We can't say enough great things about The Condor's Nest Ranch. It was the absolute perfect place for us to get married. Our family and friends would not stop commenting on how gorgeous the venue was and how wonderful the venue staff was and we couldn't agree more. The entire team is helpful, kind, and such hard and passionate workers. The wedding coordinator - Jenn, Ranch Manager - Jess, wedding DJ - Jake, and of course the owners Mel and Dave are truly the best. They all were so willing to help, answer our questions, and they all have such huge hearts! They all felt like an extension of our own family and their vision and love for weddings are truly something special. Massive shoutout to Jenn! Her cool, calm, and collected spirit was the best presence at my side on what could have easily been the most stressful day of my life thus far. Also, thank you Jenn for walking down the aisle with my flower girl when she had a little meltdown. To the Condor's Nest Ranch team, our experience was nothing short of amazing and we are forever grateful to you all! Thank you! Jackielyn & Nicholas read more

See all

I got married on 5/22/21 at the Condor's Nest Ranch, and it was the most magical experience! Our original wedding was supposed to be a year earlier, but we had to postpone (twice!) due to COVID, and Bob and Lisa were the kindest, most accommodating hosts ever! We actually ended up staying at the ranch for a mini-vacation in August 2020 and had a great time, and then we had a 115-person wedding in May, and it was so perfect! We originally booked the venue back in March of 2019 after visiting and falling in love with the gorgeous and unique house, INCREDIBLE view, and the owners' enthusiasm and responsiveness. After communicating with a few venues, we were so impressed at how helpful Lisa and Bob were, and they were more than happy to answer any question we had (and responded to emails at the drop of a hat, even after we booked!). What was also great about the venue is that so many things are included, and you aren't stuck making decisions about what type of plates to have, etc -- they have done so many weddings that they know what will work, and you can feel confident that everything will turn out awesome. We even went into the prop room and picked out a few things to put out (they have everything you could imagine), but the staff took it to the next level on the actual wedding day, and everything looked so beautiful. In addition, they work with great vendors -- in particular, everyone was raving about Buckboard catering, who we also used for our rehearsal dinner. Their coordinator, Jen, is so fantastic and organized! Once we had our initial call, she maintained constant communication and made sure everything went off without a hitch. She even had lots of helpful tips for where to set things up and helped our day run very smoothly. I definitely recommend staying in the house for a few days if you choose CNR as your wedding venue -- it's such a fun place to stay! We stayed for four nights, and our families had a blast bonding together, and it's also fun to feed the animals and swim in the pool! There's so much to do at the ranch (and it also makes for a special experience for wedding guests -- we had lots of people commenting on how much fun it was to get off the shuttle and feed carrots to all the animals!). Thanks to Lisa and Bob for the most special day ever! We are so happy to have chosen CNR as our venue!! read more

See all

The main house at Condor's Nest Ranch was designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright, and built posthumously. Inside, the owners have an old west theme throughout. Antiques and rustic re-purposed items are tastefully found throughout the open layout. The use of windows and natural lighting by Frank Lloyd Wright's design is perfectly suited to this beautiful location, taking full advantage of the breathtaking views and the privacy and tranquility. My wife and I, along with another couple spent a relaxing, long weekend here and found it to be exactly what we wanted. I can see why so many people choose this location for weddings. The photo opportunities abound. The ability to house several people in the main house, along with more options in adjacent buildings would make for a practical and memorably unique alternative to a hotel. A family reunion here would be a great memory in a special, historic, scenic, secluded location. read more

See all

If you book your wedding or any event at The Condor's Nest Ranch, you get private use of a ranch-style home and 20 acres of 360 degree views of Temecula and San Diego County that stretches out to the Pacific Ocean. There are so many areas on the ranch that can create perfect and picturesque photos. Have your wedding ceremony next to a statuesque tree on the upper lawn, or have the panoramic view as the backdrop to your wedding. Or if you want that country, rustic feel, there's a big, red barn where your guests are entertained by their array of barnyard animals - horses, pigs, goats, llamas, cows, and chickens. The Ranch is perfect because you get to customize your wedding the way you want it. You can be as grand or simple with the decorations as you want. Your imagination can go wild here. Just look at their web site for photos of all the details. The ease about booking The Condor's Nest Ranch is that they provide everything for you. They already have a list of caterers that they work with that you choose from. A bar service, a DJ, a venue coordinator (more on that below), and an officiant that can customize your ceremony anyway that you want. Although you can provide your own officiant, pastor, or reverend. Up to you. Their basic package already provides tables, chairs, settings, linens, and clean up. Along with sound and lighting. The only thing you are responsible for is flowers & decor, and the cake. The food or caterer we choose was the BBQ option. IT'S DELICIOUS!!! Brides & Grooms are invited tot he ranch at the beginning of the year for a meet & greet of all the vendors. You can try all the food and talk with the reps and walk around the venue. The BBQ, I think is the BEST option for your wedding. It's bbq tri-rip and chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, beans, and salad. It's the best tri-tip I have ever had. And the chicken is fall off the bone juicy! Plus on the day of your wedding, it's a BUFFET...all you can eat! Next to the beauty of the venue, the food is the nest talked about thing about my wedding. There are different packages for the bar service, but we just got the regular bar service that includes beer, bottom-shelf liquor, and wine. With an open bar, it doesn't matter what kind of alcohol it is. DJ Jake, whom is the DJ that the venue only allows you to use, sounds a little restricting, but there's a good reason for that. Since the venue is "old" and you might run into electrical or power outs, Jake knows exactly where to go to fix the situation. Like what happened on my wedding. During the father-daughter dance, there was a lot of fun activity going on at the photobooth that the flash kept making that lights and sound go out. Jake knew exactly where to go to fix the situation. If it was another DJ from somewhere, I don't think he'd be able to handle it as fast. But other than that, DJ Jake makes a very good MC. Very professional, and a fun guy for your party. If you are weary on what he will play, like we were, just make him a playlist - email him mp3s or burn him a CD and you're done. We decided to use The Condor's officiant, Rev. Tony. Use him. Not only is he good looking but he's a really good officiant. He delivers good, and is able to pick up the vibe of the couple and the guests and was able to make our ceremony heart felt and funny. Guests are reminded of how they definitely felt the power and love from our ceremony. Now this is important. The venue's day-of coordinator is Lisa Doherty. You meet her at the meet & greet and are not in contact with her again until a month before your wedding. Over the phone, you go over details of where the ceremony & reception takes place and where are the little details need to be. Like if yo are going to have cake or cupcakes, is it self serve or passed around. Little details like that. She meets with the vendors and directs them where they need to be. For this reason, you NEED to have a separate day-of wedding coordinator that will be there for YOU and your reception party. I didn't know that. I assumed that she was my coordinator for that day. Long story short, if I did have my own day-of coordinator, I would not have been an hour behind schedule. You MUST MUST MUST have a wedding coordinator. It's SO SO SO IMPORTANT. Other side notes. The price seems, well, expensive. But keep in mind that you have the venue the entire weekend. Private use. Meaning there will be no stragglers, or wedding crashers. You and 14 other guests can stay at the ranch for 2 nights with full use of the everything inside. It's all you can eat, all you can drink, and clean up all conveniently packaged for you. And its good too. The venue alone should make your decision. There's so many beautiful areas and details around the place that will make your wedding pictures unique, and special compared to everyone else. read more

