If I had to choose a favorite wedding venue of all time, it would be the Villa del Sol d’Oro.
Nestled in Sierra Madre at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Villa del Sol d’Oro feels like a little piece of Tuscany tucked away in Southern California. With its Italian Renaissance architecture, manicured gardens, stone terraces, Italian cypress trees, and beautiful interiors, it has the feeling of a European destination without leaving Los Angeles. The Villa was designed by Pasadena architect Wallace Neff in the 1920s as a replica of a Tuscan villa near Florence, and today the property is recognized as a local historic landmark.
For my husband and I, the Villa del Sol d’Oro will always be more than just a beautiful wedding venue. The Villa del Sol d’Oro is where we got married. Looking back, we couldn’t have chosen a prettier place to say “I do.”
Our Villa del Sol d’Oro Wedding
Josh and I met in the summer of 2013 at a Calvin Harris concert during the first day of the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware. Somehow, among the 65,000 people at the festival that year, we found each other. Josh was attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, while I was at Swarthmore College on the outskirts of Philadelphia, so our relationship began long-distance.
Almost five years later, we were standing at the altar.
We were living in Virginia Beach at the time, where Josh was stationed with the Navy, but I grew up in Pasadena and knew I wanted to get married in Southern California. For nearly all of our guests, the wedding was a destination wedding. Friends and family traveled from across the country and world to celebrate with us.
Josh’s best man actually had the longest journey of all. He was serving aboard a nuclear submarine that had been submerged in the Pacific for months. His submarine resurfaced the day before our wedding, and he somehow managed to step off, travel to Los Angeles, and arrive in time to stand beside Josh the next day. We still can’t believe he made it.
That was one of the things that made our wedding so meaningful to us: having so many people we loved together in one place.
Choosing the Villa del Sol d’Oro
I grew up only about 15 minutes from the Villa del Sol d’Oro, but somehow I hadn’t fully appreciated what a special place it was until we started looking for a wedding venue.
The moment we saw the Villa, we fell in love.
The property has the feeling of an old-world Italian estate, complete with beautiful gardens, Italian architecture, a terrace, and elegant interiors. The Villa’s Italian Renaissance design dates back to the 1920s, when Pasadena architect Wallace Neff designed it as a replica of an Italian villa near Florence.
It was exactly the setting we had been looking for. We wanted our wedding to feel romantic and timeless, with inspiration from old-world Tuscany but enough modern and personal details to make it feel like our own.
The architecture and gardens are such a large part of what makes a Villa del Sol d’Oro wedding special. From the Italian cypress trees and stone steps to the terrace overlooking the sunken garden and pond, there are beautiful backdrops everywhere you turn. The venue itself describes the property as an Italian villa with an open lawn, raised patio, library bar, and large hall for dancing — and that combination of indoor and outdoor spaces is part of what makes the Villa so versatile for weddings.
A Dusty Lavender and Tuscan-Inspired Wedding Design
Purple has always been my favorite color, so our color palette started with dusty lavender. From there, we added darker plum and copper accents to give everything a little more depth.
Our invitations set the tone from the beginning. Kelsey Malie Calligraphy created a Tuscan-inspired invitation suite printed on handmade paper from Spain, complete with romantic script, copper undertones, and custom sketches of the Villa and olive branches.
We carried that old-world European feel throughout the wedding day with olive branches, gold details, handmade paper, silk ribbon, and lots of pretty little details that felt right at home at the Villa.
Our wedding was black tie optional, and our wedding party wore floor-length gowns and tuxedos. Seeing all of our friends and family dressed up for the occasion was one of my favorite parts of the day.
Getting Ready at the Villa
One of my favorite things about Villa del Sol d’Oro is how much personality the interiors have. Rather than getting ready in a generic hotel suite, you have the opportunity to be surrounded by the Villa’s architecture and beautiful details. The property has the kind of spaces that make even the in-between moments of a wedding day feel special.
I wore the Hairnold gown by La Sposa, a soft champagne ball gown with a full tulle skirt, lace and gemstone embroidery, a Chantilly lace bodice, and an illusion neckline. I had tried on at least 30 dresses before finding it, and I knew almost immediately that it was the one. I paired my dress with champagne Bella Belle Frances kitten heels and a custom cathedral-length veil.
Josh and his groomsmen wore classic black tuxes from the Black Tux, and my bridesmaids wore purple tulle dresses from Revelry.
And, of course, Charlie was there too. Our sweet little redheaded maltipoo was our best pup, dressed in his own little bow tie and matching tux. He has always managed to steal the show, and our wedding was no exception.
