El Adobe de Capistrano is a wedding venue with an exceptional history, located in San Juan, CA. You and your partner can celebrate your big day in the ex-court and jail house, originally constructed in the late 1700s, and retaining many of its original features. Multiple indoor and outdoor spaces on the property allow you freedom in creating a wedding as unique as you. From vintage gardens to a wine cellar full of character, your wedding day can be designed to suit your needs and preferences. The staff at this all-inclusive venue help to relieve some of the wedding planning stress through their incredible service.
El Adobe De Capistrano can accommodate up to 450 wedding attendees, each room and area with differing capacities. The popular Palenque Room is full of light from the floor-to-ceiling windows and can let even more in by sliding back the ceiling and revealing the vibrant sky above. From large celebrations in The Palenque Room, garden, and chapel to more intimate affairs in The Portola Room, enriched with stained-glass windows, and Las Flores Room which overlooks the gardens, there is a space here for any milestone day.
The venue provides full meal services for weddings. The antique wooden bar can be stocked with all of your favorites, and the catering team works tirelessly to create delectable dishes based on your preferences. Following a cocktail reception and hors d'oeuvres, meals can be served buffet-style or plated by the attentive venue's servers. Setup and clean up for the event, including event rentals, can be taken care of by onsite staff while you and your partner relax in the get-ready-suite. With jail cells and underground passageways, El Adobe De Capistrano is a wedding venue like no other, celebrating couples like no other.
Amenities & Details
Indoor Event Space, Reception Area
Guest CapacityCeremony TypesVenue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks, Cakes & Desserts, Food & Catering, Service Staff
Settings
Restaurant
Business Attributes
Pricing for El Adobe De Capistrano
Option
Value
Starting Cost
Affordable
Cost Starting
Price Range
$10,650 - $12,450+
Couples Usually Spend
$11,550
Peak Season Months
Peak Season Cost
$10,650 - $12,450+
Peak Season Reception Cost
$1,500
Peak Season Ceremony Cost
$1,500
Peak Season Bar Service Cost
OffSeason Months
OffSeason Cost
$10,650 - $12,450+
OffSeason Reception Cost
$1,500
OffSeason Ceremony Cost
$1,500
OffSeason BarService Cost
El Adobe De Capistrano Reviews
Kacey Carruthers(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-10-2021 My husband and I just had our wedding at El Adode this past Oct and it was truly amazing! The GM Aileen was soooooo wonderful to work with. Always friendly and always accommodating to all our needs! The night of we had amazing service and the food was fantastic! I highly highly recommended this venue! Thank you El Adobe for giving us our dream wedding!! Reviewed on 19-12-2021
Erin McGeeney(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-06-2021 We LOVED having our wedding reception at El Adobe! The manager Aileen is absolutely incredible, and don't even get us started about the food. The staff was so kind and attentive. We had so much fun at our tasting with Aileen, and she really knew what she was doing in terms of helping plan our table layout etc. We got so many compliments about the venue and how it was the best wedding food people had ever had. Compared to the all the surrounding area venues, this place is an absolute steal, and we wouldn't have changed it! Also, the roof opening up during our first dance? Just straight up magical. We would do it all over again at El Adobe and highly recommend it to everyone! Thank you El Adobe for giving us our dream reception!! Reviewed on 30-06-2021
Anne Pimentel(bride)3 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-03-2020 This venue is beautiful and it is great that the ceremony and reception can be at the same place. The price is reasonable because it includes catering, linens, bar options, basic chairs/tables, and some complimentary decorations. There were a few things that couples should be aware of. If you book the rehearsal at the venue and the venue has a chance to make money they will and won't notify you that you can't have the rehearsal there. The manager was rude when we asked for clarification and ask questions about the contract and booklet provided on what is uncluded. We were told that the venue is flexible and contract isn't black and white, beware and ask questions even if they are rude and don't want to answer because they will charge you. This was the first time getting married so I had a lot of questions and they didn't seem to like that. All I wanted was for the wedding team to explain and clarify things in the contract/booklet because those aren't written well. Our wedding went well but that is because I did keep asking questions and pushing to get answers. Everyone that came to our wedding loved every minute of it as did we. Our wedding was a beautiful memorable day. Reviewed on 14-06-2020
Amanda Swanson(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-03-2018 We loved this venue. The food was great and the service was wonderful. We got so many compliments on choosing this location. Reviewed on 12-04-2018
Tahna Rivero(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 20-05-2017 I loved working with this venue. Herlinda (the events coordinator) was very communicative, organized, helpful, and professional. She even coordinated with the florist directly. The entire process was smooth and the event was pulled off wonderfully. The food is delicious, the venue is gorgeous, and the staff is amazing. I took advantage of the casita behind the venue. It was incredibly useful for getting ready and getting away for a moment during the cocktail hour. I highly recommend El Adobe de Capistrano for any event. Reviewed on 29-06-2017
Bree Oswald(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-05-2016 I got married here over the weekend—and it was everything I could have hoped for and more! Look no further if you want a spectacular, affordable venue. The historic building added to the character of our wedding (whimsical and rustic); the wait staff was out of this world and went above and beyond to help out my guests with dietary restrictions, and the set up was beautiful. The events management was easy to work with (for me and my coordinator), available to meet in person or talk on the phone, and flexible. I also go ready in the Casita out back and it was GORGEOUS and made for great pictures! It was also close enough to Mission San Juan that we had our first look at the Casita and took our photos INSIDE the Mission. They went above and beyond. I HIGHLY recommend the El Adobe! Reviewed on 17-05-2016