See all

We stayed here with our family for our wedding in April and we could not be happier we found this place. All the guests complimented the venue and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Seeing the farm animals, the gorgeous vast scenery and the beautifully designed & decorated house made me fall in with this ranch the minute we entered. Lisa and her entire staff were absolutely amazing at accommodating everything we asked for. Thank you to their whole team for making our night so wonderful :) read more

The Condor's Nest Ranch - The only photo I have so far. View of the mountains after sunset and our satisfied faces - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pala, California

We absolutely loved our mid-October wedding at the Condor's Nest. The venue is rustic, funky, super photogenic, comfortable, and tucked away in a beautiful spot. We were lucky because the weather was perfect the whole weekend. Bree was a very organized and helpful coordinator, the property was more than amazing, and the included vendors were all very professional and made the whole process of planning so easy and worth the price. Also, they're all super nice and flexible and made the wedding weekend a breeze by taking care of many of the details. We used Dalena's catering and it was a big hit and delicious. Some questions I had during planning that you may wish to know: They have every prop you could need. They have rooms full of vases, table runners, candles, etc in all sorts of styles. I did my own florals with a team of bridesmaids and we loved the props and details they included. We also brought our own runners, but they have some too. Bree is super crafty and can pull stuff together quite nicely-- including seating arrangement display and chalk boards writing. We had 19 guests (mostly our wedding party and guests) stay at the ranch with us (right under their 20 person limit). We brought a few air mats to make this work. It wasn't tight, but for the most part the wedding party was all good friends so a ton of privacy wasn't important. They have a ton of linens, blankets, and towels so no need to bring more. The grass on the lower field is mostly dead in October, but it still leads to beautiful ceremony photogs. The upper grass area comfortably sat our ~110 guests for dinner at the rectangle tables, which opened up space on the pool deck for dancing. We upgraded a few of the services included catering (to include appetizers and a few more sides), DJ (to add a few more hours of coverage over the standard 5), and bar service (to have higher end labels and craft beers) and the additional price tag wasn't cheap, but it was worth the expense and the vendors were all very helpful in coordinating the changes. The DJ Jake is really great. We catered our rehearsal on the ranch with a local taco caterer. It was delicious, and having it on the ranch helped us to enjoy the beautiful setting and have an intimate rehearsal (they have a 30 person limit for this & paid around $70 for tables and linens for the setup. read more

The Condor's Nest Ranch - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pala, California

The perfect location to get married. We had our families stay on the ranch with us and everyone loved it. I wish we could have stayed longer! Thank you Condor's Nest, you're the best. read more

I am reviewing as a guest of a wedding! Just went to #KimAndWill2014 on Saturday and the wedding at this venue was straight out of our wildest Pinterest dreams. Leave it to this couple to go all out - it seems like all of their vendors and especially Condor's Nest allowed them to have the wedding of a lifetime! The owner/manager, Mike, was around at all times to ensure guests were safe, timely and most of all, having fun! Can't beat customer service like his, such a gentleman. Mike even came onto the bus and welcomed us right as the guests arrived, letting us know about the farm animals, restrooms, ceremony start time, and smoking areas, etc. I thought that was extremely professional of him. Shoutout to MIKE - the wedding party kept talking about how cool you are too! Rock on! The staff and crew were very speedy, courteous and quick to clean and clear away. The decor of the entire setting was unmatched, as were the views of the valley. There were several toilets (I feel this is more common problem for more remote locations) and not only were there more than enough of them, they were super cute and well maintained! Props! Although I can't speak of the costs, only because I don't know them, I was informed that this venue was "Well worth the money." The bridesmaids said they had the best time staying in the ranch house for the rehearsal dinner where they had full use of the facilities and the gorgeous pool! (They were stoked to have the rehearsal in their bath suits LOL). I will need to post some pictures of this event, hats off to The Condor's Nest Ranch! read more

