Our Favorite Places

We love shooting in San Diego — this list is why

Green: Lush Leaves | Stunning Trees | Scenic Spaces
Red: Rooftop Vistas | Museums & Promenades
Yellow: Beaches & Sunsets | Coastline Gems | Cliffsides
Blue: Venues that Wow Us  

Whether you’re looking for a lush garden for a romantic photoshoot, or a hidden hideaway for an ethereal ceremony, San Diego has no shortage of places to match the exact vibe you’re aiming for.

Torrey Pines reserve is the only place you can find the elusive Torrey Pine (shocker!). It’s a bit of a hike to get to from the beach parking lot, but with a little planning and enthusiasm it can be a surprise engagement location, or engagement shoot spot that reminds us of the PNW. Best times- early in the day, when the air is cool, and light is a little hazy from the marine layer.

The coastal walk in La Jolla is a cute seaside cliff trail, with plenty of wildflowers and native plants lining the walkways. Best during the spring and summer when everything is in full bloom, creating walls of flowers- the perfect backdrop for a casual mid morning stroll.

Mission Trails, just a short drive from La Mesa, is our favorite place to hike on any given day. With its gentle creeks, and variety of landscapes, it’s our favorite place for adventure shoots, (plus, we know it so well, we know all the hidden gems), so whether you’re dreaming of a forest fall photoshoot, an otherworldly desert dreamscape, or a lovely little picnic by the river, the possibilities are endless.

Special Mention: Sacred Mountain Ranch, Twin Oaks House, Green Gables, Botanica, and Grand Tradition Estate & Gardens- (where this photo was taken!)

Balboa Park is home to some of the most beautiful architecture in San Diego, along with plenty of museums and restaurants, it’s easy to spend a full day here.

The Prado is a lovely spot, just across from the Spreckels Organ Pavillion. With a beautiful fountain, and large modern art installations, we love this spot for its wide open spaces, and great views of the surrounding buildings. We love this spot on winter mornings when the crowds are few, and the light is soft. Behind the organ pavillion is where those iconic San Diego shots are all taken. We’ve done family photos here before a Ceremony, and they’re some our favorites.

Zoro Gardens and the Casa del Rey Moro Gardens are our go-to spots for intimate shoots. (The Casa del Rey Moro is available for weddings!). Connected by a short walkway, it’s easy to go between these two spots, one Spanish inspired with a cute wishing well (pictured), and the other a stone amphitheater surrounded by plants, complete with winding walkways and stone steps. If you want variation in the same shoot, but not so much it calls for totally separate outfits, these two locations are perfect. We like an early afternoon, for dappled light in the Zoro Garden, followed by golden hour at the well.

One the east side, across the street from the Prado are the Memorial Rose Garden, and the Desert Gardens. Two totally different vibes, but loved equally by us. Between concentric circles of hundreds of incredible roses, cared for by local dedicated volunteers, or an oasis of native bushes, cacti and trees, either location is a great spot almost any time of day, year round for stunning photos.

And lastly, who would we be not to mention the Botanical Building? Free to the public, this newly renovated greenhouse is home to ferns, orchids, other tropical plants, and palms (even a corpse flower, if you’re into that?). We recently shot a first look and family photos here, and got to finish of in front of the lily pond, an iconic San Diego view. 10/10 for us, especially if you like live saxophone!

When you think of San Diego, immediately what comes to mind is beaches. Luckily for us, our beaches have a ton of variation, from coastal cliffsides, (like Sunset Cliffs, aptly named!), tide pools along La Jolla Shores, and both modern and rustic piers, however you like to beach, we have it!

Lovely bluffs worn down by wind and sea, the Ho Chi Minh Trail is a vision. If you’re feeling adventurous, a golden hour here is well worth it. Honestly, everywhere in La Jolla is out of this world, from the beaches to the coastal venues, such as Darlington House and La Valencia Hotel. They don’t call it “The Jewel” for no reason!

And lastly, if you want even more privacy and intimacy, charter a small boat! Like our couple pictured did.

Our Favorite Wedding Venues in Southern California (from South to North)

  • Flora

  • VASA

  • Darlington House

  • Cuvier Club

  • Villa Francesca

  • La Valencia Hotel

  • La Jolla Cove Rooftop

  • Martin Johnson House

  • Estancia La Jolla

  • Fairmont Grand Del Mar

  • Rancho Valencia

  • The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

  • Secret Garden at Rancho Santa Fe

  • San Diego Botanic Garden

  • Rancho Bernardo Inn

  • Mt. Woodson Castle

  • Sacred Mountain Ranch

  • The Old Rancho Wedding Estate

  • Green Gables Wedding Estate

  • Twin Oaks House Weddings

  • The Havens Country Club

  • Botanica

  • Jeune Perché

  • Ethereal Gardens

  • Pala Mesa Resort

  • Grand Tradition Estate & Gardens

  • Los Willows Wedding Estate

  • Tivoli Italian Villa

  • Ivy Manor Weddings

  • Villa De Amore Temecula

  • Lake Oak Meadows Weddings