venues

The Ojai Valley Inn is 220 acres at the foot of the Topatopa Mountains, twenty minutes from my front door in Thousand Oaks, which is one reason I love it and not the main one. The main one is the light. It's the venue I recommend when a couple wants a California valley wedding with a great hotel underneath it.

The Hacienda Courtyard is the Spanish-tiled ceremony space, intimate and enclosed. The Artist Cottage Lawn is the open one with the mountains behind. The Farmhouse and its lawn are the newer, rustic- elegant option built for larger weddings, with a kitchen and dining rooms made for the reception. And then there's the oak, the ceremony spot Mary and Jake chose and the one I'd pick for your ceremony.

The spaces

Ojai faces east to west along the valley, and for a few minutes at sunset the Topatopa Mountains turn pink. It's the town's signature and it's real. Plan the couple portraits to run into it, in the golden grass on the edges of the property, and you'll have the frame you put on the wall.

The pink moment

September through November is Ojai's best season, warm days and clear evenings. I'd end the ceremony
about 90 minutes before sunset, with cocktail hour on a lawn facing the mountains and the portrait walk timed to the pink. Summer afternoons are hot, so an oak or courtyard ceremony beats an open lawn in July.

Light and timing

Which ceremony spot is best?
Under the oak for the light and the feeling of shelter. The Hacienda Courtyard if you want the Spanish tile and a smaller guest list. The Farmhouse Lawn for a big wedding with the mountains behind.

When is the pink moment?
The last few minutes before and after sunset, when the mountains glow. Ten minutes of portrait time then is worth an hour anywhere else.

Can the whole weekend happen on property?
Yes. Rehearsal dinner, wedding, after-party and brunch all fit on the 220 acres, and the town of Ojai is
minutes away for anything else.

Do you photograph a lot of weddings in Ojai?
It's my home valley. I'm based in Thousand Oaks and the Ojai Valley Inn is one of the venues I photograph most.

Questions couples ask about the Ojai Valley Inn

Mary and Jake both got ready on property, but on different corners of the hotel. Mary's bridal suite was located upstairs and we were able to utilize the terra cotta staircase for her portraits. We had their first look under the Olive Tree Grove and portraits throughout the property with favorable lighting.  That's the thing about Ojai Valley Inn; there's always a spot for great portraits. 

Getting ready