When my fiance (now, husband) chose the Condor's Nest, we were looking to escape from the idea of another typical wedding reception in a hotel banquet. I googled "vintage, rustic wedding venue" in the SoCal area and the Condor's Nest came up in my search. Not only is the ranch authentically vintage (not like some venues where a few props are put up for a 'vintage' feel) and rustic, but it's absolutely gorgeous. We were having the wedding in California because we both grew up here but we were living out of state at the time. One important reason I choose the CNR was because of the flexibility and also the 'wedding package' that included over 90% of my needs. These custom packages reduced my wedding planning significantly. On the wedding day, I was absolutely stress free. All my guests raved about the beautiful scenery, amazing food and 'special' wedding venue. My videographers and photographer loved the venue as well since it gave them endless ideas. One of my concerns was the heat on a summer afternoon in June. Our ceremony started at 4pm and was about 45 mins long. I asked my guests afterwards about the heat and no one complained because the venue (and I) had provided parasols. Made a great photo and classy touch for an outdoors ceremony! I tend to get warm very easily and I'm happy to say that I did not sweat one drop during the ceremony under the sun. I think the altitude of the ranch helps, and there's a great breeze from the ocean. If it's a clear day, you can even see the ocean in the horizon. The owners, staff and wedding coordinator do everything to help you have the perfect day. All my requests were answered at CNR. I had a great time getting to know the owners and staff. You definitely do not feel like another 'contract'. I just checked their website and they're already booked for 2012! I'm so glad & lucky to have found CNR and book our wedding here. read more

This by far exceeded our expectations for a wonderful venue for our daughter's wedding!! Bob and Lisa who manage the venue are delightful and so supportive- Trish was our day of coordinator and was just amazing. They do so much for you and there are NO hidden costs! We rented the home and bunkhouse and it made it even more special. All the girls got ready at "our" house and the guys were down at the bunkhouse. Pictures are amazing because there are so many unique spots to create that special moment. We were there in October so the wedding was on the flat dirt - we switched our site to the massive oaks trees and used oriental rugs down the aisle! No one noticed the dirt and the reception up by pool was just perfect- it was a magical night!! read more

See all

We had our wedding at the Condor's Nest in April 2012. I can't even begin to describe how happy we were with our choice. We were blessed with a day of perfect sunshine and warmth, and our families and guests had a wonderful experience. We loved working with Lisa and all the wonderful vendors with whom she works (Rev. Tony, Fran from 220 Catering, Lisa the wedding planner). Everything was very professional, but with a friendly, welcoming vibe. Also, goats and pigs and llamas and chickens. The Condor's Nest is awesome, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a wedding venue. read more

I love the Condor's Nest Ranch. I love Lisa and Bob and Lisa D. too. I don't even know what to say because I am so thrilled with this place that I can't put it into words. First of all, I got engaged November 2011 after CNR was already totally booked for 2012. When I contacted Lisa and explained an serious and unhappy circumstance in my life, she literally dropped everything to make my dreams of getting married at the ranch come true. I mean she went completely out of her way and added a date at the beginning of their year for me. It was inconvenient for them and they had no reason to do it other than kindness. Of course this meant we were to get married in March 2012 and I have never planned a large party before - ever. Because of my compressed schedule, I relied on the staff at Condor's Nest for a lot of my planning. Lisa Doherty, the day of coordinator took extra time to recommend amazing vendors to me for the few things I needed and helped me with the schedule and planning my seating. I worked with vendors they recommended and feel that I have made friends with many of them. How can I put a value on that? AMAZING! The wedding was perfect, the weekend was everything I could hope for and people literally came up to me crying at the end of the night to say how beautiful the event was. I got calls for weeks from people saying it was the most unusual and beautiful wedding they had been to. The entire experience was a dream come true. We stayed at the ranch for the weekend and with all the little kids running around a few things got broken. Lisa called me apologizing for having to mention it! I was so surprised by her kind attitude. I mean we broke things and she felt bad telling me about it. The only complaint that my husband and I have is that because we were getting married, we didn't get to enjoy the entire wedding ... as guests! I wish I could get married again to work with them again. read more

We are so happy that we had our wedding at The Condor's Nest Ranch! The venue itself is beyond amazing. The grounds are super expansive with a main ranch house, a cottage, hammock, pool, animals that you can feed including alpacas, hogs, horses, goats, a donkey... we can go on and on! The views are breathtaking and the house is decked out with incredible antiques everywhere! Let's just say, you will not have one ugly photo at this venue. It also has an awesome master bedroom where the girls got ready. We received so many compliments from our guests about the venue. Everyone had a blast and it made for one magical weekend. It is just the perfect place where people can escape and enjoy themselves. Our wedding was in the beginning of July, so we were originally concerned about the heat. However, because it is situated on the ocean side of the hill, you get these wonderful, constant breezes coming all the way from the ocean, which helped make everything more pleasant. The venue also has parasols for everyone to use. It was warm, but the weather was absolutely amazing, especially in the evening. There are multiple, all-inclusive packages to choose from. Since we had a lot of guests coming from out of town, we chose a package with a 2-night stay. We hosted our rehearsal dinner at the ranch Friday night and had the wedding on Saturday. You can sleep up to 15 people between the ranch house and the cottage! It really gave us a chance to spend some quality time with each other in an awesome location instead hanging out in some stuffy hotel lobby. My wife especially loved how you get access to their ultimate prop room. They have tons of vintage and nifty props and decorations that you can use for your wedding, which would otherwise cost a fortune. The food vendor we choose (Alchemy) was great and super easy to work with. The bar service provided is great and will work with you on your drinking needs. DJ Jake is the man! We also used another of their preferred vendors for rehearsal (Urban Chow) and that turned out awesome too. Their entire staff is amazing. Everyone is super friendly, super nice, and very accommodating. What a great team! Thank you everyone! There are so many great things to say about The Condor's Nest Ranch. We absolutely loved it there and didn't want to leave. Thanks again to you all! We can't wait to see everyone again at the end-of-year reunion! read more

