About Costa Mesa
Centrally-located between San Diego and Los Angeles, Costa Mesa has grown from a small farming community to a center for luxury shopping, dining, and the arts. The city’s Mediterranean climate, with hot, sunny summers and mild winters, makes Costa Mesa the perfect location for annual festivals, like the Orange County Fair, which is one of the largest in the country, drawing more than 1 million visitors annually. Meanwhile, Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza is home to luxury brand flagships including Prada, Gucci, Tiffany, and Cartier, as well as more than 30 restaurants offering fine dining, casual cuisines and snacks. For those who prefer the great outdoors to the retail jungle, Costa Mesa also has many parks, golf courses, and of course beaches just minutes away. The area offers a variety of bars and clubs for night owl visitors and wine tastings featuring local, regional and imported wines. And who could forget Disneyland Resort and Knott’s Berry Farm - the city’s two world-class (and world-renowned) theme parks.
Costa Mesa’s prime location makes it the perfect destination for hosting a wedding, whether you’re planning a luxurious ballroom event for 200 guests or a simple cliffside ceremony for close friends and family. Couples have access to Costa Mesa’s top-notch hospitality industry, including award-winning chefs, bakeries, wedding designers and more, as well as the city’s many experienced wedding planners. And with too many attractions to count, it’s a perfect place to consider hosting a destination wedding.
Wedding Options in Costa Mesa, CA
From small private ceremonies to exclusive all-night events, Costa Mesa has much to offer couples looking to include experience, value, and skill in their wedding team. You can choose from a variety of vendors throughout Costa Mesa to make your big day extraordinary.
- Wedding Equipment Rental
Costa Mesa equipment rental vendors have all your wedding needs covered, from guest seating to dinner service to dance floors. The city has several providers who specialize in beachfront cabanas, gazebos and arches to give your ceremony an elegant look, as well as vendors who can set up seating, table settings, décor and more.
- Caterers
Costa Mesa caterers have decades of experience offering couples and their guests the best cuisine southern California has to offer, from freshly-caught seafood to farm-to-table fare. The city is also home to many James Beard Award nominees and chefs, as well as one-of-a-kind restaurants you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re looking for a four-course meal, fancy hors d'oeuvres or a spread of mouth-watering dessert, you’ll find something to suit everyone’s taste in Costa Mesa.
24 Carrots
One of Costa Mesa’s award-winning catering companies for more than 15 years, 24 Carrots provides gourmet food and bar services with creativity and integrity. The company strives to keep up with new food trends and can wow your guests with hip, modern offerings or classic favorites. Talented chefs provide tasteful meals for a variety of dietary needs, including vegan, organic, gluten-free and lactose-free. 24 Carrots also gives back to the community, donating meals to the non-profit Chefs to End Hunger program.
- Bakeries
From multi-tiered buttercream masterpieces to funky, colorful creations and non-traditional desserts, Costa Mesa is home to talented bakers providing a vast array of tasty treats. Custom cakes, French pastries, cupcakes and more can take center stage at the reception banquet table and taste just as delicious as they look in a variety of flavors and fillings. Special dietary needs can be accommodated.
Patty’s Cakes and Desserts
The bakery team at Patty’s Cakes has been whipping up delicious desserts since 1985, and continue to bring the wow factor to wedding receptions with their inventive custom cakes. Wedding creations come in a wide variety of flavors to suit every taste, including traditional vanilla or chocolate and fun flavors like lemon, strawberry, or butter pecan and exotic fillings like guava puree or chocolate hazelnut mousse. A staple in the SoCal area for nearly 40 years, Patty’s Cakes and Desserts has received both WeddingWire’s Couples Choice Award and The Knot’s Best of Weddings designation respectively.
- Salons
You may want to take a turn in the chair of one of the city’s best stylists to ensure you’re looking your best on the big day, and Costa Mesa salons won’t disappoint. From a simple shave and haircut for the groom, to a stylish up-do or beachy waves for the bride, experienced stylists are available to make you and your wedding party comfortable and looking your best for the ceremony and beyond.
Wedding Planning Companies in Costa Mesa, California
- Events by Katherine
The planning team at Events by Katherine combine their individual talents to ensure that every couple receives a wedding tailored exclusively to their wants, needs, and personalities. Founded in 2009, Events by Katherine is a member of The Knot’s Best of Weddings Hall of Fame. The company offers a variety of packages to suit your needs, from day-of coordination to a complete planning experience or destination wedding.
- LVL Weddings and Events
This woman-owned and operated wedding planning company has been in business since 2007 and has built a network of both preferred vendors and luxury resorts and venues over the past decade. LVL manages every part of the big day, from floor plans to cake cutting to the perfect shade of your favorite color. The team specializes in southern California weddings with a personalized touch, allowing you to rest easy while they step in to deliver an unforgettable experience.
- Intertwined Weddings & Special Events
The design and planning team at Intertwined Weddings is all about providing a luxurious wedding and a relaxing experience for the bride and groom. The company offers a variety of packages to choose from, including full-service planning, partial planning, day-of coordination, help with venue selection and even virtual planning sessions.
Pros and Cons of Hosting a Wedding in Costa Mesa
Pros:
- Vast landscape
Costa Mesa is about a mile from the Pacific Ocean, and you can be skiing in the mountains in just a couple of hours.
- Pleasant year-round weather
Costa Mesa enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot, sunny summers and mild to cool winters.
- Small-town feel
Although located in bustling, crowded Orange County, Costa Mesa maintains its laid-back beach town atmosphere.
Cons:
- Lackluster nightlife
Those seeking a high-octane nightlife experience will need to travel to Los Angeles, about 45 minutes away.
- Not walkable
You’ll need a vehicle to get around most places, and the traffic can be snarled even outside of rush hours.
- Expensive amenities
Orange County is one of the most expensive areas in the U.S., making restaurants, activities, and transportation more costly than in other parts of the country.
Famous Wedding Locations in Costa Mesa, CA
Find a wedding venue nearby one of these famous Costa Mesa attractions!
- South Coast Plaza
If you’re looking for a luxury retail experience, look no further: South Coast Plaza has so many luxury brands and flagship stores under one roof it is rivaled only by fashion powerhouses like New York, Paris and Tokyo. You’ll find designer brands like Balenciaga, Prada, Coach and more, along with one-of-a-kind boutiques and flagship stores including Nordstrom’s and Bloomingdale’s. The mall is also packed with 30+ gourmet restaurants, with something for everyone - from fast-casual eats to a fine dining experience. You can even take a quick break from shopping to experience the mall’s unique sky bridge and carousel.
- The Reptile Zoo
If you’re feeling adventurous, head over to The Reptile Zoo for some hair-raising, hands-on experiences. The zoo, which doubles as an educational facility, houses more than 100 exotic species of reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids (spiders) from around the world. Visitors can hold boa constrictor snakes, feed giant tortoises and get up close and personal with a variety of scaly critters.
- Orange County Museum of Art
The Orange County Museum of Art features more than 3,000 works, much of which is from California artists from the early 20th century through the present day. Visitors can experience art in every medium, from photography to traditional paintings to digital arts and sculpture installations. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum hosts revolving exhibits throughout the year as well.
