Flora

dream come to life for the owner, and she makes sure ever couple gets exactly what they need on their special day. I was so sad when our wedding was over because I wanted to spend more time with the ladies who helped it all come together. I can't recommend this space enough!

dy, speakeasy feel that leads to a bright, ethereal urban greenhouse, adorned with preserved moss, ferns, and mushroom accents and houses 150 live plants, including an indoor tree. The white wainscot walls and skylight are a perfect combination to reflect lightning comparable to the overcast skies that photographers love. The venue also has cute little details, such as a bookcase that pays homage to the building’s original 1922 owners and a fireplace. Flora also has an aviary-inspired bridal suite with gorgeous blue and white wallpaper that harmoniously brings out the brass bird cages and furniture, natural wood, and greens from the plants. The bathroom gets all the love. The bathroom is every Instagram influencer’s dream and where many of my guests took bathroom mirror selfies. There are so many eye-catching details in this space, you really do not have to do too much decorating. What sold me was the tech. Flora’s speaker system features zoning so that the music can be bumping on the dance floor while being low enough for guests sitting at tables to have conversations. Flora also has their own lighting and the hues can be customized to complement an array of wedding colors and themes. Flora also has a built-in projector for video montages as well as displaying names of the bride and groom or company logos. What is convenient about Flora is that they provide chairs, tables, bar coordination, security, as well as their own wedding coordinator. The planning process was so easy with Flora’s team. We met with Katherine, the owner, about a year before our wedding date. Jameson and Jill, the wedding coordinator took over 90 days out. We also finalized our bar choices with Erin, the bar manager, 90 days out and she was so great with the back and forth until me and my partner were able finally make a decision based on projected guest count and budget. Jill was the absolute sweetest person to work with. My partner and I are in school and were in the middle of exams during the latter part of wedding planning and Jill took over the correspondence and relieved a lot of the stress that can come from wedding planning, especially since I was kind of a DIY bride in some aspects. I even had some of the oddest requests fulfilled, like asking for plant cuttings from some of the plants at Flora and she coordinated with Jeff, the horticulturalist that takes care of the plants, and now we have a piece of Flora to remind us of our wedding day. Jill and Amanda did such a phenomenal job. There are so many things that happened during the wedding that we were unaware of until after the wedding once we got to spend some time with some of our guests, which goes to show the level of professionalism and hospitality that Flora’s team displays. For example, my dad’s girlfriend had an adverse reaction to something she ate because she has an immune disorder and Amanda took care of her and Jill checked in on her as well. Flora’s team truly goes above and beyond to take care of their couples and their guests. I actually loathed wedding planning so much, but Flora’s team made our big day so special, I’d do it over again in a heartbeat. Highly recommend Flora for any event!

cision. Full disclosure up front, they do have a relatively strict contract regarding the rules and regulations of the venue. With that being said, their team was incredibly open and responsive in having conversations about the contract, and personalized it when we identified some very specific circumstances as it related to us. Due to a smaller guest count we were owed money after the wedding, and we received the check in the mail, along with the security deposit, two days after the event had taken place which was a great weight off our shoulders. The venue itself is absolutely stunning. The live foliage indoors with the skylights immediately sold us as soon as we entered the building. The floor layout is perfect for small to mid-sized guest counts, with ours seating 80 people perfectly. With the gorgeous tables, chairs, and other décor housed on-site it makes planning rentals and decorations that much easier not needing to deal with outside vendors. The staff could not have been more professional if we had asked. Kathryn, Jameson, Erin, and the rest of their team were consistently responsive in the planning and execution of the wedding, constantly providing feedback and information when it was required. We had a handful of elderly/handicapped guests, and Jameson personally went to each and every one of them throughout the night to ensure that if there was anything they needed it would be taken care of. Especially on the day-of the wedding, Jameson was absolutely exceptional along with the bar staff in ensuring that transitions went smoothly and the guests had a great experience. He was always available for a phone call or email, and worked with us directly in problem solving and brainstorming ideas to make our day as special as possible. There have been countless guests who have given us feedback on how great the bar service was, which we could not have been happier with. All-in-all, Flora was an incredible venue to host our special day. We cannot give their team and the location better recommendations for couples looking to have a downtown San Diego wedding.

t, and 50% of the cost of the bar (~$2500) at the very beginning. Many things we thought wouldn't be a problem ended up being a huge nuisance. Additionally, it's best to use their recommended ‘in-house’ vendors because there are less requirements. Otherwise they'll make your vendors fill out a tedious ‘vendor approval packet’ and require insurance (even for drop offs). All of our outside vendors did not have a good experience communicating with Flora prior to the wedding. Staff: (8/10) Generally friendly people but they were unprofessional at times, as nobody was on the same page when it came to things. Many people 'misspoke’ on items that the owner herself said would be okay. Venue: The venue itself is quite unique. We did the ceremony and reception, but I recommend reception only because of how cramped it was. My bridal party could barely fit and the tree was blocking a couple of the girls. Ceremony + reception, will run you about 10k off the bat (for 6 hours only). And they mean 6 hours… they literally will have your guests waiting outside 30 minutes before arrival time. There's no reason for this as vendors stop setting up by 2:30pm. Bar: (6/10) Haha, actually theeeee worst, most painful part of the entire wedding process was figuring out this bar situation. If you're doing an open bar OR a dry wedding, you'll be fine. Cash bar will be your biggest nightmare. First, you will be required to pay up front $27~ per guest and you get refunded if your guest make that amount of money back. For a cash bar, they required us (again no wiggle room) to hire their 4 bar staff at which we paid a rate of $375 pp plus 20% industry fee and sales tax. That’s about $2,000~ to simply STAFF the CASH bar. If you're trying to save money on the bar this is not the place for you. The director of beverages was also very unpleasant throughout the entire process. Partly to blame by miscommunication with things we could/couldn’t have… and partly was just the attitude. I will say the owner Katherine helped us reconcile these issues and offered one or two accommodations to make up for it. (which we didn’t end up taking because it wasn’t even worth talking to the bar director ever again lol) Post-wedding: A generic email was sent out asking me to fill out a review. Other than that none of the staff bothered to contact us post-wedding. Not even about our security refunds. Or taking accountability/explaining things that went wrong with my caterer (in which they were CC’d on those emails). It felt like it was because they were done draining us of our money.... Luckily, we ended up getting all our deposits back in full a month later after they sent it to an outdated address. Overall, I would rate my experience here a (6.5/10). I just wish the staff/business was more flexible and cared more about easing the bride and groom’s then just the rules. While I understand it’s to protect the company - it comes off as cold and not a fun time. Not how I wanted to remember the venue of one of the biggest milestones of my life but oh well. They treated us like just a money bag from beginning until the end. Do I think it’s worth $10k+ after all the headaches from their team? Sorry but probably not.

EAUTIFUL venue, their team is just as fitting. Working with Flora was an absolute pleasure! I couldn’t have asked for a more friendly, prompt, professional, caring group of people to facilitate my dream wedding!! Katherine, Jameson, Erin, and Jillian all deserve recognition for making the day perfect!! Walking into Flora, guests really have no idea what to expect until they walk through the doors and see the beautiful greenery and unique picturesque venue. We received so many compliments on the venue and the staff. My wedding was everything I ever wanted and more because of the team at Flora! This venue is a show stopper; it has such an amazing ambiance and vibe. My wedding was perfect! Thanks, Flora Team!

so much fun to work with. I would love to work here again soon!

ugh we would caution prospective couples to read through Flora’s beverage program thoroughly - a few hidden bar fees that frustrated us later on.

our coordinator and she was fantastic. Every vendor we hired through Flora was incredible. Our wedding day went perfectly thanks to the Flora team. We love Flora!