If you are looking for a venue for your special event, look no further! Condor's Nest Ranch is magical in every sense. The owners- Bob and Lisa, are super sweet and accommodating as well. Make sure you visit the Ranch yourself, the pictures don't do it justice. The Condor's Nest Ranch will not disappoint! read more

See all

Stayed here for the weekend for a friend's wedding, I was one of the bridesmaids. Unfortunately the first evening there we had the rehearsal dinner at the ranch but the power was out so the main fridge in the ranch house was out, and it was hard to really get around as it was super dark, luckily some workers bought flashlights and had generators to keep some lights on. There were plenty of rooms and space for people to stay over, the venue itself was gorgeous, with all the live farm animals providing lovely background sound effects during the wedding ::gobble gobble:: Be careful though, you've been warned that there are critters that get into the ranch house so try to keep all the screen doors closed, we did find a tarantula in our room!! it was sooo scary! but kind of entertaining?? Beautiful venue though, so many places to take pictures, the barn, the cottage, the gift shop, the backdrop view at the back of the ranch house, and so many more, absolutely breathtaking. :) read more

Just had the most amazing picture perfect wedding here! Could not have been a better experience. Trish the day of coordinator had every detail thought of. Everything was so smooth. I had nothing to worry about at all on the day of. Everyone had so much fun feeding the animals, taking scenic pics, and dancing on the dance floor near beautiful pool. We had the best time ever. Love this place!! Strongly recommend for wedding venue. Thank you to Lisa, Bob, Ryan, Trish, Jacob!!!! read more

See all

Heaven on Earth..Simply a perfect place of peace to have a beautiful wedding.The grounds are so well kept and the animals are always willing to interact..The nights are amazing under the stars as you listen to the wild life. read more

See all

WOW!!! What a wonderful place to have your daughter's wedding. My daughter got married this past weekend at the Nest! So unique and beautiful to say the least. We stayed for 2-1/2 days at the Ranch and had a ball. The staff was second to none from Trish the coordinator, Mike the manager, Pedro and wife and all the others that were a big part of the celebration. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!!! Sincerely, Jeff C. read more

I attended a wedding at The Condors Nest Ranch in the Summer of 2012 and I find myself here critiquing this establishment because the horrors of that wedding event have resurfaced after an acquaintance asked me about wedding venues in California and knowing I had attended a wedding there, if it was worth my recommendation. Absolutely not!, and here's why. How would anyone feel if you were at a premium dollar venue and the room the bride and groom inhabited on their wedding night was infested with dripping maggots from a taxidermy boar's head mounted above their bed in the so called wedding suite. If this is a wedding fantasy provided by the Condors Nest Ranch, I'll pass and take the nightmare. I have no bone to pick with the caretakers of this establishment, I just want to give those who will be paying their hard earned dollars a fair heads up to research what they're getting themselves into because in this particular case, I truly was embarrassed for the bride and groom on behalf of this highly touted venue. I will say in The Condors Nest Ranch favor, the grounds are lovely and do have a certain stagecoach appeal. The staff is capable and accommodating but surely the ownership has a lot to be desired and they certainly have in the case of the wedding I attended, failed to deliver on a "well paid for" dream by their lack of a simple inspection of their property. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this venue! We looked at several places before deciding on this one and a huge reason was because of the family vibe I got here. I was planning a big, crazy Indian wedding and even though they had never had one... Lisa, Bob and Trish were so accommodating!! We stayed on the property from Thursday to Sunday. Lisa and Bob were so great about answering the million questions that I had! Jess helped us check in and was always around when we needed him.... he even helped bartend my Henna party the night before the wedding! We had an unexpectedly cold weekend and they were quick to pull out the heat lamps to keep my guests warm! Trish helped me and my family stay on time and made sure my groom and I were able to taste all of our food!! I am Indian and my now husband is white. This venue was the perfect place to blend our two families! read more

See all

We got married August 30th of this year and had the absolute time of our lives at this venue. Bob, Lisa, Mike, Trish, and staff were truly amazing! It was beyond just an "average wedding" everything was incredible. We enjoyed every second of it and to this day want to relive that whole experience up at Condor's again. They made our wedding beyond one of our wildest dreams and we thank them so very much for the amazing adventure they started for us! Our wedding turned out beautiful and the staff was wonderful! Could not get any better than this venue to have any event placed at Condor's considering the entire weekend turned out perfectly! We have felt so grateful to of had our wedding at Condor's. But again, Thank you family of Condor's Nest Ranch, for giving us the most impeccable wedding possible! We cannot thank you all enough!! Brian and Shelby Clark 8.30.14 @ Condor's Nest Ranch!!! read more

The Condor's Nest Ranch - Ceremony site - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pala, California

See all

We held our wedding for 50 people at Condors Nest Ranch and had our two families stay at the ranch for 3 days. It was the best decision we ever made. We had the most magical time and the staff were beyond amazing. The views, grounds and houses are even more beautiful than the pictures! It is so quirky, truly one of a kind! Staying at the ranch only made the whole experience even better - the perfect way to have a relaxed experience leading up to, on the day and perfect for our post wedding day brunch. Thank you to Lisa, Bob, Trish and Jesse - it was literally the best day of our lives thanks to you all! read more

