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Partner Content MARCH 8, 2023

Most Coveted Wedding Venues and Vendors in San Diego

Walk down the aisle with us as we help you plan your ever after.

Most Coveted Wedding Venues and Vendors in San Diego
Luce Loft.jpeg

Luce Loft.jpeg

Poway Equestrian

Poway Equestrian

Let Those Wedding Bells Ring…

The question has been popped, and now you’re ready to plan the wedding of your dreams. But arranging all that is needed to make your dream wedding a reality can be overwhelming. From the venue to the caterer to the florist to the DJ—deciding on each vendor can make or break your big day. Luckily for San Diego couples, there are plenty of talented vendors ready to make your wedding—no matter how big or detailed—an stress-free success. Walk down the aisle with us as we help you plan your ever after.

 

Where To Say ‘I Do’…

There’s a reason why couples from throughout the world come to San Diego to say “I do.” From the beachside resorts to the mountaintops of Julian to the swanky downtown, there’s a venue to suit the wishes of any couple. Even better, San Diego averages at least 200 sunny days per year, giving lovebirds the option to marry outdoors in gorgeous weather.

If you’re dreaming of an oceanfront setting, there are an assortment of options up and down the coastline. You can choose a classic beach scene in Coronado, extravagance in La Jolla, a boho setting in Encinitas, or a modern vibe in Carlsbad. Many San Diego beaches are home to a variety of hotels, from five to three stars, giving couples the choice to have a ceremony outside and reception inside, all within budget.

Perhaps the rustic outdoors is more up your alley—which San Diego County’s venues can also deliver with farmhouse options in San Marcos and Carlsbad, highlands in Fallbrook and Ramona, or ranches in East County.

Looking for the privacy and stillness of San Diego’s desert? Make “I do” happen in Borrego Springs where many couples have had charming, intimate weddings under the warm sun.

Perhaps, you enjoy all that is contemporary including downtown skyscrapers, dazzling lights, and world-famous art galleries. Downtown San Diego, Balboa Park, and La Jolla can deliver those modern-chic weddings with museums, warehouses, and historic buildings at all sizes and budgets.

The Venue…

THE LOT

You and your partner are the stars of the day —and The LOT knows that. Forget the traditional venue, and indulge in this modern La Jolla cinema that can make any wedding an Oscar winner. Couples can expect a contemporary setting beautifully decorated with greens, thoughtful lighting, and plenty of space both indoors and outdoors. An in-house team completes the package with live music options, exquisite cuisines, and more.

RANCHO VALENCIA

There is nothing that says classic elegance like Rancho Santa Fe’s Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa. Defining all that is elegant and luxurious, the five-star resort offers couples and their guests the experience of lavished gardens, historic hacienda-style architecture, and award-winning dining. Whether you want to say your nuptials indoors or outdoors, you’ll be served by an experienced wedding specialist who will ensure every aspect of your dream wedding comes to life.

LUCE LOFT

Celebrate your love for one another with Luce Loft, a San Diego–based business with more than 10 years of experience hosting hundreds of weddings across four venues in the city. Luce Loft is known for its exquisitely and meticulously designed venues—offering couples the opportunity to further create their dream wedding whether that includes an arch with hundreds of lilacs or a few rose petals scattered down the aisle. The venues also range in size, so you’re free to invite just 50 of your closest loved ones or 1,000 worthy acquaintances to complete your wedding.

Luce Loft is a 1928 Qualitee Dairy Warehouse in downtown San Diego with more than 4,000 square feet of space.

Luce Cielo, a vintage space in East Village, boasts skylights and brick walls across 6,500 square feet. It also has an open-vendor policy for couples wanting flexibility.

Luce on Kettner, in the heart of Little Italy, offers the beauty of simplicity with stunning market lights across 7,000 square feet.

Venue 808 is a historic 1933 produce warehouse modernly designed with earthy tones and large trees, offering an impressive 18,000 square feet of space for the biggest of dreamy weddings.

POWAY EQUESTRIAN CENTER

Indulge in the picturesque outdoors of San Diego County by hosting your wedding at the Poway Equestrian Center where guests are sure to enjoy the fresh air, nature sights, and beautiful views of horses. The venue can accommodate the budget of any guests looking to say “I do” under the backdrop of Poway’s mountains and trails. Make it a weekend, too, by taking advantage of the Center’s retreats, which includes yoga, massages and most of all—relaxation.

PARK HYATT AVIARA

With views of the glistening Pacific Ocean, acres of greens, and dazzling ballrooms, Park Hyatt Aviara is equipped with all the instruments needed to make your matrimony unforgettable. From grand celebrations to intimate elopements to cultural celebrations, couples can expect a talented team of specialists—including planners, chefs, and bakers—with the experience needed to make your day as special as your love. Saying “I do” has never been easier.

