Captivating Waterfront Weddings in Marina del Rey
Recently updated
This vendor updated their storefront within the last 15 days.
Holds ceremonies and receptions
About California Yacht Club
Perched on the picturesque waterfront of Marina del Rey, CA, the California Yacht Club offers an elegant canvas for unforgettable weddings. Whether you're exchanging vows against a backdrop of golden sunsets or celebrating your union just steps from the marina, our venue brings your romantic vision to life. Non-club members are warmly welcomed.
Now Featuring: The Historic Northwind
Step aboard the Northwind, a stunning, 130-foot classic yacht docked at CYC. Commissioned in 1930, this floating landmark is rich in history and timeless elegance, beautifully restored with brass fixtures, wallpaper inspired by history, rooms dressed to the boat's past, and sweeping coastal views that elevate every moment.
With a storied past that includes wartime service, royal soirées, and cinematic appearances, the Northwind now offers an intimate, one-of-a-kind setting ideal for small weddings, rehearsal dinners, or private gatherings of up to 80 guests.
Rehearsal Dinners and Top-Deck Ceremonies
Make the most of our scenic waterfront with customizable event options aboard the Northwind. The expansive top deck can be transformed into:
A Ceremony Space – Exchange vows under the open sky with the marina as your backdrop.
Seated Dinner Setting – Host an elegant meal with beautifully arranged tables and sunset views.
Lounge-Style Reception – Create a relaxed atmosphere with cocktail service and comfortable seating.
Why Choose Us?
Versatility and Charm – A distinctive venue offering both land-based elegance and the character of a historic yacht.
Seamless Service – Our experienced team brings care and attention to every detail, from ceremonies to multi-course dinners.
Unforgettable Experiences – With golden sunsets, coastal breezes, and the ambiance of the Northwind, your wedding weekend will be truly memorable.
104+ years in business
Speaks English
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Settings
Ballroom
Beach
Waterfront
Country Club
Cruise
Historic Venue
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Food & Catering
Service Staff
Any questions?
Reviews
4.8
out of 5.013 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Shannon S
Highlighted review.
5.0
5/29/2023
Wedding 5/13/23. California Yacht Club was the first venue we looked at, and it was by far the best choice for us despite numerous other venues visited. We were so impressed with...
the space, the ambiance, and the staff. For anyone who has visited CYC before, please note that Miki Mootsey and Adam Spicer (both of whom were so helpful to us in the initial planning) are no longer with the company. Thankfully, Brooke Caress, the current Catering and Event Coordinator, was phenomenal in making sure our day matched our vision! Brooke and her team were extremely professional and detail oriented. Brooke walked us through the venue and the plan on multiple occasions and was willing to make any adjustments we wanted to make sure the event was perfect for us. She had great advice during the rehearsal and made sure everything went smoothly. She did so much for us before we even got to the venue on the day of to make sure everything was where we wanted it! We had the ceremony on the grass area, and then the staff converted it during the cocktail hour so we could have our dream outdoor reception. The food supplied by the venue was also absolutely amazing! We unreservedly recommend the filet mignon entree, which so many guests told us was the best steak they had ever had! For appetizers, we had beef wellington, artichoke bruschetta, and crab cakes, all of which were delicious. Brooke made sure we had appetizers and drinks in the bridal room after the ceremony to spend some time together as a couple before joining the crowd. Brooke and her team kept everything running smoothly with practically no involvement from us, which allowed us to enjoy the wedding, our family, and our friends even more than we expected. It was a wonderful day, made all the more amazing by the efforts of Brooke and her team!
Samantha and Hans M
5.0
5/23/2022
We were so happy to have our wedding here. Miki is the absolute greatest! She is kind, passionate with her work, and fun to work with and talk to! We booked the yacht club for our ...
wedding just before the pandemic started, and had to push our event date back a full year after our original booking. Miki stayed with us through the whole journey, and went above and beyond to make sure that A. the big day happened, and B. it was perfect, special, and effortless. She was an absolute joy to work with, over the phone, zoom, and in person. The staff at the venue were also very friendly, and the food was delicious! The venue has a gorgeous lawn overlooking the marina, and plenty of outdoor space to host a wedding. Pending availability, you can book some indoor space as well as outdoors in case of inclement weather (which thankfully was not a problem for us!)
Any questions?
Christa C
5.0
1/30/2019
We had such a beautiful reception at the California Yacht Club. The event coordinators there are super, they are skillful, and kind. Everything went smoothly and was beautiful.
The Mr. M
4.0
9/07/2016
This venue providing everything we needed to make our magical evening complete! From the great view of the marina to spacious ballroom, everything was perfect! Guest were asking ...
about the cake vendor weeks later. For the most part, the staff was great. However, I believe the delivery of our pre paid bar tab being fulfilled could've been handled differently.
Ashley C
4.0
9/21/2013
CYC provided a beautiful backdrop for the "beach wedding" we wanted without the hassle of sand, parking nightmares, etc. The food and beverage packages were good and reasonably pri...
ced. However, this is a place I would recommend having either a wedding coordinator or a great entourage of people at your side as they do not provide a lot of the smaller services that can be a real hassle. For example: they did not help set out favors or seating cards, they also would not provide anyone to direct guests where to go (the parking lot for non-members is outside a gate and the ceremony is behind club, so without signage or designated ushers it can be confusing for guests that accidentally stumbled upon our first look shoot!), they also provided a great place and service for the girls to get ready, but again no personnel to direct people to stay out of that area. So we had some near misses with people seeing me. The men also were not provided a very good get-ready spot. Overall, the venue is beautiful the food is great and the service was good as well, just expect to either hire a coordinator or enlist about 10 extra people (aside from your bridal party) to help with specific items.
Kira G
5.0
11/05/2012
CYC was the most affordable venue on the water that we found in the LA area and we were very pleased with them overall. Easy to work with, decent response time to questions throug...
h email or phone message, beautiful setting, delicious food and helpful with coordinating everything if you are your own wedding planner. The only disappointment was the dance floor wasn't as big as we were told, and the was another event happening in another area during the beginning of the wedding so the ladies room was not "our own", but it is a yacht club after all so you know you are going to be dealing with a few other people no matter what. Overall it was the perfect venue for us
Anonymous
5.0
6/06/2012
My new husband and I could not have been happier with our choice to have our wedding at CYC. They accommodated our every need and were good about last minute requests and guest co...
unt changes. The venue was a perfect backdrop to our beautiful night and the food was AMAZING!!! Lorri was very helpful to work with and very quick and responding to emails which was a BIG plus. I wish I could relive the night all over again!!
Amanda S
5.0
9/28/2011
My new husband and I knew we wanted to have a tall ships Regency styled wedding and CYC came through in SPADES. I knew I would like Lorri (their catering and event coordinator) as ...
soon as she said, "I like to make things easy on everyone, especially you and me." It's a stunning location - we used the Fireside and Epicurean rooms, and since it was an afternoon to evening reception we were even able to use the outdoor patio for cocktails and their lawn (shaped like a prow) for the ENTIRE NIGHT! Our guests absolutely loved how all of our decor fit into the decor the yacht club already had, and there was nothing like being announced as husband and wife and walking down that gorgeous spiral staircase. It was really like Lorri said, "EASY!"
But just to talk about the pre-planning a little bit, even that was very simple and smooth. There was never a time when I couldn't get Lorri on the phone, and if I left a message, my calls were returned within a day. The tasting was the most fun (and the most difficult!) to choose.
Couple of tips: The yacht club is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so do not freak out when you get messages on those days. Do not call at the end of the day on a Friday - they are already busy loading in for Saturday's events (and remember that includes regular yacht club events, not just weddings)
Costs add up quickly, but guarantees are substantially lower for different areas of the club and especially on different days or times of day. However, if you decide to splurge the $8K room guarantee for the Fireside room on a Saturday night, it's WORTH EVERY PENNY (and it goes towards everything: your food, liquor, valet, room charge, etc)
WE LOVED OUR RECEPTION AT CAL YACHT CLUB!! It truly was the best night of our lives!
Isabel C
5.0
8/10/2011
We had our ceremony and reception there and we couldn't be happier! The staff was very helpful and made everything look according to plan. The food was great and plentiful, all m...
y guests were sooo happy with both the food and the service. I'd recommend that you're in constant communication with the venue coordinator to make sure you'll have the wedding of your dreams. The coordinator may be a bit overwhelming but as long as you tell her what you want and need she'll accomodate to you. Cal yacht could be a bit pricey, but is well worth it; we got amazing food, beautiful views, great staff, and it was all crowned with a breathtaking sunset. :)
Erin F
5.0
11/21/2010
We LOVED having our ceremony and reception at the California Yacht Club! They were so accomodating, Lorri (our coordinator at the venue) was really organized and helpful, and the ...
location could not have been more beautiful! We heard nothing but rave reviews from our guests about the classy venue, and all said that the food was the best they'd ever had at a wedding! If we had to do it again, we would choose the same venue in a heartbeat. A magical beautiful day!
Hunter Y
5.0
5/10/2010
It was beautiful, peaceful and romantic at night. The room we used has a huge fireplace and mantle that we covered in candles. They are very flexible.;They tend to move a bit slow ...
during set-up and miss small details, not a big deal, but you may have to remind them about things.
carlie c
4.0
5/10/2010
location was great.... on the water. very relaxing. we also had our ceremony there. loved that everything was in one location.;wait staff was horrible. bride had to chase them d...
own to get even a glass of water. they also stole bridal boquet and were dancing with guests.
Christina G
5.0
5/10/2010
very unique setting; loved the atrium with descending staircase! fireplace was a great backdrop for sweetheart table; food and service was excellant; loved the outdoor area- was gr...
eat for kids to run around outside;catering mgr was not very organized did not follow the timeline agreed upon for cocktail hour and opening of reception room; also the table #'s were not setup correctly as per instructions
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California Yacht Club
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