The Condor's Nest Ranch was the one and only place my husband and looked into before booking our May 2011 wedding. We had done some online hunting trying to scour the San Diego area for a non traditional wedding venue since neither him nor I are very traditional. What really caught our attention besides the gorgeous photos was that they only book one event per weekend. That means not having to deal with confused guests as to which wedding they are attending on any given Saturday. The ranch is in a secluded residential area of Pala, which means total privacy for you and your guests and in my opinion was essential for our wedding day. That said we booked immediately upon viewing and sent our parents back for approval. The ranch along with the owners (Lisa and Bob B.) have an undeniable charm that instantly makes you feel like old friends. We were so thrilled to find a place that could instantly make us feel so at home. Now we booked for our wedding date almost a year in advance. I would recommend doing the same or giving yourself even more time if you are able as they book quickly. Bob and Lisa were always very accommodating to any of our concerns during the planning process, providing us with information on the ranch, a layout of options where we could have the ceremony and reception, and always answering our ongoing list of questions. There are a handful of packages you can choose from depending on your needs. I love that they take care of all the stuff that most people don't want to deal with booking a wedding, such as tables and chairs, heaters and lighting and leave all the fun details up to you. In addition to that they also have vintage china and beautifully mismatched silverware for place settings. We went to the meet and greet in February and it put a great deal of our questions at ease getting to meet with all the various caterers, vendors, and staff. We ended up choosing Delena with Santa Maria BBQ (soo delicious!!) and the paela guys for apps (at an additional cost but so worth it)! They were also totally cool with our wedding photographer meeting us there and having an impromptu mini photo shoot. Now I did most of the planning and wedding day preparation on my own as I am a d.i.y. kind of gal. I had no trouble relating every last detail to the day of coordinator Lisa D. (who comes as part of the packages and is essential to making the day go flawlessly) who I might also add is fantastic and asked me questions ahead of time that had not even crossed my mind! We had about a two hour phone conversation about a month before the big day and she greatly helped put my mind at ease. Our special day went so smoothly and I can honestly say I was one of the most relaxed brides they have ever seen! All of our handmade place cards were set up, photo booth guest check in all set up, surf band in place along with our pedal steel player for the ceremony, flower arrangements and every last special request was handled with the utmost care including letting us come up a day early . to park all four (yes four) of our vintage cars and hot rods! If I can offer one bit of advice to any couple considering this special place for their wedding day, book an extra night before your wedding day (and maybe even a day afterwards) because you are not going to want to leave this place and time passes far to quickly! You are going to want as much time as possible up there to take it all in. Trust me on this! It is a very special place and both Jason, my husband and I feel incredibly grateful for Lisa and Bob opening up their home for all to share. You too will know what I mean once you go for a visit. read more

What can I say that previous brides have not already? I suppose since I am a wedding coordinator that had the pleasure of being hired by a bride as her wedding consultant throughout the planning of her wedding, I can offer another perspective....an "insider's perspective." The bride and I visited the Ranch a total of three times before the wedding. The first time was with the bride before she made the final decision to book the Ranch. I had the pleasure of meeting both Lisa and Bob B. (owners), who took the time to show us around and answer any questions that we had (and believe me, being a wedding planner...I ALWAYS have a lot of questions). We never felt rushed and you could just feel the love they had for their property. That love for the Ranch was infectious and we booked as soon as we returned to San Diego. The second time we visited, was for the group tasting in February. This is when all the booked couples visit the Ranch to taste the different catering companies on the Ranch's preferred list. There are a lot to choose from...all different styles. My bride opted for Santa Maria BBQ, but please know that anything you want, you can get. It is also during this time that the booked couples have a chance to meet with the Ranch's venue coordinator, Lisa D., as well as DJ Jake. Again, even with them having to meet a ton of couples, we never felt rushed with my million questions. The third time we took the trek out to Pala, was to cover all the aspects of decor and florals. The florist joined us this time as we mapped out exactly where we wanted everything (from the table layout, the bunting, the ladder for the escort cards...everything). Again, Lisa B. was there to answer our last minute questions about where the sun set, nailing decor into the outside of house, what we could float in the pool, linen colors, plates, vases, etc. A month before the wedding was when the real correspondence with Lisa D. (venue coordinator) took place. As a wedding planner, I understand how much detail needs to be passed onto the day-of coordinator. Lisa asked all the right questions and during our hour and a half conversation, we literally covered everything. Usually I would bring an assistant with me to help with a wedding such as a DIY Ranch-style wedding. It's A LOT of work to set-up and run. After my final details conversation with Lisa D., I felt 100% confident that we would work well together as a team and she would be there, by my side, throughout the entire eight hours she was on site. Her experience was invaluable, especially since I had not worked at the Ranch before. This not only saved the bride additional money it would have cost for me to bring on an assistant, but it also offered me a peace of mind that I don't always get from venues such as the Ranch. There is typically someone on site for any venue you book, but they don't work as hard as Lisa and her staff. The day of the wedding, I arrived at 10 AM to start set-up. Even though Lisa wasn't due to start her day until 1 PM, she was completely available on the phone for any question or concern I had. And, before Lisa arrived, other staff were on hand: Ryan and John. They were there and were willing to help me move anything I asked (and trust me, I asked!) As soon as Lisa arrived on site, she was ready to roll-up her sleeves and help with the rest of set-up. She even walked around with hammer in hand, helping me put up the bunting that we made, and suggested alternates for certain lay-out plans that she had seen fail in the past. During the event itself, Lisa and Co. dismissed the tables, attended to any guests' needs, they even helped cut and serve the cakes. Never once did they raise a stink about anything. The whole wedding flowed like a well-oiled machine. A smooth flowing event is extremely important to me and even though I am confident I could have done it alone, Lisa and her team made the whole day effortless and SO MUCH FUN. I honestly felt like I've worked with them for years. All in all, if you book The Condor's Nest Ranch, you truly are in great hands. Anyone can see just by visiting the place that it is gorgeous, but trust me on this behind-the-scenes perspective...they know what they are doing and they do it well. Happy planning! read more

