The 1909

d you couldn't hear any cars driving by. All we heard was nature and a babbling brook. Seriously, this place is just beautiful. If you live in California you know the weather is unpredictable in the winter but I highly recommend doing a winter wedding here. Who likes the heat? I certainly don't. I have also visited this place in the spring and it is also gorgeous. I am sure the other seasons are equally as beautiful and I am more than certain that fall is breathtaking. But, for us, the winter was best for our schedule and budget. The 1909 was very accommodating to our budget and was willing to work with us, which was wonderful. We planned our wedding in 5 weeks (due to my father's health issues we canceled our entire wedding in Vegas and brought it home). Honestly, this place was my first choice before Vegas so we were thankful they had an opening. You can also add on to your wedding as well. We got the VW bus photo booth, which was awesome. The rustic package was great! We were able to use almost all of the items in it. The centerpieces were so beautiful and really just added a lovely touch to the room. We also added patio heaters since it does get cold there at night. The food was delicious and the chef at Cafe 27 called the night before the wedding to make sure that he had everything in order and to answer any questions that I may have about the food. I have celiac diseases and the food we ordered was GF, which is an added bonus since I did not want to be sick on my wedding day. The staff was amazing at helpful. They were able to answer all my questions and helped me with a lot of decision making. Zenobia was a gem to work with and was very prompt with her emails and making sure that we had everything we needed. Ilsie was also wonderful to work with. She helped me with all the fine details and laying out the floor plan for the reception room. She also sent pictures of things I needed such as the ramp for the stairs and flower arrangments. The only thing I can say that can add some stress is that if you don't have a coordinator you will need to have reliable people set up the morning of the wedding. You can't set up the night before but you can store things there other than food. If you do have a coordinator and/or people that are able to set up in the morning then that will lessen the stress of the day. Luckily at the last minute, we were able to find people to help set up the morning of and it turned out beautiful. Less is more at this location, you do not need a whole lot of decorations! Go check this place out!! Book a wedding with them! You will love everything about this place! You are your guest will love the atmosphere of this place. It is so laid back and you really can just enjoy your wedding day. All the stress was worth it. This venue is perfect!

om beginning to end. Special appreciation to Zenobia and Ilsie who helped the prep leading up to our day all the way through it and aided in it flowing so smooth. I had numerous questions along the way and they were very helpful with all my thoughts. I also had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Amir, once and he was fantastic. We also used them for catering- The food was awesome! The chef allowed us to be creative with our menu choices and the personalization of our food was super special for our guests!

like what they have to offer then they will work with you and create a beautiful day. The staff is excellent and the in house caterer is also wonderful. You absolutely must rent the vw bus photo booth. It was a big hit.

nyone getting married!

ombined gave us and our guests a night to remember. We've since recommended and attended several other friends weddings here and it is always stunning. Highly recommend.

s, put up the extra money to have your food provided by the next door restaurant (The Topanga Table), it is FAR better than the food the venue offers. It is also under the same ownership...if you are looking to have an outdoor wedding and want to have a romantic, rustic experience on your special day I would recommend The 1909 with the highest of ratings. Good luck and written with love!!! L&A

with us in our photobooth on the night of the wedding. He was so accommodating and responsive and helped us make our night perfect. The food was excellent from the Topenga Table next door and many of our guests said it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had. My one concern about the venue was having to move the dancing inside, but this honestly was so much better than I expected. It forced everyone to get up and dance and was so much fun. I am so so so happy I chose this venue. We made it our own and it didn’t feel like we were just another couple being inserted into their Wedding template. I loved that we could DIY as much as we wanted and rely on the venue for everything else. I wish I could do it all over again! Thank you so much Amir and the 1909 team!!!!

e venue even recommended a DJ company (Electric Entertainment DJs) that was familiar to hooking into their system. There's also a lot of great spots for sunset photos.