ean and their decor and greenery was so dreamy. It really was the perfect wedding venue!

u are literally transported into a different world when you walk into Flora and it makes for a magical event. Due to the beauty of the space, minimal additional decor is needed. As a floral designer, it doesn't take much to enhance the space as it is already so beautiful. Definitely choose to use Flora for your wedding, quincé, retirement or other celebration. You won't regret it.

g, custom moveable walls, a gorgeous bridal suite, built-in bookcases for your dessert station, and live plants and trees-this venue was well thought out when designed. It's a one-of-a-kind and memorable venue your guests won't forget!

na, our coordinator, were excellent with the details on how to make our day so special. Elena was extremely attentive to our needs and wants. I would recommend getting full service from one of Flora's coordinators, as they made it one of the most stress free day I had in awhile. I could not have been more happy with how it turned out. All our guest complimented my Husband and I for how well beautiful and well-organized the event was. However, the real credit goes to Flora! Although the pictures are beautiful, they cannot do Flora justice! The venue is absolutely breath taking. Flora's raw beauty makes it great for photos. I highly recommend everyone to host their wedding (or any event) here, because you will not be disappointed.

e had to postpone our wedding due to Covid and they happily helped us pick a new date and contacted all my other vendors to reschedule as well. A stressful experience that they made so much better! Highly recommend!

w neighborhood we walked past this somewhat nondescript building with interesting metal gates and lettering in greenery, but we had no clue what the building was for. Being curious, I immediately went home and did some research and what I found can only be described as a hidden gem. Inside the building is a room full of beautiful greenery, a live tree, and the best bathroom wallpaper I've ever seen. Safe to say I was obsessed; however, I was not engaged yet so I tried to play it cool. Fast forward a few months and a ring later, we went to see Flora in person and it was everything I imagined and more (custom lighting options I didn't even know I needed until I saw them). It was the only venue we toured and we haven't looked back. Beyond the beautiful space are all the beautiful people who are part of the Flora team. Everyone we have met with at Flora has been kind, encouraging, and excited to be a part of our big day. We have been fortunate enough to work with them even more closely than originally planned. Part of the Flora venue contract requires each couple to have a day of coordinator which was fine with us (we need all the help we can get). While couples have the option of bringing in an outside coordinator, Flora does offer full and month of coordination services through the venue. Considering my fiancé and I both work in industries that leave us incredibly busy for large chunks of the year, I was immediately interested in a full service coordinator and who better to do it than someone already familiar with our chosen venue. My fiancé was not as easily convinced and was not sure we would get huge value out of paying for full service coordination versus a day of coordinator. However, he was eventually convinced and we chose to do the full service coordination through Flora. Enter Elena who has been nothing short of a saving grace. Not only is she incredibly sweet, but she has worked so hard answering all the questions we have had, updating floor plans for us, creating short lists of vendors to choose from, working with vendors to create quotes that matched our vision at different price points, and so many other things behind the scenes I'm sure I can't even begin to articulate. Working with Elena has even convinced my dubious fiancé full service coordination is so worth it! While I don't think there is another space in San Diego that can check as many boxes as Flora can, there is one item I do want to note about the space to couples who are planning weddings with a larger guest count. In the initial stages of our planning we had anticipated inviting around 150 guests for both the ceremony and reception. While Flora can definitely comfortably accommodate that many guests, in the process of discussing our floor plan options with Elena we realized in order to best utilize some of the wonderful and unique features in Flora's space, notably the moving partitions, a guest count closer to 130 would be a better fit. To us it is worth having a few less guests in order to use some of the features that made us fall in love with the venue! This turned into a much longer narrative than intended, but I hope this helps someone in the planning process. If you choose Flora I'm sure you won't regret it.

