When you do a quick search for LA wedding venues, you’ll get a lot of ballrooms, beige barns, and obviously plain-jane beach options, but my couples are looking for something quirky, cool, out-of-the-box and laid back. So, instead of a list of vanilla venues that you can find on any old wedding directory, I’ve put together a comprehensive guide of my favorite LA wedding venues, as a non-tradtional wedding photographer that seeks couples (and spaces) that have texture, color, and a vintage edge.
Greystone Mansion
Greystone Mansion is one of the most iconic LA wedding venues, but I do think it’s overlooked a bit for how approachable the venue actually is. Since it’s owned by the city, the effective cost of renting the venue is relatively low for how grand of an event space it truly is!
We spent about an hour renting the area to take photos around the grounds, and didn’t even make it to the other side of the venue. It’s vast and unique, and truly is a highlight for options in the LA area.
Logistics
- Capacity: ~150+ guests
- Estimated cost: ~$8,000+ (city permit–based), but all rentals are required to be brought in, as well as a park ranger rental on site (they have a great budget calculator in their brochure however)
SmogShoppe
SmogShoppe is just one of the Marvimon unique LA wedding venue spaces, and is a sustainable option with amazing indoor-outdoor space, full of plants (obvi, my favorite). It just gives such an effortlessly cool vibe, has tons of seating space and unique art inside, and I love the ability to open the doors for multiple spaces for guests.
Why nontraditional couples love it
- No ballroom energy whatsoever
- Guests naturally break into pockets instead of staring at you
- Feels like a hidden gem inside the city (aka no concrete jungle here)
Logistics
- Capacity: ~150 guests
- Estimated cost: ~$12,000–$18,000 venue rental
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both (ceremony + reception flow easily)
- Noise curfew: Earlier evening cutoffs (great for day weddings)
The Grand Lobby
The Grand Lobby is insaneeeeeee, I’m not sure how else to put it. It’s this old-world hollywood feeling in a maximalist setting, full of ornate architecture that needs no additional decorations, a venue like this allows you to just be without having to overthink it.
Why nontraditional couples love it
- No décor required — the architecture is the design
- Feels serious, intentional, grounded, and so damn romantic without having to touch a thing
- No “wedding venue” vibes whatsoever
- Guests instinctively quiet down when they enter
This is a great space for introverted, intentional couples who want their ceremony to feel weighty, emotional, and intimate, without the overwhelming requirement of a spectacle of decorations.
Logistics
- Capacity: ~200 guests
- Estimated cost: ~$4,000–$7,000 (permit-based)
The Fig House
The Fig House is a little more conventional in that it’s very much an established wedding venue, but because of this, it comes with a lot of ease. Well rounded venues that do this often can make things very seamless for you because they have a process and they do it every weekend. Don’t be afraid to push back to do things differently, however, because you can make the space your own and I encourage you to do that. I like this one because it’s very much a blank slate to do just that, while also having a lot of character on it’s own to work with.
Why nontraditional couples love it
- Color replaces décor overload
- Courtyard ceremonies feel cozy and human
- Open air vibe for ceremony and reception feels very intimate
Logistics
- Capacity: ~130 guests
- Estimated cost: ~$8,000–$12,000
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Flow: Ceremony → courtyard → dinner seamlessly
Wayfarers Chapel
Wayfarers Chapel is at a stand-still right now, but it deserved to make this list, and so I’m going to continue to highlight it while it’s under construction. It basically fell apart, but they salvaged the structure and are moving it into a new location starting 2027.
Designed by Lloyd Wright, it’s all glass, redwood, and ocean air, and brings nature in. While I normally wouldn’t highlight a chapel, it’s very much a piece of art rather than a religious structure, and I think it highlights the landscape much more than anything else.
Why nontraditional couples love it
- No need for décor, styling, or visual noise
- Feels spiritual without being traditional or religious
Important availability note
Wayfarers Chapel has experienced periodic closures due to land movement in the area, and availability can change. Couples should always check current status and timelines directly before planning around it. When it is available, it’s going to be even more gorgeous with the updates they’re bringing!
Logistics
- Capacity: ~100 guests
- Estimated cost: ~$4,000–$6,000
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor glass chapel + surrounding grounds
- Event type: Ceremony-only
Additional LA Wedding Venues with kitsch
The Huron Substation
The Belasco
Red Bird
Valentine
Kim Sing Theatre
Wedding Photography Packages for Creative, Introverted Couples
If you landed here and are down the rabbit hole of trying to find a unique LA wedding venue that doesn’t suck the life out of you, you’re probably not looking for a wedding photographer who hands you a shot list and tells you where to stand, either. I photograph weddings for people who want to opt out, and want the space and support to be themselves, and actually experience their wedding day instead of posing through it.
Hey, I’m Steph, and I’m the girl with all the vintage cameras that really wants to photograph your weird, kitschy wedding. If this sounds like you, come say heeeey!