n we could have made ! In late September, after yet another news report of terrible natural disasters and the continuing state of discourse in our country, we made the decision to make a commitment to each other to share our life journey together forever in marriage. We had a tremendous challenge because of our time constraint and finding the perfect location with availability to fulfill our vision of a Thankfulness - Thanksgiving themed wedding. We researched everyone out there & mediocrity wasn't an option. Once we found The 1909 online & saw the photos, we just knew. Reading all the great reviews was affirmation that this was the place for us. Zenobia responded to our frantic first email and the heavens opened up when she said Sunday, November 5 was available ! We were so excited, and with no time to spare, we went the following day. Tucked into the canyon, you could easily drive past it without knowing it is there. But, when you open the gate, and walk down the wooden steps, you are transported to a fairytale. We were greeted by Amir, the kindest, most compassionate man who just happens to be the owner, but he makes you feel like a friend that he’s sharing his beautiful property with. He led us on a tour that gave us the vision of what our wedding day would look like with the ceremony in the amphitheater area under the arbor, cocktail hour by the rustic bar, dinner on long tables in the meadow with twinkly lights above, and dancing indoors on the second floor with plenty of room for the celebration to continue. We were pinching ourselves we were so elated. He answered our many questions before we had a chance to answer them and we booked that very day because he was open and understanding as we worked through our wing and a prayer budget, finding lots of options available. We knew that although we had an overwhelming amount of work to do in just a few weeks, we were confident that our Thankfulness Wedding Celebration was going to be a reality. Over the next several days, Zenobia continued to respond to our many questions about details and she then recommended we speak to their wedding coordinator. That’s when the real magic happened ! The second best decision we made after finding the perfect location was choosing Barbara Knox as our Wedding Day Coordinator. We met with Barbara several times which was invaluable as she guided us by asking the right questions to determine what we wanted while offering invaluable suggestions we’d never thought of. We were in touch back & forth numerous times over the next few weeks and she was always available to us. We knew we would be in good hands with her guidance but we couldn’t have known then how much we and our guests would benefit from Guardian Angel Barbara’s professionalism and expertise on our wedding day. She was instrumental in pulling everything together perfectly and we cannot imagine not having her with us. She is The 1909’s best asset and her insight and attention to detail is incomparable. Do not hesitate in choosing her to be the one that guides you and leads all of your vendors in making your day perfect. If you're reading this review, you're probably looking for your perfect place. Congratulations you’ve probably just found it!

yon, and are totally into the rustic thing.. then this wedding venue is for you! The 1909 was our very first venue we looked at. We had fallen in love with it online, and it did not disappoint in person. During the process, after we committed, the staff wasn't always on the same page regarding communication, but when you weigh the pluses and minuses of the actual day, the frustrations we had with the contract / staff was completely forgiven after such a spectacular wedding day! They did not require us to use their caterers (though, we did, and are still getting compliments to how good the meal was), or their bartender (we did use theirs though), and we used their coordinator (we just wanted a seamless day, and they SO delivered us a seamless day!).. Something we noticed a lot when venue shopping was the venue would require us to use their bartenders and bar packages. The 1909 was the only venue that allowed us to open the bar up before the ceremony and bring in our own booze. Our wedding was on a Friday afternoon.. we knew our guests would be battling traffic to arrive on time, I really wanted them to have a chance to have a crisp glass of wine before the event. Many venues argued with me and said "people don't do that".. I'm not like most people, I suppose. We also wanted to serve a snack before the ceremony, and the 1909 was completely fine with that. They said that once we rented the venue, it was ours for the day. Our only real glitch was that the a/c unit in the bridal 'suite' (teeny room) was broken the day of my wedding. The staff ran out to buy a new one but it did me no good, as I was already dressed by the time it arrived. Also, there is no real area for the groom to get ready. We weren't super traditional though so it was fine for us. I really hope I could be a guest at a wedding at the 1909! I would love a chance to go back and enjoy myself in that beautiful venue again!

etimes it took a little persistence on our end to get answers. It always seemed worth the wait. We loved that this venue allowed us to have the entire venue all day. Just remember music turns off at 11. They have many rustic elements that are included in their rustic package. I like to describe this venue as a little gem placed in the middle of the canyon. We had 120 guests and the most beautiful ceremony. After, we headed to the meadow. we opted to use regular tables and linens. The food was fantastic! We did family style. Everyone loved the food. Before heading upstairs to dance, we did our first dance in amphitheater where we were married. It was beautiful and unexpected. We ended the night upstairs and had the best time ever! I would say the only cons I would address would be the sound in the amphitheater made it hard for everyone to hear. The family style was presented in a way in which our guest could have more if they asked, however that wasn't the case. We paid for 122 people, but only 110 showed and there wasn't extra food cooked for the tables that asked for it. Also, make sure you hire an amazing day of coordinator. Without her, there were things that would have been missed. The venue if very relaxed, but some details would have been lost without my coordinator. With all of that being said, our day was perfect! We wish we could do it again! And we highly recommend this venue for your perfect day too!!!!

