Cuvier Park - The La Jolla Wedding Bowl

June 2021 Wedding at Cuvier Park

We had a fun time yesterday at a beautiful wedding at Cuvier Park in La Jolla, also known as The Wedding Bowl. This is such an iconic San Diego wedding spot, a sunken park right on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Just looking at the picture above gives you a hint on how amazing this spot really is. What is even more amazing is that this is available to anyone - it's a public park! All you need is a permit from the City of San Diego, and you're set. Of course, you'll need to rent chairs, bring in flowers, secure an arch, and set up any other equipment you want there. Basically, it's a blank canvas for you to set up in whatever vision you have.

That's us over in the far left, we bring our own umbrellas to outdoor events because direct sunlight can harm our instruments. 

Taking it all in during the ceremony!

Music, of course, is incredibly important during wedding ceremonies. You already know that, but just think about how your guests feel and how the mood changes when you hear that live music starting up. It bring amazing ambiance to the space. Our wind quintet really is perfect for The Wedding Bowl, we need no amplification to easily be heard by guests, who can still mingle and catch up while waiting for the ceremony to start. 

Our bride requested almost all Disney & movie music both for the prelude and the ceremony. We played through hits from Aladdin, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones, the Lion King, and many others. The little kids were loving it, and the kids at heart (adults) were whistling and tapping their feet too. 

One of the benefits to hiring LCQ is that we bring along a fully wireless, battery powered audio system. No, we don't need it for the musicians, but in this case at the Wedding Bowl, it's perfect for the officiant and for vows. There are ZERO plugs or power available at this park, so having a battery option is required. Even with small weddings, it's a good idea to have a small sound system to help the officiant project, since you're right on the water and it can sometimes be loud there. 

Some things to think about when having a ceremony at Cuvier Park is where guests will park. There is a lot of free street parking (2 hour time limit), but especially in the summer and on weekends it can be difficult to park close by. Possibly having a bus for guests coming from a hotel would be convenient. There are also many hotels in the La Jolla area that guests can stay at if they want to ditch the car for the weekend and walk around, La Jolla has a small town feel with numerous restaurants, shops, and activities. 

Also important to keep in mind that only the wedding ceremony can occur at the Wedding Bowl. You will need to find another location for the reception afterwards, and there are plenty of places close by in La Jolla that are walking distance: La Valencia Hotel, the Cuvier Club, the La Jolla Women's Club, and many more. 

If you'd like more tips and info on outdoor weddings, beachside San Diego ceremonies, or specifically on Cuvier Park and having live music, feel free to reach out and send us email to leftcoastquintet@gmail.com - always happy to help and answer any questions.

Have you had a wedding at Cuvier Park? What tips would you provide to others thinking about this spot? Who did you use for rentals? Where did you get ready? There are always couples asking for info here, it'd be great to help them out!

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