Greystone Mansion
A 1928 Tudor Revival estate and public park in Beverly Hills, with formal gardens, a famous Grand Staircase, and skyline views — a location we return to again and again, with at least nine sessions photographed there since 2022.
A 1928 Tudor Revival landmark turned public park
Designed by architect Gordon Kaufmann and completed in 1928 as a gift from oil magnate Edward L. Doheny to his son, Greystone is a 55-room Tudor Revival mansion on roughly 16 landscaped acres in the Beverly Hills foothills. The City of Beverly Hills purchased the estate in 1965 and opened it as a public park in 1971; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Grounds include a Formal Garden with a fountain, an Inner Courtyard framed by the mansion’s stone façade, a Cypress Walk, a reflection pond, and a terrace with downtown LA skyline views — alongside the famous Grand Staircase, one of the most filmed staircases in Hollywood.
Ceremonies and portrait sessions are booked directly through the City’s Community Services Department, either as full wedding rentals or as shorter photography-only permits — the pattern we’ve used most often for the engagement and portrait sessions we’ve photographed here.
A recurring location for our team
We’ve photographed at Greystone repeatedly since 2022 — full wedding ceremonies, engagement sessions, and commemorative portrait sessions booked through the City’s photo-permit system. The grounds are large and sloped with plenty of stairs, so comfortable footwear matters for clients and crew alike, and a City park ranger may check permit status on-site, so we always keep the confirmation on hand. No alcohol is allowed on the grounds for permit sessions, and specific areas can close for renovation on a given date, so we confirm current access before every shoot.
Good to know before you book
- Booked as either a full wedding rental or a shorter photography-only permit, through the City of Beverly Hills
- No alcohol, including champagne, allowed on the grounds for permit sessions
- Grounds are large and sloped with lots of stairs — comfortable footwear recommended
- A City park ranger may check permit status on-site — keep your confirmation accessible
Where we like to shoot
- The Formal Garden's fountain and reflection pool
- The Cypress Walk, for tall, dramatic tree-lined portraits
- The stone archway entrances throughout the grounds
- The terrace, for skyline views toward downtown LA
What couples and guests notice about Greystone Mansion
The Tudor Revival stone façade and Grand Staircase give images an instantly recognizable, old-Hollywood cachet — this is one of the most filmed locations in LA.
Formal gardens, a cypress walk, a reflection pond, and a skyline terrace let one session cover several distinct looks without leaving the property.
As a public park with ranger enforcement of permit time slots, sessions run on a strict schedule — worth planning shot lists tightly around your booked window.
Planning your day at Greystone Mansion
Sample wedding day timelines at Greystone Mansion
Greystone appears in two quite different kinds of day. Sometimes it is the whole wedding, booked as a full rental through the City. Just as often it is a permitted portrait session inside a longer day. These are drawn from the weddings and sessions we have photographed here, and they are a starting point rather than a fixed schedule.
Six to eight hours with the wedding on site
- 12:00 PMCoverage begins. Details and getting ready, often at a hotel or rental a short drive away.
- 1:00 PMTravel to Greystone and arrival on the grounds.
- 1:30 PMFirst look and couple portraits, then wedding party and family photographs while the gardens are quiet.
- 2:30 PMYou are tucked away. Guest arrivals and ceremony details photographed.
- 3:00 PMCeremony on the grounds, with the mansion and gardens behind you.
- 3:30 PMCocktail hour. Guest candids, remaining family groups and a few more portraits.
- 5:00 PMReception. Entrance, dinner, toasts, first dance and cake cutting.
- 7:00 PMA short set of late light portraits, then a send off or open dancing.
- 8:00 PMCoverage concludes, with the reception continuing without us.
Church ceremony first, reception at Greystone
- 12:00 PMCoverage begins with final details before leaving for the church.
- 1:00 PMChurch ceremony. We confirm the church's photography guidelines in advance.
- 2:00 PMFamily and wedding party photographs at the church, then a few couple portraits outside.
- 2:30 PMTravel to Greystone. Cocktail setup photographed before guests arrive.
- 3:00 PMCocktail hour on the terrace and by the reflection pond. Couple portraits around the grounds.
- 4:30 PMReception, often in the Inner Courtyard. Entrance, dinner and toasts.
- 6:30 PMAbout fifteen minutes of sunset portraits on the grounds.
- 7:00 PMCake cutting and the first stretch of dancing, then coverage concludes.
A permitted portrait session with a second location
- 8:00 AMHair and makeup, then the drive to Beverly Hills.
- 10:30 AMArrival and permit check in at Greystone.
- 10:45 AMPortraits across the Formal Garden, the Cypress Walk, the stone archways and the terrace.
- 11:30 AMThe permit window closes. Lunch break and travel to the next location.
- 1:00 PMA second location, such as a campus, a palm lined street or the coast.
- 3:30 PMThe beach for late afternoon light.
- 5:30 PMA final stop for sunset or city lights, then the session concludes.
What is specific to Greystone Mansion
Greystone is a city park as well as a landmark, and the booking type, a full rental or a photography permit, shapes every timeline here.
Where couples also photograph nearby
Locations that pair with Greystone on the same day, from a short drive in Beverly Hills to the coast.
- Beverly Hills City Hall
- Palm lined avenues of Beverly Hills
- Beverly Hills Courthouse
- The Beverly Hills Hotel
- Urban Light at LACMA
- UCLA campus
- Santa Monica Beach
- Malibu Pier
- El Matador State Beach
Questions couples ask about Greystone Mansion
Do we need a permit to photograph at Greystone?
Yes. The grounds are a City of Beverly Hills park, and photography there is booked through the City, either as part of a full wedding rental or as a shorter photography-only permit. Permit dates open only a couple of weeks ahead, so put a reminder in your calendar and have a second date or location in mind.
How long should we allow at the mansion?
A typical permit window is about an hour, which is enough for the Formal Garden, the Cypress Walk, the archways and the terrace without rushing. Two to three hours covers a full session with a second and third location nearby.
Can we hold the whole wedding there?
Yes. Full wedding rentals are booked through the City. The weddings we have photographed on the grounds have been around fifty to seventy five guests, with the ceremony and cocktail hour outside and dinner on the grounds into the evening.
Can we marry at a church first and come to Greystone for the reception?
Yes, and it works well. Family formals happen at the church, then cocktail hour on the terrace gives time for couple portraits around the grounds before dinner. Allow travel time across the Westside and confirm the church photography guidelines early.
Can we bring champagne to a portrait session?
Not to a permit session. The grounds are alcohol free for photography permits, including champagne. If a toast matters to you, plan it for a later stop in the day.
What if the weather turns?
Almost everything at Greystone is outdoors, so it is worth naming a backup portrait location when you book. That single decision keeps the day relaxed whatever happens.