Villa Del Sol D’Oro Wedding Photos: The Best Spots by Timeline
Why Villa Del Sol D’Oro is a Photographer’s Dream
Villa Del Sol D’Oro is one of the most picturesque wedding venues in Los Angeles, offering an endless variety of stunning backdrops. What makes this venue truly special is how each location works beautifully at different parts of the wedding day timeline. From morning prep to golden hour portraits, every moment is elevated by the villa’s romantic Italian-inspired architecture.
Here’s how to plan your photos at Villa Del Sol D’Oro step by step
Getting Ready Photos: The Bridal & Groom Suites
The morning begins in the Villa’s spacious getting-ready suites, where natural light pours in through large windows. These rooms are ideal for capturing candid moments like champagne toasts, hair and makeup, and those emotional “buttoning up the dress” or “tying the tie” shots.
Our Brides have the entire Second Floor available to use as their Bridal Suite. It provides plenty of space for bridesmaids, hair and makeup artists, wardrobe, accessories and more.
Grooms can get ready either in another room upstairs or in the Library Room downstairs to stay separated from the Bride before the First Look. You also have the option to arrive at a later time dressed, and our photographers will “mock” your getting ready shots. It’s super easy to do!
Pro Tip: Have your details (dress, shoes, invitation suite, jewelry) ready for your photographer so they can capture flat-lays while you finish getting ready.
Details: Dress, Invitation Suite and more
Our photographers love using the Checkered Floor Room toward the rear of the interior space for Details Photos. We often see them capturing shots of the wedding dress, invitation flat lays, and other beautiful details that our couples choose to incorporate.
The winding staircase is also a beautiful place to shoot, especially when our couples opt to have it decorated.
The First Look
For couples choosing to do a first look, Villa Del Sol D’Oro offers a few perfect backdrops:
The Bridal Suite Balcony: A romantic, private option that overlooks the entire property. Photos here really give off that European estate vibe.
The Pond or Lower Greens: A dramatic reveal as one partner descends the stairs into the lower green surrounded by the towering hedges.
The Rear of The Villa: This location highlights the beautiful architecture of the Villa that serves as the backdrop for a First Look. This one is a popular choice for our couples.
Any one of these choices creates a heartfelt, cinematic moment that sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Couple Portraits (Romantics) and Sunset Photos for Later
After the first look, you’ll have time for Romantics Photos. Fortunately there are a plethora of locations to choose from.
The Villa: From the Front and Rear Facades, the driveway to the terrace - there are so many picturesque spots in the building alone to choose from.
The Interior: The Balcony is a great location that can be shot at any time of the day. And don’t forget the iconic staircase that can highlight your incredible wedding gown. If you have a long train or veil, this is a great place to shoot it.
Ceremony & Greens: When we work on your timeline, we make sure that your Ceremony space is ready in time for you to capture portraits before guest arrival. So if you’ve commissioned a beautiful wedding arch for your ceremony, you’ll be able to pose in front of it for photos. The Pond on the lower greens is also a great place for photos because it’s secluded and private.
The Gardens: During Sunset, the Gardens is a quiet and romantic spot for photos while guests enjoy dinner.
These portraits feel elevated and artistic while still capturing the excitement of the day.
Wedding Party Photos
Gather your wedding party for fun, energetic group photos. For larger parties, the lower greens and front facade of the Villa work beautifully for big group shots.
The Bridal Suite Balcony & Library or Library Balcony are great choices for smaller parties, or portraits of each side of the wedding party.
Ceremony Photos: The Lawn
The Villa’s ceremony lawn offers sweeping views and incredible natural light. Photos here capture not only your vows but also the beauty of the estate as a backdrop. From wide-angle shots of your aisle entrance to emotional close-ups, this setting frames the most meaningful part of your day.
You can also choose from a variety of chair setups. While straight-row setup is the most popular, our couples have also opted for both arched-rows as well as angled-v row setups.
Reception Photos: Courtyard Under the Lights
Once the sun sets, the Villa’s courtyard transforms into a twinkling, candlelit celebration space. Dancing under string lights, heartfelt toasts, and joyful candids are beautifully framed by the architecture. These photos showcase the energy and love of the evening.
When we work on floor plans, you can choose to use rounds, rectangles, or a combination of both depending on your guest count. The most popular option our couples go with is the long rectangle table setup, which ties in beautifully with the Tuscan/European vibe of the venue.
Indoor Receptions: With our small and intimate weddings and gatherings, the Main Hall indoors has proven to be a wonderful option.
Other Details
We often get asked where the best spots are to set up certain areas of the wedding day. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
Welcome Table: While the existing round table in the foyer of the interior of the building is a popular choice, some of our couples prefer to rent a table + linen outdoors leading to the Ceremony Lawn to use as a Welcome Table. As guests arrive and head in that direction, they’ll pass this table and can leave gifts, view some of the lovely photos left out, and sometimes leave a message in a guest book.
Sweetheart Table: Most of our couples opt for a sweetheart table for their reception seating. This is often set up near the 2 sets of stairs and in between the stone urns.
Wedding Cake: This will really depend on the weather at the time of year you get married at Villa. The Outdoor Terrace next to the Sweetheart Table is a popular choice for those cooler months, while the Fireplace in the Main Hall is a second popular choice when temperatures outdoors become too warm for a cake outdoors.
Wrapping Up the Night
Once your formal program ends and it’s time for dancing, you can choose to have your dance floor indoors or outdoors depending on your guest count. Often the indoors serves as the dance floor because it’s separate from the outdoor terrace and guests can choose either spot to spend the rest of their night.
A fun way to also wrap the formal program is to take sparkler photos in the Driveway with your wedding party or select guests. Couples provide their own sparklers and our team prepares torches to light them and buckets of water to extinguish them.
Your Wedding at Villa Del Sol D’Oro
Villa Del Sol D’Oro provides couples with a cohesive story through photography — from the anticipation of getting ready to the joy of the reception. By using different areas of the estate throughout the day, your wedding album will feel dynamic, romantic, and timeless.
If you’re planning a Villa Del Sol D’Oro wedding, our team at A Fabulous Soirée knows this venue inside and out. We’d love to help you create a seamless timeline that maximizes your photo opportunities while keeping the day stress-free.
Contact us here to start planning your Villa Del Sol D’Oro wedding!
Special thanks to the amazing and talented photographers featured in this post: