The Oaks at Duncan Lane is a charming, newly built wedding venue in Pala, CA. Offering acres of serene countryside, this peaceful location welcomes you to host your celebration on their grounds. From the idyllic grove of beautiful giant Oak Trees and Ivy, to the freshly constructed suite, this site aims to offer a complete event experience for you.
The Oaks at Duncan Lane can present you with a secluded playground for your special celebration. They only host one event per day, ensuring that they can completely cater to your needs from start to finish. For your ceremony, you can enjoy beautiful natural backdrops. After tying the knot, you and your guests can enjoy a banquet tailored to suit your tastes. With their complete packages, this venue can offer all the equipment and furnishings you need. From napkins to arches, they can be there to cater to you. As an added touch, their newly built Oak’s Den and Oak’s Nest present two charming get-ready rooms for you and your party to enjoy. Fine furnishings, excellent amenities, and a relaxed atmosphere all add to the inviting feel of this natural setting. Additionally, this venue also boasts a private suite for you and your partner to rest and relax in after the hustle and bustle of your big day.
Couples interested in The Oaks at Duncan Lane are welcome to organize a tour of this venue to see all that it has to offer. The Oaks All-Inclusive package is available for a full-service experience , letting them cater to you no matter your desired event. As an added touch, this venue also offers complete catering and bartender services, allowing their team to keep your guests refreshed throughout your long-awaited celebration. Their culinary team works with each client to create a personalized menu, personalizing each dish to tailor to their tastes.
Our mission is to create a lavish venue thats sole focus is on the bride and groom. We run one wedding at a time and don't have any other events going on. We are in the business of making dreams become reality and are so honored to be able to take part in one of the most important days of your life. We are family owned and operated and are building everything as a team so our hearts and souls are in every little detail!
We made sure that we used a neutral palette so that you can design your wedding with any theme or style and nothing will clash! We are completely customizable from small details like your napkins all the way up to larger details like the arch you decide to get married under. We are on a mission to create a venue that is completely moldable to the couples vision.
This wedding venue is BEAUTIFUL! The planning process was easy. I will say that Temecula Catering is awesome! They were so nice, and went out of their way all night to make sure my husband and I ate. The people that run this property are very nice (for the most part), and were also very helpful.However, after getting married here, I would not recommend it. We found that our experience with the owner, Shayla, was very abrasive and at times hostile when questioned on her reasoning for certain things (when we asked what kind of account our payment was going into, since you are required to make monthly payments and we did not want to risk losing our money, we were told by her that it was “none of your business”).Another issue that we had here was that for as much money as you pay, the rules are VERY strict. There are no shots allowed. There are certain florals colors that you are not allowed to have (if you do, they cannot be allowed anywhere near the ground, tables, or chairs). Most of these rules are easy enough, but for the price you pay, very restrictive.Now, all of this could have been completely overlooked- but the reason I will never recommend them: my husband and I were BOMBARDED with issues the entire night of our wedding. From the start of the day, the staff was extremely rude. Not directly to me (usually), but to my family and to everyone else. The day-of coordinator (who was actually very sweet leading up to the day, so this surprised me) was mean to my sister who has Down Syndrome, and I was approached by several different people who said that they heard her yelling at her. She was also just generally unfriendly, which on such a special day, was very unusual.The final straw for me was toward the end of the night during the reception. The groundskeeper, Angie, is very rude and unprofessional. Apparently there was an issue where the kids at the wedding were throwing a football in the large dirt lot. She came out, and instead of calmly asking to speak to my father, she screamed at every single one of my guests and told them that if she saw the football again that we would lose our deposit, and that she would shut down the wedding and make everyone go home. Then, a while later, there was an issue where a parent let a child take a puff of a cigar. I completely understand why they were upset- we can't have underage smoking or drinking at a wedding. But instead of approaching that child and that parent, Angie once again, SCREAMED that she was going to shut my wedding down, and proceeded to yell at every single one of my guests. The next morning, she called to tell me that \"since you had SO many kids there last night, there are things that are broken that we will take out of your deposit\". I said okay, no worries. Then, my guests tell me that the lights that \"my guests\" broke were actually broken by an employee by mistake. So I contact her again and she said \"oh yeah he told me\"? As if she was not planning on telling me and instead was going to let me pay for it? Also, they only sent back a portion of the deposit and did not state why.Also, during the night, any time an issue arose, if Angie was not yelling at my guests about it, they would grab my husband and ask him to go fix the problem. How unprofessional is it to ask the groom on his wedding day to fix issues? If there was any sort of issue, the Bride and Groom should not even be aware of it, but at one point, I was so bombarded by Angie yelling at my guests that it completely put a damper on my night. Reviewed on 28-12-2023
