Planning Tools, Ideas, & Advice
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For Wedding Pros
If you’re looking for a small wedding venue for 50 guests or less in California you’ve come to the right place. There are tons of great options when it comes to small wedding venues in California for your intimate celebration. Whether it’s the rugged coastline and Redwood forests of Northern California or the sandy beaches of Southern California, we’ve rounded up the best wedding venues, including National Park wedding venues, venues with lodging (hello, camp wedding!) and even affordable venues like Airbnbs!
I know from personal experience that finding a wedding venue for your micro wedding can feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but we’re here to help! Check out this list to find your perfect match or learn how to find a unique wedding venue or how to find an Airbnb or VRBO wedding venue on your own with our helpful guides!
Southern California is famous for its beaches and palm tree lined boardwalks, theme parks and its mountain resort communities like Big Bear and South Lake Tahoe. Whether you're choosing a small beach wedding or a romantic inland location, here are some of the best small wedding venues in Southern California.
Consider renting a yacht for your micro wedding through City Experiences. They have numerous options when it comes to size, some perfect for weddings with 50 guests or less. They offer convenient wedding packages making planning a breeze!
Consider the Garden Gazebo for your small wedding at the Catamaran Resort Hotel. This beachfront hotel is a great option for a destination wedding offering tons of activities and amenities at the hotel.
Luce Loft is a gorgeous venue with an Industrial chic atmosphere inside an old dairy factory and there are 4 large Olive trees inside making the interior so magical. While the space is on the larger size, I do think the interior decor could still make this a really cozy, intimate setting for your micro wedding.
Magic-lovers, this is your place! This Laurel Canyon Edwardian estate built in the 1900’s was a common stomping ground for late magician, Harry Houdini. This unique wedding venue still has caves, hidden tunnels, beautiful gardens, and a pool making it a beautiful option for an intimate celebration.
This little restaurant in West Hollywood is a convenient option with a variety of different locations to choose from for your event, including a garden patio and a piano room. The intimate atmosphere is perfect for a small wedding and the food looks amazing!
A Spanish villa with lush gardens offers perfectly intimate space for your small wedding. This historical event venue with ocean views features both indoor and outdoor spaces. Offering incredible food by one of Southern California’s premier catering companies, this venue is a great option for those who seek an intimate, luxurious venue.
For an outdoor secret garden type of feel, House of Ivy is a great choice! Get in touch through the link in their bio on Instagram. The space has a wrought iron Gazebo, wrought iron decorative mirrors throughout, three chandeliers, & hanging string lighting over the garden with over 10,000 twinkle lights.
For an affordable wedding venue, this venue is located near State Street in Santa Barbara. This venue offers plenty of privacy within the beautiful walled garden courtyards.
This gorgeous venue in Santa Barbara offers packages specifically designed for small weddings. You get access to a variety of spaces for your ceremony and reception, as well as getting ready. This venue allows you to bring in whatever vendors you choose (as long as they’re licensed and insured) giving you a ton of flexibility for how your micro wedding will come to life.
Located in Orange, just minutes from the town center, this quaint French estate is super affordable with all-inclusive packages for micro weddings and elopements!
This glamorous Hollywood estate offers transitional indoor and outdoor space perfect for a micro wedding (or larger if that’s your plan!). You’ll feel like Hollywood royalty at this fully-restored Victorian-style farmhouse in Los Angeles. With lodging for up to 28 people, this is one of the oldest homes still standing in LA.
This Bali-inspired Laguna Beach resort is pure luxury. Nested into the coastline you and your guests will be totally pampered. Between the Zen Garden, the Grand Terrace and the Palapa Bar, there are so many options for your reception and ceremony. Plus, they have on-site lodging!
Northern California offers a little something different when it comes to your wedding. Small wedding venues in Northern California include everything from vineyards, a Redwood forest, the desert, or a rugged coast, and has so much natural beauty that could be a perfect backdrop for your intimate wedding.
