Southern California Weddings
Make it a Destination!
By Joan Burns, Event Planner Extraordinaire

Planning a Southern California wedding can be easier than you may think.  Southern California offers magical and natural backdrops for a wedding on any budget. All you need to do is to bring your vision and with some helpful coordination, you will have the wedding you have always dreamed of.

Southern California offers almost a year long opportunity for outdoor ceremonies and receptions because of the temperate climate. Your guests will be able to get to the wedding because the area is served by major airports, train and in some cases only a short drive away. And while the beaches of the Pacific Ocean are usually thought of first, Southern California has so much many other wedding locations to think about.

• Yes, the beach.  The best way to incorporate the beach is to find a vacation rental property that may even have a beachfront.  However, most beaches in Southern California are public and it takes a little planning and perhaps permitting to have your ceremony on the sand.

• Southern California has many wineries.  If your dream was to get married among the vineyards of Napa Valley, Southern California has many beautiful wineries with excellent venues and great food.  The weather is not an issue and they are easy to get to.  Some even offer overnight accommodations.

• There are many public and private parks and gardens where you can have your ceremony and reception with a very natural background.  I find that very little is needed for décor with the beauty of a garden or the foliage in a park.

• If you like the idea of honoring the past, Southern California has many historical sites such as the Spanish Missions, which were so important to the discovery of the west, and museums that have been created for past celebrations, such as Balboa Park in Sand Diego where the Panama-California Exposition was held in 1915 when the Panama Canal was opened.

• If you have a little cowgirl in you, Southern California has many ranches and farms that will allow you to have an old-fashioned Western wedding.  Most have beautiful views and well groomed areas for the ceremony and the reception.  You can even have horse and carriage rides for your guests or perhaps for the Grand Entrance. Private ranches also have the convenience of being able to offer menus from simple to elegant.  If horses are special to you, a Southern California Ranch can bring all of this to your special day.

• Are you fun-loving or like excitement? Consider all of the great Theme Parks in Southern California.  Believe it or not, you can arrange your wedding at places like the SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo or even Disneyland.  Most Theme Parks have special packages and areas where you can have your ceremony and reception.  I find that if a certain theme park or attraction has played an important role in the couple’s life, getting married there adds so much to the ceremony.

For budgets big and small, from the mountains to the sea, whether in a hot air balloon or on a boat in the ocean, Southern California is the perfect destination for your wedding.

Joan Burns on Big Blend Radio
Discussing Southern California as a wedding destination and wedding planning in general, Joan Burns 'Event Planner Extraordinaire' was the guests co-host on Big Blend Radio's 'Creative Celebrations' radio show, which aired live on Jan. 27, 2010. To Listen to her interview, please double click the play button below.