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Weddings

About

The Resort at Pelican Hill is an award-winning oceanfront wedding venue nestled in Newport Coast, California. With quaint beach cottages, authentic Italian architecture, and over three miles of beautiful coastline, this venue is dedicated to providing a transformative wedding experience where, very briefly, you and your partner can make time stand still as you celebrate your love for one another.

Facilities and Capacity
With over 504 acres of beautiful landscape and ancient olive trees, The Resort at Pelican Hill offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and 16th-century Palladian architecture. The venue offers a variety of event spaces. With over 5,000 square feet of space, The Mar Vista consists of the Mar Vista Ballroom, La Cappella, the Event Lawn, and The Rotunda. Once booked, The Mar Vista promises complete privacy for your wedding. With nearly 3,000 square feet of space, the warm, intimate La Cappella provides picture windows, a fireplace, and wood-beam ceilings. The Event Lawn is oval in shape and meticulously cared for and landscaped. The iconic Italian rotunda is located 300 feet above the ocean and boasts breathtaking, picturesque views.

Services Offered
Upon booking, The Resort at Pelican Hill exclusively reserves the entire day for your wedding event. Vendor recommendations and referrals can be provided by the resort’s wedding professionals. All packages include the use of chairs, tables, flatware, glassware, china, and linens. Centerpieces, chair covers, audio equipment, dance floors, drapery, uplighting, furniture, and other general decor can be added to your package if desired. All areas are wheelchair accessible, and parking is complimentary. Other services include:

  • Setup
  • Cleanup
  • Get-ready rooms
  • Bridal suite with full salon station


Cuisine
With a variety of coastal California food available, The Resort at Pelican Hill is happy to work with you to create a unique wedding menu inspired by you with fresh, high-quality ingredients that suit your dietary needs. A dedicated butler and wedding concierge is provided for every wedding. Meals can be served plated or buffet-style, and hors d'oeuvres and stations of your choice are provided during your cocktail hour. A full-service, on-site pastry kitchen team can handle your dessert and wedding cake needs, and cake cutting service is always complimentary. Open bar packages are available and include a champagne toast for the newlyweds.

Accommodation
Depending on availability, the married couple can enjoy an exquisite, complimentary bungalow on the evening of their wedding. The resort features a variety of state-of-the-art amenities. Both the Coliseum Pool and the private Villa Club Pool were built with over one million hand-cut glass mosaic tiles. Cabana suites surround the beautiful pools and feature flat-screen televisions, Bose audio systems, chaise lounges, dining tables, ceiling fans, and mini bars. A children’s pool is also available and offers panoramic ocean views.

Location
The Resort at Pelican Hill is conveniently located on the coastline just south of Newport Beach. The resort is also a 15-minute drive from John Wayne Airport and a 45-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

3

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Hotel

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Clean Up
Event Planner
Get Ready Rooms
Liability Insurance

Reviews of The Resort at Pelican Hill

Melinda
Melinda Sent on 03/17/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing...the ideal perfect destination for a wedding.

Our wedding weekend at Pelican Hill was nothing short of perfection. I can't imagine having gotten married anywhere else. The entire staff from the butlers, service, and bridal attendants were incredibly gracious, and made the experience so special. It was so wonderful having the bridal suite to get ready in and leave our things at during the wedding days. And the resort grounds made for such beautiful photos. The bridal brunch was so adorable, and the heat lamps and blankets were so thoughtful!

Jamie and Coley were such wonderful bridal attendants and so helpful throughout the entire weekend. Please send them my sincere appreciation.

I will really miss talking to you now that our wedding planning process is over! the wedding withdrawals are real. We'll have to plan a brunch or dinner there for a special occasion in the future to re-create a small portion of the magic. I've already told Jamal that we have to come back for every future anniversary :)

