Calamigos Ranch Wedding in Malibu, California
Are you thinking about having a Calamigos Ranch Wedding in Malibu, California? Incredible choice!
I am a wedding photographer located in Los Angeles, California. Below, I'll include everything you need to know about having a wedding at Calamigos Ranch, including the pros and cons.
If you have any questions about wedding photography, you can reach me HERE.
Calamigos Ranch Wedding Cost
A Calamigos Ranch wedding will cost somewhere around of $36,000 to $45,000 for a 100 person wedding.
Pros of a Calamigos Ranch Wedding
It's Beauty
Calamigos Ranch is nestled in the heart of Malibu Wine Country. The location can't get any better. It includes over 130 acres of gorgeous oak trees, greenery, water, flowers, and more. It makes you feel like you are somewhere else, somewhere far away from the hustle and bustle of busy LA. Overall, a Calamigos Ranch Wedding offers a "out in nature" vibe that a lot of bohemian, free-spirited couples are very drawn to.
The spaces are so beautiful that one doesn't really need much in term of extra decor.
It's Variety
Unique Calamigos Ranch Wedding Ceremony Spaces
Calamigos Ranch has 4 different wedding locations to choose from, all tailored towards different desires and guest counts. Here's the breakdown of the different wedding site options.
- Redwood Room
To get to this space, guests have to cross a charming bride. The ceremony would be in front of a gorgeous waterfall and the reception would be indoors alongside a gorgeous stone fireplace. The reception site also has AMAZING glass windows that take up an entire wall. These windows display water falling down through them. It's a really elegant display that is especially gorgeous at night time.
2. Birchwood Room
This site feature a ceremony in front of a waterfall. The reception is indoor/outdoors on a multi-level deck. There are also crystal chandeliers hanging from a gigantic 100+ year old oak tree in the middle of the reception site.
This is their most intimate space with a capacity of 140 guests.
3. Oak Room
*This is my personal favorite wedding space in Calamigos Ranch.
One would exchange vows in front of a stone waterfall and greenery. The reception is held inside the prettiest of dining rooms that is made of incredible glass walls and wood details. It also includes high ceilings and exposed beams, along with draping twinkling lights and rustic chandeliers.
You can see views of the mountains through these gorgeous windows. This is an absolute dream space.
4. Pavillion
This is the largest of the spaces and can accommodate up to 500 guests. You would say your vows underneath a giant century-old oak tree that has dangling twinkling lights and chandeliers. It's all incredibly romantic and atmospheric. The cocktail hour would take place on a huge lawn featuring a whimsical, gigantic ferris wheel your guests can go on. Then, the reception would be in a huge room covered in gorgeous drapery and twinkling lights that flow seamlessly along the ceiling.
The Venue Includes A lot in the Price
This may change over time, but last I checked (2019), Calamigos Ranch includes appetizers, food, a bar, tables, chairs, utensils, linens, staff & servers, security, the ceremony space, cocktail hour space, and reception space in their pricing.
This offers convenience and saves time. Some venues tempt couples with a really low rental fee, but the issue is that they end up including nothing, other than a blank space. This creates A LOT more stress and work for the couples, and more often than not, it ends up costing the same because all the expenses of having to rent every little thing adds up.
100 plate, 100 chairs, 100 forks, 15 tables, 15 linens, server, staff to set everything up, etc. This all adds up.
You can Stay the Night There
The venue has a couple of intimate accommodations that one can rent for his/her wedding day. I find this to be incredibly convenient!
Cons of a Calamigos Ranch Wedding
There will be multiple weddings on your wedding day
More often than not, especially if you have a popular wedding date, there will be other events or weddings on the property the same day as yours.
Basically, all of the different venue spaces are on the same property. While each event is private and wandering around is discouraged among guests, it's still a little irritating to have multiple weddings happening on the same ground.
It could be confusing for guests and it also means that your photo locations are limited to what's available in your specific rented space.
For example, if you really love the idea of taking photos with the ferris wheel, but your venue space is the Oak Room and not the Pavillion, which is where the ferris wheel is located, you and your spouse will not be able to take photos in front of the ferris wheel if there is another event/wedding occurring there that day.
This of course is understandable as that couple is using that space, but it's just something to keep in mind. Many couples may see the entire grounds and think that they will be able to access it all on their wedding day, but that isn't the case.
Lack of Customization
The plus side with having a wedding at a all inclusive venue is that they take care of a lot of those details for you (tables, chairs, linens, food, etc.). However, if you're a couple who has a very specific vision in mind, it may be difficult to have it come into fruition at this venue, since what you see is pretty much what you get. It definitely simplifies thing and makes planning easier, but it comes with the price of not being able to personalize things as much.
For example, Calamigos Ranch asks you to choose their on-site caterer. So if you had a very specific caterer in mind, that may not be possible. However, I will say their caterer is amazing and plans menus that includes farm-fresh ingredients grown on the property and other locally sourced foods.
I personally would take convenience and saved time any day over extra customization, but of course, this isn't the case with every person. I would definitely sit down with your partner and see what you both value most.
If you have a very particular vision in mind, this may not be the venue for you. But if you're willing to forgo a few specific details to have a wedding in an absolutely gorgeous space, a Calamigos Ranch wedding will most likely be a great option!
Couple’s Session at Calamigos Ranch
A perk of having a Calamigos Ranch Wedding in Malibu, California is that you can use any of the venue spaces on the property for an engagement session. You're pretty much free to roam around the property and take photos in the different areas.
While this may not be possible on your actual wedding day if the other spaces are being used, it's definitely possible for an engagement session!
There are honestly SO MANY incredible areas for photos at Calamigos Ranch. My personal favorites are huge oak trees with hanging chandeliers, the ferris wheel, and the whimsical merry-go-round.
If you have any question about wedding photography, you can reach me HERE.
You can learn more about Calamigos Ranch on their website, HERE.
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