Marrying in Los Angeles
Los Angeles operates as a wedding destination at a scale that most cities cannot match. The geography spans from Bel Air's canyon gardens to Malibu's cliff-edge vineyards to Palos Verdes' oceanfront bluffs, across a metropolitan area 50 miles wide. The unifying element is California light: golden, directional, and present for an average of 284 days per year.
Hotel Bel-Air is the reference point. Tucked into a Stone Canyon Road canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains, the 103-room property has Swan Lake, bougainvillea-draped gardens, and a level of discretion that has made it the default choice for entertainment industry weddings that require privacy. Wolfgang Puck's restaurant on-site completes the picture. This is the most complete luxury wedding hotel in Southern California.
Malibu provides the outdoor coastal dimension. Nobu Malibu sits on a platform above the Pacific Coast Highway with views toward Point Dume; Cielo Farms offers a working vineyard in the Malibu canyon wine country; Saddlerock Ranch adds scale with its vineyard, oak trees, and famously, free-roaming zebras on the property.
Important note: The January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires caused devastating losses across Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and adjacent communities. Some Malibu-area venues and access routes were affected. As of 2026, rebuilding is ongoing. Couples should confirm the current operational status of any Malibu or Pacific Palisades venue directly before finalising a booking.
The seasons
- Best
- Shoulder
- Quieter
5 Star view Our reading of the wedding year, from the months below.
- Best months
- May to October
- Shoulder season
- April to May and October
- Peak season
- June to September
LA is year-round but outdoor weddings are most reliable May to October. June Gloom (thick morning marine layer) can persist through 11am in May and June along the coast; inland venues are clearer. Wildfire risk runs August to November; confirm venue fire safety plans for any autumn booking.
Daylight and sunset
The bar runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of each month. A ceremony is usually timed an hour or two before the sunset shown.
Calculated From the coordinates of Los Angeles, local time, for 2027.
Ramadan and Eid
For couples and guests who observe them, the dates to plan a wedding around.
| Year | Ramadan | Eid al-Fitr | Eid al-Adha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 8 Feb to 8 Mar | 9 Mar | 16 May |
| 2028 | 28 Jan to 25 Feb | 26 Feb | 5 May |
Calculated From the Umm al-Qura calendar. The observed dates follow the sighting of the moon and can fall a day either side.
The areas of Los Angeles
Bel Air and Beverly Hills
Hotel Bel-Air, Greystone Mansion, the residential estates of the hills, the most prestigious and private LA wedding zone.
Malibu
Nobu Malibu, Cielo Farms, Saddlerock Ranch, Calamigos Ranch, coastal and canyon formats, fire recovery ongoing in some sub-areas.
Downtown Los Angeles
Vibiana cathedral, The Ebell of Los Angeles adjacent, industrial loft and historic building stock, evening energy, younger demographic.
Palos Verdes and South Bay
Terranea Resort on the cliff above Rancho Palos Verdes, the most complete resort wedding property in Southern California for larger events.
What venues are like
Oceanfront Clifftop
Terranea Resort on the Palos Verdes bluff, Nobu Malibu above the PCH, Pacific backdrop, the most cinematic outdoor format in the LA market.
Airports and transfers
- New York John F. Kennedy (JFK)
- Newark Liberty (EWR)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Los Angeles (LAX) Direct BA and Virgin Atlantic service from London Heathrow, plus extensive connecting service from all US hubs.
- Orange County John Wayne (SNA)
- San Diego (SAN)
- Santa Barbara (SBA)
- Palm Springs (PSP)
- Boston Logan (BOS)
- Miami (MIA)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the primary gateway, 20 to 45 minutes from most venues depending on traffic (rush hour adds significantly). Burbank (BUR) serves the San Fernando Valley and is faster for Malibu canyon access. Long Beach Airport (LGB) serves Palos Verdes and Terranea. Traffic in LA is the dominant logistics variable; build generous transfer times into all schedules.
Marrying legally in the United States
Applies to: Marriage law is set by each state
The United States has no single national marriage law. A couple obtains a marriage licence in the state where they will marry, through that state's vital records office or its county offices, and the licence expires between 30 days and a year after issue, depending on the state. Age, waiting periods, identification, witnesses and who may officiate differ by state, so the couple should check the state they choose.
