About this vendor
Hartley Botanica is a private, three-acre botanical estate created exclusively for garden weddings and refined, experience-driven celebrations. Designed with intention and reserved entirely for weddings, the gardens offer a setting that feels intimate, immersive, and deeply personal—where each space unfolds naturally and every moment is elevated by the beauty of the surroundings.
Originally created by Richard and Kate Hartley for their daughter’s wedding, the estate was designed to become part of the story itself. Hand-paved pathways, cascading waterfalls, and vine-covered archways guide guests through Paliuli Gardens and the Lotus Tea Garden, where the scent of jasmine and the quiet rhythm of nature create an atmosphere of understated luxury.
For over 27 years, the Hartley family has personally cultivated and cared for these gardens, offering couples a rare opportunity to celebrate in a private botanical sanctuary that feels both timeless and entirely their own.
A Private Garden Wedding Experience Designed Around Your Story
Amenities + details
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Indoor Event Space
On-Site Accommodations
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Garden
- Park
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
- Destination Wedding Planning
- Food & Catering
Reviews
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4.8
out of 5.031 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
After touring venues consistently on Sunday mornings, we canceled future tours after visiting Hartley Botanica. When looking for a venue, we wanted it to be outdoors and breathtaki...
ng since both of us enjoy a special connection to nature. We also were not able to consider a destination wedding because many of our guests live locally and our love story mainly takes place in Southern California. For all of these reasons and more, Hartley Botanica became our venue. The team works incredibly hard to meet rising expectations and they definitely deliver. They are a dream team to work with and I love every step of the planning process. Planning a large event, especially a wedding is complicated and the team does their best to keep it simple and grant your every request. We are so thrilled with how our wedding turned out.
This venue is absolutely breathtaking! From the moment you walk in you are greeted with lush greenery, whimsical fountains, and fairy lights everywhere. It almost feels otherworldl...
y, it is so magical! My daughter married the man of her dreams in the setting of her dreams, it was absolutely perfect. The owner, Barbara, is so helpful and kind. You can tell that she loves the property and the ability to share it. She is readily available and super responsive to questions. Karen (Bella Dia Weddings), the day of coordinator, is so sweet and it's obvious she loves what she does. Pablo with Command Performance Catering is very easy to work with, and the food was AMAZING! Our guests were so impressed with the entire day/night, from the tiniest details to the grand picture! It is a bit pricey, but at the end of the day we felt it was more than worth the cost. I would strongly recommend Hartley Botanica to anyone!
The coordinator was a life saver. She was apart of the venue and did amazing!!! They helped us lot an and created a beautiful vision for my wedding. It was truly my dreams come tru...
e
We cannot say enough nice things about our experience with Hartley Botanica! Our wedding was so beautiful, it felt like a fairy tale. Barbara and her team made everything fantastic...
, and their communication, dependability, and attention to detail truly made our wedding spectacular. Highly recommend if you are looking for a wedding venue.
My team and I had the absolute pleasure of photographing and filming Mica and Ralph's wedding at Hartley Botanica, and I must say, it was an experience beyond compare. From the mom...
ent I set foot on the grounds, I was enveloped in an aura of botanical bliss and familial warmth.
Hartley Botanica isn't just a wedding venue; it's a testament to the Hartley family's decades-long love affair with horticulture and hospitality. As a family-run business since 1971, they've cultivated not only stunning gardens but also a legacy of love and dedication to their craft.
The venue itself is a masterpiece of natural beauty, with meticulously landscaped grounds that provide the perfect backdrop for any couple's love story. From the tranquil Paliuli Gardens to the enchanting Lotus Tea Garden, every corner of Hartley Botanica exudes elegance and charm.
But what truly sets Hartley Botanica apart is the personal touch that comes from being a family-owned business. Richard and Kate Hartley, along with their children and grandchildren, pour their hearts and souls into every aspect of the venue, ensuring that every wedding is a truly unforgettable experience.
As a photographer and videographer, I couldn't have asked for a more picturesque setting to capture Mica and Ralph's love story. The abundance of natural light, lush greenery, and stunning water features provided endless opportunities for breathtaking shots, while the Hartley family's hospitality made me feel like part of the family.
I wholeheartedly recommend Hartley Botanica to any couple seeking a magical, unforgettable wedding experience. Whether you're drawn to the rustic charm of Hartley Farms or the timeless elegance of the Lotus Tea Garden, you'll find that Hartley Botanica is more than just a venue—it's a sanctuary of love and beauty.
Thank you, Hartley Botanica, for providing the perfect backdrop for Mica and Ralph's special day. It was an honor and a privilege to capture their love amidst the splendor of your gardens.
-Matthew of Legacy Union Photo Co
Hartley Botanica makes all your fairytale, whimsical wedding dreams come true! From the vibrant greenery all over, to the amazing ceremony walkway, this venue offers just about all...
the beauty you could hope for for your dream come true wedding. The staff are all excellent, welcoming and easy to work with. Everything is extremely organized and they have perfected all methods to making sure your special day goes off without a hitch! Karen, our day of coordinator, who assists with everything really saves the day and makes you feel at ease. She sets up meeting to go over wedding day timeline, is always available to contact with any questions and most importantly, on the day of the wedding makes sure everything is in order. Our wedding day was truly the best day of our lives and we can’t thank Hartley Botanica and its staff enough for helping make it all possible!
Our wedding at Hartley Botanica was absolutely PERFECT. It was the most magical day, and we know that's in part because we chose Hartley for our venue. The venue itself isn't just ...
stunning, it's a sensory delight. It's lush with vegetation and flowers, it smells amazing from all the jasmine, and you can hear water trickling in the background. We loved that there were so many different spaces too, from the gorgeous ceremony, the lotus garden for cocktail hour, the rose garden, to the reception area. Even though we got married in July, we never once felt too hot because the venue is so shaded with all the trees and vegetation.
Every single staff member was warm, helpful, and easy to work with. The on-site coordinator Karen was particularly helpful and communicative. We weren't nervous about anything leading up to the day because it was clear we were in good hands. Karen and the rest of the staff at Hartley made it very easy for us to prepare and plan, and they orchestrated the day smoothly--it's clear they have a ton of experience and they know how to organize a wedding.
We also received tons of compliments about Hartley from our guests, who gushed about the beautiful space, the delicious food, etc.
We are so grateful to everyone at Hartley Botanica who helped to make our wedding day absolutely perfect. We wouldn't change a thing!
This venue help create the wedding of my dreams! All staff was fantastic, communicative and professional. If you are looking for a botanical garden setting this is the one!
Thank you for making our dream wedding a reality!! Hartley Botanica is a BEAUTIFUL venue. My wife and I loved the food that was provided by Command Performance Catering. We receive...
d endless compliments from our guests.
I highly recommend this venue to anyone.
Thank you Karen, Barbara and Pablo, we appreciate everything you did for us!
Hartley Botanica is operated and owned by Barbara. Barbara is incredible! Barbara is passionate, compassionate, caring, loving and genuine. As a COVID bride, Barbara was my saint. ...
When the world was falling apart, Barbara held it together for me. Barbara was flexible, understanding and willing to go to the ends of the earth to ensure I felt like a "normal" bride under not normal circumstances. Barbara is professional and fun! Karen is a wonderful asset to the team. Barbara will respond in a timely manner and make sure your requests, dreams and goals are achieved. I could not express our love and appreciation towards Barbara and the venue. It is beyond stunning. Photos do NOT do it justice unfortunately. It is just breathtaking in person.
I wish I could give them 10 stars! This venue is unreal! I felt like a kid at Disneyland for the first time, from the moment you pull into the drive you're transported to another w...
orld.