A Ceremony Beneath the Italian Cypress Trees
We decided not to do a first look, so the first time Josh and I saw each other on our wedding day was when I walked down the aisle.
Our ceremony took place beneath the Villa’s terrace overlooking the sunken garden and pond, with a row of Italian cypress trees framing the space. It is still one of my favorite parts of the property.
My aunt Julia, a professional cellist, flew across the country from New York with her cello and played all of our ceremony music. Our family and wedding party entered to Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, followed by Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan” as I walked down the aisle with my dad.
I was a complete mess by the time I reached Josh.
But seeing his face — and the tears in his eyes — is something I will never forget.
We wrote our own vows, and hearing them for the first time was easily my favorite part of the ceremony. Our ceremony was secular, with a few personal references to Jewish traditions and Josh breaking the glass after we were pronounced married. Afterwards, we recessed to Vivaldi’s Sonata in B-flat Major while our guests headed into cocktail hour.
Cocktail Hour in the Villa
Because we were getting married at an Italian villa, we thought it would be fun to lean all the way into an Italian-inspired menu. Cocktail hour took place inside the Villa, with the bar set up in the library and a beautiful antipasto spread in the downstairs marble ballroom. There were Italian cheeses, salumi, marinated vegetables, olives, fresh fruit, breads, and breadsticks, along with passed hors d’oeuvres. DJ Rob played light jazz while everyone mingled.
Meanwhile, we took advantage of cocktail hour to spend some time taking newlywed portraits. We also snuck away for another short portrait session during dinner so we could take advantage of golden hour.
An Alfresco Italian-Inspired Reception
Our reception took place on the terrace beneath twinkle lights, overlooking the Villa’s famous alley of Italian cypress trees. We had ten round guest tables, a long table for our wedding party, and a sweetheart table for the two of us. Gold Chiavari chairs paired with French cane-back chairs, while brass table number holders and gold anchor place-card holders added a subtle nod to Josh’s Navy career.
Each place setting included a hand-calligraphed menu, a sprig of olive, and a napkin tied with silk ribbon.
Our dinner menu continued the Italian theme with a summer salad, filet mignon Florentine-style, Chilean sea bass, or mushroom and cheese agnolotti, along with seasonal vegetables, mushroom risotto, and Italian breads with garlic-herb olive oil.
And then came dessert.
Our Italian- and lavender-inspired dolci bar, designed by my mother, included lavender macarons, chocolate-dipped biscotti, Italian wedding cookies, Perugina Baci, lavender sugar cookies, lavender-honey cupcakes, blueberry cheesecake cupcakes, Italian wedding almonds, and homemade Filipino pecan tarts.
Our wedding cake from Takes the Cake had chocolate cake with raspberry cream cheese filling and white cake with lemon curd and Bavarian cream. It was decorated with fresh flowers and displayed on an antique brass cake stand.
One particularly charming feature of Villa del Sol d’Oro is its little cake room, with black-and-white marble floors. It was the perfect spot for our cake, dessert bar, and coffee and tea station.
Villa del Sol d’Oro Wedding Photography
For couples considering the Villa del Sol d’Oro, one of my favorite things about the venue is that the property has so much visual variety: elegant architectural details, lush gardens, shaded areas beneath mature trees, terraces, stone steps, and those gorgeous Italian cypress trees. The Villa’s historic architecture also gives portraits a distinctly European feel while still looking unmistakably Southern Californian.
For our own wedding, we took most of our newlywed portraits after the ceremony while our guests enjoyed cocktail hour. Later, we slipped away again during dinner for a few golden-hour portraits.
If you’re planning your own Villa del Sol d’Oro wedding, I would absolutely recommend building some time into your timeline for portraits around the property. And don’t be afraid to let the Villa do some of the work for you. The setting is already incredibly beautiful, so your florals and décor can complement the architecture rather than compete with it.
Villa del Sol d’Oro Wedding FAQ
Where is the Villa del Sol d’Oro located?
Villa del Sol d’Oro is located in Sierra Madre, California, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. The historic villa is approximately 15 minutes from Pasadena.
What is the Villa del Sol d’Oro?
The Villa del Sol d’Oro is a historic Italian villa and wedding venue. Designed by Pasadena architect Wallace Neff in the 1920s in the style of a Tuscan villa, the Villa is now recognized as a local historic landmark.
What spaces are available for weddings at Villa del Sol d’Oro?