cturesque, and how unique it was as well. As the bride & groom, we couldn't have been happier with the cost of the venue as well. One of the greatest things about the 1909 is the ability to make it your own. We had a very DIY wedding-as most 1909ers do- so we kept it simple with lots of white flowers and minimal rustic decor and honestly, the venue doesn't need much if you don't want it to. We used their catering company and did family style pizzas and salads and could not have been happier with the service, taste, and quality! We hired their preferred bartender, Rustic Bar Service (Charlie), and bought our own alcohol and again, super happy with that decision. Some words for the wise, however: Topanga Canyon is full of wonderful yet incredibly laid back individuals. This means response time, clarification, and professionalism are not to the level you'd expect or anticipate when comparing them to other LA wedding venues. That being said, we were never cheated, taken for granted, or pushed around--and the staff and management teams were helpful throughout the entire process...it just took a bit of nagging on our part and a lot of patience. Thank you to the entire 1909 staff for an incredible wedding!

nd many other places. Its charm is truly incomparable. My husband and I married here March 11th and it downpoured. Leading up to the day, we saw that weather was going to be a major issue, so we had to scrap some of the outdoor plans. Amir and William bent over backwards to make sure that we had a spectacular day despite the unusual weather conditions (yay El Nino!). They put up a canopy on the first floor deck so guests could wander outside and enjoy the beauty of the landscape without getting wet. We were lucky enough to have the sky clear up for the ceremony, and the venue was even more stunning as it glistened from the rain. Inside, guests enjoyed dinner and the space was still extraordinarily charming. The owners made it their utmost priority to have the space be as beautiful inside as it would have been outside. It exceeded our expectations. Finally, as a designer of hospitality spaces, I have to say that the quality of the venue itself is exceptional. Many venues we saw looked very run down and this place is kept PRISTINE. Cannot recommend highly enough

for the perfect venue, an did not have very much luck as we didn't have a particularly large budget, but we still wanted a beautiful outdoor/woodsy venue. I have received SO MANY compliments from wedding guests about how beautiful our wedding was! We didn't need to bring very much décor as the rustic feel of the location was beautiful enough-they have lights in the trees and market lights over the grass lawn that look absolutely stunning at night! We did have some issues with the dancing portion of the reception: be aware that you are not allowed to dance or have amplified music outside. It worked out, as we ended up moving the dancing portion of the reception inside the house (which was still beautiful), and did dessert and dancing upstairs. The only issue I had with this was that this was not clear to me until about a week before my wedding, which caused a minor bride meltdown. But Amir is fantastic! I would highly recommend bypassing everyone else and asking for him directly. He is very professional and truly cares about your wedding day. I am very grateful for his assistance. The pictures came out absolutely amazing, as the backdrop for the ceremony is beautiful greenery, and you can hear bullfrogs which everyone thought was SO COOL! We also booked the catering through the venue, and it was amazing...I would highly recommend checking it out. Please do yourself a favor and check out this hidden gem before making your final decision on your venue, I am very glad I did as I would have been missing out on the location of my dreams! The website photos do not to it justice...you need to go see it. trust me! Thank you for everything Amir! -Kayla & David

enue the following weekend, we just knew this was the place. It is so incredibly beautiful, allowing for different types of activities for whatever your event calls for – from the lawn area, the amphitheater, the two levels of the romantic building and not to mention the whole thing is nestled in an array of trees in the hillside of Topanga Canyon. Every guest loved the location. Every guest. The romance and the peacefulness of the place envelopes all those who attend. And part of that is due not only to the physical beauty of the location, but to the kindness and care that is taken by Amir and his team. They were so incredibly accommodating and so wonderful to work with. What should be a stressful time, was made more peaceful by Amir and his equally kind and helpful staff. And now the food. Yum. Elegant and tasty not to mention, what ever you choose for your event, they can make. Anything. And whatever anything is, it is always and every time good. To be able to count on quality food at an event of any size, that is a formidable quality. And every guest, every guest again, loved the food. So between the physical beauty of the location, the kind and caring staff and owner, and the amazing food, we highly recommend the 1909 for whatever event you should chose to have there. But don’t forget to come back again for your next event. My husband and I are so very grateful for having the chance to have our wedding at this wonderful location. Thank you again to Amir and his staff. You are greatly appreciated.

guests haul out to Malibu. When we saw the space, we immediately fell in love. The pros: It's gorgeous. It's peaceful. The owners are very kind and flexible in working with your needs. The deck/amphitheater area is perfect for a wedding ceremony. We didn't use the built in seating, using chairs instead. The meadow for dinner is spectacular. The house provides a great space to dance. And they let you set it up any way you want, so if you want dinner inside, ceremony on the lawn, that's cool too. They have some chairs and tables that are included, and also some rustic items that you can rent (like beautiful wooden tables). The owners charge separately for this stuff, but not an arm and a leg. And you can choose not to use it and bring your own stuff as well. Use your own caterer and liquor vendors too! The cons: The owners manage a restaurant next to the property and seem very busy with both businesses. I did not always get timely responses from them when planning the wedding. It was fine until we got closer, then became very stressful. There is no amplified music outside so you have to dance inside. This is not a big deal and was kinda fun to have different "stages" of the night, but it's an unusual challenge. The space has no air or heat - it was extremely hot on my wedding day and the bridal suite had a portable a/c that didn't do too much. (Every time I visited, it was cooler so it never crossed my mind.) Oh! and the driveway doesn't really allow for a food truck, even though the venue permits it. We really wanted a food truck and we had to scrap the idea because truck vendors are realizing the driveway is not too truck friendly. Overall, truly a memorable and magical space. My guests were all commenting on how lovely it was.

