Marry at City Hall. Meet everyone for dinner.

The ceremony and reception can have different addresses. A restaurant you love can be the place everyone gathers afterward.

Kate PaulleyCo-founder, PrivateEvents.co

Kate co-founded PrivateEvents.co and works with wedding and event venues. Her writing draws on that work and on her own experience as a bride and guest.

October 22, 2026

Guests at tables under the pergola at Fig Tree with the sun low over the Pacific — Dinner under the pergola at Fig Tree, with the Pacific beyond.

Give the meal its own place in the day

You could have a small courthouse ceremony and invite a larger group to dinner. Or hold the ceremony with everyone, then head to a private room for the reception. Tell the restaurant which parts of the day you want it to host so the quote matches the plan.

Leave time between the ceremony and the reservation for congratulations, photographs, and getting across town. If you’ll be delayed, agree who will call the restaurant and what your guests can do when they arrive.

A favorite place can become part of your wedding story

I got engaged at the neighborhood Irish bar around the corner from my home in the UK. We held our rehearsal dinner there, too. Returning means something because we already had a history with the place.

Your version might be the restaurant where you always order the same thing or the bar where your friends gather. Ask how it handles private events. Knowing you love dinner there is a good start; now you need to know how it looks after a whole wedding party.

A private party filling the covered back patio at Temple Bar — A private gathering on the covered patio at Temple Bar, San Francisco.

Reserve the space you need

For dinner and conversation, a private room may be enough. If you want speeches, a band, or a dance floor, ask for a layout that includes them. A full restaurant reservation should specify which rooms, patios, and hours belong to your group.

Ask where other customers will be and whether the music and speeches can be heard clearly. “Private” can mean a room with a door, a separate patio, or exclusive use of the property. The floor plan will settle the question.

Make the menu part of the celebration

Ask whether your favorite dishes can be served to the whole group. Family-style platters, a set dinner, and a cocktail reception each need a different amount of seating and service time. Check the bar hours, outside cake arrangements, and any cost for bringing your own wine.

At Fig Tree in Venice Beach, Cueva and the connected patios offer different ways to arrange dinner by the ocean. A venue visit is the time to picture where your guests will eat, gather, and make a toast.