Every turn reveals a different surprise, the grounds are breathtaking, the staff is so friendly and accommodating. I've had several people tell me it was the most beautiful wedding they've ever been to, thanks to Hartley's!
It was magical
Like many other reviews, I cannot say enough about this venue. It is unique, not just another hotel lobby, Barbara and Karen go out of their way to make you feel at home. The day o...
f your wedding the whole venue is yours, with many magical corners of the garden to explore, this place really needs minimal decoration, but with a few extra touches this place really really shines.
I cannot say enough about the staff, the catering company (they have an exclusive contract with Command but they do not disappoint at all, we heard great things about the food as well). A beautiful venue, I just wish as the groom that I had more time to enjoy the venue as the day itself was such a blur! Highly recommend! All of our guests loved this place!
Barbara and Karen are so incredibly professional, patient, and courteous. I truly wish I could rate them, and their absolutely perfect venue, higher! We were so lucky to have worke...
d with them and their amazing crew. Our wedding was not only fantastic and beautiful, but EXACTLY what we wanted. Barbara and Karen get back to you in a timely manner and facilitate with any curveballs the day (or days leading up to the big day) throw at you. We are so, so, so happy to have had them as our coordinators! Karen also worked really well with our vendors and could not have been more kind or energetic (especially since she was with us for 6 hours+). Barbara was completely understanding of all of our concerns, specially with regard to security. Their equipment was state of the art and our day was timeless and impeccable. 10/10+ would recommend to anyone!
We could not be happier with our choice to be married at Hartley Botanica. It was magical - a total fairytale, and we're STILL hearing from our guests about how stunning the venue ...
was.
One of my favorite things about Hartley Botanica is how expansive the venue is. Each aspect of your special day happens in a different area of the grounds, giving you and your guests the feeling of being transported to separate, enchanting places for ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. The grounds are absolutely stunning and very well taken care of. The lush greenery, gorgeous flowers and chirping birds made you feel like you're in a tropical, botanical garden far outside of Somis, CA.
Hartley is also a great option because of it's included planning and flexibility with vendors. PROS: you don't have to decide on a caterer because it's decided for you (Command Performance - their food is amazing). You have an onsite bridal suite and groomsmen quarters to get ready in if you choose. You're able to bring in your own alcohol (HUGE cost savings) as well as your own vendors for entertainment, decor, etc. Parking, valet, cake cutting and many other costly line items are included in their fee, making it feel more like one-stop shopping as opposed to getting nickel & dimed.
Barbarba, Hartley's owner, is extremely responsive and accommodating - she truly enjoys having couples get married and create lifelong memories on her property.
We are very impressed and beyond happy about how our wedding turned out - we couldn't have asked for a better venue!
My husband and I were married at Hartley Botanica in October 2017. Everything about it was completely magical. The whole venue is lush, beautiful, and photographs amazingly. Barbar...
a was very easy to work with and the communication was always excellent. It is so valuable to have efficient communication when you are planning for your big day. We received so many compliments from my guests. Karen was our coordinator and she made sure our big day ran smoothly. The venue works with Command Performance Catering and we can't tell you how delicious the food was. We could not have asked for a more perfect wedding day.
Thank you Hartley for making our dreams come true.
Total magical! My new husband and I just got married at this amazing venue and the evening was the most magical and perfect moment of my life. The vendors are fantastic. Everything...
went off without a hitch and our day of coordinator (we had Bel) Hartley provides was amazing. We are still hearing from our guests that it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever experienced. The venue is enchanting, gorgeous and the people that run it are so nice, accommodating and professional. I will never be able to say enough about this location.
