I've only been here once, and it was because I was in a wedding party. Villa del Sol was the site for both, the ceremony and the reception.
My friend (the bride) immediately liked this venue because it featured that slightly rustic, vintage look she was going for with antique, historic Hispanic décor. She also liked its location (her and her fiancé spent a lot of time hanging out in the Fullerton area beforehand) and the fact that she could contact some of the surrounding eateries as catering options for dinner. The villa had a quaint feel to it, but it also felt modern at the same time because it was close to downtown Fullerton. At least, it felt like we were downtown because there were so many trendy-looking shops and other restaurants up and down both ends of the street!
This venue was a neat one because, even though it was close to a busy street, the interior was enclosed (you had to go through two huge doors to access the courtyard). So, even though we felt like we were in "downtown," the venue itself felt very private, since the courtyard area is completely enclosed by the parameters of the building (much like a fort). During both the ceremony and the reception, we weren't really bothered by much street noise or noise from the surrounding businesses.
From a wedding party individual's standpoint, there were a lot of pros with this venue. There was a spacious room for the bridal party to get ready. It felt like a suite - there was a huge mirror and adjoining bathroom area. There was a sofa and several chairs to lounge on. We had to bring all of our own food, snacks and supplies, but it was nice to have a large area to get ready in. (I'm not sure where the groomsmen got ready, but I think they got ready off-site and then arrived later). This venue also had a parking lot (valet I think) for guests, and parking was limited. I didn't have to worry too much about finding a stall, though, since I got there so early. I liked how there were different "tiers" of the building (ground level, a second level and the top). So, while the ceremony and reception were on the ground floor, the bride and groom's first look actually took place on the second floor. The venue actually presented really great photo opportunities, including a space across the street in an alleyway that was still semi-private.
Because the ceremony/reception were at the same venue, it's always interesting to see how everything is set up/broken down in the time between the ceremony and the reception. There was a cocktail hour upstairs on the second level while downstairs was set up for the dinner reception. It ended up working out perfectly - the second level was a little cramped cause everyone was up there during cocktail hour, but the heated lamps were a lifesaver (it was spring so the evening was still chilly). And, the set-up for the reception was beautiful - the table for the wedding party was actually a square and it was toward the front of the courtyard area. The rest of the tables were circular, but I liked how they were relatively spaced out across the courtyard (and there were lots of heat lamps around the courtyard). The dinner buffet (it was a DIY taco bar, enchiladas and other Mexican food) was set up at the right, and there was also a station for drinks. Everything was organized and fit really nicely in the courtyard space.
This is a great venue in the Fullerton area, and it worked really nicely to have both the ceremony and reception in the same spot. Restrooms are on site, though they were a little tricky to find at first, and for a smaller wedding (this one had around 100 people), it was perfect. read more