Natalie T(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Do not hesitate! BOOK NOW! Where to even begin! The Oaks at Duncan Lane is breath taking. Absolutely beautiful! I looked at MANY wedding venues leading up to our wedding and the Oaks at Duncan Lane stood out among all others! In my experience looking at other venues, everything was extremely expensive and came with the basics. Any upgrade would be very expensive. The Oaks at Duncan lane offers so much in their package. They communicated so well throughout the whole process and really worked with us to make sure our big day was exactly how we wanted! The greenery and string lights everywhere make the venue look like an actual fairytale! Having the two houses on site to get ready at made things very easy! Linda our coordinator was AMAZING! She made everything run smoothly! The food was delicious! The Oaks at Duncan Lane is the perfect wedding venue and I would recommend it to everyone! Our wedding day was absolutely perfect! Reviewed on 10-11-2023
Thomas Greene(other)5 out of 5 Rating
We were incredibly lucky to find The Oaks at Duncan Lane. We were beyond thrilled with the experience we had. From the moment we stepped foot on the property, we knew we had found something truly special.Our journey to this venue was a bit unconventional as we had to switch venues just five weeks before our wedding. The team at the Oaks was not only understanding but also incredibly accommodating. They made what could have been a stressful situation feel like a breeze. Their willingness to work with us on such a tight timeline was a true testament to their dedication to making our day perfect.One of the standout features of this venue is the remarkable ambiance it offers. The natural beauty and the picturesque outdoor spaces were the ideal backdrop for our special day, and our guests couldn't stop raving about how beautiful it was.What truly sets this venue apart is the incredible value it offers. We were amazed at the reasonable pricing, especially given the quality and elegance of the space. It allowed us to allocate more of our budget towards other aspects of our wedding, making it an even more memorable occasion.Our wedding at The Oaks was an absolute dream come true, and we owe a significant part of that to the venue operators and their stunning location. We can't thank them enough for making our special day so magical. Reviewed on 18-09-2023
Starnes Family(other)5 out of 5 Rating
What separates The Oaks from all other venues is that they truly care about people and they understand what it takes to put on a wedding from 20 people to 200 people. This is such an underrated aspect of any venue. Shayla, Jordan, Morgan, Linda and the Duncan family were great hosts and they all worked well together, like family, which was important to us in our venue search. Their hospitality and work ethic was first-class. We visited the venue in June 2022 and Jordan gave us a very in-depth tour. After looking at the grounds, he then gave us detailed pricing about the venue, the all-inclusive amenities as well as the catering and bar options. You will not find similar amenities likes this anywhere in California. Jordan and his father-in-law are constantly updating The Oaks. There were many improvements and new additions between our tour in June 2022 and our wedding in July 2023! Leading up to our wedding, everyone at The Oaks was extremely communicative about what was needed and when. They also handled a lot of wedding tasks themselves, which was a huge bonus. The day of the wedding we were relaxed and had nothing to worry about. The ability to be on-site at 10 AM was great because both of us had our respective spaces on the property, in the main house and the groom suite, to relax with our wedding parties and families prior to our ceremony and reception. Every one of our guests was enamored with the beauty and set-up of The Oaks and its attention to detail. For a 90 degree wedding day, the oak trees provided so much shade that it was perfect, cool weather in the middle of summer. We can’t recommend this venue enough for anyone in search of one. Reviewed on 18-07-2023
Tori Chellis(other)5 out of 5 Rating
My wedding at the Oaks at Duncan Lane was a dream! Their whole staff is amazing and so responsive.Linda their coordinator is amazing. I didn’t have to stress at all and knew she had everything ready for me.It was such a stress free and beautiful day. Everyone told us it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been too.Everything was perfect! Reviewed on 28-04-2023
Melissa Balderama(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-03-2023 We had our wedding here on March 18, 2023. I highly recommend this business. The venue team went above and beyond to accommodate my requests and provided excellent customer service and fast communication throughout the entire wedding planning process. Shayla, Linda, Jordan, Morgan, Shayla's parents... I can't thank you all enough! Our wedding day was perfect from beginning to the end. Our guests also raved about the natural beauty of the venue and loved the food from catering. I wish I could relive our special day over and over again! Thanks from the bottom of our hearts.-The Bustamontes Reviewed on 31-03-2023
Dayna Wormington(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-11-2022 We toured The Oaks long before it is what it is today. Before the beautiful trees were lit up to sparkle and the paved dance floor even existed. The lot in-front of the main house was dirt, but there was such an air of potential and confidence in the Owners that made us decide to book more than a year out. Over the year+ timespan, we watched this already beautifully piece of Pala grow into the insanely gorgeous wedding venue it is now, hosting weddings that just enveloped everything we’d wanted for our own. The process was easy with Linda’s help over the last few months up until Day Of. I tell you, you need a coordinator. You don’t wanna stress? Get a COORDINATOR. And get a team of people who are there for you when you need them (Aka: The Oaks Team) It’s been three months since our wedding and I still wish I could rewind and do it all over just to relive it, and be so happy knowing our most important day was in the hands of Shayla, Linda, Jordan, Morgan & Everyone else involved from The Oaks and Temecula Catering. Thanks all ❤️ The Wormingtons Reviewed on 09-02-2023
