The Oviatt Penthouse
A landmark 1928 Art Deco penthouse atop a historic Downtown LA tower, where Lulan Studio is a long-standing preferred vendor with a steady, multi-year run of weddings on the calendar.
One of the country's most complete Art Deco interiors
Built in 1928 as the private penthouse residence of Los Angeles menswear retailer James Oviatt, this Downtown LA landmark is considered one of the most complete French Art Deco interiors in the United States. A 12-ton illuminated glass cornice and arcade ceiling, René Lalique-designed glass elevator panels, imported French furnishings, and a three-faced chiming tower clock fill six rooms of the penthouse, which opens onto a roughly 4,700-square-foot, two-level rooftop terrace with Downtown skyline views. The building is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since 2021, the venue has been operated by Olive & Grand Event Management, which books just one wedding per day and keeps the space intentionally intimate. Many real weddings here run smaller than the official 120-guest ceiling, often closer to 90, giving the rooms a full but unhurried feel.
The Oviatt Penthouse, downtown Los Angeles.
A long-standing preferred vendor
Lulan Studio is a longtime named preferred photography vendor at The Oviatt, with a steady run of weddings on the calendar across the past few years and another already booked for 2026. In March 2026, we were a featured preferred vendor at "A Night at The Oviatt," the venue's first public open house celebrating its newly completed renovation, providing photo and video coverage of the event alongside a portfolio table for prospective couples. The Olive & Grand team has asked to feature our galleries from Oviatt weddings on the venue's own social channels, describing the images as capturing "amazing and unique moments."
Our history here spans nearly every season: a winter evening ceremony where our coverage ran a half hour past schedule to make sure the last dance was fully caught, a late-spring wedding, and two separate fall weddings delivered together in the same gallery-access request. We've also covered a themed private event at the venue outside of a wedding, and a spring 2026 wedding is already on our calendar — evidence of a relationship that keeps growing rather than a one-time booking.
Good to know before you book
- A Certificate of Insurance is required on file for every vendor; Lulan Studio's is kept current as a named preferred vendor
- No on-site parking — valet is available through a preferred partner, with several self-park lots nearby
- Sound off at midnight with full load-out by 1am; no open flame anywhere on site (electronic candles only)
- Drone coverage should be confirmed directly — the venue typically requires an FAA commercial license on file before flying
Where we like to shoot
- The gilded, Lalique-glass 1928 elevator — a signature, one-of-a-kind backdrop
- The two-level rooftop terrace as golden hour turns into the DTLA skyline at night
- The original Art Deco bar and cocktail lounge for warm, moody portraits
- The elegant bedroom suite, often used as the getting-ready room
What couples and guests notice about The Oviatt Penthouse
"They truly are a dreamy space filled with historic charm that creates a one of a kind guest experience," one Zola reviewer wrote — echoing a run of five-star ratings for the venue across Yelp, WeddingWire, The Knot, and Zola.
Hand-crafted Lalique glass, imported marble, and period chandeliers mean very little added decor is needed — the room does most of the visual work.
A two-level rooftop terrace puts the Downtown LA skyline behind every golden-hour and evening portrait.
The penthouse tops out at 120 guests with no on-site parking, so this suits an intimate guest list more than a large reception.
Planning your day at The Oviatt Penthouse
Sample wedding day timelines at The Oviatt Penthouse
Most Oviatt weddings settle into one of three shapes. These are drawn from the weddings we have photographed here, and they are a starting point to adapt with your planner rather than a fixed schedule.
Six hours, all on site
- 4:00 PMCoverage begins. Details, final hair and makeup, getting into dress and suit in the penthouse suite.
- 5:00 PMPrivate first look and couple portraits on the terrace, while the light is still soft.
- 5:30 PMGuests begin arriving. Ceremony setup and decor photographed while the room is still empty.
- 6:00 PMRooftop ceremony with the downtown skyline behind you.
- 6:30 PMCocktail hour. Family and wedding party portraits happen here while the room is reset for dinner.
- 7:30 PMReception. Grand entrance, dinner, toasts, first dances.
- 9:30 PMA short set of night portraits outside the building, then coverage concludes.
Eight hours with a church ceremony first
- 1:00 PMCoverage begins at the church, or at a hotel nearby if a getting ready room is available.
- 2:00 PMCeremony. Many downtown churches ask photographers to stay in fixed positions, so we confirm the rules in advance.
- 3:15 PMFamily formals, usually outside the church, then wedding party portraits.
- 4:15 PMTravel to The Oviatt. Couple portraits on the terrace and in the deco interiors before guests arrive.
- 5:15 PMCocktail hour and guest candids.
- 6:00 PMReception begins.
- 8:15 PMBlue hour portraits on the rooftop.
- 9:00 PMOpen dancing, then coverage concludes.
Four to five hours, evening only
- 4:30 PMCoverage begins with final touches and portraits of the two of you.
- 6:00 PMGuests arrive. Ceremony details and room photographed.
- 6:30 PMCeremony.
- 7:00 PMGroup photograph of everyone, then cocktail hour and a short portrait set.
- 8:00 PMReception begins. Entrance, dinner, first dance, cake.
- 9:30 PMCoverage concludes, with the party continuing without us.
What is specific to The Oviatt
A few things about this building that shape the day, and that are worth settling early with your coordinator.
Where couples also photograph nearby
Second locations that come up again and again on Oviatt wedding days, all within a short drive or walk of the building.
- Hotel Perla, across the street
- Millennium Biltmore
- Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
- St. John Episcopal Cathedral
- Pasadena City Hall
- The deco lobby and stair
- Olive Street after dark
- The rooftop terrace at blue hour
Questions couples ask about The Oviatt
How many hours of coverage do most couples book at The Oviatt?
Six to eight hours covers a typical Oviatt day from getting ready through the first hour or two of dancing. Six hours works when the ceremony is on site and getting ready starts at the venue. Eight hours is the usual choice when the ceremony is at a church first, or when you want the full reception covered.
Should we do a first look at The Oviatt?
It helps more here than at most venues, because ceremony and dinner share one floor and the room has to be reset during cocktail hour. A first look moves your portraits into good light and leaves cocktail hour for family and wedding party photographs. For a winter date it is close to essential.
Where do couples get ready?
Some use the penthouse suite. Many split it, with one partner at a hotel nearby and the other at the venue. Hotel Perla is directly across the street and is the most common choice. If you split, plan for either a second photographer or an earlier start.
Can the ceremony be on the rooftop?
Yes, and most are. The terrace looks out over downtown, and ceremonies are often timed so the light is at its best during or just after the vows. Indoor ceremonies in the deco rooms are the usual alternative.
What time should the ceremony start?
It depends on the month more than anything else. In summer a six o'clock ceremony leaves plenty of light for portraits afterward. In winter, an earlier ceremony, or a first look before it, keeps daylight in the couple portraits. We work the start time backward from sunset on your date.
Is there a good spot for night photographs?
Yes. The building and the street outside light up well after dark, and a short set downstairs late in the evening gives a very different look from the rooftop. Some couples add a vintage car for those frames.
Does The Oviatt work for a wedding without a wedding party?
It does. A good number of weddings here have no processional and no head table, and the room reads well that way. The timeline simply gains time, because there are no wedding party portraits to fit in.
We are having a church ceremony first. Does that change the timeline?
Mainly at the start. Coverage begins at the church, family formals happen there, and portraits at The Oviatt happen in the window before guests arrive. Allow travel time across downtown, and confirm the church photography rules early, since several downtown churches restrict movement during the service.