Where to Have a Micro Wedding in LA: The Best Picturesque Small Wedding Venues Near Los Angeles

Are you wondering where to have a micro wedding in or around Los Angeles? Southern California is an ideal location for a small but spectacular celebration. Whether you’re looking for intimate wedding venues in Los Angeles or unique options near the city, you’ll find my best tips and favorite venues throughout this blog. Keep reading to learn more about how to make a micro wedding special with small wedding venues in Los Angeles.

Where to Have a Micro Wedding

Oh, the beauty of a micro wedding! One of the best parts is the freedom to choose from a variety of unique and non-traditional venues. Since you're only catering to a small guest count, the city is your oyster.

How about saying "I do" in an art gallery surrounded by enchanting masterpieces? It would certainly make for a memorable backdrop!

Or, perhaps a historic site like a mansion or castle could be more your style, offering a sense of grandeur and charm that's hard to replicate elsewhere.

Then there are those hidden gems in the city–rooftop lounges! These offer panoramic views of the cityscape, making for a stunning backdrop as you say, “I do.”

If you're more of an outdoorsy couple, consider a garden venue. Los Angeles has some beautiful outdoor spaces that can be turned into your personal secret garden for the day.

And let's not forget about the city's trendy lofts and unique flex spaces. These venues provide a blank canvas for you to decorate as you wish, adding a personal touch to the event.

When thinking about where to have a micro wedding, remember that a smaller-scale celebration doesn't mean less special. In fact, it opens up a world of unique possibilities that might not be feasible with a larger guest list. Ready to start venue hunting?

Top Small Wedding Venues in Los Angeles and the Surrounding Areas

If you’ve decided the benefits of a micro wedding outweigh the drawbacks, now it’s time to decide where the small celebration will take place. As a micro wedding photographer based in LA, I’ve had the privilege of capturing photos at some of the area’s best locations. I also know a few secret spots that are ideal for a small wedding or even an elopement. Here are some of my favorites!

1. Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall is one of the best small wedding venues in Los Angeles County. This historic landmark is known for its stunning architecture and offers a breathtaking backdrop for intimate nuptials. The building is an exquisite example of the City Beautiful movement from the 1920s and features a Mediterranean Revival–Spanish Colonial Revival style that adds a touch of elegance and grandeur to any event held here. There is also a courtyard that serves as a perfect location for a small outdoor ceremony. Its proximity to Los Angeles makes it easily accessible for guests residing in or around the city, and it’s a venue that won’t break the bank. 

Here are some photos from a recent micro wedding at Pasadena City Hall that highlight it as one of the best intimate wedding venues near Los Angeles:

2. Wayfarers Chapel

Wayfarers Chapel, also known as "The Glass Church," is a unique and stunning venue located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, near Los Angeles. This chapel is an excellent choice for a micro wedding due to its intimate setting and breathtaking architecture.

The structure is intended to be a natural sanctuary nestled within a grove of redwoods on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The beauty of the chapel and its surrounding grounds provide an inspiring setting for important life celebrations like weddings. The harmony of sky and water, leaf and rock, all combine to create a nourishing and serene environment for your special day.

If you’re looking for a more traditional yet small venue in Los Angeles, Wayfarers Chapel gives off romantic, elegant, and charming vibes.

3. Vacation Rentals (Take Your Pick!)

Between Airbnb, VRBO, and Vacasa, there are countless options for having your micro wedding in the city. Vacation rentals provide a unique and personalized setting for an intimate ceremony. For example, unlike traditional venues, Airbnb houses are designed to feel like a home, adding a level of comfort and familiarity to your special day.

They also offer flexibility. You can choose a house that suits your wedding theme, whether that's a beachfront property in Malibu or a modern mansion in the heart of LA. Plus, you have the freedom to decorate the venue to your liking and set your own timeline for the event without the restrictions often imposed by traditional wedding venues.

Affordability is also a great reason to choose a vacation rental as your small wedding venue in Los Angeles. Renting a house for a few days can often cost less than booking a wedding venue for a single day. Plus, you can save on accommodation costs if the house is large enough to host your guests overnight.
Lastly, hosting your wedding at an Airbnb allows for a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere. With fewer guests, you can spend quality time with each of them, making your special day even more memorable.

P.S. Does your home (or your friend’s or parent’s) have a beautiful and spacious yard? Consider a backyard wedding at your home vs. renting a home!

4. Marvimon Productions Venues

Marvimon Productions is an amazing company that creates stunning and sustainable intimate wedding venues in Los Angeles where you can host your micro wedding. They turn neglected, overlooked properties into creative venues, each with its own distinct character and style, ideal for hosting events like weddings. You can choose from their 6 venues for your micro wedding, depending on the vibe you’re going for:

1. Valentine: This venue was an old marijuana factory. Now, it’s a grand event venue featuring a 9,000-square-foot site plan. The venue's aesthetic is defined by its lush gardens, sunlit rooms, and rustic surfaces, adorned with site-specific artworks by local artists. 

