The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is an amazing wedding location! If you are looking for a dramatic elegant venue, this could be your spot. It is considered the grandest example of classic architecture in downtown Los Angeles. At its opening in 1923, it was the largest hotel west of Chicago, with a lobby three stories high. The public areas are a work of art, hand designed and painted, full of history and culture and charm. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is designated a Historic Cultural Landmark by the City of Los Angeles.
The Biltmore is known for once being a home to the Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences was founded at a luncheon banquet in the Crystal Ballroom in May 1927, when guests like Louis B. Mayer met to discuss plans for the new organization and presenting achievement awards to colleagues in their industry. Legend has it that MGM art director Cedric Gibbons, who was in attendance, immediately grabbed a linen Biltmore napkin and sketched the design for the Oscar statue on it. In 1977 Bob Hope hosted the Academy’s 50th Anniversary banquet in the same room.
I think The Beverly Hills Hotel is probably one of the most famous hotels in the world, and for good reason. When it opened in 1912 it was the the center of this part of Beverly Hills, and much of the area was built around “the hotel” as locals call it. It has been a mecca for the entertainment industry for over 90 years, and was featured on the cover of the Eagles album “hotel California.” One of the aspects that make this a great hotel for weddings is that while it is in a busy city, it feels like you have escaped to the country when you are inside, especially when you are back in one of the 21 one-of-a-kind bungalows tucked away in the back gardens. This is a good choice if you are looking for privacy- the staff is very accustomed to protecting the frequent “high profile” guests events from visibility. 
Everyone loves the drama of the grand staircase wrapped in 2 story high glass, and circling a dramatic chandelier!
This past summer we photographed a beautifully executed wedding by Sonia Sharma Events at The Beverly Hills Hotel and we just learned that it was published in Bride Nine! Here is a quick peek at a few details we shot at Kimi and Khalil’s wedding which was stunning! As you can tell every detail was paid attention to!! Pick up a copy and have a look.
The St. Regis in Monarch Beach is a very beautiful and dramatic wedding venue in Orange County. I love venues that create a sense that you have just left the outside world behind and entered a tranquil time and place, and with the St. Regis Tuscan-inspired architecture and décor, one-of-a-kind art collection and breathtaking sights, sounds and service, you definitely feel you have left the city. There are 3 main areas for different size weddings- The colonnade on the Grand Lawn, fringed by majestic palms that filter views of world-class links and the ocean beyond. More private ceremonies are held on the Pacific Lawn or in the intimate Botanical Garden, the latter an explosion of seasonal color studded with whimsical statuary.
The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa is a very unique wedding location. It is an easy drive from LA, but it is far enough that you feel worlds away. The first unique feature is the city of Ojai, a small quiet town, with a lot of Spanish architecture, about 15 miles inland from Ventura. It’s a perfect place to have a quiet “get away from it all” type of wedding. There are a number of areas where you can hold your wedding as it is a very large complex with a golf course. I love the lower section, where you can have private villas next to the ceremony area, and you are surrounded by century old trees, which seems wonderfully emblematic of a long and strong life together!
The Four Seasons Westlake Village is a recently built hotel with a host of stunning features. The whole hotel has a very high quality classic feel with modern accents. I really like their attention to detail and the amount of artwork throughout the hotel.
Their ceremony location is outside with a large gazebo perfect for decorating. A few great photo shoot locations are the outdoor waterfall as well as a chinese pagota! The ballroom can accommodate a large wedding or an intimate gathering. Every time We have photographed at this location they’ve always made the clients happiness priority number one!
The Roosevelt is a historic hotel in the heart of Hollywood almost directly across the street from the Chinese Mann Theater. It was originally opened in 1927. They have a lavish and unique ceremony space located in their lobby. The artistic detail on the interior panels of the lobby is astonishing! Just last year they completed restoring their historic ballroom (the hotel hosted the 1st Academy awards) and installed multi colored lighting in the ceiling. The great thing about the hotel is you are just a step away from the hollywood strip which is also full of great photo opportunities!
We thought it’d be fun to start posting about some great venues that we’ve worked at. Late in the year a lot of couples are starting to formulate their wedding plan and the venue is one of those large daunting decisions! We’re going to focus on some of our favorite venues, tell you what we liked about them and of course show you some great pictures!
Our First Venue is the Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena. This venue is spectacular! They have many different sized rooms for both larger weddings and the more intimate! The name was recently changed (it used to be a Ritz hotel) and they’ve recently revamped the hotel to make it an even better venue! The grounds are manicured beautifully.
Here are some great shots of just a few of the unique locations the Langham has to offer.
Hi All,
There is so much to say about Autumn and Jesse’s Wedding, but I’ll keep the words simple with a quick plug for our fantasic clients and the pictures a plenty!
Autumn and Jesse are completely in love with each other and every part of their wedding showcased their personalities to the T! Their wedding held at Ojai Valley Inn and Spa was expertly coordinated by Heidi Mayne of red25events. Be on the look out for more pictures and some details about their wedding in the upcoming fall issue of Instyle weddings! Or you can check out the online article here.
Hi Everyone! Brian here. Todd’s good friend Tony Luna wrote an amazingly informative 7 part article for photo.net about how to succeed as a commercial photographer. Todd Johnson photography was featured in part 7 “execution”. It’s a really informative article that really dives deep into the life of being a serious professional photographer! I won’t go into too much detail because Tony’s article is definitely worth reading Check it out.
by tjohnson
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