venues

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel sits on a 150-foot bluff above Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, and there's
no other venue in Orange County where the ocean is this present in every part of the day. I've
photographed several weddings here, and it's one of the properties I know best. This page is what I'd tell
you over coffee if you were deciding on it.

There are three. The Bluff is the one most couples picture, a lawn right at the edge with the whole
coastline behind you and room for a very large guest count. The Monarch Lawn is a courtyard, more
enclosed and private, with the ocean past the edge of it. The Pacific Promenade Lawn is smaller and looks
north up the coast, and it's lovely for a ceremony under 275. All three face the water, so the light question
is really a timing question.

THE CEREMONY SPOTS

The bluff faces roughly west, which means the golden hour lands on the ceremony lawns rather than
behind them. My rule here is to end the ceremony about 90 minutes before sunset. That leaves time for
family photos in warm light, a cocktail hour your guests get to enjoy, and a twenty-minute window on the
bluff path for the two of you right as the sun goes. The wind picks up in the late afternoon. Veils, fabric on
the chuppah or arch, and long hair all move, and I've never once wished it were still.

LIGHT AND TIMING

The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom handles the biggest celebrations, the Pacific Promenade Ballroom is the one I see most often for 200 to 300 guests, and the Pavilion and the Dana Lawn are the outdoor options when
the weather cooperates, which here is most of the year. Cocktail hour on the Pacific Promenade, the
walkway along the bluff, is a Ritz signature and it's where I get some of my favorite candid frames of the
night.

RECEPTIONS

Which ceremony spot is best for photos?
The Bluff, if your guest count fits and you want the full coastline behind you. The Monarch Lawn if you'd
rather feel tucked away. Both photograph beautifully; they just feel different.

When should our ceremony start?
Work backwards from sunset. End the ceremony 90 minutes before the sun goes down and everything
else falls into place.

Is the wind a problem?
No. It moves fabric and hair, and the photographs are better for it. Just tell your florist so the arch or
chuppah is built for it.

Do you travel to Dana Point?
Yes, often. I'm based in Thousand Oaks and the Ritz is one of the venues I photograph most.

Questions couples ask about the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel