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    Martin Johnson House

    4.6 (33 reviews)

    Services - Martin Johnson House

    Venue rental

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    Nicole O.

    The Martin Johnson House was a perfect venue for our August wedding. It's absolutely all about the nature. The venue is mostly outdoor, shaded by trees, and there's so many quiet spots to get a great ocean view and lots of variation in scenery for pictures (cacti, eucalyptus, torrey pines, lavender, the ocean, a great big SIO wooden building). For context, my husband and I had a wedding with 100 attendees, a $30k budget. We wanted our wedding to have a backyard wedding feel, with emphasis on delicious food and drinks, plus some typical modern wedding things like a photo booth, lawn games, and a DJ/dancefloor outside on the lower deck. We rented 11 farm tables + 1 sweetheart table for everyone to sit at on the decks. All except 2 of the tables + the sweetheart table were on the upper deck. The inside of the house was used only for a buffet and dessert, and our photo booth, bar, a lounge set were scattered around the lawn area. Booking: Because we knew that many venues are booked 1-2 years in advance during peak season (May-August) in San Diego, booking our venue was the first item on our list. We were looking in March 2018, and the Martin Johnson House had just a couple dates open in the summer of 2019 at that time (we really didn't want to get rained on, since the venue is mostly outdoor). So we ended up booking 1.5 years in advance, which seemed like too long but now I'm really glad we had all that time. What's provided: The only thing that I can think of that's provided by the venue is the space, bathrooms, and a contact who gives you all the initial info that you need, helps you submit your permits and makes sure that you don't have any decorations that aren't allowed. Our contact Romie was great. The venue put out signs at all the entrances that we were holding a private event. You can also optionally buy parking permits and a parking attendant for the day of. You are responsible for having everything else brought to the venue, and it must be set up and removed that day. Officially we had the venue from 2PM - 10PM (with an hour clean up at the end), but because they didn't have anything else scheduled that morning, Romie said we could start setting up earlier (this really can't be guaranteed though, or confirmed until pretty close to the date). I really highly recommend hiring a coordinator to help manage all these details, I don't know what we would have done without ours. Food and drinks: You must choose from an approved list of caterers. We chose MIHO Catering and they did an awesome job, everyone raved about the food. Drinks were also served by them, and we had a full bar with alcohol we provided. A list of the alcohol you plan to bring must be submitted to UC San Diego for approval. Capacity: Technically the venue's max capacity is 130, but I think it would be difficult to fit more than we did on if you want the dance floor to be on the lower deck, with farm tables, with no tables on the grass. Maybe you can fit more if you have round tables. Parking: Parking requires a permit at SIO, even on weekends (unlike main campus). For the wedding day, we hired a parking attendant to hand out permits for an hour before the wedding, and let our guests know where they could park (there's a bunch of small scattered lots, so it can be a bit confusing). No regrets there. Day of surprises: Many of our guests were delighted by the bunnies hopping around the venue, and paragliders floating by during the ceremony. To sum it all up, the Martin Johnson House is a beautiful venue for an outdoor wedding with less than 100 people. If the wedding you're looking to have fits roughly in the parameters above, I highly recommend it.

    Emma B.

    Obviously the views and ambiance of this venue speak for itself...I fell in love with this spot while doing a survey for work on USCD's campus. As soon as my husband proposed, I knew just where we'd be married. We did have to wait one year as the venue is SO booked. The staff can be difficult to get a hold of and on the day of our wedding, their sales team had scheduled a 'walk through' for another bride and groom......a little strange for someone who's booked out the place. But you definitely can't beat the price, that's for sure! On the day of the wedding, we paid to have a UCSD staff member hand out parking permits so our guests wouldn't get a $50.00 parking ticket. There are limited spaces, and this venue is totally designed for a more intimate wedding. We brought in all of our vendors (they had to be approved) and we didn't have any issues..in fact, on the day of the wedding, the school provided a Security gentleman who protected our event from passers by! That was a nice feature. All in all, this place will forever hold a super special place in our hearts. I would like to recommend it, so you too can share a special memory!

    view from the MJ House deck
    Tess R.

    We had a fabulous wedding under the large trees and glittering stars in July 2010. Pros: The venue is breathtaking, the views are extraordinary, and the building and decks and lawns were the perfect setting. A heavy dose of white cloth "walls" around the inside of the building created a less "clubby" atmosphere (as the walls are heavy wood and the photos are dated), but that was the extent of interior decorating needed. The views were enough decoration for the outside spaces! The set up was perfect for 110 people, with spaces for eating, dancing, and room for those so inclined to take a moonlit stroll (or for the 10 year olds to twirl crazily on the lawn). Cons: The parking situation could be better - a pain to give permits to all of the guests as they arrived (wish we could have given them out at the rehearsal dinner or earlier). You can't hang anything from the trees, so if you want those romantic lights spanning the deck, you have to put in poles to hold 'em up. You're restricted to their list of caterers, but since Crown Point Catering was on the list, we had no problem with this. Overall - I'm practically a professional bridesmaid, and yes, I could be a bit biased, but this is my FAVORITE venue of all of the 25 weddings I've attended in the past 10 years. Oh, and the coordinator's name is Donna, so they may have changed people since Lisa B's review. We didn't have any problems with her (although it was crazy getting all the insurance requirements taken care of, but she worked with us to get it done).

    Kyla S.

    What a spectacular venue! All of our photographers here at Spotlight Studios, love working events here. The views, sweeping landscape, and atmosphere are breathtaking and the staff is attentive and really makes everyone feel welcomed and taken care of. Thank you for the great memories!

    Ceremony at Martin Johnson.
    Tina S.

    Amazing views and quaint ambience! Perfect and well worth it for the price. We were really not in the market for a La Jolla wedding but the views and the trees persuaded us this was it. Working with the venue team was effortless and they really took the time to walk us through and made the catering bit easy.

    Must get the market lights! So perfect!

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    4 years ago

    I enjoyed this place,it overlooks the ocean,it's peaceful,& one can photograph the entirety. It's a great walk with an incredible view.

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    14 years ago

    Love this house on the cliffs overlooking Scripps. You have to stroll by and see it if you are considering an event venue.

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    Ask the Community - Martin Johnson House

    Review Highlights - Martin Johnson House

    The reception area is on a deck that also overlooks the ocean and it is just a spectacular wedding venue.

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    Darlington House

    Darlington House

    (74 reviews)

    La Jolla

    I am a floral designer in San Diego and have for years worked at the Darlington House and Love the…read morevenue. It is such a unique, beautiful and elegant place for a wedding or any special ocassion. I very highly recommend it, especially for weddings, at it is very classy and memorable. The staff is very professional and accomodating. I have many happy Brides and Grooms who also are thrilled with their experience. Lois Mathews

    Darlington House is a truly beautiful wedding venue, and overall, we had a good experience hosting…read moreour April wedding there. The grounds were spotless, the landscaping and different spaces were so pretty that we needed very little additional decor, and our guests had a great time. We were also able to schedule unlimited walkthroughs leading up to the wedding, which was really helpful, and there were no issues with setup, teardown, or getting our security deposit back. Communication with Carly, the venue coordinator, was always quick and professional through the venue's portal. She sent reminders about vendor COIs and other important information, which helped keep us on track leading up to the wedding. My biggest advice to other couples would be to read the contract in full and make sure you are comfortable with the venue's rules before booking. Given that it is a historic site, the rules are extremely specific and there is very little flexibility, so you have to be willing to get creative within their guidelines. In our experience, if we asked for an exception to a rule, the answer was no. The biggest challenge for us was the lack of a built-in rain plan at the venue level. There was no flexibility to use indoor spaces in case of inclement weather, so we had to spend a pretty significant amount on a tent to ensure the day would go smoothly. That said, Carly was helpful in guiding us toward vendors and coordinating with another couple so we could split the tent cost, which we really appreciated. Overall, Darlington House is a gorgeous venue, and the actual wedding day went smoothly; we loved it. If you love the vibe and are prepared to work within the rules, it can be a beautiful place to get married! Photo: @byalexaleigh Planner/Florals: @franceslovesfrancis Tent/Disco: @eventpartyrentals

    La Jolla Cove Rooftop by Wedgewood Weddings - La Jolla Cove Rooftop Reception Site

    La Jolla Cove Rooftop by Wedgewood Weddings

    (36 reviews)

    La Jolla

    I attended a wedding here as a guest in March…read more The sunny Spring weather plus the unobstructed view of La Jolla Cove was the PERFECT backdrop for such a beautiful wedding! The wedding and reception ran timely and smoothly. The buffet dinner offered a variety of options and everything was tasty! There were plenty of seats and tables to ensure every guest had a place to hang out before and after the formal dinner. Heat lamps and tabletop fire pits were set up throughout the venue in the evening. What I did notice was how great and attentive the staff were in every aspect - at the bar, passing hors d'oeuvres, buffet dinner, photobooth. I really appreciated a female staff member notice who wasn't drinking alcohol and provided apple cider so they can participate in toasts! A staff member was also stationed by the main entrance which I'd assume is to prevent party crashers and ensure guests aren't walking out with alcohol (they thought my water was alcohol). The only downside of this gorgeous venue is the parking situation. We parked in a paid parking garage at the Morgan Stanley building for $25. It is a 0.2 mile walk to the venue.

    My friends got married here back in May! The rooftop has a beautiful view of La Jolla Cove and…read moredecor was simple, but very pretty. The ceremony was quick and food was buffet-style. There were also some tray-passed appetizers as well. The food was pretty good, but the fruit tray ran out too quickly. Overall, seems like a great venue for a wedding! I've also been here when they held a salsa dancing night here as well!

    Full Moon Bridal - 2 in 1 style Floral Mermaid Style Gown

    Full Moon Bridal

    (31 reviews)

    La Jolla

    I had the best experience with Yanna and her beautiful dress shop. This was my third dress store…read moreand I went to so many stores and tired on probably over 100 dresses total. It was exhausting but my experience with Full Moon Bridal exceeded all the other stores. Her store was well stocked and I was on a time crunch since my wedding was just three months away since we decided to do a wedding venue after all. The dresses were well organized as I wanted something simple and elegant. When I went to Full Moon Bridal it was more of a personal experience unlike other stores. You had the whole store to yourself and friends if you chose to bring them. She was so helpful with helping me try on the dresses and I got to pick quite a few to try on versus being limited like other stores. I went to about 4 or 5 stores after hers and I knew the dress I tried on at her store was the one and went back. It was also in my price range! I had it altered with her and the dress fit perfectly and the length was spot on. I highly recommend going to Full Moon Bridal. Yanna is the best and my dress was perfect!!! I felt so beautiful and my husband and wedding guests loved it. Thank you so much Yanna. I highly recommend her bridal store to everyone!!

    I already had my dress, but I stopped by to try accessories and had the best experience. The owner…read morewas incredibly sweet, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful--even knowing I wasn't purchasing a gown from her. Her insight and suggestions were such a big help in narrowing down the direction I want to go with my accessories. On top of that, the boutique itself is absolutely adorable. I'm so glad I stopped in and would highly recommend her to any bride.

    Piazza 1909 - Nestled in a historical beach house built in 1909 in the heart of La Jolla

    Piazza 1909

    (841 reviews)

    $$$

    La Jolla

    We visited for dinner while attending a social gathering and were immediately drawn in by the…read morebeautiful atmosphere. The restaurant truly carries an authentic Italian charm -- warm, welcoming, and family-oriented in a way that reminded me deeply of my years living in Italy. Knowing the family is originally from Milan made the experience feel even more genuine. Toward the end of the evening, we were the last guests there, and the quiet ambiance brought back so many memories of late dinners in Italy where conversations linger long after the meal is finished. Most importantly, you can absolutely taste the authenticity in the food. The flavors were rich, comforting, and unmistakably Italian -- not overly commercialized, but truly traditional. A lovely experience overall and one that brought back fond memories for me.