ed the art of keeping it simple and the indoor and outdoor spaces are all just perfect. From the moment we took our first tour, we were told that on our wedding day, the space was ours to do whatever we wished with it. The entire property is yours for the day and you can truly bring to reality whatever vision you have. The place must be seen to understand the appeal but here are a few of my favorite things about it: the wood-burning oven where food is cooked and then handed right off to your guests; the inside-outside option so you can be in nature when you want and AC when you prefer; The 1909 can be as involved as you want with your wedding - they can provide catering, decoration, furniture, etc. if you want but it is completely up to you whether you want to use these services. They were great to work with and I've received so many compliments on my wedding. I wouldn't have done anything differently.

ysical setting was truly breathtaking in its natural beauty. The variety of spaces available for use is a great benefit--we used the outdoor amphitheater for ceremony, the grassy lawn for dinner, and the indoor hall for dancing and dessert. We had 180 guests at our wedding, and that is really the maximum number of guests that this venue can comfortably accommodate. Beyond 180, there is an extra venue cost, and there is simply not enough space. Also, if you do choose the 1909 as your wedding venue, do not underestimate the extra costs associated with bringing in outside rented items. Unlike ballrooms and other more conventional wedding venues, there is no built in catering or other hospitality, and we ended up paying more than we had initially budgeted to bring in many rental items. Overall, if you are looking to have your wedding in a wonderfully beautiful "rustic chic" outdoor setting, and are willing to spend more money not just on the venue but on all the outside rentals, then I would say that the 1909 is a really great option.

t so welcoming! Amir was such a pleasure to work with and broke things down to us up front as far as any additional fees that come with the base rate of renting the space for the day. He really did take care of us, and was there the day of making sure things were ran smoothly for our big day. This venue is tucked away in Topanga Canyon, smack dab in between Malibu and Woodland Hills. It is very quiet, tranquil, and surrounded by trees! Parking can get tricky, but it is possible (through Amir) to rent out the parking lot of a business that sits next door to the venue for your guests, as well as parking on the actual canyon road. Going over 120 guests is okay, but it reaches a different price bracket of 121-180 guests.They provide tables and chairs to accommodate 120 guests, however you must come up with the tablecloths, runners, etc. We were having a hard time finding a venue that would allow us to bring in our own caterer, without a "buy out" fee for not using their suggested caterer.. so The 1909 was perfect for that! They did offer "day of coordinator" and catering connections, however we were never pressured or forced to go with them. We were also told that if there was anything we were looking to incorporate into our wedding, to let Amir know before purchasing in case he was already planning on buying the same item himself. They have a built in amphitheater on a huge deck outside that was perfect for the ceremony and held our 165 guest comfortably. There is a gorgeous Oak tree that extends over the deck from which we were able to hang our built backdrop of picture frames. There are several items that you can rent out from The 1909 to alleviate the hassle of renting elsewhere; such as a PA system, beautiful wooden tables and benches, arbor for the ceremony, wine barrels, etc. Our dinner reception was held in their meadow area that was absolutely stunning with the strung up lights (keep in mind that turning the lights on is an additional fee because of the vast amount of power required...but well worth the money). We were able to have a taco cart, craft beer, lawn games and live mariachi. No amplified music is allowed outside, only indoors due to the neighbors that live near the property (they are tucked away and you don't even realize they are there, but everything echoes in a big canyon). They also allow for food trucks to park on the meadow. The base rate cost for a Friday during the "off season" (Oct - Feb?) is $3,600.. however the total cost I have listed is including a refundable security deposit, additional parking rental, additional guests (over 120 people), as well as a few items we rented for the day of. I really wanted to be sure to have an accurate number listed on here, because one of the most frustrating things about searching for a venue was all the hidden fees we ran into everywhere but The 1909. In our experience, so many venues in LA seem to like they want you for nothing more than your money. We built a real relationship with Amir and can't thank him enough for making our day so awesome, and proving to be such a good and honest man.