- 1Before travelling
Check the state's rules
Contact the vital records office in the state where you will marry for its requirements, including the identification it accepts from non-residents and any waiting period.
- 2Shortly before the wedding
Obtain the licence
Apply for the marriage licence in the state of the ceremony. A licence expires within 30 days to a year depending on the state, so time it close to the date; if it lapses before the wedding, a new one is needed.
- 3The day
The ceremony
The wedding takes place in that state, and the licence is completed and returned for the certificate to be issued, as the state directs.
- Governing law
- each state
- Licence
- from the state of the ceremony
- Licence validity
- 30 days to a year, by state
- Travelling couple
- ESTA or visa needed to enter
Already married at home?5 Star view
Because the licence and law belong to the state, many couples marry legally at home or at a courthouse and hold the celebration here with a ceremony of their own choosing. A ceremony with no legal effect needs none of the steps above: the venue and the planner arrange it.
Who needs a visa
Travelling from the United States
American citizens travelling within their own country need no visa, ESTA or entry formalities: the usual identification for domestic travel applies, and the couple apply for a licence in the state where they will marry.
Travelling from the United Kingdom
British citizens need an ESTA or a visa to enter or transit the United States. ESTA is for travellers under the Visa Waiver Program, which allows stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business, and needs an e-passport; the passport must be valid for the length of the stay. You may not be eligible if you have been arrested, have a criminal record, have been refused entry or deported, have overstayed before, or were in certain countries (including Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen since March 2011, or Cuba since 12 January 2021); in that case apply for a visa. An ESTA does not guarantee entry.
Other nationalities
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries travel with an approved ESTA and an e-passport, for up to 90 days. All other nationalities need a US visa applied for through the US embassy or consulate in their country.
The state decides who may marry and how. The marriage law of the state of the ceremony applies, and the couple should confirm it with that state's vital records office.
Reference USA.gov: marriage licence guidance (usa.gov/marriage-certificate). U.S. Customs and Border Protection: ESTA and Visa Waiver Program pages. U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Visa Waiver Program requirements. gov.uk: USA entry requirements. All read 2026-10-21. Checked 21 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the authority that will marry you before you book.
Accommodation
LA has the widest luxury hotel market in the country outside New York. The geography of the city means most guests need a base near the venue.
At the table
LA has one of the most dynamic restaurant cultures in the world and a catering industry that services the entertainment sector at extraordinary scale.
Nobu Malibu
The most requested celebrity venue in Malibu, oceanfront, private room available for groups, the definitive LA pre-wedding dinner.
Spago Beverly Hills
Wolfgang Puck's flagship, private dining for groups of 20 to 80, the LA institution for formal entertainment industry dining.
Jon and Vinny's
The most reservations-competitive restaurant in LA for the past five years, Italian-American, private event space available by arrangement.
Providence
The best seafood restaurant in Los Angeles, two Michelin stars, private dining for serious food-focused rehearsal dinners.
What planners tell couples
January 2025 Wildfire Impact
The Palisades and Eaton fires of January 2025 caused significant destruction across Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and adjacent areas. Some venues and access roads in these zones were affected. Before finalising any Malibu, Pacific Palisades, or north LA venue booking, confirm current operational status directly with the property.
Traffic as a Variable
LA traffic is not predictable in the way other cities are. Friday afternoon traffic on the 405 and PCH can turn a 20-minute transfer into a 90-minute ordeal. Always work with a local planner who builds traffic buffers into every schedule. Venue transfers on wedding day should use private car with a dedicated driver familiar with alternate routes.
June Gloom
The marine layer along the LA coast (and especially in Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu) can be thick through midday in May and June. Inland venues in Bel Air, Pasadena, and the Malibu canyon areas are clearer. If you want a guaranteed outdoor blue-sky ceremony, July to October is safer.
Entertainment Industry Vendors
LA has the deepest pool of event production talent in the United States, built by decades of film and television production. Floral, lighting, catering, and entertainment vendors here operate at a scale and quality level that matches any city in the world. The tradeoff is that the best vendors are booked 12 to 18 months out for peak dates.