Alex Nixt(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-01-2016 El Adobe is a fantastic venue for both your wedding ceremony and reception. We held both here in January and it was amazing. The natural character of the venue allows you to not have to add a whole lot in decor. The food is amazing and the venue's wedding coordinator, Andrea, is awesome to work with. The value you get is unrivaled for being a Southern California venue. We would highly recommend this location. Reviewed on 21-03-2016
Dawn Cicero(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 31-08-2014 We loved our El Adobe wedding. The staff was amazing, the food delicious and everyone had a fantastic time. Lauren is so great to work with and helped us have a nearly perfect day. What else could you ask for? :-) Reviewed on 07-10-2014
Jasmin Member(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-07-2013 From the venue location, to the convenience, the food, and now the bridal suite they added on site you really can not beat this place. 130 guests under $11,000. I would recommend this place to my closest friends and know they would not be disappointed. Reviewed on 09-08-2013
Katie Wolfrom(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-06-2013 I had my rehearsal dinner here and had a great time. The food was excellent. The downside was it was really loud since we were right next to the mariachi band and there is a steep food minimum. However it was worth it and I would go back. Reviewed on 16-06-2013
Melanie Solis(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 28-04-2012 I am so happy we chose this location for our ceremony and reception. It turned out beautiful and we plan to dine here every year for anniversary. The El Adobe staff was so nice and friendly and made sure my hubby and I were taken care of on our special day. As far as decor, we had a lot of little extras we wanted to incorporate, and El Adobe was very accommodating with everything. Stacey, the events manager, was great to work with and was always very responsive. The roof opening up during our first dance was the icing on the cake and I have seriously lost count of the amount of people that have told us how much they loved that detail. A lot of our guests have also told us how much they loved the food. We were a little worried because we only served one choice (top sirloin a la tu with chimichurri sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables), instead of letting our guests choose, but we've heard nothing but rave reviews, even from picky eaters! We also opted for a sangria fountain which was a big hit with everyone. I highly recommend El Adobe; we would not have changed a thing! Reviewed on 13-07-2012
Jordan Adams(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-06-2012 We fell in love with this venue. Great space and beautiful all alone. Outdoor patio was perfect for overflow and cocktail hour. Our guests were pleasantly surprised when the roof opened up during our first danc...adding a little more drama. Reviewed on 02-07-2012
Dana Aaron(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 04-05-2012 I had the best night of my life here! My husband and I could not have chosen a better venue. Stacey, the coordinator, was very easy to contact and made our lives very easy. We keep wishing we could relive our night there over and over. We would recommend this venue to everyone! Reviewed on 30-05-2012
emily Hamer(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-10-2011 Great food. Service. Timeline. Scheduling. Stacy, the coordinator, has been working there for 8 years throwing events, she KNOWS what she's doing. Reviewed on 08-11-2011
Christina Marshall(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 04-09-2011 El Adobe was a gorgeous wedding venue, and Stacey was excellent to work with and made sure everything went well for both my rehearsal and wedding day! I could not ask for a better day. The gardens were gorgeous for the ceremony and the banquet room was set up to perfection! The food was superb and we got tons of compliments! The ceiling opening during our first dance was something our guests did not expect and we were able to dance the night away under the stars. What could have been better! Reviewed on 13-10-2011
Kristin Schierbaum(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-05-2011 I really couldn't have asked for a better venue. My wedding was beautiful. The food was great. Stacey was great to work with and the staff was spot on the entire night. All my guests raved about ceiling opening up during our first dance. It was an amazing experience all around. Reviewed on 13-06-2011
Kathleen Haytack(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-06-2010 We really loved our wedding at El Adobe. Stacey was so easy to work with and she really helped lead me in the right direction. The food was great, the atmosphere was amazing, and the staff was incredible. Everyone who attened said it was teh best wedding with the best food they have ever been to. We love El Adobe! Reviewed on 03-11-2010
Brianne Haug(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-08-2010 El Adobe was just fantastic! Stacey, the venue coordinator, was very helpful and accommodating. The Wedding day itself, \rRan so smooth! All the employees were \r Wonderful and attentive! Ps... \rThe sky opens for your first dance! Reviewed on 07-09-2010
Beth Murdent(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-08-2008 El Adobe was perfect! The food was wonderful and the location is centrally located in South Orange County. They have a great patio for cocktail hour and the reception area comfortably sat 195 people. The dance floor was so much fun and they have a retractable ceiling that opened during our first dance and created a magical moment. Stacey Strausbaugh and the staff at El Adobe did a wonderful job. She has great follow-up and made our planning period very easy for us.;The bathroom is a little small and oudated looking. Guests may have to park in other locations because the parking lot can not fit everyone but that is very minor. Reviewed on 21-10-2008