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Inn of the Seventh Ray
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128 Old Topanga Canyon Road
Topanga, CA 90290
Contact: Special Events
Phone: 310/455-1311
www.innoftheseventhray.com
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Why We Like This Place
Next time you’re having difficulty making changes in your life you could go to a therapist for help, or you could visit a restaurant. The one we have in mind is the Inn of the Seventh Ray, voted L.A.‘s most romantic restaurant for twenty years. Combining fresh organic food and wines, market-driven menus, natural surroundings and classical music, the Inn has been California’s culinary agent for change, serving up much more than standard fare for more than three decades.
Deep in the heart of Topanga Canyon, the Inn hugs the bank of a gently flowing creek and is surrounded by greenery. Huge oak and pine trees grow through and over the restaurant’s two terraces, filtering sunlight and creating a sense of intimacy. Looking at this bucolic setting, it’s hard to believe that when owners Lucy and Ralph Yaney found it in 1973, it was a defunct auto junkyard. Undaunted, they walked over piles of old tires to the center of the site, where they felt an intense energy. The feeling was so strong they immediately decided to buy the property, even though they had absolutely no idea what they would do with it. Over the next couple of years, they developed an interest in natural food and a desire to do something that would benefit society, and although neither one had any experience running a restaurant, they opened the Inn of the Seventh Ray.
The name comes from the seventh ray of light passing through a prism, the violet one, signifying change. And since getting married constitutes a significant change in most people’s lives, it seems perfectly fitting that the Inn hosts weddings. Ceremonies are held in the Fountain Courtyard, a brick-and-stone terrace with an elevated, wisteria-covered gazebo. After they exchange vows, the bride and groom join their guests seated below for the reception. The courtyard is enclosed by a wild mix of canyon foliage on three sides and the Garden Room on the fourth. Tables are informally arranged around a white fountain, and beneath a lattice wood trellis laced with honeysuckle. Although the Garden Room is generally used just for food setup, it’s also a quasi-rustic setting for small indoor receptions, with a glass ceiling, latticed walls, tall indoor plants and a fireplace.
The Creekside Patio, not surprisingly, sits just above the creek and stretches along it for about a hundred yards. A narrow version of the Fountain Courtyard, it’s dominated by a gigantic, two-trunked oak, and bordered by a row of bushes and a low brick wall with a wooden railing. Just behind the patio is the Church Room, the Inn’s original structure. Once a gospel church, it’s also rumored to have been Aimée Semple MacPherson’s private mountain retreat in the ’30s. Now a dining room, this ivy-covered building still feels a little like a country chapel, with its steeply peaked, open-beamed ceiling and arched stained-glass window.
The newest improvement to the Inn is a series of clear UV-rated tents placed over the patios. Open on the sides in summer and heated during winter months, they give diners access to everything around them, and permit outdoor celebrations any time of year. Meals are pesticide- and additive-free, and the food is 70–95% organic, including the free-range meat and poultry. Fish is caught wild, and fresh seasonal vegetables come from local organic farms. The restaurant has a staunchly loyal clientele whose allegiance is spiritual as well as gastronomical: The Inn’s unique bookstore is stocked with books that have changed customers’ lives, and the gazebo—purported to have a special energy—is considered a charmed spot for ceremonies. The soul-satisfying combination of uplifting garden atmosphere and high-quality food puts the Inn of the Seventh Ray in a class by itself.
Capacity
Ceremony |
Reception/Special Events |
Meetings |
|
Max. Seated Indoors: 0 Max. Seated Outdoors: 200 |
Max. Seated Indoors: 65 Max. Seated Outdoors: 220 Max. Standing Indoors: 75 Max. Standing Outdoors: 260 |
Max. Seated: 60 |
|
CEREMONY CAPACITY: The Fountain Courtyard holds 200 seated or 225 standing guests. |
||
Fees & Deposits
The rental fee is the nonrefundable deposit required to reserve your date. Rental fees range $300–2,000 depending on the space selected. Wedding meal packages (including full wine bar, hors d’oeuvres and cake) run $55–100/person. For weddings taking place from April to October, there is a food and beverage minimum ranging $3,000–6,000. Tax, a 20% service charge, a $500 event coordination fee and rental fees are additional. There is a $450 ceremony fee and an overtime/bar charge of $6/guest. Meal selection can be made from the regular menu.
Availability
For weddings with 60 guests or more: Sat 10:30am–5pm; Sun 5:30pm–10:30pm; Mon–Fri 11am–10:30pm; and Saturday nights may be booked from October through April. For fewer than 60 guests, the restaurant can be booked anytime except Saturday night. For fewer than 48 guests, the restaurant may be booked at any time.
CateringProvidedAlcoholProvidedBYO Sites UsesCeremoniesWedding Receptions Special Events, Parties Business Functions/Meetings Rehearsal Dinners Services/AmenitiesCatering: providedKitchen Facilities: n/a Tables & Chairs: provided Linens, Silver, etc.: provided Restrooms: wheelchair accessible Dance Floor: patio Bride's Dressing Area: yes Meeting Equipment: microphone available Parking: valet Accommodations: no guestrooms Telephone: complimentary guest phone Outdoor Night Lighting: yes Outdoor Cooking Facilities: n/a Cleanup: provided in fees View: Topanga Creek and mountains Other: event coordination |
Amplified MusicIndoorsOutdoors w/ Restrictions Wheelchair AccessWheelchair AccessibleSite ViewsCanyonCreek/River Forest/Wooded Area Fountain/Water Feature Garden Garden Patio/Courtyard Landscaped Grounds Mountains Waterfall Site TypeRestaurantBanquet/Events Facility RestrictionsAlcohol: BWC provided or BYOSmoking: designated area outdoors Music: amplified OK with volume limits Wheelchair Access: yes Insurance: not required Other: no rice |
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310/455-1311
www.innoftheseventhray.com
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