The Villa del Sol d’Oro offers a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces for weddings including its gardens, raised terrace, ballroom, library, and other historic interiors. The terrace overlooking the sunken garden and pond is one of my favorite locations on the property.
Is the Villa del Sol d’Oro a good wedding venue for photography?
Absolutely. One of the things I love most about the Villa is how much variety there is on the property. Italian cypress trees, stone terraces, manicured gardens, historic architecture, and beautiful interiors all provide different settings for portraits throughout the day.
Can you have an outdoor wedding at the Villa del Sol d’Oro?
Yes. The Villa offers wonderful outdoor settings for ceremonies and receptions, including its gardens and terrace. The property also has historic indoor spaces that can be used when weather changes outdoor plans.
What style of wedding works best at the Villa del Sol d’Oro?
The Villa is really great for romantic, garden-inspired weddings, especially celebrations with Italian, Tuscan, or European influences. Its architecture is distinctive enough to create a strong sense of place while still allowing couples to bring in their own colors, florals, and design.
Have you photographed a wedding at the Villa del Sol d’Oro?
The Villa del Sol d’Oro is actually where I got married in 2018! While I haven’t photographed a wedding there yet, that personal connection gives me a unique perspective on the property. I know the Villa not only as a photographer, but as someone who planned and experienced a wedding there myself.
Why the Villa del Sol d’Oro Is Such a Special Wedding Venue
There is a reason Villa del Sol d’Oro continues to be such a sought-after setting for weddings and photography. It is historic without feeling stuffy. It is grand without feeling enormous. And it has that rare quality where you can look at a photograph and almost forget that you’re in Southern California.
The Villa’s story is also part of its charm. Designed by Wallace Neff in the 1920s, the property was originally built as a private residence and later became part of the Alverno campus. Today, it is used for weddings, special events, photography, and filming. The result is a wedding venue that feels completely unlike a typical ballroom or event space.
For couples dreaming of a romantic Italian-inspired wedding, a garden celebration, or simply a beautiful Southern California wedding with a little European flair, the Villa del Sol d’Oro is a pretty incredible backdrop.
And for me, it will always be the place where I married my best friend.
Vendor Credits:
Venue: Villa del Sol d’Oro
Beauty: Blushing Beauty
Bridal Salon: Karoza Bridal Inc.
Cake: Takes the Cake
Music: VOX DJs
Photography: Kati Rosado Photography
Planning: Vanessa Michelle Co.
Rentals: Archive Rentals
Rings: Susie Saltzman
Stationery & Calligraphy: Kelsey Malie Calligraphy
Videography: Fiske Film
Villa del Sol d’Oro: At a Glance
Planning a wedding at the Villa del Sol d’Oro? Here are a few helpful details about this historic Sierra Madre wedding venue:
- Address: 675 W Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, CA 91024
- Phone: (626) 444-3377
- Website: Villa del Sol d’Oro
- Capacity: Up to 200 guests
- Venue Spaces: Gardens, raised terrace, ballroom, library, and historic indoor spaces
- Catering: Couples can work with their event team to coordinate catering for their wedding
- Vendor Flexibility: Couples can work with their chosen wedding vendors, subject to the venue’s current policies and requirements
- Best For: Couples looking for a romantic Southern California wedding with Italian architecture, beautiful gardens, and a European-inspired setting
- Rain Plan: The Villa offers beautiful historic indoor spaces that can accommodate wedding celebrations when outdoor plans are affected by weather
Your Villa del Sol d’Oro Wedding Photographer
As a Southern California native and Pasadena wedding photographer, Villa del Sol d’Oro has always held a special place in my heart. I grew up just minutes from the Villa, and in 2018, married my best friend there.
Because I got married at the Villa myself, I know the property in a way few photographers do. I know the way the light falls across the gardens, the best places for portraits, the little architectural details that make the Villa so beautiful, and how the spaces flow together throughout a wedding day. I know what it feels like to experience the Villa, not just as a photographer, but as a bride.
That personal connection is one of the reasons the Villa del Sol d’Oro remains one of my favorite wedding venues in Southern California. The Italian architecture, manicured gardens, stone terraces, and tree-lined views create so much variety for photographs, while the property itself provides everything you need to tell the story of your day.
My approach to wedding photography combines gentle direction with capturing genuine moments — to create beautiful, intentional portraits while also giving you space to simply be yourselves and let your connection shine.
If you’re planning a Villa del Sol d’Oro wedding and looking for a photographer who knows the venue from both sides of the camera, I’d love to hear more about your plans!
