Your Wedding in the Heart of Romantic Los Angeles: The Rolling Hills between Downtown LA and Pasadena

NorthEast LA (aka NELA) is dotted with secret gems that offer fabulous locations for heartful weddings.  Neighborhoods are diverse: hillside communities fold into the rolling hills between downtown LA and Pasadena. Framed by the  Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco.

Elysian Park, Mount Washington, historic Highland Park, Eagle Rock and South Pasadena are among the earliest settled communities of LA. There are gorgeous historical museums and cultural centers, parks as well as modern eco restorations for smaller indie weddings.

Not only rich with atmosphere – most of these venues are sustainable in the truest sense – preserving history and open spaces for everyone.  This is the community Scott and I live and work in, as well as devote time to protect, and I was surprised that I couldn’t find a comprehensive guide for wedding venues in NELA. These locations are sustainable, exquisite and perfect for eco conscious weddings.

Local LA wedding photographers have captured some really splendid weddings and NELA weddings have been featured on some of the top wedding blogs:  Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake and Style Me Pretty. Some of the websites for the venues don’t inspire and if you search for NELA locations in the wedding directories you get served ads for Malibu! Which is why we’ll be featuring photographers and blogs – inspiration anyone??

First up is 10 minutes from downtown LA, and where the LA River and the Arroyo Seco Watershed meet.

Los Angeles River Center and Gardens

LA River Center – run by Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Isn’t it great to know your rental dollars will go to support such a great cause – restoring the LA River to its early habitat and connection Angelenos with biking and hiking paths? And hey! The LA River Center is an oasis of lush gorgeousness and mission style grandeur.  The River Center is a popular – so advance booking recommended. Lukas and Suzy VanDyke, downtown LA wedding photographers, took these spectacular pictures:

 

There is an outdoor patio as well and large indoor venue. Plenty of room for tables around the gorgeous and ancient Live Oak:

The Dance Floor:

The entire center is walled in and landscaped with native drought tolerant plants. There are trails and bike paths that connect to the Center – so guests can wander the gardens between ceremony and reception. This is the grand entrance to the Center – magnificent!!!

LA Wedding Photographer Kim Fox took these gorgeous color saturated photos of  glamourous LA Mexican Wedding:

You would think the scale of the architecture would overwhelm a wedding but each wedding seems so warm and intimate:

Glorious LA sky visible through giant Live Oaks:

OC photographer Henry Chen captured the contemporary colorful wedding of Melissa + Bernie a few years ago here:

All the opportunities for romantic and intimate photos:

There are arched walkways for dramatic entrances:

Bella Pictures is a sort of employment service for wedding photographers and there is a montage of wedding images from different weddings held at the LA River Center and Gardens here.

Elysian : Contemporary Sustainable Venue and Catering

Next we are heading over to nearby Frogtown – an arty  industrial area of LA bordered by the LA River, the 5 and 2 freeways. Elysian Park adjacent. The area is a warehouse haven for local artists and artisans. Great spot for the indie wedding adventurous. (We tried to find a letterpress printing space in Frogtown 10 years ago but no luck.)

Elysian – is a modern venue that can host a seated wedding for 100 people or ‘freeflowing’ wedding to 150 people. Who like to stand.chat.nosh. Really comfortable space owned by an artist/chefing couple whose food sensibilities I totally agree with. Food and gatherings are heightened experiences and weddings are, well, transcendent. The whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Really.  Owned and run by David Thorne.  I am not sure if he is an artist first or chef, but it looks like he has married the 2 his entire life. Some photos taken from ElysianLA website:

It seems to me that this space is perfect for a smaller wedding – say up to 75 people. It seems not so very upstairs/downstairs and the staff and guests would probably mingle comfortably.  The faire should be quite evocative – so great place for the foodies. The chef seems quite keen on sustainable meats and equally respectful of the vegan palate.

Tablescape from Elysian LA website:

Really comfortable and intimate:

Food and Love: What we’re here for. Which is why this plated lovely is the same value as the 1500 sq ft above:

 

Elysian Park Los Angeles

Three venues with divergent styles to choose from: LA Boho wedding in the Park to the formal style of the LA Police Academy:

Tracking back to the hills the hold Dodger Stadium – that big green patch is all Elysian Park. The blue patch is Dodger Stadium. All that lovely green is home to 3 diverse wedding venues. Surrounded by the deepest LA hipness of Silverlake, Echo Park, Chinatown, Frogtown and the Brewery Arts Complex. (Scott and I live in that lovely patch called Montecito Heights – home to Heritage Museum and Audubon Center of Debs Park, which we’ll get to later in this huge post!)

Montecillo De Leo Politi : Previously The Old Lodge

 

 Boho or Picnic style wedding first…

From all accounts, this area is not open to the public and for booked events only. Informative Yelp review has some great tips and basic info.

This is Lizz Wasserman’s (of popomomo sustainable fashion design) wedding at De Leo Politi:

 

From beginning to end, a green wedding – vintage  tablecloths and edible decor:

 

Sustainably Catered by Good Girl Dinette   - the food was also kosher and Vietnamese in approach and process. Good Girl Dinette is a NELA fav – for vegans, vegetarians and moral meat eaters.

Some more photos from Jen G on Yelp – think these  are her photos:

 

Grace E Simmons Lodge

 

Also run by LA City Parks Dept - This is another great value reception location. The look and feel is more traditional wedding but some modern creativity comes in handy. There is a small brook and Japanese Gardens with a lovely bridge. I found some images from LA Wedding Vendor  Closer to Your Dreams. There is a full kitchen onsite – another super value. Very sparkly and happy wedding was featured on Martha Stewart Weddings  - Justina and Jason’s wedding in 2012: They used gorgeous sun yellows and rich grays:

 

You can see photos from LA City Parks here.

 LA Police Academy 

There are some spectacular water features at the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club. Really! (OK – Hipster Wedding Contest begs for a chance here!). Gorgeous waterfall, cut stone paths, spectacular view of downtown LA.  And amazing prices! The garden is on the Historic Register List, so there is a lovely history to the place.  The Gardens were designed and built by Francois Scotti in 1937. (WPA project?)

You can get the full run down at the website just for weddings; LA Waterfall Weddings. Again, a nonprofit so your money goes to support the police academy and the environs.  WeddingWire listing here.

Some local wedding photographers captured a bit of the majestic rock gardens:

Some views of the space as it is:

Get ready for Part II – and we want to give more info on each location in later posts.

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