So isn’t it funny the places you think will be your least favorite end up being the one you love and the one that was your favorite didn’t quite meet the mark!? Well unfortunately that was the case for Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach. Now do not get me wrong- this place is AWESOME! If I only had about 50 guests and my ceremony location was a little closer to Manhattan Beach then this would be my venue for sure. They offer several different “spaces” of the hotel you could use. The middle courtyard area can be used for ceremonies as well as a reception, the lounge/bar area can also be used for a small cocktail style gathering, and the sky deck (poolside) can be used for a reception. I was only interested in touring the Sky Deck because it had an ocean view and it was poolside- the makeup of my perfect venue! The area unfortunately does not have much seating space and its slightly smaller than expected. The upside is the modern, “chic” decor is great and would not take much decorating. Poolside lighting is already in place and space heaters would also be available since it does get chilly at night because of the ocean breeze. There are plenty of plants around the deck so again this would cut down on flower decorations and centerpieces if a bride was trying to save money. It’s within walking distance to the Manhattan Beach Pier so if your guests stayed in the area there would be plenty to do, lots to see. They do offer guests a 10% discount on their rooms (which are gorgeous by the way!) With the food and drink package options you really could really stay under $8000 for about 80-100 people. That’s a GREAT deal for the area. I can also give their food two thumbs up! We got to the hotel a little early before our appointment so had lunch out on the patio at their restaurant. Between my mom, friend, and I we all had something different and we agreed the food was great! So anyway, again don’t give them a bad rating at all. Unfortunately just for the number of people we’re expecting and the location it won’t be a match for us this time. I’ve attached some of my own pics I took of the hotel on my trip out there!
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So I’ve returned from a very exhausting, but FUN trip to California. It was much needed because I HAD to see possible reception venues and hopefully book one soon. This living across the country from the location I’m getting married thing has been challenging! I’m waiting for final pricing and package options on one of them so unfortunately I still can’t make a decision for another 2-3 weeks. 
Oh well. In the meantime, I’ll feature the 5 I did tour for anyone else looking to get married in southern California. We toured the the Norris Pavillion, Queen Mary, Shade Hotel, Avia Hotel, and V20 and of course stopped by the beautiful chapel we have confirmed, the Wayfarers Chapel.
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- Shade Hotel
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- Shade Hotel Pool
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- LBMA
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- LBMA Ocean View
So I have narrowed it down to a few reception sites, but since we’re not visiting until July, I haven’t made a decision just yet. Again we didn’t exactly want to get married right on the beach but instead, select a venue with an oceanview of some kind. Two options are the Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach or the Long Beach Museum of Art. Shade Hotel would be poolside with a view of the ocean (and on good days, maybe even a view of Catalina Island!) and the LB Historic Museum would offer a direct view of the Queen Mary! I hope they still have my wedding date(s) available by the time we go. Crossing my fingers!