The Condors Nest Ranch is clearly beautiful, with a feel and view. This amazing home and grounds home is a stunning is an amazing escape .. it feels like you are the only ones around. Our wedding was a quick one and we feel in love with everything about the Condors Nest. They have thought of everything and include it in one flat rate! They have a wedding coordinator to help you the day of (who I also might add was a savoir) , they supplied the choice of 4 different caterers which will suit anyone's palate , the DJ , Bartender and all the set up such as outdoor lighting , tables , lines, chairs and silverware. You also have the option to make it your own or use your own services. I think the hardest part would be is where to set it up? By the pool? On the huge lawn surrounded by trees and endless view?? We chose the set up around the pool and it was gorgeous! Really the possibilities are endless. Bottom line .. as the bride and groom when we saw it all come together the day of our April wedding it was amazing .. it really couldn't have been more perfect! It all fell in to place - the weather, food , music and bar service... I also loved the outdoor lights that were set up around the pool and bar area .. it really made it look magical in the evening. Definitely gets 5 stars in my book and it was obvious the guests were enjoying the experience. Lisa and Bob also were fantastic with setting up view times and vendor sampling and of course answer the many questions any newly engaged couple may have during the planning process. So, if you're looking for a great, classy location for your wedding, definitely check out the Condors Nest!!! Suzanne & Craig Zubris ! read more

we had our wedding at the ranch on august 20th of this year and our families are STILL talking about how great of a time they had and how beautiful the location was! from the moment we looked at the ranch until the day after our wedding everyone involved in the process was nothing but helpful and comforting. we couldn't have had a more perfect day! the only complaint i have is that it all went by way too fast. wish we could do it all over again! thank you again lisa and team for such a wonderful experience! read more

The condor Nest Ranch is the nicest place to have a wedding, with the rustic look, the barn, the farm animals, the huge ranch, the view, it's like heaven, a memory that will never be forgotton, My daughters wedding was wonderful, the owners, Bob and Lisa, are so helpful and goes out of their way to have anything you want. A perfect wedding on a Perfect Ranch, Thank You read more

We could not have picked a more perfect venue! The owners Bob and Lisa have created a wonderful venue and assembled the best staff . Lisa was so easy to work with and helped us plan out the perfect day. Michael was fantastic at being there when we needed him and making us feel at home. Laura, who was our coordinator that day took all my crafts and ideas and helped me put it all together the day of our wedding. During the wedding the staff made sure you knew they were right there if you needed them but were never obtrusive. My family and Bridesmaids stayed at the Ranch house the night before the wedding. It was so nice to relax with the girls that night. In the morning, there's plenty of room for everyone to get ready at the house which took the pressure off of having to get ready and drive somewhere. We truly had nothing to worry about except enjoying our day. You have a few options for your caterer and we picked BBQ. Deliena's brought a huge grill and made the most delicious Salmon and Brisket. How many wedding have you been to, where people loved the food?! The views are amazing up at the ranch and if you time it all right the sunset is a breathtaking backdrop for your reception. Our family and friends are still raving about how beautiful and unique the location was. Everyone at The Condor's Nest go above and beyond what we expected. If your considering The Condors Nest as a venue for your wedding, you will not be disappointed. read more

I had the pleasure of attending Rachel and Tom's wedding at Condors Nest Ranch, being a "city slicker" a ranch wedding seemed unique, I was surprised how much fun I had, I truly loved it! The quaint location/ranch offered a unforgettable experience. Being a designer I'm very observant of details, I loved the retro vibe with a country flair. The food was delicious and tasted even better having a spectacular view. R & T made a unbelievable memory that will last them a life time. Thanks so much for including me in your special day! Cheers and I know you will live happily ever after! read more

Our daughter and her fiance' were married on June 15th, 2013 at Bob and Lisa's Condor's Nest Ranch. This was a highly rated venue before we got there, we had attended their open house with all the service providers a few months prior. We were sold on the idea then, and now after, all I can say is WOW, we had the dream wedding! Our day was perfectly sunny, with a slight breeze, not too warm. Bob and Lisa are very involved owners, passionate about delivering on their promises and hiring great staff to support their vision. We especially enjoyed Michael the Ranch Manager, who was tireless in his efforts to connect with us, and exceed our expectations. Thank you Bob, Lisa, and Michael and your team of excellent service providers, loved the DJ Jacob, he was phenomenal. read more

See all

My husband and I were married here in October 2013 and it could not have been better! We had high expectations, as I'm sure most bride and grooms do for their wedding, and the team at the ranch exceeded them without a doubt. The venue is the most stunning place and the team is a joy to work with. Lisa and Bob are professional, but also warm and inviting. They, along with their team, go above and beyond. They truly care about every wedding that takes place there and they do everything they can to make sure you and everyone involved is happy and that you get your perfect day. They make the wedding planning process easy so you can actually enjoy it. Not only do they provide many things in their wedding packages (from the DJ, to the dance floor, to dinner, to lighting, and even decorations and a day of coordinator), but they also have great vendors to recommend for the very few things that are not included. For example, florists and photographers. They have thought of everything so you don't have to. They give you the essentials so you can focus on the details of your dream wedding. I cannot speak highly enough of this venue. They gave us the perfect day, actually weekend, since you get private access to the ranch the weekend of your wedding. The food was fantastic! The DJ was spectacular! Lisa, the day of wedding coordinator, took care of everything and handled it perfectly! Thanks to these people and the rest of the Condor's Nest Ranch team we were able to throw the best party! It was an experience we will never forget. We just can't wait to get to go back. Even after your wedding is over, that is not the end of your experience there. At the end of the year they throw a party at the ranch for all of the brides and grooms that got married there that year. I can only imagine every couple is as excited as we are to get to go back! read more