Absolutely fabulous, stunning, etc! My husband and I got married at Hartley in August 2015. I cannot say enough good things about the atmosphere, Trevor from Command Performance (c...
aterer), Jennifer from Belle of the Ball Designs (preferred florist), Barbara the owner, Michelle who gave us our first tour and got us all set-up, and of course, Karen the day of coordinator. Everything was beautiful, we heard from several people, "best wedding ever", "stunning location", "great food", "beautiful florals", and great vendors. Barbara was there for us anytime we had any questions and would respond so quickly which always put me at ease. Karen is seriously amazing. Before the wedding she would answer any random question I had (which was frequent because I'd ask her a question anytime a thought came into my head!) and she was so thorough with all of our details. The day of I was shocked that she found me half the time because I was all over the place, but she was able to find us and keep us on our timeline, which I so appreciated! It was amazing. Best day of my life, and Hartley is an absolute dream location. Anyone who wants to have an outside wedding, this is the place for you : )
If you want to have the most magical, fantasy, enchanted wedding possible-- go with Hartley! The grounds are stunning, even without any additional decoration and MASSIVE. Your gues...
ts can not possibly get bored because there's so many beautiful areas to explore. Barbara is so down to earth and wonderful, she really was lovely to work with and was extremely accommodating, even with last minute changes, and helped us to stay within our budget while somehow getting everything we'd hoped for! There's really nothing like walking towards the love of your life under that sparkling archway of tree branches. Cannot say enough good things about this venue!
If you are looking for a great venue for a garden wedding Hartley is perfect for this. We wanted a venue that was completely out doors for both ceremony and reception and this was ...
a beautiful setting. Their prices were very good for what is included, and a huge bonus was that you can bring in your own alcohol. Also the amount of space at this venue was huge! We had a different spot for each aspect of our wedding (ceremony, cocktail hour, reception). We really liked that with this venue we were allowed to change things around to our style. Also the outdoor setting with the night time lighting was exactly what I wanted our wedding to have. The owner of the venue was great to work with, easy to get a hold of, and accommodating to different ideas. The catering company that the venue uses was a huge bonus, because everyone raved about our food! The cost also provides you with a day of coordinator, but unfortunately this was the only down side because she seemed not experienced. Other than that I highly recommended this venue if you want a great outdoor space for a wedding.
I couldn't have dreamed of a better place to have our wedding. The staff and owners at Hartley were hands on, but not too hands on, considerate, organized, and tailored our request...
s to a tee. Dealing with them was low drama (very important), and the venue is so gorgeous in and off itself. If you don't want to feel like you're getting married at a wedding mill, Hartley is the place for you.
Originally I came to Hartley as a guest on 6/11, got engaged 7/11. The first thing my fiancé said as we began looking for a venue was take me to the garden!
We have nothing but...
nice things to say about Hartley Botanica. Everything is clean cut, no hidden cost, extremely professional staff, and the garden is a beauty that speaks for it's self.
Hartley provides catering or there is a buy out fee, if you must have your own caterer. However, why would you? Trevor will take care of you, his menu selections are delicious! There is a variety of food selections to choose from, but whatever you do add the carrot soufflé to every dish! Our waiters were courteous and efficient, especially the gentleman that took care of us as Bride and Groom. He made us feel like a king and Queen, thank you.
Karen was our day-of-coordinator, she is magnificent! I felt like she was inside of my brain the day of the wedding. She needs no direction, because she will ask the bride and groom a set of questions and take it from there. As it was my turn to walk down the aisle I looked at the set up and though, "Karen just gets me"...
Parking is really nice and easy here at Hartley because valet parking is provided for all guest. It makes things more personal and easy to manage for guest. Once the wedding was over everything was already packed in our friends vehicles. The gifts and booze! We just got up and ready for the after party!
Our wedding felt like a magical enchanted evening, our guest fell in love with this garden. The compliments keep coming in. I am so happy that I was invited here as a guest because I would of never known about this beautiful place and our lives wouldn't be the same... =)
Hartley Botanica was the backdrop of our dream wedding. So romantic, whimsical, and gorgeous. Barbara and the whole Hartley family have the art of throwing a wedding down to a sc...
ience. They made everything so easy. I would HIGHLY recommend this venue to anyone in the area. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Hartley.
