Wedding Venue Highlight

Bel Air Bay Club
16801 Pacific Coast Hwy
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
310 230 4700

About The Bel Air Bay Club

Bel Air Bay Club Wedding Venue | Miki & Sonja Photography | www.mikiandsonja.com

The Bel Air Bay Club is one of Southern California's most sought after coastal wedding venues. It sits above Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The club was founded in 1920 by Alphonzo Bell, the developer behind the original Bel Air community, and what started as a private beach club on 31 acres has been in continuous use for over a century. The Mediterranean-style architecture from that era is still intact, with arched doorways, clay tile roofing, rose-lined walkways, and wood-beamed ceilings throughout the property.

Couples are drawn to the Bel Air Bay Club for its history, its privacy, and its uninterrupted ocean setting. Together those things create a wedding day that feels genuinely different from anything a newer venue can offer. There are not many coastal wedding venues in Los Angeles that combine this much history with a setting that looks directly out at the Pacific.

Ceremony and Reception Spaces

Ocean View Lawn

The Ocean View Lawn is the main ceremony space, a wide grass terrace facing directly out to the Pacific. It photographs with a clean horizon and works well in both full sun and filtered coastal light.

Courtyard Patio

The Courtyard Patio is an outdoor space typically used for cocktail hour. The surrounding architecture frames it well, and it is a natural transition space from ceremony to cocktails.

Formal Living Room

The Living Room is a formal interior space with a fireplace, wood-beamed ceiling, and tall windows. Some couples use it for an indoor ceremony or as a gathering space during cocktail hour. It is also sometimes used for a smaller reception or as an extension of the Formal Dining Room for dancing.

Formal Dining Room

The Dining Room is where dinner and dancing typically take place. It's a large room with high ceilings and a wall of windows that overlook the ocean. It can accommodate all the activities of a full wedding reception.

What's Special About This Venue

Historical Details

The club has operated continuously since 1920. You can see the history in the preserved architectural details and the landscaping. And, it shows up in photographs in a way that newer venues can't replicate.

Unobstructed Ocean Views

The Ocean View Lawn faces the Pacific with a panoramic unobstructed view. At sunset the golden light falls directly across the lawn and the sunset across the horizon is stunning. It's one of the most beautiful settings we've photographed in Southern California.

Exclusive Use of Property

The club hosts one event at a time, which means the entire property is yours for the day. The ocean air, the views, and the privacy all add up to something that feels exclusive, and your guests will notice that from the moment they arrive.

Insider Tips

The best light for romantic portraits is roughly thirty minutes before sunset to about 15 minutes after the sun is below the horizon. We love to plan a quick getaway with a couple to take a part of this window whenever possible.

For portraits, the ceremony lawn, terrace, rose walkway and indoor arched corridors all photograph well. We usually walk the property earlier in the day, before everything starts, to decide what to prioritize based on how the light is falling.

The getting-ready spaces at the Bel Air Bay Club are worth thinking about in advance. There is a large boardroom that works well for all the preparations, but we love the private rooms for getting dressed. The private rooms reflect the historic character of the club and photograph well because of the intimate space.

The Bel Air Bay Club brings together over a century of history, a setting that moves naturally from the ceremony lawn to the courtyard to the dining room, and an ocean backdrop that is present through every part of the day. For guests it is a chance to experience some of the best ocean scenery Southern California has to offer. For portraits it gives us options from the rose walkways to the arched corridors to the lawn at golden hour. And for couples who want a coastal wedding with amazing scenery and privacy, it is one of the few venues in Los Angeles that delivers all of it in one place.

Inspiration

The best way to get a feel for what your day could look like at the Bel Air Bay Club is to see real weddings we have photographed at this property. Take a look at the celebrations of Alexia & Marco, Rebecca & Jordan, Carly & Jonathan, Megan & Stephen, Esi & Jake, Katie & Andrew, Kelly & Ed, and Stephanie & Matthew to see how different couples have brought their vision to life here.

Considering a Bel Air Bay Club Wedding?

Whether you are still exploring venues or have already chosen the Bel Air Bay Club, we would love to connect. We have photographed here throughout the year and would love to share what we have seen and learned from working this property.