San Diego is filled with green spaces—parks and gardens galore. With San Diego's mild Mediterranean climate, lush flowers and plants, you’ll enchant your guests with a garden wedding at one of our many natural settings.

Some things to keep in mind when planning a garden wedding:

• Consider the position of the sun at the time of the ceremony so guests (and the photographer) aren't looking directly into the sun
• If the day is going to be warm, plan a morning or late afternoon wedding (avoid mid-day) and provide colorful hand-held paper fans as a party favor. Offer refreshing beverages to help your guests cool off before the ceremony.
• A longer flowering season in San Diego saves money on flowers and other decorations as you can use nature for your decor
• Have a back-up plan or rent an outdoor canopy just in case the weather does not cooperate
• If planning on music, be aware of any noise regulations
• Double check that your outdoor location is regularly sprayed for bugs (most public venues are)

San Diego's most popular locations for garden weddings:

Balboa Park

The 1,600 acres of Balboa Park offer countless locations for an indoor or outdoor wedding. Sites for an outdoor ceremony include the romantic terraces and outdoor grandeur of the historic Casa Del Rey Moro Gardens at The Prado at Balboa Park, the lush and peaceful Japanese Friendship Garden , and the ornate fountains and exquisitely colorful Moorish tiles of the Alcazar Garden. Receptions can follow in the elegant banquet rooms at The Prado, as well as many of the museums in the park, including the San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Natural History Museum, Fleet Science Center and Museum of Photographic Arts.

Arts District Liberty Station

Situated on acres of lush landscaping, this property combines 75 years of naval history, romantic ambiance and picturesque scenery. Liberty Station venues offer beautifully restored Spanish-Revival venues at the decommissioned Naval Training Center in Point Loma. From 1923 to 1997, thousands of Navy recruits called Liberty Station their home and many were married on the base. With 10 unique indoor and outdoor spaces available for ceremonies and receptions, brides and grooms have many choices where to celebrate their special day including two modern banquet halls (originally the library and a barracks building), several courtyards, multiple verdant promenades, a quaint Rose Garden, and a charming North Chapel.

Junipero Serra Museum in Presidio Park

Conveniently located near downtown, the Junipero Serra Museum in Presidio Park is a pretty Mission-style building with both indoor and outdoor spaces. Offering spectacular views of the city, it's especially beautiful at sunset, when you can see all the way to the ocean and up the coast.

Marston House

One of San Diego's finest examples of the Arts and Crafts movement, the Marston House was constructed in 1905 for George W. Marston and his wife, Anna Gunn Marston, by internationally renowned architects William Sterling Hebbard and Irving Gill. With five acres of rolling lawns, formal gardens and canyons, this 8,500 square-foot home became a house museum in 1987 after the Marston family gifted it to the City of San Diego for the enjoyment of the public. Wedding or reception locations include the formal gardens and a covered terrace. Wedding guests may also tour the house.

Pacific Rim Park

Located on the southwestern end of Shelter Island, Pacific Rim Park and its "Pearl of the Pacific" fountain are the "third pearl" in a necklace of Pacific Rim parks created to commemorate the friendship, cultural links, and economic ties that San Diego shares with its Pacific neighbors. The park's waterfront location, plus stunning views of Point Loma, San Diego Bay and the open ocean, have made this beautiful circular setting a popular location for weddings.

Find additional information for planning your destination wedding at Resources for Getting Married in San Diego.