Hilltop villa, Palos Verdes
La Venta Inn Wedding Photographer
A 1923 Spanish villa perched above the South Bay, where couples marry on a stone lawn framed by sweeping Pacific Ocean and Los Angeles skyline views.
About La Venta Inn
La Venta Inn crowns a ridge in Palos Verdes Estates as the very first building ever raised on the peninsula, a 1923 Spanish-Colonial villa designed by the Davis brothers with grounds laid out by the Olmsted firm. Terracotta tile, wrought iron, a burbling Spanish fountain, and a Palos Verdes stone ceremony platform look out over the curve of the South Bay coastline.
Couples choose La Venta for its intimacy and exclusivity: you book the entire hilltop, so there is no sharing the property or the view. Since 2021 it has been operated by acclaimed caterer Made by Meg, which folds full-service coordination, rentals, and a genuinely praised kitchen into every wedding, and the sunset light over the water at cocktail hour is hard to match anywhere else in Los Angeles.
Location · Palos Verdes Estates, ~30 min from LAX
Style · Historic 1923 Spanish villa, ocean-view
Capacity · Up to 200 guests
Venue fee from · $20,000 site fee
Best season · Late spring–fall for clearest ocean views
Last updated July 2026 · official venue site (laventa.com), Made by Meg, The Knot, WeddingWire
The complete La Venta Inn planning guide
Capacity & spaces
Ceremony · Up to 200
Reception · Up to 200
Cocktail/standing · Up to 200
Rentable spaces
- Ceremony Lawn — Palos Verdes stone platform on St. Augustine grass with an unobstructed Pacific Ocean backdrop and hidden ceremony speakers
- Courtyard — 1,050 sq ft Spanish courtyard anchored by a historic tiled fountain, ideal for cocktail hour
- Ballroom — 930 sq ft indoor room with LA skyline views, dimmable lighting, wireless mic, and year-round air conditioning
- Garden Rooms & Middle Room — 1,180 sq ft of connected indoor dining space with ocean and garden outlooks
- Ocean Cottage — 1946 historic building with two getting-ready stations and a remodeled bathroom
- Hideaway Suite — private getting-ready suite with its own patio, lawn, and full bathroom
Pricing
Site fee from · $20,000
Ceremony-only / vow renewal · Separate package (on inquiry)
Catering · Made by Meg, priced per person
Included · Coordination, tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, dance floor, sound system, patio heaters
Standard end time · 10:00 PM (extra hours available for a fee)
Catering & bar
Catering is exclusive and in-house through Made by Meg Catering, which operates the property and offers plated, buffet, family-style, stations, dessert bars, and late-night bites built around seasonal California cuisine. Bar service and staffing run through the venue as well; outside caterers are not permitted.
Rules & restrictions
- Standard event end time is 10:00 PM (residential neighborhood); additional hours can be purchased
- Amplified music is managed with the venue's sound system and kept within residential-area limits
- Open flame is restricted; check candle and heater policy with your coordinator
- Confirm confetti/petal rules (biodegradable petals typically allowed on the lawn)
- Exclusive use of the entire property is included with every wedding
- Confirm current liability-insurance requirements with the venue at booking
Getting ready, parking & access
Getting ready · Two dedicated spaces — the 1946 Ocean Cottage with two styling stations and the private Hideaway Suite with its own patio and bath
Parking · On-site parking is included in the venue package
Accessibility · Handicap accessible with paved paths; discuss the sloped hilltop grounds with your coordinator
Rain plan · Indoor Ballroom and connected Garden Rooms provide an all-season, air-conditioned backup to the outdoor lawn
How to book
Request a quote through laventa.com or call (310) 373-0123 to check availability; popular Saturday dates in peak season book 12–18 months out, so inquire early and schedule a site visit at golden hour.
Photographing La Venta Inn
The hero light is late afternoon into sunset: the ceremony lawn faces west over the ocean, so a late-day ceremony backlights couples against the water and the marine horizon. Midday sun on the white stucco can be harsh, so plan portraits for the softer hour before sunset when the courtyard and stone terraces glow warm.
The strongest backdrops are the stone ceremony platform with open ocean behind it, the tiled Spanish fountain in the courtyard, the arched villa windows and iron detailing, and the historic keyhole lookout for dramatic coastline portraits. On clear evenings the twinkling LA and South Bay skyline from the ballroom side gives a city-lights alternative after dark.
Engagement sessions at La Venta Inn
La Venta's ocean-view lawn and Spanish villa make one of LA's most romantic engagement and pre-wedding session settings, especially at sunset over the Pacific.
Best light · Late afternoon into sunset over the ocean
Signature spots · Stone ceremony lawn, Spanish fountain, keyhole lookout
Access · Private hilltop — sessions arranged with the venue
The studio schedules the session to the west-facing sunset window and coordinates hilltop access so the ocean backdrop is at its warmest.
What couples love
- Uninterrupted Pacific Ocean and South Bay views, especially at sunset
- Exclusive use of the entire private hilltop property
- Genuinely excellent food and service from Made by Meg
- Included day-of coordination and full rentals simplify planning
- Historic Spanish-villa character with romantic, intimate scale
Good to know
- Premium pricing — the site fee alone starts around $20,000 before catering
- Capacity caps at roughly 200 guests, so it suits mid-size weddings
- A 10 PM curfew reflects the residential neighborhood (extensions cost extra)
- Catering is exclusive to Made by Meg — no outside caterers
- Winter marine layer or fog can occasionally soften the ocean view
- The hilltop can be breezy; plan hair, veils, and light decor accordingly
A typical wedding day at La Venta Inn
Getting ready — split between the Ocean Cottage and Hideaway Suite, with ocean-light window portraits
Ceremony — late-afternoon on the stone lawn with the Pacific behind you
Cocktail hour — courtyard by the Spanish fountain as the sun drops toward the water
Reception — dinner and dancing in the ballroom and garden rooms with skyline views
Golden hour — steal away to the keyhole lookout for backlit oceanfront portraits
Frequently asked questions
How many guests can La Venta Inn accommodate?
The property comfortably hosts up to about 200 guests for a seated ceremony and reception; it is best suited to intimate-to-mid-size weddings.
How much does a wedding at La Venta Inn cost?
The site fee starts around $20,000, with catering by Made by Meg priced per person on top of that. Total investment varies with guest count, menu, and bar.
Can I use my own caterer?
No. Catering is exclusive and in-house through Made by Meg, which operates the venue. This covers food, bar, staffing, and much of the rentals and coordination.
Do I get the whole property to myself?
Yes. Every wedding includes exclusive use of the entire hilltop estate, so you never share the grounds or the views with another event.
What time does the event have to end?
The standard end time is 10:00 PM because the venue sits in a residential area. Additional hours can usually be arranged for a fee.
Is there a rain or backup plan?
Yes. The air-conditioned ballroom and connected garden rooms serve as an all-weather indoor option if the outdoor lawn isn't usable.
Where do the couple get ready?
Two dedicated spaces are included — the 1946 Ocean Cottage with two styling stations and the private Hideaway Suite with its own patio and full bath.
Is parking available?
Yes, on-site parking is included in the venue package.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
Yes, it is handicap accessible, though the grounds are on a hillside; discuss specific pathways with your coordinator.
Does the venue provide a coordinator?
Yes. Full-service day-of coordination is included, along with tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, a dance floor, sound system, and patio heaters.
How far in advance should we book?
Popular Saturdays in peak season book 12–18 months ahead, so inquire and tour as early as possible.
Getting there & logistics
Address · 796 Via del Monte, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
From LAX · ~15 mi · ~25–35 min
From Long Beach (LGB) · ~20 mi · ~30 min
Nearby getting-ready hotels
- Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes
- The Portofino Hotel & Marina, Redondo Beach
- Palos Verdes boutique stays
- Hotel Del Amo, Torrance
The history behind La Venta Inn
- Built in 1923 as the very first structure on the entire Palos Verdes Peninsula, originally called Clubhouse 764.
- Designed by architect brothers Pierpont and Walter Swindell Davis in Spanish-Colonial villa style, with grounds by the Olmsted firm.
- Named a California Point of Historical Interest (1989) and a California Historic Resource (1990).
- Historic guests reportedly included Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Lindbergh, Charlie Chaplin, and Bob Hope.
- Served defense purposes during World War II, later a private residence and briefly a restaurant, before becoming a premier wedding venue.
- In 2021 operations transitioned to Made by Meg Catering, which restored and now runs the property.
Similar venues we love
More venues we photograph: Greystone Mansion · The Biltmore · Alexandria Ballrooms · The Majestic · Calamigos Ranch.
Planning a wedding at La Venta Inn? Reach out to check your date →