Beautiful, unique, fun, eclectic venue. I can't say enough about the hospitality and warmth from the staff and family who run it. Lisa Biesterfeld manages the calendar and she has been so helpful and accommodating in keeping me posted about dates booking up (as I'm still in the date selection process). She has a lot of enthusiasm as well. Ryan who gave us the tour was helpful and friendly. His family owns the property and so he knew the history behind it and all the awesome areas for photo ops or activities. I'm still deciding on a venue, but I had to give proper shout out to this space and the crew. Not to mention, their "all-inclusive" style rates are very unique - they even include a photo booth and 5 hours of open bar. The mismatched china, the views, the animals, the vintage umbrellas over the pool, the barn, the bar setup and more make it a perfect spot to host a wedding (or event). read more

Pros: Beautiful rustic farm up in the hills of San Diego. Unusual and unique. Caterers are good. Fun for children if they are invited to the wedding. Cons: Only one actual bathroom off pool area that I knew of for guest. I am not sure if they allow wedding guests to use the bathrooms in the main house but the wedding I was at did not. They also had construction out houses that no woman would use. Pool could be a problem for small children. Older people may have trouble with the terrain as their are stairs and grass and many levels to navigate on the property. Also gets pretty hot up there in Pala. Check what average temps are and add a few degrees. Also if people use their GPS they won't find it and so your guest may not find it in time for the wedding. Street signs are very bad. Regarding bathrooms, I have heard that they added another so ask about that. read more

Spent a weekend here with a group of friends from Maui, one of whom had been here before. What a spot! Comfortable to the max without being fake-luxurious or ostentatious. I'm from a ranching background, raising horses and cattle on Oahu's North Shore, so the big stone, wood, glass, and leather ranch house was a perfect fit. We saved some money by being allowed to do our own cooking in the professionally sized and equipped kitchen. The living room is right off the kitchen, with big leather couches, a huge fireplace, and an 80 inch screen for watching their great library of DVDs (including many of my favorite westerns). Our group will be in Las Vegas for the first four days of the National Finals Rodeo in December, and are hoping to repeat our experience. read more

Nice event space for a casual wedding. It's a very rustic venue in Pala, CA (near San Diego) that is up in the hills. The scenery is fabulous, especially when the sun is setting. It does get a big hot, since you're outside, but started to cool down around 5pm. read more

My hubby and I were married here in June of 2013 and I just have 3 words to describe how it was. Uh. Mah. Gawd. :) It's impossible for me to gush enough about this place, but I'll do my best. Top things about choosing The Condor's Nest Ranch for our wedding venue, despite how expensive it was (it took us 2 1/2 years to save for the nearly $40,000 total cost of it all), for us were: 1. Bob & Lisa treated us like we were the most special and most important couple every step of the way 2. The day of coordinators, caterers, and staff turned our ideas into a seamless, magazine-quality dream come true event 3. The grounds are so special and so beautiful everyone is still talking about how it was the best wedding site they've ever been to 4. Getting to stay at the site, privately with our wedding party, for 2 nights beforehand, especially around the pool each night, gave us some truly special memories The only cons of the venue that we experienced while staying there were: 1. The BUGS - oh my god. HUGE HUGE spiders, gnats, tarantulas. Not enough to be of safety concern, but enough to be icky. Champagne glasses that were left out that weren't consumed ended up having a thick layer of gnats on top of them. I found this out the hard way when I picked one up without looking and took a big sip. :) It turned into a great memory for people though, surprisingly, for the kids and when one of them caught a big bug in a mason jar. 2. The HEAT - I don't know why, but the ranch house is NOT air conditioned, and our June 30th wedding was really really really hot. Michael, the groundskeeper and overall amazing go-to guy for the entire weekend, really kindly showed up with several swamp coolers for each room, but it still wasn't enough. And the heat of the actual day was pretty tough during picture times. I would suggest if you are considering a summer wedding there, to start it as late as you can to decrease the amount of day time heat. Once the sun set it was a little better. But, I have to say, if those two little cons are the price to pay for the lifetime of incredible, beautiful, unforgettable memories we and our guests got to experience at such a unique venue, it's worth it. :) Hands down. My favorite interaction with Bob & Lisa was when my hubby and I were considering eloping. It was 2 years into our engagement and sacrificing and saving for our wedding, we were stressed to the bone and just tired of the wedding planning hubbub. We decided to elope and I contacted Bob & Lisa. Bob immediately called me and talked me out of it, and I am so grateful. Now that it's over, not getting to have that fairy tale experience would have been such a huge miss for Chris and I. I could go on forever and ever about all the amazing things that we experienced during our wedding weekend at the Condor's, if you want to hear more feel free to contact me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.clemente.73. If you're thinking of Condor's and can afford it, DO IT! You won't regret it, you'll be treated with love and kindness and positivity every step of the way, and you and your guests will leave with truly unique memories, and pictures!, that no other wedding site can compare to. Thank you Condor's!! read more

Bob & Lisa, Just wanted to send you a quick note to complement your staff. This past weekend I was at your property for the Ardolino wedding. I was the officiant and had the privilege to meet Michael and Trish. Michael is truly an asset to your service. He went up and beyond time and time again. His positive attitude, desire to help and work hard with continued energy despite the heat was remarkable. My wife and I both thought he was a wonderful person and he made us feel welcomed and excited about being at your ranch. Trish, the wedding coordinator was best I have seen. She had everything down pat and didn't miss a beat. She was able to keep us in line and on schedule while remaining pleasant, kind and professional. She also has such a great demeanor that added to the beauty of the weekend. In fact, the DJ, Pizza guys, bartenders, food and banquet attendants, were all wonderful. The property was just perfect, the amenities endearing, and the entire ambiance filled with meaning. Thank you not only creating such an amazing property but taking the time to hire such great & amazing staff. Please share with them how their efforts were noticed read more

