Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa 5480 Grand Pacific Drive • Carlsbad • CA 92008


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Why You'll Love This Place

A Here Comes The Guide Wedding Venue Review
  • Perched on a seaside bluff and gently graced with cool ocean breezes, this luxury resort seems custom-made for exquisite destination celebrations. With all the amenities and impeccable service of a world-class retreat, you'll find everything you need right here: welcome your guests with cocktails and nibbles at the chic 20/Twenty restaurant, begin the big day with some pampering at the Ocean Pearl Spa, and kick off the honeymoon with a stay in a plush ocean-view suite.
  • Beautifully curated cultural celebrations are a specialty here, with diverse venues that can accommodate multi-day events, flexible packages, and a talented team to coordinate outside specialty services to meet your unique needs. The Grand Pacific and Sunset Ballrooms are especially well-suited to grand, large-scale weddings, each outfitted with light-filled foyers and sweeping, columned terraces that afford sunset and starlit vistas.
  • A dramatic staircase leads to the secluded Ocean Blue Lawn, where you can l say "I do" against a panorama of the shimmering sea. Or, opt for the expansive, palm-shaded Pacific Lawn, which unrolls towards a circular patio adorned with a magnificent magnolia tree. Continue with a ballroom reception, or transition to the Palm Courtyard, a wonderful al fresco option which overlooks the garden and pool.

Video

Video by One Story Weddings.

Video by A Colored Mind.

Video by White Rose Production.


DEALS: What discounts, special offers, or packages are available here?

2026 weddings enjoy a complimentary 3-night stay for the couple!

PRICES: What's this going to cost?

Ceremony Fee
  • $2,000–3,000/event
  • Ceremony packages vary depending on the season and include:

    • 1-hour rehearsal and 1-hour use of the ceremony space with coastal views
    • Use of dressing room
    • Chair setup
    • Gift and guest book table
    • Fruit-infused water station
    • Microphone and speaker for the officiant
    • Complimentary parking
Package Prices
  • $120/person and up
  • Plated reception packages range $132–175/person and include:

    • Tray-passed hors d'oeuvres
    • Plated-style dinner
    • Coffee station
    • Wedding cake cutting and service

    Upgraded plated packages add hosted bar service, a champagne toast, and premium wine service with dinner.


    Buffet dinners start at $120/person and include a salad, entrée, side collections, warm rolls and butter, and a coffee station. Add-ons are available.


    Outside catering for multicultural weddings ranges $100–130/person, and can include a coffee station, one-hour hosted full bar, and champagne toast.

Service Charge or Gratuity
  • 26%

COUPLES ARE ASKING: We've got answers

What's included when we book The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, and what will we still need to pay for separately?

At The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, your ceremony fee covers a 1-hour rehearsal, 1 hour in the ceremony space, a dressing room, chair setup, a gift table, fruit-infused water, a microphone for your officiant, and parking. Plated reception packages include hors d'oeuvres, a plated dinner, a coffee station and cake service, while buffet packages include a salad, an entrée, sides, rolls and a coffee station. Plan for a 26% service charge on top, and know that upgrades like a hosted bar, a champagne toast and premium wine are added separately. Your wedding specialist can help you decide which extras are worth it for your day.

Can we have both our ceremony and reception at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, or will guests need to travel between them?

Yes, you can do both on-site at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, so nobody has to get back in the car. For the ceremony, there's the Ocean Blue Lawn, a secluded spot overlooking the sea, and the palm-shaded Pacific Lawn with its circular patio and magnolia tree. Afterward, you can move to the Grand Pacific Ballroom, which seats up to 600 for dinner, the Sunset Ballroom (up to 330), or the Palm Courtyard, an al fresco space overlooking the garden and pool. It's an easy way to keep everyone together from vows to last dance.

If we already have vendors we love, can we bring them to The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa or do we have to use yours?

Food and drinks at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa are handled in-house, with one notable exception: for multicultural weddings, you can bring an outside caterer, and that package runs $100–$130 per person and includes a coffee station, a one-hour hosted full bar and a champagne toast. The resort also welcomes outside specialty vendors, and it keeps a preferred list that includes Briarmist for cake, Ocean Pearl Spa for hair and makeup, and Advanced Entertainment for music. Share your vendor wish list with your wedding specialist early so everyone's on the same page.

What should we realistically expect to spend on a wedding at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, and is there a minimum?

At The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, most of your budget is per person: plated packages run $132–$175 per person, and buffet packages start at $120 per person. On top of that, plan for a ceremony fee of $2,000–$3,000, which changes with the season, plus a 26% service charge. Guest count is the biggest lever, since nearly everything scales per person, and upgrades like a hosted bar, a champagne toast or premium wine add to the total. If you're planning a multicultural wedding with an outside caterer, that package runs $100–$130 per person instead. Ask the wedding team for a quote built on your date and guest count so you're comparing real numbers.

Where would our out-of-town guests stay near The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, and can you help with a room block?

Your guests can stay right on-site: The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa has 250 guest rooms and suites, including ocean-view suites, and the events team can help you reserve rooms for your group. That means no shuttling between a hotel and your venue. The resort also hosts rehearsal dinners (think a lobster bake or a wine dinner), bridesmaid and groomsmen luncheons, bachelorette spa days at the Ocean Pearl Spa and a farewell brunch at 20|Twenty, so the whole weekend can happen in one place. Ask about room block details when you lock in your date.

What makes The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa different from the other venues near it?

The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa pairs coastal-view ceremony lawns with ballroom space for big guest lists: you can choose between two outdoor ceremony sites with ocean views, and the Grand Pacific Ballroom seats up to 600 for dinner. With 250 rooms and suites on-site, your guests can stay where you celebrate, from the rehearsal dinner to the farewell brunch. The resort also welcomes multi-day and multicultural celebrations, including outside catering for multicultural weddings, and the Ocean Pearl Spa is on hand for wedding-day pampering. It's a strong fit if you want ocean views without giving up a big-guest-count ballroom.

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

Indoors Outdoors
Ceremony Seated 900 900
Cocktails, etc. Standing 1000 1000
Reception Seated 600 600
Meetings Total meeting capacity for this venue is 900.

CEREMONY & MEETING CAPACITY: The site holds 900 seated guests indoors and outdoors.

EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The facility can accommodate 600 seated or 1,000 standing indoors or outdoors.

Venue Info & FAQs

OPTIONS: What kinds of events can we have here?

  • All-Inclusive
  • Outdoor Ceremony
  • Ceremony
  • Wedding Receptions
  • Outdoor Reception
  • Small Wedding
  • Rehearsal Dinner
  • Special Events / Parties
  • Business Functions / Meetings
  • On-Site Accommodations
  • Late Night

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

Price

$ • $$ • $$$

Catering

In-house

Alcohol

In-house

Amplified Music

Indoors
Outdoors

Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair accessible

Availability

Year-round, daily, 6am–midnight.

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

Buildings & other settings available:

  • Ballroom
  • Beach Wedding Ceremony
  • Conference Center
  • Hotel
  • Patio / Deck / Terrace
  • Resort / Spa
  • Retreat
  • Beach / Ocean
  • Restaurant
  • Banquet Hall / Events Facility

VIEWS: What kind of views does this place have?

Peep the views you’ll enjoy from this venue!

  • Canyon
  • Garden
  • Hills
  • Landscaped Grounds
  • Mountains
  • Ocean / Bay
  • Panoramic
  • Pool Area
  • Valley

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Alternate Info: Sheraton Carlsbad Resort Hotel & Spa