The Dress…

It’s arguably the most important dress you’ll ever wear. (Who are we kidding? It is the most important dress you’ll ever wear!) Whether you’re looking for a jaw-dropping ball gown, a stunning mermaid, or a classic A-line, the dress is one of the stars of the wedding. Take advantage of all that Southern California has to offer by shopping at one of the many boutiques or malls in the region. From South Coast Plaza to downtown San Diego, you’ll find plenty of spots to try on gowns and accessories and find the right fit and style for you. San Diego is also home to a number of local fashion designers who could make your couture fantasy come to life. Make your big day ensemble happen locally!

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Studio S SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

Meet ArtsConnect, UC San Diego’s Invitation to SoCal Arts Lovers

ArtsConnect brings those experiences into view, helping residents discover what they can see, hear and create at UC San Diego while experiencing the campus in a new way.

Meet ArtsConnect, UC San Diego’s Invitation to SoCal Arts Lovers
Courtesy of UC San Diego

Ask most people what UC San Diego is known for, and the arts may not be the first answer. Yet this fall, San Diegans can watch Ghostbusters with a live orchestra, try their hand at glassmaking and wander among more than 20 works of public art woven throughout the university’s La Jolla campus.

ArtsConnect brings those experiences into view, helping residents discover what they can see, hear and create at UC San Diego while experiencing the campus in a new way.

Courtesy of UC San Diego | Photo Cred: Erik Jensen

“The arts are at the heart of UC San Diego’s student-centered mission and vision,” says Alysson Satterlund, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life. “Whether creating, participating in, or experiencing performances, the arts are essential to a healthy and truly fun Triton student experience.”

That invitation often begins where the arts intersect with other fields.

“Some of the most innovative work and discovery happen where disciplines don’t usually share a stage,” says Cristina Della Coletta, Dean of the UC San Diego School of Arts and Humanities. “So through our unique intersection of the arts with science, technology, and medicine, we are improving lives, physically and emotionally.  

Take The Inaudible Ocean, a collaboration between Department of Music Professor Lei Liang and Scripps Institution of Oceanography Assistant Project Scientist Josh Jones. Over eight years, the pair recorded earthquakes, ship noise, whale songs and other sounds in remote underwater locations. They transformed those recordings into a live music experience that allowed audiences to hear the ocean in an entirely new way. The work premiered on campus in May and continues to evolve.

The arts also connect the campus to the global art world and diverse perspectives. Chief Campus Curator Jessica Berlanga Taylor recently curated the Mexico Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring RojoNegro, the collective formed by Noé Martínez and María Sosa. The collective will unveil a compelling new permanent installation for UC San Diego’s celebrated Stuart Collection later this fall. 

ArtPower offers another easy entry point, bringing touring performers to venues including the outdoor Epstein Family Amphitheater and the intimate Loft. The nearly three dozen performances featured through its 2026-2027 season span music, dance, film, theater and conversation. 

Among the fall highlights is Ghostbusters in Concert on Sept. 25, pairing the beloved 1984 film with a live performance of Elmer Bernstein’s score. Tickets start at $35, and the amphitheater is located next to the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley station.

“Every member of our community should have access to world-class art, so we work hard to remove the barriers that stand in the way,” says Colleen Kollar Smith, executive artistic director of the Campus Performances and Events Office. “That means affordable ticket prices, and performances, voices and experiences where people see themselves reflected on stage and know they belong.”

The arts at UC San Diego are not only something to watch. The Craft Center offers public classes and workshops in ceramics, jewelry, woodworking, culinary arts and even surfboard shaping. At the new Glass Center, beginners and experienced makers can explore glassmaking through classes, demonstrations and studio experiences.

Whether you want to attend a performance, make something yourself or spend an afternoon exploring public art, there is an easy way in. And the invitation extends well beyond students and alumni.

Kollar Smith says it best: “Visit, participate, spectate or create. You’re invited, and we hope you’ll connect with us soon.”

Explore upcoming experiences at ucsd.edu/artsconnect.

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 21, 2026

This Scripps Clinic Physician is Serving Up Care

Laika Nur, MD, takes her love of volleyball from the court to the clinic as team physician for the San Diego Mojo

This Scripps Clinic Physician is Serving Up Care
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff  for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 19, 2026

Best Feet Forward

How local orthopedic specialists are pioneering the future of foot and ankle care

Best Feet Forward
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Your feet and ankles probably aren’t something you give much thought to—until something goes wrong. Orthopedic surgeons at Scripps Clinic are on the leading edge of foot and ankle reconstruction, treating patients with sports injuries, deformities, traumatic injuries and other conditions. That includes repairing torn Achilles tendons with a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks the incision site to less than a centimeter, and performing advanced ankle replacement on some patients with ankle arthritis. Read more about Scripps’ innovations in foot and ankle care here

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

New Beginnings

A new program guides new moms through high-risk pregnancy and into the “fourth trimester”

New Beginnings
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

Leading the Way in Skin Cancer Care

Scripps Clinic’s Mohs surgery center is one of the most sophisticated in the country.

Leading the Way in Skin Cancer Care
Courtesy of Scripps Health

It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

A Real Ironman

Scripps Cancer Center helps an endurance athlete overcome his greatest challenge yet and get back in the race

A Real Ironman
Courtesy of Scripps Health

When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here

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