My husband and I had looked at about 8 venues before we landed here at Hartley. We were looking in Ventura county - it's so beautiful there! Hartley was on my list of "if we get ar...
ound to checking out the site, maybe we will". Let me tell you.. their website does NOT do this place justice. At all. From the second we drove up, I immediately knew this was where I wanted to start my "forever" with my husband. It seemed so magical and enchanting. Then you see the ceremony site - with the tree arch walk down the aisle and the faint sound of water trickling from the waterfall in the back. It was better than we could have imagined! Plus, the price is pretty reasonable for the area. Barbara was amazing to work with - very sweet, kind and helpful! I would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to get married!
This venue leaves little to be desired. It is stunning and the natural beauty allows for a minimalistic approach to decorating. Everyone raved about it and I have had several peopl...
e tell me they are trying to get other couples to look at it now. You really can't get this anywhere else!
I was married at this venue this past July 21, 2012.
I fell in love immediately as soon as we entered the tree covered driveway at Hartley's. The ceremony site is what really so...
ld me.
The venue was gorgeous & Barbara was great to work with. On the day of the wedding she left us a super cute hand made frame with a picture of me and my husband in it. I thought that was very sweet of her.
A great asset that Hartley has besides the gorgeous Venue is Command Performance. Wedding food is usually MEH at best. However, all of our food was amazing and all our guests were pleasantly suprised with the food, service and execution. We decided to have the buffet style and everything was amazing! My favorite item was their Carrot Souffe. They also brought us appetizers & cocktails while we were taking photos as the guest enjoyed the cocktail hour. Trevor was amazing! I am hoping to be able to attend a wedding at Hartleys so that I can have the food again!
I feel that Hartley's only downside is their day of wedding coordinator that comes along with their package. Karen the day of coordinator's new owner seemed really green and did not have any attention to detail. I was very upset when I was not told that Wendi the coordinator I had been in contact with had sold the company 2 months prior to my event. I felt that it was Hartley's responsibility to notify me of the change.
Luckily, I had a back up coordinator who is Amazing!!! Here is what my experience was with Karen:
At our first meeting, I had to repeat myself several times as to names, who is who, the time of the ceremony, IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT THE EVENT! She then emailed me confirmation with all of the information wrong after I had repeated myself several times. I feel that as a coordinator, you need to be sharp, and have a great attention to detail.
The day of the rehearsal, Karen again repeated to state incorrect information after I had corrected her several times. Thank God for my other coordinator Amber who was on top of Karen and everything else.
Day of the Wedding, I dont even remember seeing Karen at all. From what Amber told me Karen did a sloppy job on the personal touches she was supposed to set up. So Amber had to follow her around and correct everything. If you use Hartley, I highly recommend getting your own coordinator
- Mrs. Young
I was married here last year. The venue is gorgeous and the owner Barbara was very nice. However, we had a bad experience with the day of wedding coordinator that comes with the ...
venue. I felt that she acted very poorly towards me and others who were at the wedding. I had some complaints from others about her afterwards as well. Her conduct towards me is the only reason I don't feel like I can recommend this venue.
When my fiance and i were thinking about where to get married, our first thought was Paris, France, where we got engaged. But since we wanted all of our family and friends to be in...
volved in the best day of our lives we decided to stay local. We are both very non traditional and we didnt want a typical golf course or country club type setting. That did not fit our personality. I came up on Hartley Botanica on line and was amazed. It is one of the most beautiful places. Its a gorgeous, well maintained botanical garden out in the middle of no where. You walk down an aisle of overgrown trees into an arch with twinkle lights everywhere. The foliage is amazing. One of my favorite things about this place is that you are the only people on the property the night of the wedding. You dont have looky lous walking by and invading your space. The owner Barbara was great and very patient and helpful. The prices were great as well. I couldnt have asked for a more perfect evening and couldnt have imagined it anywhere else. I went back a week later to pick up my veil that i have left behind and i didnt want to leave. Anyways, i think you get my point! I LOVED IT!
