A Review of the Très L.A. Italian 1920s Rustic Brick Intimate Wedding Venue in Downtown Los Angeles

Carondelet House

627 S Carondelet St
Los Angeles, CA 90057

☎︎ +1 (323) 310 4700

www.carondelethouse.com

Carondelet House is a charming Italian villa-style venue in Downtown LA, offering an intimate and romantic setting for small and micro weddings. Built in 1928, the house features exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and vintage décor with in-house catering by Très L.A. Catering and event planning services.

• Average Booking Rate: $9,500

• Minimum Booking: $7,000

• Guest Capacity: 100

• Off-site Parking Structure

Carondelet House: A Cozy Old-World Mini Mansion

You know how real estate agents use words like "warm," "cozy," and "intimate" to describe cramped, tiny homes? That’s how I’d describe Carondelet House. And it doesn’t help that nearly every photo you see online is taken with wide-angle lenses, making the space look much bigger than it really is. Not saying it’s a bad thing, though—unless you’re planning to invite more than 100 guests.

Carondelet House feels like hosting your wedding in your rich uncle’s mini-mansion—key word: mini. Its standout feature is the variety of separate rooms, each with its own unique style while complementing the others. From the often-overlooked upstairs bridal suite to the romantic courtyard beside the salle where ceremonies and dinners take place, every space has its purpose. And at the heart of it all is the studio—the crown jewel of Carondelet House and the first room your guests see as they walk in.

Carondelet House is best photographed with "normal" lenses to highlight its intimate and inviting atmosphere. It’s also one of the few wedding venues I don’t recommend photographing exclusively on 35mm film due to its warm, moody lighting—which is not as bright as it appears online. Unfortunately, many wedding photographers tend to completely wash out this ambiance with strong bounce flash. Direct flash, however, works best to emphasize the venue’s romantic and cozy character.

Vendors

Très L.A. owns and operates Carondelet House, making them the exclusive provider of catering services, with Sweetwater Cocktails handling alcohol service. This works in your favor because Carondelet doesn’t need much décorbeyond the dinner table setting—it’s ready to go right out of the box. And as is customary with wedding venues of this caliber, a day-of coordinator is required to book the venue.

Now, because space is at a premium, the vendors you book on your own should bring minimal gear, as there’s no storage area. Vendors are served box lunches, and if you’ve read my article on not tipping wedding vendors, you already know how I feel about those. Speaking of which, they have this quirky policy where only certain vendors get one of these box lunches. I usually give mine to a vendor who didn’t get one. I work best on an empty stomach anyway, but still, it left me with a sour taste. Which brings me to yet another quirky policy.

No Mezcal for Me

You know the old saying: "There’s a two-drink limit because someone had one drink too many at the office Christmas party." Even worse when YOU are the reason the rule was implemented. Well, at Carondelet House, vendors aren’t allowed to enjoy a drink or two from the bar. Would be nice if they allowed at least one though—ain’t even gonna lie.

I know it’s controversial among wedding vendors whether we should "drink on the job." But have you seen my brand name? Look, I’m not saying I’m drunk at clients’ weddings—but let’s keep it 100, that’s probably what happened to inspire this policy. My money is on the DJ. Still, it’s always a nice gesture when clients offer a drink, especially if they have Mezcal at the open bar.

Ceremony

To get the most out of your rich uncle’s mini mansion, I’d say a guest list of no more than 75 is ideal for the ceremony, which usually takes place in the main dining room—the salle—in the back of the venue. However, with both a videographer and a photographer present, navigating the space gets complicated, as there’s no room to walk around after setting up chairs for over 100 guests. But if your guest count is smaller—say, 10 to 20—you could host your ceremony in the rustic outdoor courtyard, weather permitting.

Reception

Dinner is also hosted in the salle, and additional round tables can be set up in the central courtyard to accommodate up to 150 guests. The reception then follows in both studios or the "living room" at the front of the building. Something to note: I usually photograph this venue early and late in the year, when Los Angeles weather is typically cool, but even then, it tends to feel a bit warm and stuffy inside. I often step out a few times during the reception for a breath of fresh air.

L.A. Secret or Rich Uncle’s Mini-Mansion?

Despite its two quirky vendor policies, Carondelet House delivers a sophisticated and welcoming experience with warm, old-world backdrops with a contemporary touch, ideal for both micro and small weddings. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s like your rich uncle lent you his mini-mansion. Because of this, Carondelet House is one of the handful of venues in Los Angeles that gives you that "in-the-know" feeling when hosting your wedding here. And yes, parking is conveniently available for $15 at the adjacent Athena parking structure.