Castle Green
An 1899 Mediterranean Revival landmark in Old Pasadena, with a palm-lined lawn, a Moorish courtyard and a rooftop terrace that looks out over the city.
A restored 1899 hotel in the heart of Old Pasadena
Castle Green was built between 1898 and 1899 as the Central Annex of the Hotel Green complex, and it opened on January 16, 1899. Architect Frederick L. Roehrig designed it in the Mediterranean Revival style, and its towers and arches still stand out on South Raymond Avenue in Old Pasadena. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today the former hotel is restored, opens to the public for tours twice a year, and hosts weddings, special events and filming.
For a wedding, the building gives you a remarkable range of settings under one roof. There is a grand wood-paneled staircase with tall windows, a period parlor with red walls and antique furniture, a Moorish-style courtyard with arches, and a warmly lit ballroom with chandeliers. Outside, ceremonies are set on the lawn under the palms, and the rooftop terrace, framed by stone columns, looks out across Pasadena.
A Pasadena landmark we love returning to
We have photographed weddings at Castle Green across recent seasons, usually with two photographers over an eight-hour day that runs from the afternoon through the first stretch of dancing. Couples here tend to ask for portraits that feel editorial and cinematic, and the building makes that easy: every floor has a different look, from the dark wood of the staircase to the open sky of the rooftop. We plan the day around a late afternoon ceremony and a short rooftop set as the sun goes down.
Good to know
- Late afternoon ceremonies, around 5:00 PM, are the most common rhythm here
- Many couples get ready at the venue itself or at a hotel nearby in Pasadena
- Plan a short rooftop portrait set around sunset
- Confirm drone or aerial coverage with the venue well in advance
- Evening portraits in the lit areas around the building are worth a few minutes
Where we like to shoot
- The grand wood-paneled staircase and its tall windows
- The red-walled period parlor with antique furniture
- The Moorish-style courtyard arches, lovely for veil portraits
- The lawn under the palms during the ceremony
- The rooftop terrace columns with views over Pasadena
- The round tower room set for dinner
Sample wedding day timelines at Castle Green
These are drawn from the weddings we have photographed here, with the ceremony and reception at Castle Green. Use them as a starting point to adapt with your coordinator rather than a fixed schedule.
Eight hours with a first look
- 2:00 PMCoverage begins at Castle Green. Details, final touches on attire and relaxed getting ready moments.
- 2:30 PMPrivate first look, then couple portraits on the staircase and in the courtyard.
- 3:15 PMWedding party and family portraits, finished before guests arrive.
- 4:15 PMYou rest while guests arrive and the ceremony setup is photographed.
- 5:00 PMCeremony on the lawn under the palms, around thirty minutes.
- 5:30 PMCocktail hour. Guest candids and any extended family groups.
- 6:15 PMGolden hour portraits on the rooftop terrace, then a quiet look at the finished reception room.
- 7:00 PMGrand entrance, dinner, toasts and first dance, followed by open dancing.
- 9:30 PMA short set of night portraits around the lit building, then coverage concludes at 10:00 PM.
Eight hours, getting ready at a hotel nearby
- 1:30 PMCoverage begins at the hotel. Details, hair and makeup, and time with the wedding party.
- 2:45 PMTravel to Castle Green and settle in.
- 3:15 PMWedding party and family portraits in the parlor, on the staircase and in the courtyard.
- 4:30 PMGuests arrive. Ceremony decor and arrivals photographed.
- 5:00 PMCeremony.
- 5:30 PMCocktail hour. Guest candids, then a short couple set on the rooftop as the light softens.
- 6:30 PMReception begins. Entrance, dinner and toasts.
- 8:00 PMFirst dance, parent dances and open dancing.
- 9:30 PMCoverage concludes, with the party continuing.
What is specific to Castle Green
A few things about this building that shape the day, and that are worth settling early with your coordinator.
Where couples also photograph nearby
Spots inside the building and around Old Pasadena that come up on Castle Green wedding days.
- The rooftop terrace at sunset
- The Moorish courtyard
- The grand staircase
- The red parlor
- The lawn under the palms
- Old Pasadena streets
- Colorado Street Bridge
- Pasadena City Hall
- The Westin Pasadena
Questions couples ask about Castle Green
How many hours of coverage do couples book at Castle Green?
Eight hours covers a typical day here, from getting ready in the early afternoon through the first stretch of dancing. It leaves room for portraits across the building, a rooftop set at sunset and a few night portraits before coverage ends.
Should we do a first look?
Many couples here do. A first look lets you finish couple, wedding party and family portraits in the staircase, parlor and courtyard before guests arrive, so you can join cocktail hour and slip away only briefly for the rooftop at sunset. Without one, portraits happen after the ceremony, which works well with a clear family photo list.
Where do couples get ready?
Some get ready at Castle Green itself, which keeps the whole day in one place. Others start at a hotel nearby in Pasadena, such as the Westin Pasadena. Either works; if you start at a hotel, plan travel time before portraits begin.
Can we take portraits on the rooftop?
The rooftop terrace is a favorite, with stone columns and views over Pasadena. We plan a short set around sunset on your date, and confirm the timing with your coordinator so it fits between the ceremony and the grand entrance.
Can we have drone coverage at Castle Green?
Some couples ask for it. Arrangements for aerial footage and filming are set by the venue, so we confirm what is possible with Castle Green well before the wedding and plan the coverage around their guidance.
More venues nearby on our regional venue guide and the city page.