    Nice side patio. Hostess was great…read more I appreciate that the server let me try a few wines tonight, but they all seemed "rough" -either unstructured or something else. I also wasn't wild about the parmagiana eggplant appetizer. The eggplant could have been more tender and the pesto was too strong for me. But my meal got better! He switched to a Hugo spritz and it was delicious and very strong. And my main course, the fusilloni with pesto and burrata, was delicious. The pasta was perfectly firm, and the pesto was less overpowering. There was not that much burrata, but they brought me extra Parmesan and it was delicious that way. So overall a good and pleasant meal. The vegan bruschetta was also good for sharing, though a little one for one person to have on their own.

    La Valencia Hotel - Mediterranean room is the main dining room

    La Valencia Hotel

    (872 reviews)

    $$$

    La Jolla

    Review of La Valencia Hotel…read more I purchased a day pass here as someone who works in the hospitality industry and is always curious to experience new properties from a guest perspective--and La Valencia absolutely delivered. I arrived pretty early in the morning (optimistically expecting sunshine), but even with the typical coastal overcast, it didn't take away from the experience at all. In fact, I somehow ended up with the pool almost entirely to myself--in the middle of August, which felt like a hidden luxury. The setting is just beautiful. The views, the calm atmosphere, and the overall sense of escape made it easy to settle in and relax. I spent about five hours there and never felt rushed or overlooked. The staff, especially at the cabana bar, were fantastic--attentive, respectful, and genuinely pleasant to interact with. I ordered food and drinks throughout the day, and everything added to the ease and enjoyment of the experience. The only small downside is parking, which can be a bit tricky--but that's pretty standard for La Jolla. Overall, this was an incredible day experience and absolutely worth it. I'd do it again without hesitation.

    La Valencia was perfect for our daughter's wedding. The overall vibe was exactly what we were…read morelooking for - personal, classy, vintage, and comfortable. The venue was the perfect size for our 60-person wedding, and so beautiful with the ocean backdrop and landscape. There are lots of amazing spots for photography. From the moment we toured the venue, to planning details along the way, to the big day, communication was excellent. The hotel suggested vendors for our wedding that made vendor selection easy, and all of them were equally fantastic. The service the entire weekend was outstanding. The bridal suite was a fantastic space for the girls to get ready, made even better by the mimosas and treats the staff brought up. The team also went above and beyond for our family, even using the hotel golf carts to shuttle the grandparents to nearby restaurants so they wouldn't have to walk far. The food at the wedding was top-notch, with many guests raving about the meal. I was impressed with the number of wait staff who made sure the evening went smoothly. Overall, it was an incredible event, and we highly recommend La Valencia hotel.

    The Marine Room - Dessert at sunset

    The Marine Room

    (2.1k reviews)

    $$$$

    La Jolla

    Overall, it was an amazing experience. Chris (Christopher) and all the other staff were incredibly…read morekind, and it really felt like they made each guest feel special. The view was beautiful, and the restaurant itself felt very upscale. However, I ordered the lobster tail, and it seemed overcooked--it was rubbery and very difficult to cut. Even using my husband's steak knife, I had to practically tear it apart. It was also quite salty and tough, so I ended up leaving about half of it. Aside from the food, everything else was perfect.

    An absolutely amazing dining experience! Went at high tide (not King Tide) but still special…read morehaving the waves come up to our window! It was our 21st wedding anniversary and they did everything to make it special. Special table right on the window with waves up to our window. Custom personalized menu and glass of champagne to toast. Stefano was so classy and treated us like royalty. No rush at all and excellent service all night. There were a few mistakes made like timing and steak a little undercooked but they were so apologetic and went way above and beyond service to correct and make things right (way more than necessary) The lobster bisque was probably best ever and our Poached Butter lobster and Waygu Ribeye were spectacular. Everything was fantastic and how they took care of us over very minor mistakes, was stellar! We will be back for other special occasions and highly recommend for special dining experience.

    Martin Johnson House - venues - Updated May 2026

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