Thank you again for everything. It was the most amazing wedding we could have dreamed of :)
C
Casey Sent on 04/07/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Pelican Hill did so much for us, and all our guests commented on how it was the best wedding they've ever been to. The view was spectacular, and the food was perfect. Pelican helped us customize a cocktail hour of beer and wine tasting, with cheese and passed appetizers that were so popular. They did a great job finding all the specific beer and wine that we wanted. The bride (me) and the groom were very particular about the beer and the bride's parents were very selective about the wines. We also used the hotel's linens and tableware- which were great. They did a great job with dinner- we did a crab and corn soup for the appetizer and the main course was either filet with lobster risotto or vegetarian risotto. We also had a custom dessert table with a smaller cake to match our chevron ombre wedding invitations, along with champagne jello shots, cinnamon rolls on a stick, three different kinds of cake pops, smores tart, homemade marshmallows, and donuts. Overall- Pelican executed everything perfectly and the staff was nothing but professional and amazing. Our wedding butler Erin was the greatest!!! And of course, thank you to Fernanda the catering manager and Chef Jeff for his wonderful pastry expertise.
S
Sepideh Sent on 04/22/2012
5 out of 5 rating
I still get asked a ton of questions about our venue. This place is dreamy! We are so blessed to have amazing parents who made it possible for us to have our wedding here. We love this place. The service was exceptional. And the cake.. OMG to die for.
Cindy
Cindy Sent on 12/15/2010
5 out of 5 rating
George Nickels and The Resort at Pelican went above and beyond all expectations on my wedding day. The view is breath-taking, the hotel is glamorous, and the service is unsurpassed. Three months after the wedding, I still have people talking about it. On several occasions, people have told me that the food served was the best wedding food that they had ever had, and I wholeheartedly agree. And the service was like none that I have ever encountered. Never was a cup empty, or a server not to be found, or a request, however great, not met. My husband and I highly recommend this venue to any couple that wants to feel like royalty their wedding day.
Jane
Jane Sent on 02/17/2017
4.7 out of 5 rating
This resort is beautiful with great features and fabulous view. You just have to be careful with some hidden costs which is not indicated in the contract nor mentioned prior.
U
User1267145 Sent on 07/31/2013
4.6 out of 5 rating
From the moment I saw The Resort at Pelican Hill, I knew I wanted to get married there! It's one of the most breathtaking wedding venues that I have ever seen and literally takes your breath away. Pelican Hill is so special because they only have one wedding a day and the wedding venue is set away from the main hotel, so it is very private. In fact, it's so private that quite a few celebrities have even gotten married there! Overlooking the Pacific ocean, there is an exquisite, oval lawn with a dramatic rotunda where the ceremonies are held. From there, guests enjoy cocktails on an outdoor terrace and then move into the beautiful Mira Vista ballroom. Besides the sheer beauty of Pelican Hill, what also sets it apart from other 5 star resorts, is the service! Although it is expensive, you definitely get what you pay for! All of our guests kept talking about how amazing the views, food, drinks and service was and I totally agree! They bend over backwards to make the bride and groom and wedding guests happy and it shows. However, the staff is also extremely friendly and not snobby at all. At the end of the night, they have a house Bentley that will whisk you and your new husband away to your bungalow and you'll wake up the next day and realize that you just had a fairy tale wedding! At least, that's how I feel! :)
G
Gianelle Sent on 08/13/2010
4.6 out of 5 rating
The Resort at Pelican Hill is the most gorgeous resort I have even been to, which is exactly why I chose it for my wedding reception. The staff isincredibly professional and attentitive, the food is absolutely delicious and the views and scenery are absolutely breathtaking. I would recommend this venue to every bride...so as long as you are willing to spend. This venue isn't cheap, but you can save a bit more by having a wedding from Monday-Thursday. Here's a tip: Keep the guest list down as much as you can and you needn't order the most expensive hors d'oeuvres and wine--almost everything is a great choice.

Overall, Pelican Hill made my wedding dreams come true!
L
Lauren Sent on 08/14/2013
2.8 out of 5 rating
So first of all, let me say that the day of service was AMAZING. I LOVED my wedding butler, the wait staff, the bartenders, and the banquet staff. Everything day-of ran smooth as silk. The food was great, everything was on time, and nothing (that I know of) went wrong. If this review were based on the day alone, this would be a 5 out of 5 hands down. Beautiful view and venue, great food, and dedicated staff.

However, the months leading up to the big day were a total disaster. I went through 3 different coordinators at Pelican. The first one left and the second one was fired. The first one was decently responsive, willing to work with me, and had pretty good communication. She left to take another job and was kind enough to let me know. Number two couldn't be bothered to reach out to me. Fine. Four months before the wedding, I send an email asking when my choices for the tasting should be submitted. He replies they're due today. Excuse me? Thanks for the heads up. What would have happened if I hadn't reached out? Good thing I had all my ducks in a row.

Anyway he gets fired and number three doesn't let me know. I find out when I AGAIN reach out to find out when we start getting our BEOs in order. Then it's back and forth through a ton of email while I dig through my own email records to provide proof that I had price agreements with the first coordinator. Good thing I'm detailed oriented and had all my stuff down in writing and saved off otherwise I would have been screwed out of a lot of money. In the end, he was pretty accommodative, but the lack of attention to detail and communication on their side just soured my opinion of them overall.

So in the end, would I recommend them to a friend? I say yes because of the gorgeous venue and views, the fantastic day of staff, and the pretty good food. But this comes with a gigantic caveat of make sure you have everything together when dealing with them because it feels like a wedding mill.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

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The Resort at Pelican Hill frequently asked questions

The space offered by The Resort at Pelican Hill for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Hotel
The Resort at Pelican Hill offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Resort at Pelican Hill offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
The Resort at Pelican Hill offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Liability Insurance
The Resort at Pelican Hill is recommended by 92% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.6 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in quality of service, 4.7 in professionalism, 4.5 in flexibility, 4.4 in average response time and 4.4 in value.
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