ed a different venue. Fast forward, ownership mishaps made me start looking for a new venue and I reached out to Katherine for a tour and it was like a breath of fresh air. Katherine and her team made my fiance and I feel very welcome and comfortable maneuvering the transition and everything was great until Covid-19. We've had to postpone our wedding date twice and each time they have been very understanding and flexible. I like the professionalism and communication. The venue is beautiful and I can see that there's love for the what they do.

at was no longer a feasible option for the safety, health, and enjoyment of our guests. Throughout this unpredictable period, Flora was responsive, collaborative, and above all, empathetic to our situation. We worked with them back in April to quickly and seamlessly align their availability with our desired dates, and were easily able to move our wedding date back a year to August of 2021. It was as stress-free as moving a wedding date due to a global pandemic can be. Flora was the perfect solution to our desire to celebrate in a green space in August in San Diego (when most of the green spaces are brown), somewhere where our many out-of-town guests wouldn't have to drive hours to get to. We so look forward to celebrating in the beautiful and thoughtfully designed space next year!

We quickly set our date for October 2020. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we decided to postpone our wedding until June 2022. The Flora team was an absolute dream to work with during our postponement process. They responded to our emails quickly and made the process seamless for us. Within a couple of days of making the decision to postpone, we had our new date! The Flora team was committed to making our dream wedding happen and has far exceeded our expectations.

en next weekend, but because there doesn't seem to be any circumstances changing around the pandemic, we asked to again, reschedule our wedding date to next year. The entire team at Flora worked with us to make that happen without any increased cost to us. Flora has been nothing but understanding, genuine, and everything you would ever want in a wedding venue. Everyone at Flora has a warm, welcoming vibe that takes even just a little bit of stress off of the wedding planning process. We highly recommend Flora!

the space. You can truly customize this venue to your hearts desire and still take advantage of the incredible elements already there! And when we toured, we were set that this was the venue for our dream wedding. Katherine was the one to meet us and give us a tour and she was so so wonderful. She made us feel calm and excited about our wedding even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We quickly set our date with them and began planning our wedding. Sadly, we decided to postpone because of the current nature of the pandemic. We were able to communicate our concerns with Katherine & Sarah, and we swiftly decided to postpone to a day less than one year! They made us feel comfortable and taken care of so quickly that it really calmed our nerves and my stress. They know how hard it is to plan a wedding, but especially now they are so gentle and understanding about what needs to be done. They respond to every email promptly and answer every single question I have, and I have a lot! Julius and I are so incredibly excited to celebrate our one year anniversary with them and party the night away! Thank you so much to Katherine, Sarah and the entire team at Flora for making our engagement experience so exciting! If are deciding on a venue for your event, definitely choose Flora!!

e to work with as we navigate the uncertainty of wedding planning. Together, we are postponing our Flora wedding until May 2021. The Flora team has been super accommodating, informative, and understanding as we try to plan our postponed wedding during this crazy time. We're so lucky to have a venue that is so committed to working with us and it's been a total blessing and really lessened our stress around the wedding. We can't wait to actually get married at Flora!

r event here...you won't regret it!

mmended vendors and constant communication from everyone on their staff will make any event absolutely perfect. The wonderful ladies at Flora are open and willing to help cater the day to your needs, budget, and desires. Multiple clients have told me, after their events, that they had not been to a wedding that ran so smoothly before. I give all the credit to the staff and organization of the venue.

derful staff a few times now and I’m so impressed by how organized & professional everyone is — the coordinating staff put their clients and other vendors at ease with their positive attitude and dedication to service, plus I’ve been amazed by some of their tables cape designs and creativity! Trust me, you’ll be in good hands in every aspect with Flora!

dible to work with. They take their to time to get to know every client on a personal level and help each client select vendors according to their needs and preferences. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of event planning. They are personable and organized with their number one objective to make your event unforgettable. We hear nothing but positive feedback from our customers regarding this team and venue. Working with them as a caterer has been seamless. We love preparing fresh food for events in their state of the art kitchen. Truly one of the best in the industry.