Padua Hills Theatre
A 1930s Spanish Colonial theatre built into the Claremont foothills, where a wrought-iron courtyard gazebo and olive-grove gardens frame a sunset view of the San Gabriel Mountains.
A 1931 dinner theatre built into the Claremont foothills
Built in 1931 on roughly six acres at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, Padua Hills Theatre operated as a dinner theatre from 1931 to 1974, home to the Mexican Players, a nonprofit cultural program of Mexican folk music, dance, and theater. Today the City of Claremont owns and manages the property, hosting exactly one wedding a day so couples get exclusive use of the grounds.
The Plaza Courtyard’s wrought-iron gazebo and ring of olive trees is the signature ceremony spot, seating up to 350. The Sunset View Terrace looks straight out over the foothills for golden-hour portraits, and the Theatre Ballroom’s red-tile roofline and brick-and-flagstone details carry the same Spanish Colonial character indoors.
Working with Padua Hills’ own event team
We’ve photographed multiple weddings here and worked directly with Isabela, the venue’s day-of point of contact, who stays on-site through cocktail hour before handing off to the reception team. Catering runs in-house only and only one wedding is booked per day, so our shot list moves at the venue’s own unhurried pace rather than working around another event.
Good to know before you book
- Catering is in-house only — no outside caterers permitted
- Only one wedding is booked per day, for exclusive use of the grounds
- Amplified music is limited indoors, with DJ/band insurance required
- No rice, confetti, or open flames
Where we like to shoot
- The Plaza Courtyard’s wrought-iron gazebo and olive trees
- The Sunset View Terrace, facing the San Gabriel Mountains
- Portraits along the theatre’s red-tile roofline and brick walkways
- The Theatre Ballroom’s Spanish Colonial architecture indoors
What couples and guests notice about Padua Hills Theatre
Reviewers repeatedly compare the grounds to a movie set — the courtyard and mountain backdrop need almost no added decor.
The in-house catering is one of the most consistently praised parts of the day, with couples calling out portion size and quality specifically.
Catering and several vendor categories are fixed in-house, which limits flexibility for couples who want to bring in outside vendors.