You go to their web site and the ranch seems to be all inviting, with picturesque landscape and animals about. Then dealing with owners with their official event contract becomes a full on nightmare. The event security deposit is $5,000, which is almost impossible to get it back from them. A sample deduction was a $350 fine for an RV plugging into the electricity. To me is seems the owners like the abundant profit they get by renting out their ranch on the weekends, without wanting any inconvenience or normal wear and tear on their property. If you do decide to have you event at the Condor's Nest Ranch, please be prepared for the stress of small claims court after your event or just let your 5 grand get picked apart bit by bit. Trust me - you will see. Shine on. read more

What more can I say about the Condors Nest Ranch other than it the most AMAZING wedding venue you have ever seen in southern California! Not to mention the owners Bob & Lisa are ABSOULTLY AMAZING people and such a pleasure to work with! They also have wonderful staff that works for them as well to create your dream wedding!! Lisa D (wedding coordinator), Jake (the DJ), Rev. Tony (Our amazing reverend), Dalina's (Our Delicious caterer), John (awesome security), Best Beverage catering (Great people!) The shuttle services that took our guest to and from our wedding! The list goes on and on! My husband and I got married up at the ranch on October 20th, 2012 and Every single one of there staff at the ranch gets to know you as a couple and wants to know your views and visions of what you want your wedding day to look and be like and they create it to be your dream wedding you have always wanted it to be! They are all so friendly and so comfortable to work with they make your wedding day stress free! The reason we choose the ranch for our wedding was because its so unique and different, we booked the ranch for the whole weekend for our wedding, all our family and wedding party was able to spend the night up at the ranch house with us the Friday before and the night of the wedding! It was so great for all of us to be able to stay there together and for our family to have bonding time with each other now that we had all become one big family! We were also able to have our rehearsal dinner up at the ranch which we though was so cool, it gave each and everyone one of us a time to sit and relax and just enjoy the ranch and each others presence. It was a nice and relaxing the night before the wedding, we were able to BBQ and cook an amazing meal for all our family and wedding party and enjoy all of the amazing animals they have up there! Bob & Lisa are such great people, we have truly gained some life long friends, it's so awesome that they open up there home and property for couples to share the most amazing day of there lives. They also had a 2012 Bride and Grooms Christmas Party!! How awesome is that. It so cool that they want to keep in touch with each and every couple that has there wedding up at there ranch, they create such special bonds with each and every couple, they become party of the family. My husband and I went to the Christmas party and had a blast meeting all of the past couples of 2012 and sharing all of our special stories that we had up at the ranch and seeing all of the staff from the condors nest ranch again and not to mention the delicious food and drinks that they provided and the fun games we played! =) Thank you for all that you do Lisa & Bob, you two are such a great couple and have wonderful people that work for you, thank you again for everything! We love you guys! XOXO Kyle & Julie Bartol Married 10-20-12 read more

The Condor's Nest Ranch is simply amazing. I was just married there on 9/10/11 and could not have imagined a more perfect setting. We decided to go with the Ranch after looking at 1 other venue. We did not want to be stuck in a ballroom and have 5 other events occurring at the same location during OUR weekend. The Ranch solved all of our problems. We had exclusive use of the property the day before and the day after, we had use of a perfectly decorated ranch house that sleeps 10 and a cottage that sleeps 5. Unless you want to get married on the beach, there is NOWHERE else in San Diego that offers views like the Ranch. I grew up and have lived in San Diego my whole life and I have never been anywhere so picture perfect... Example 1: The photographer we used is a good friend of ours and stayed on the Ranch with us the night before the wedding. He flew into San Diego and got to the Ranch around 5 pm. By the time I showed up at 11 pm he was STILL out shooting the location which he started doing immediately upon arrival. He told me that he woke up in the middle of the night to use more film because he was too excited about shooting the location. ... Example 2: My mother was not thrilled about the fact that I planned a wedding at a Ranch. Granted she did not see the location until the day of, but she had this image that I was getting married in a barn. She was "blown away" (her words) at the setting of our wedding. Everyone at my wedding made a point to say that the venue was UNBELIEVABLE. Beyond the location the vendors included with the Ranch really sealed the deal. The Santa Maria style BBQ is mouth-watering-good, the DJ, DJ Jake, is super cool. The day of coordinator busted her "behind" to make sure everything was exactly how I wanted it. Oh, did I mention 5 hours of open bar service? Because that is included as well. Those are half of the vendors any couple getting married will need book. DONE. The icing on the cake has to be the owners, Lisa and Bob. From day 1 they bent over backward to make sure that my wife and I were happy with the venue. They are the nicest people who want nothing more than for your wedding to be perfect. All of the 2011 wedding couples were invited to the Ranch for a hosted meet and greet early in the year to taste the caterer's food, meet the DJ, the coordinator, the beverage services, uh, beverages and much more. Lisa and Bob accommodated me when I wanted to show the location to 3 separate people at 3 separate times during my engagement. There is nothing I regret or wish was different about the Condor's Nest Ranch. Any married couple will tell you that they hope to never go through the process of planning a wedding again. The Ranch makes me want to do it all over again. It was that much fun! BOTTOM LINE: If you aren't interested in getting married and having a reception in some generic ballroom, you MUST check out the Ranch. read more