)
A little bit further for vendors, which means travel fees
Ceremony is super sunny for guests
No groom room onsite, bridal suite isn’t as cute as other venues
Botanica in Vista
Boho, Hawaiian tropical oasis
VIEW MY TIK TOK VENUE TOUR HERE: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJh2CMkm/
Pros:
They’re one of 5 venues owned by TRADEMARK VENUES in San Diego. All 5 of them are INCREDIBLE. They’re very well known for their outstanding service, full planning included, and 5-star food. Right when I arrived for my tour, they offered me champagne and were so kind.
All 5 venues known for their aesthetic and designs
Bridal suite and groom rooms are out of this world!!! Boho DREAMMMSSSS
Easy, central location to SD
Cute chairs, signs, decor, tables, linens included
Pictures on their site and below aren’t the best, because it’s a super new venue. But check out my Tik Tok here because it shows how actually outrageously stunning it is.
Lots of shade (good for guests/hot weather and better for mid afternoon pictures)
Irish pub bar
Get married in front of a waterfall
You decide where which spaces you want to use
11 hours onsite to get ready in
When we walked in, our jaws actually dropped. There’s real '“wow” factor.
Cons:
High sticker price, but a ton of stuff is included and if you get married on a weekday, can be cheaper than most other venues.
Milagro Winery in Ramona
France vibes, greenery, sunset
VIEW MY TIK TOK VENUE TOUR HERE: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJhYcQ2o/
Pros:
Epic photos with lots of variety
Do you see those vines & willow trees?
Everything else can be DIY - catering, bar, everything
Groom room is the wine cave
Pretty rentals included
Cons:
25 mins further into Ramona (which means harder to Uber or get to hotels)
A little bit further for vendors, which means travel fees
Ceremony site & reception are far from each other (might need to walk/golf cart over)
Bridal suite isn’t as cute as other venues
Must buy their wine ($32 a bottle)
Luna Bella Ranch in Temecula
Fairytale forest freaking magic
Pros:
GREEN
Shade!
Bridal suite onsite
DJ included
Cons:
Basic food included (can’t bring your own)
No groom room
High sticker price
Leo Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad
Spanish, desert, warm, boho sunset vibes
Pros:
Affordable & includes food and bar
Central, easy location in SD
Groom room & Bridal suite
Pretty rentals included
Cons:
Only 7 hours onsite
Staff are not as personable because it’s a historical site before it’s a wedding venue
Not much shade for pictures
I wasn’t super stoked on bridal suite
The Greenhouse - PNOC
Plants, plants, plants!
Pros:
Literally $5k
Cute bridal suite and groom room
Family owned
Reception space is in a cute greenhouse
Cons:
Absolutely nothing is included, not even bathrooms
Ceremony site is on asphalt
Not much shade for photos
People have to park far away cuz there’s no lot
Tercero in Glendale
Desert boho dream
Pros:
Tons of photo variety & really unique!!!
Almost everything is included - Flowers, DJ, & Photographer too
Groom room & Bridal suite
I love the white and wood everywhere
Cons:
What if their vendors suck lol - you don’t get to pick anything yourself
Note: none of these photos are mine (taken off Google). I’m looking at these venues from a bride and pro photographer standpoint, so glean what you will.
