San Juan Hills Golf Club 32120 San Juan Creek Road • San Juan Capistrano • California 92675

Cliff swallows have been migrating to San Juan Capistrano to pair up and nest for centuries and we can understand why: One renowned novelist called this sunny southern corner of Orange County “the only romantic spot in California.” Well, perhaps this is a bit of an overstatement, but it’s definitely a place that inspires romance. Developed around Mission San Juan Capistrano, the area is a charming mixture of old and new worlds, characterized by graceful Spanish architecture, rolling foothills, working ranches, and million-dollar homes in gated communities.

The sun-drenched San Juan Hills Golf Club is built in that welcoming, Early California style. Its hacienda-influenced clubhouse has the easy flow of a structure designed for indoor/outdoor gatherings. The Green View Veranda is a gorgeous setting for an al fresco reception. Framed by fragrant plants like lavender, rosemary, sage and citrus, as well as roses, olive trees, birds of paradise and pampas grasses, it has a pretty half-moon-shaped fire pit and overlooks the 18th hole and the surrounding San Juan Hills. The adjacent lawn has been used for a variety of setups—pavilions, food carts, strolling entertainers, and party games. You can pair terrace and lawn with the Green View Room—the club’s lovely banquet space—for cocktails, dinner and dancing. The vaulted, openbeam ceiling, dark walnut accents and Tuscan-style chandeliers give it a warm Mediterranean feel, while glass doors that slide into the walls admit cooling breezes and sweeping golf course views.

A more intimate outdoor reception site is the First T Patio, offering a view of the first tee, green hills and pond. Accented with market lighting, it’s perfect for a ceremony or rehearsal dinner as well.

You can also tie the knot on the course’s first tee. A cushiony green rise overlooking the club’s lake and waterfall, it’s both picturesque and musical, the waterfall providing a soft little shower of sound. It’s a natural choice for photos, too, though picture-perfect backdrops abound on the beautifully landscaped grounds. A third ceremony option, the Greenside Patio, is nestled between the Veranda and the rolling greens. It features market lighting and a view of the greens and pond.

The wedding couple each have their own retreat. One entourage can get ready in a room with softly sueded walls, vanity, full-length mirror and fainting couch, while the other can relax in the Board Room off the Pro shop. On request, it converts into the ideal lounge, outfitted with black leather chairs, a mahogany table, and a big-screen wall TV.

Whatever the function and wherever you decide to host it, the San Juan Hills staff will make sure everything runs smoothly, seeing to everyone’s needs and serving up the mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres and entrées for which the club is well known.

All in all, it’s an enchanting location for your celebration. When night falls and lights are twinkling, lanterns glow and the music is in full swing, you’ll see what makes this venue so special…and why it attracts lovebirds of every kind.