Bel-Air Bay Club 16801 Pacific Coast Highway • Pacific Palisades • California 90272

Perched above the coastline between Santa Monica and Malibu in the exclusive enclave of Bel Air, this heavenly private club boasts some of the most sensational views in southern California.

A treelined road leads you up to the sprawling Mediterranean-style 1920s clubhouse and grounds, where you'll find a variety of indoor and outdoor options for your celebration. When guests arrive, they're ushered down the lushly planted Nature Trail, which soon reveals spectacular vistas of the sparkling Pacific. The panoramic 180-degree sweep is breathtaking, and the wide, manicured Ceremony Lawn takes full advantage of it. With a backdrop of swaying palms and an ocean tableau that stretches from the sandy shoreline to the far horizon, you'll exchange vows in a setting your guests will long remember.

With such beautiful surroundings, picture-perfect photo opportunities abound: Start with group shots incorporating the site's stunning Spanish Revival architecture, or a romantic portrait beneath the rose-covered archway in the garden. Then go for bursts of color in front of the stone wall covered with seasonal blooms, and capture the sunset from the upper veranda while gazing out over the treetops to the ocean beyond.

Their charming, private Courtyard is ideal for cocktails and mingling, with a large, multi-tiered fountain, huge outdoor hearth, fragrant hedges, and a fabulous full-length painting that hints at a whimsical secret garden just beyond its trompe l'oeil gates. Another great spot for a cocktail hour is the palatial-sized Living Room inside the clubhouse, which features a soaring ceiling and wall of windows. Comfy sofas flank a graceful, cast-concrete fireplace, and there's a Steinway grand piano for a little mood music. Timeless in its décor, the space has an easy elegance. The equally impressive Dining Room, with even more windows and its original wrought-iron chandeliers hanging from the cross-beamed ceiling, is large enough to host dinner and dancing. Step out onto the adjacent patio at night, and you can savor the twinkling lights of the upscale communities hugging the South Bay, as well as a canopy of stars overhead.

The scenery and spaces here are wonderful, but this venue has another asset that makes it so exceptional: the cuisine. Their award-winning executive chef, who's made his mark at red-carpet events and in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, is known for his innovative gourmet menus, which can be customized. In fact, the entire catering and event team is committed to making sure that all goes smoothly, from the initial planning to the final execution, with nearly everything you might need or want included in their package.

And because once you're here you really won't want to leave, you'll be delighted to know they have several very well-appointed rooms, each with French doors opening to a private balcony that faces the ocean. Imagine falling asleep to the gentle sound of waves and waking up to that multi-million dollar seascape …