This place is just MAGICAL. And with the addition of my florists decorations, it just took my breath away when I saw it all together. On the day of, everything I asked the coordi...
nator to do, she did. All my handmade decorations, etc. The food was delicious (though didn't eat much of it!). You bring your own alcohol, no corkage fee, which is hard to come by. And means you get the left overs! We has a signature cocktail with used Command Performances (caterer that comes with venue) Basil Lemonade and had them mix with vodka. Was a huge hit. And saved us on having a full bar as we decided to do beer and wine. If you want a magical, fairytale wedding... this is the place you want =)
We used Hartley Botanica for our wedding in May 2011 and it was amazing!!! I am SO glad we went with this venue!! We originally saw this venue in January 2011 and nothing was in bl...
oom & most stuff was kind of bare, but wholly cow...if you see this place when its in bloom, it literally takes your breath away!!! Everything starts to bloom at the end of April, so know that it might be bare if your wedding is before then. Its unknowingly settled on Los Angeles Ave, surrounded by orchards and agriculture fields, you would never know it existed. It feels like a tropical paradise when you enter!! The help was amazing!! Barbara is great and so available with any questions or concerns. They provide a day-of coordinator, Wendy, who runs the event so smoothly and effortlessly. The food is amazing- catered by Command Performance- led by Trevor, who is so nice and helpful. The ceremony & reception are both on site at Hartleys. The ceremony is surrounded by bougainvillea, wisteria, vines, waterfalls, streams, and a beautiful hedge. The main aisle has trees that arch over with wisteria hanging in them, creating a beautiful scene. The guests sit on artificial grass (that seriously looks real!) which is great because no ones heels sink in!! :) The reception is just around the corner, but you don't really know its there. Its an open area that has a large oak tree in the middle with doves in cages, and again surrounded by greenery, bougainvillea, and beautiful, colorful flowers. They have a built in buffet bar that is so convenient and elegant. The food is AMAZING!!! We opted to have chandeliers hanging over the tables. They string up cable and hang 5 chandeliers around, when it gets dark, they look like they're floating!! You can also go with bistro lights that are strung instead. The day ran SO smoothly and I know its because of Barbara, Wendy & Trevor. They work so well together and are so helpful through the planning process. I wish I could show you pictures because this place is seriously breathtaking!!! All my guests said this was the best wedding they'd ever been to...I couldn't agree more!!! :) We had 200 guests and there was room for more! The food is about $80/person, but that's really about average- and you are getting every penny worth! Its 5 star quality!! Trevor will work with you in making a menu that fits your price range as well. The Venue is $3500. If you have a short engagement, you have to provide the money pretty quickly. They need 50% by the 3mo mark, but we were only engaged for 5 mos so we had to have the money pretty much right then. Practically everything is included- and its at the highest caliber. They had a coffee bar included, bartender that serves soda & lemonade included but if you want to bring your own beer & wine its no extra corking charge and they serve & chill it for you!! That was huge!!! They include valet parking for the guests which just adds to the elegance of this place. You don't need much decoration or extra flowers because this place speaks for itself. If you're even questioning this place as your wedding site...DO IT!!! You will not be disappointed!! I promise!! You can make this site a rustic, simple setting, or a black tie affair setting...both will be beautiful!!
Hartley Botanical is a very amazing venue. When you are there you feel like you are in tranquility. It feels so tropical and has the most amazing photos scenery Your pictures will ...
come out amazing with all the green lush and garden shots.
Very private beautiful garden Wedding. Lots of green and flowers. beautiful small waterfall in reception site. Best thing is you don't see another bride on the same day;http://www...
.hartleybotanica.com/nursery.html
Contact
4465 Balcom Canyon Rd, Somis, CA
Hartley Botanica