2. Grass Room: This venue was also an old marijuana factory. Now, the venue is marked by its distinctive blue façade and dramatic greenhouse roof line, offering a versatile and scalable experience that can accommodate intimate gatherings. A major highlight of the Grass Room is its commitment to sustainability, with repurposed materials from its reconstruction, energy-efficient systems, and horticultural greenhouse roofs that utilize California's natural light and breezes.

3. Flora Chang: This intimate gathering space was owned by Flora. Now, it’s a standout choice for a small wedding venue in Los Angeles. It can comfortably accommodate up to 32 guests, plus staff, making it perfect for more exclusive celebrations.

4. Millwick: This venue is a unique stand-alone super-loft in the heart of Los Angeles' Arts District. Originally a livery and cold-storage warehouse, it has been reinvented with a 7,000-square-foot floor plan that combines both indoor and outdoor areas with vast gardens.

5. SmogShoppe: You guessed it: this venue is a transformed 1980s smog-check center, now functioning as a 100% solar-powered, 6,500-square-foot indoor/outdoor event space located in the heart of the Culver City art/design district. The venue boasts a diverse range of spaces, including a peaceful courtyard surrounded by over 2,000 sq ft of greenery, a Grand Hall with 15 ft ceilings and oversized glass rollup doors, and a 20 ft digital cinema screen equipped for live performances and film screenings or your unique micro wedding!

6. Desert Island: Desert Island Country Club, first established in 1971 and recently re-imagined, is a unique golf club located in Rancho Mirage, California that offers more than just a championship golf course surrounded by a lake and mountain backdrop. The club caters to both members and non-members, providing facilities such as The Penney restaurant with its seasonal Californian menu, Parlour cocktail lounge with DJs and live entertainment, and a variety of event spaces including a late-century ballroom and a contemporary art space called Northern Gallery–all of which can be transformed into your micro wedding venue dream come true!

5. The Beach (Any of Them!)

When searching for small wedding venues in Los Angeles, don’t overlook the natural beauty the Pacific Ocean has to offer as a backdrop for your special day. Some of the best beaches for a micro wedding are:

1. El Matador Beach, Malibu: Its dramatic cliffs and rock formations create a stunning backdrop for a romantic ceremony.

2. Rosie’s Dog Beach, Long Beach: For pet lovers, this dog-friendly beach could add a unique twist to your special day.

3. Abalone Cove Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes: This beach offers scenic tide pools and cliffside views, adding a touch of nature to your wedding.

4. Santa Monica Beach, Santa Monica: The endless stretch of sand at this popular beach provides ample space for a beautiful beach wedding. 

5. Zuma Beach, Malibu: With its pristine sand and clear blue water, it's an idyllic setting for an intimate beach wedding.

6. Venice Beach, Venice: Known for its vibrant atmosphere, this beach brings a fun and eclectic vibe to any wedding.

7. Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach: The beach's iconic pier could serve as a charming backdrop for your wedding photos.

8. Leo Carrillo State Park, Malibu: Known for its natural beauty, this park provides a serene environment for a wedding.

9. Hermosa Beach, Hermosa Beach: Offering spectacular sunsets, this beach is ideal for a romantic evening wedding.

10. Paradise Cove Beach, Malibu: Its palm trees and charming cabanas offer a tropical vibe, perfect for a destination-style wedding right in LA.

6. The Angeles National Forest

The Angeles National Forest is a true treasure near Los Angeles, offering an enchanting backdrop for a micro wedding. This forest is not just a collection of trees but a vibrant ecosystem. The lower elevations are covered with dense chaparral shrub forests and oak woodlands, transitioning to pine and fir-covered slopes as you move higher. This varied topography can provide a range of gorgeous settings for your wedding ceremony.

With 557 miles of hiking and equestrian trails, including 73 miles of National Recreation Trails and 176 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, this place offers numerous picturesque spots for an intimate wedding ceremony and stunning photo opportunities. The Angeles National Forest's 655,387 acres include almost the entire San Gabriel Mountain range, with peaks over 10,000 feet. Imagine exchanging vows with such a majestic backdrop!

Capture the Beauty at Your Micro Wedding Venue with Professional Photography

Once you choose the perfect intimate venue in Los Angeles for your micro wedding, it’s time to hire a wedding photographer to capture the beauty of your special day. As a micro wedding photographer in Los Angeles, I understand the unique intricacies that come with smaller, more intimate ceremonies. With years of experience capturing the raw emotions and candid moments, I aim to tell your love story in the most authentic way possible. 

Whether it's in the heart of a bustling city, on a serene beach, or amidst a tranquil forest, each location presents its own charm. I strive to harness the essence of these spaces, blending them seamlessly with your personal journey. Your wedding day is about you, your partner, and the love you share. My goal is to capture this in a way that will make your memories last forever. So, let's create something beautiful together! Contact me today for more details about my micro wedding photography services.