Tom Ham's Lighthouse 2150 Harbor Island Drive • San Diego • CA 92101


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Why You'll Love This Place

A Here Comes The Guide Wedding Venue Review
  • Perched at the edge of the cerulean waters of the San Diego Bay, just across from the city's sparking skyline, this landmark has boasted some of the very best views in town since 1971. It’s also got some of the very best food: the culinary team will craft a custom menu with you, focused on fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients, and California-inspired dishes. Founder Tom Ham built the lighthouse right into the restaurant’s design, and his daughter and grandsons still run the place today.
  • Exchange vows beneath a one-of-a-kind sculptural metal arch by local artist Christopher Puzio, which perfectly frames the bay and downtown at the waterfront ceremony site. From there, it’s an easy stroll inside for cocktails, dinner, and dancing. 
  • Windows wrap the California Room, showing off sweeping panoramas of San Diego Bay and the city, and its wraparound patio over the water is a lovely spot to enjoy a cool breeze (and a cool beverage). Planning something smaller? The Harbor View Room has its own built-in bar and bayside patio, while the second-floor Private Dining Room is ideal for a rehearsal dinner.

Video

Video by Focused Bliss Productions.


PRICES: What's this going to cost?

Ceremony Fee
  • $1,200–1,500/event
  • The ceremony fee includes setup & teardown of white chairs, water station, aisle runner, and tables, plus a rehearsal.

Package Prices
  • $85–140/person
  • Package prices vary depending on:
    • Time of year
    • Package chosen
    • Year

  • All packages include:

    • 6-hour event time
    • Buffet or plated lunch or dinner, with bread rolls, soda, coffee, tea, and water
    • Champagne and sparkling cider toast
    • Cake cutting
    • Tables, gold Chiavari chairs, dance floor, white linens, and napkins in your choice of color

    Portside Package | $85–100/person
    Includes choice of buffet or single entrée plated meal.

    Windward Package | $100–120/person
    Includes choice of buffet or single entrée plated meal, plus two appetizers and wine service with the meal. 

    Quarterdeck Package | $110–140/person
    Includes choice of buffet or single entrée plated meal, plus three appetizers, 1-hour hosted bar, and wine service with the meal. Additional bar service for the remaining reception time (4 hours) may be added for $41–46/person.


    Bar packages, when priced separately, range $18–32/person for the first hour of a hosted bar (additional time ranges $7–20/person per hour).

Service Charge or Gratuity
  • 25%

COUPLES ARE ASKING: We've got answers

What's included when we book Tom Ham's Lighthouse, and what will we still need to pay for separately?

Every package at Tom Ham's Lighthouse on Harbor Island in San Diego includes a 6-hour event time, a buffet or plated lunch or dinner with bread rolls, soda, coffee, tea and water, a champagne and sparkling cider toast, and cake cutting. Tables, gold Chiavari chairs, a dance floor, white linens and napkins in your choice of color are covered too. Moving up adds more: the Windward Package brings two appetizers and wine service, and the Quarterdeck Package adds three appetizers, wine service and a 1-hour hosted bar. What's separate: a 25% service charge, the ceremony fee if you marry on site, and bar packages when they're priced on their own.

Can we have both our ceremony and reception at Tom Ham's Lighthouse, or will guests need to travel between them?

Yes, Tom Ham's Lighthouse hosts both, and the ceremony site sits steps from the banquet rooms. You'll say your vows at the waterfront ceremony site, seating up to 230 guests, under a metal sculptural arch that frames the bay and the downtown skyline. Then head inside to the California Room, which seats up to 230 and has a built-in bar and a private wraparound patio over the bay, or the Harbor View Room for up to 80 guests.

If we already have vendors we love, can we bring them to Tom Ham's Lighthouse or do we have to use yours?

Catering and alcohol are in-house at Tom Ham's Lighthouse, and the culinary team will build a custom menu with you, with a focus on fresh seafood, from plated dinners and buffets to passed appetizers and custom bar packages. If you have a favorite bottle in mind, you can bring your own wine for a $15 per bottle corkage fee.

What should we realistically expect to spend on a wedding at Tom Ham's Lighthouse, and is there a minimum?

Packages at Tom Ham's Lighthouse in San Diego run $85–$140 per person, and the price moves with the package you choose and the time of year. The Portside Package is $85–$100 per person, the Windward Package is $100–$120, and the Quarterdeck Package is $110–$140 with a 1-hour hosted bar; keeping the bar open for the remaining 4 hours adds $41–$46 per person. If you're marrying on site, the ceremony fee is $1,200–$1,500 and covers white chairs, a water station, an aisle runner, tables and a rehearsal. Bar packages priced separately run $18–$32 per person for the first hour and $7–$20 for each extra hour, and a 25% service charge is added to everything.

How long do we get at Tom Ham's Lighthouse, and when does the music have to stop?

Every package at Tom Ham's Lighthouse includes a 6-hour event time, which covers your meal, toasts, cake cutting and dancing. Amplified music is allowed both indoors and outdoors, with some restrictions, so ask the Special Events team which ones apply to your space.

What makes Tom Ham's Lighthouse different from the other venues near it?

Tom Ham's Lighthouse is a historic waterfront restaurant on Harbor Island, right across the bay from the San Diego skyline, so your ceremony and reception both happen on the water. The ceremony site's sculptural arch, designed by a local artist, frames your vows against the bay and the city. It's an easy trip for everyone: San Diego International Airport is about five minutes away, there's free self-parking out front, and four hotels sit within a half mile. Planning something small? The second-floor Private Dining Room seats 15–36 guests for an intimate lunch or dinner.

GUEST COUNT: How many people can we have here? What’s the max capacity?

Indoors Outdoors
Ceremony Seated 0 230
Cocktails, etc. Standing 300 300
Reception Seated 230 0
Meetings Total meeting capacity for this venue is 200.

Venue Info & FAQs

OPTIONS: What kinds of events can we have here?

  • All-Inclusive
  • Outdoor Ceremony
  • Ceremony
  • Wedding Receptions
  • LGBTQ+ Friendly
  • Small Wedding
  • Rehearsal Dinner
  • Special Events / Parties
  • Business Functions / Meetings
  • Late Night

POLICIES: What are the food, alcohol, music, and other rules here?

Price

$ • $$

Catering

In-house

Alcohol

In-house
BYO with corkage fee

BYO wine corkage is $15/bottle.


Amplified Music

Indoors
Outdoors
Some restrictions

Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair accessible

Availability

Year-round, daily.

STYLE: What’s the style and overall vibe of this venue?

Buildings & other settings available:

  • Historic / Landmark Building
  • Patio / Deck / Terrace
  • Restaurant
  • Park
  • Beach / Ocean

VIEWS: What kind of views does this place have?

Peep the views you’ll enjoy from this venue!

  • Cityscape
  • Garden
  • Landscaped Grounds
  • Ocean / Bay
  • Panoramic

Wondering what CBA or BYO means?
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