About La Venta Inn
Perched above Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes Estates, La Venta Inn has stood since 1923 as the very first building constructed on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Built in a Spanish Mediterranean-villa style by architects Pierpont and Walter Swindell Davis, the estate was originally used to host investors touring the newly developed Palos Verdes Project, with grounds tied to the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm, which master-planned the surrounding community. The first wedding here took place in 1924, and more than a century later the property remains one of the South Bay’s most storied wedding settings, with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the Los Angeles coastline. Today La Venta Inn operates exclusively as a private event venue, giving couples full use of its gardens, courtyards, and ocean-view lawn.
La Venta Inn gives us dramatic elevation and unobstructed ocean light that most Los Angeles venues simply can’t offer. The white stucco arches, red tile roofline, and layered gardens create a naturally romantic backdrop in every direction, while the coastal position means soft, diffused light for most of the day and a rich golden hour over Malaga Cove as the sun drops toward the water.
Pros
Unobstructed, elevated ocean views over Malaga Cove and the Pacific for both ceremony and portraits
Nearly a century of wedding history, with Spanish-villa architecture that photographs beautifully in any light
Exclusive use of the entire property, including two separate getting-ready spaces, so nothing feels rushed
Getting Ready at La Venta Inn
La Venta Inn provides two distinct getting-ready spaces, and our team plans coverage around both. The Ocean Cottage, built in 1946 on the western edge of the property, looks straight out over the Pacific and includes two getting-ready stations, making it a favorite spot for quiet, natural-light portraits before the ceremony — and its location means a short, scenic walk directly to the ceremony lawn. On the other side of the property, the Hideaway Suite offers a more private, sound-insulated retreat with its own patio, a living room, and a dedicated getting-ready room, which we often use for detail shots — rings, dress, invitations — laid out on the suite's marble table.
Couple’s Session at La Venta Inn
The fountain courtyard is one of the most photogenic corners of La Venta Inn, centered on a Spanish-tile fountain framed by climbing vines and manicured hedges — a spot we return to again and again for couples' portraits. From there, the garden walkways, the historic “keyhole” lookout, and the exterior of the Ocean Cottage all offer additional backdrops, and the ceremony lawn itself, with the Pacific stretching out behind it, gives us some of the most striking wide-open portraits available anywhere in Los Angeles.
Wedding Ceremony at La Venta Inn
Most weddings at La Venta Inn take place on the ocean-view ceremony lawn, which seats up to 200 guests facing the Pacific and the Santa Monica Mountains in the distance. If weather calls for an indoor backup, ceremonies move into the venue's ballroom, which accommodates up to 90 chairs.
Wedding Reception at La Venta Inn
Receptions typically unfold in La Venta Inn's ballroom, a roughly 930-square-foot space with six doors that open wide to the ocean breeze, comfortably hosting up to 175–200 guests for dinner and dancing with panoramic coastline views. Cocktail hour is held in the fountain courtyard, where guests mingle among the gardens before moving inside.
Sample Timeline
10:00 AM — Hair and makeup begins at the Ocean Cottage
11:30 AM — Lulan Studio photo team arrives, begins detail shots at the Hideaway Suite
12:00 PM — Getting-ready photos with the wedding party
1:00 PM — First look on the ceremony lawn
1:30 PM — Wedding party portraits in the fountain courtyard
2:30 PM — Family formal portraits
3:00 PM — Guests begin arriving, seated on the ceremony lawn
3:30 PM — Ceremony begins overlooking the Pacific
4:00 PM — Cocktail hour in the fountain courtyard; Couple’s private portrait session around the gardens
5:00 PM — Guests move into the ballroom for the reception
5:15 PM — Grand entrance and welcome toasts
5:30 PM — Dinner service begins
6:15 PM — Toasts continue
6:45 PM — Golden hour portraits on the ceremony lawn
7:15 PM — First dance and parent dances
7:30 PM — Open dancing begins
8:30 PM — Cake cutting
9:30 PM — Sparkler exit or last dance
10:00 PM — Event concludes
Galleries at La Venta Inn
Planning a Wedding at La Venta Inn?
La Venta Inn is one of the Los Angeles-area venues on our radar for its oceanview Spanish-villa setting - see the galleries on this page and browse more of our work across Southern California. Below are a few common planning questions, plus how to check our availability.
How many guests can La Venta Inn accommodate?
La Venta Inn comfortably hosts up to about 175–200 guests, with the ceremony lawn seating up to 200 and the indoor ballroom serving as a rain backup.
Does La Venta Inn require an in-house caterer?
Yes. La Venta Inn works with an exclusive in-house catering partner that holds its own full liquor license, so outside catering and outside alcohol are not permitted.
Is overnight accommodation available at La Venta Inn?
No, La Venta Inn is an event-only venue without guest rooms. Couples typically book nearby South Bay hotels for guests, and the venue provides a list of local recommendations once a date is secured.
How do we check your availability?
Inquire availability or schedule a call - we respond within minutes. You can also review rates and collections.
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