This little cafe on Treasure Island is a great spot for an intimate wedding. This one gets my vote because of the affordability and all-inclusive option which make planning a breeze.
For a garden venue right in the heart of the city, consider the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. With multiple locations within the gardens to choose from, along with several rental periods ranging from an hour to ten hours, this venue is really flexible and a gorgeous option for your small wedding venue in Northern California.
A historic venue in the heart of San Francisco, the industrial space covered in warm woods is cozy and intimate. One of the event spaces features a 338 year old Gate table which is an incredible seating option for your micro wedding dinner.
We are big fans of courthouse weddings and San Francisco might just be one of the best locations for one. This building is absolutely gorgeous and unlike some other city halls, this one does allow larger ceremonies with “dinner and dancing under the ornate dome of the Rotunda” or you can opt to keep it small and simple with six guests, the most commonly chosen option.
These Northern California small wedding venues with lodging are the perfect place for a whole wedding weekend! Choosing a small wedding venue with lodging provides a ton of convenience for you and your guests and it's one of our favorite choices when it comes to micro wedding venues.
At this Hope Valley Hotel, they say, “where rugged adventure meets conscious luxury” and they are speaking my language! With newly renovated cabins and luxury yurts, there is enough room to host your entire guest list for your adventure wedding weekend.
Just minutes away from the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, this authentic Victorian-era hotel is a fantastic choice for your small wedding. This could easily be categorized as a wedding venue with lodging since it’s a hotel, but its proximity to Yosemite National Park lands it here. This is just one of many National Park wedding venues in the area, and would be so cool if you’re planning a weekend adventure wedding.
Breathtaking views from the mountains to the sea, this secluded and romantic property in Crestline is a total hidden gem.
Just minutes off the Sunset Strip, this mid-century A-frame was a former Jazz music venue. You’ll be surrounded by luxurious finishes and views of the city lights and Hollywood hills. The large deck is perfect for your small wedding ceremony and the whole house was optimized to amplify sound so If you’re planning to dance the night away, this home is perfect!
This VRBO totally caters to weddings offering three different themes for your small wedding and providing concierge services to ensure you have everything you need. Being a huge 20,000 square foot property, there is plenty of room for you and your guests and the outdoor spaces provide plenty of options for your intimate celebration. Make a long weekend of it and plan activities at the surrounding theme parks or just stick around the property and enjoy the pool.
Joshua Tree National Park has no shortage of incredible outdoor wedding options with it’s numerous vacation rentals. Jackrabbit Wash is no exception, with its modern architecture and mid-century finishes the space can accommodate wedding ceremonies and receptions for 20-24 guests or less
Emerson Estate, a glamorous 13-bedroom vacation rental in Thermal, California features vast grounds surrounding the Mediterranean-inspired villa. The sculptural pool rests in the middle of it all with unobstructed views of the mountains. This is perfect for a weekend wedding with lodging and plenty of spaace for 26 guests.
Not only is this wedding location incredibly beautiful with uninterrupted views of the ocean, but it is also fully off-grid, built by a well-known sustainable architect. A stone terrace overlooking the water provides a perfect spot to say your ‘I dos’ and there is plenty of indoor (including a fully stocked library!) and outdoor space for you and your guests. Paths to the cliffside provide access to staircases to private, indeveloped beaches and rocky coves.
Reminiscent of an old Bavarian hunting lodge, this luxury cabin overlooks the beautiful blue waters of Lake Shasta.
Situated 5 minutes from the historic Sonoma Plaza, and set amongst some of the world’s most well-known wineries, this is a wine-lovers dream and would be perfect for an elopement or wedding with 12 or fewer guests.
Well, that covers it for today's small wedding venue round-up. If you didn't find what you were looking for, be sure to check out our guide to finding a unique wedding venue or learn how to find airbnb and vrbo wedding venues.