Stephanie Anderson(bride)3 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 25-09-2022 I had my wedding here in September 2022. This venue is beautiful, however due to several miscommunications and unprofessionalism at times, I wouldn’t recommend it.From the beginning there were problems that I shouldn’t have ignored. I’ll spare the long-winded details, but essentially there was a miscommunication with pricing. When I provided the emails that led to the miscommunication, the price was not honored.Pricing came up again when they added thousands of dollars to my bill for an upgrade I had not purchased. I only found out about this because my dad (who paid) mentioned it. They removed the item from my bill but had my dad not asked me about it we would have never known. No compensation was offered for this.The options provided for bar and catering were extremely limited. Only 2 bar options (both very pricy) and one for catering. The catering was mediocre at best. We actually complained about it after our tasting and they allowed us to do a retest, but it was still not great. Since there was no other option we just rolled with it… definitely could have gotten much better quality with the money spent.Because the venue is still under construction, multiple things changed from the point that we selected the venue up to the actual wedding date. We were aware this was a possibility, but it is another reason I would be wary to book. For example, a huge white storage barn was moved right next to the ceremony area, which was a pretty big eyesore. Also, the area at the top of the hill, which was beautiful and lush in the Spring, is not maintained by sprinklers and is dead and dry in the Summer.I found the wedding coordinator to be nice but not helpful, and in some instances do more harm than good.They advertised a certain arch as being available but removed it from their inclusive package at some point during my engagement. I ended up having to drive to Orange county, twice, to see it because the first time it was rented out and unavailable even though I had been told to just stop by. What a waste of time and gas.Lastly, is that after the wedding we stayed in the on-site suite. (The outdoor lights were glaring so bad and we couldn’t figure out how to turn them off even after searching the house for every light switch for 20 minutes). After we left for our honeymoon the morning, I asked the venue if they could save my bouquet I had forgotten in a vase and they said they had already thrown it away. I was heartbroken, since I had paid $250 for it and planned to have it preserved. I had also forgotten my wedding dress on the bed and they did save that for me, but a wedding venue you would think they would know that bouquets are sentimental and expensive.There were many other hiccups along the way but what wedding doesn’t have that? I’m just trying to highlight the ones that were not particular to me and may affect others.Pros:-\tVenue is beautiful and unique. It is hard to find one like this-\tThey really tried to be kind and accommodate me-\tThey were flexible with some changes to their usual policies-\tThey had a golf cart for the older folks- Tons of compliments from my guests who did not have to endure the behind the scenes issuesUltimately, if you are really on top of things, only care about a beautiful venue, and don't mind problems popping up this is probably ok for you. But if you expect it to be smooth sailing, look elsewhere. Reviewed on 29-12-2022
Danielle Mallory(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-11-2022 Shayla and Morgan were the most wonderful hosts. It is amazing to see how much love and effort they have put into building this venue. Everyone in their team is wonderful and helped make our day run smooth. They went above and beyond to make sure nothing went wrong. Even down to giving our fur baby his medicine at his dedicated time so the FOB was able to enjoy the night with us and not have to worry about watching the clock. We can not thank everyone enough for the amazing service they provided. This venue was worth everything! Reviewed on 19-12-2022
Melissa Dubon(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-10-2022 The Oaks was amazing! The entire property is gorgeous no matter where you look and everyone was so accommodating! I especially loved the house/bridal suite, it made getting ready at the venue so easy. The kitchen is fully equipped with a giant and spacious fridge, coffee maker, and a microwave, my mother felt right at home. :) For anyone on budget, you can save money on your florals/decor for this space because everything is so beautiful already <3Thank you so much to Shayla and Morgan for being so easy to reach out to for your attentiveness. It made our wedding day a breeze! Reviewed on 24-10-2022
Rebecca Pallas(other)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-10-2022 Omg this venue was stunning! Morgan was a DELIGHT, so helpful and responsive! And Shayla was wonderful, showing us all around before it was booked. I so recommend, everything went off without a hitch and my sisters wedding was incredible!! Thank you so much, and yes book this place!!! Reviewed on 16-10-2022
Becca Van Antwerp(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-10-2021 We were the first big wedding to happen at this venue. We naturally ran into a few kinks, but I have no doubt they have since been worked out. The Duncan Oaks team was so helpful with problem solving and making sure we were enjoying our day no matter what. They went above and beyond to make it the best day ever for us. The venue is breathtakingly beautiful and the work they have done on the property before and since our wedding is amazing. You can't go wrong getting married here. They will take good care of you. Reviewed on 10-05-2022
Hannah Swanson(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-09-2021 Shayla and her team were extremely accommodating! It was a pleasure working with them from the beginning. Being the venue's first larger wedding, we ran into some hiccups like any start up would have. But Shayla, her husband, her parents, and the rest of the team worked laboriously to resolve the issues. We were honored to have been the first big event and we received GORGEOUS photos, from the ivy covered stairs to the boho chic bridal suite. The landscaping was in progress during our day but their plans to continue the hardscaping further looks so promising. We cant thank them enough for the time they invested to make our dream a reality. Reviewed on 21-09-2021
I'm Shayla Luck, previously Shayla Duncan. My parents own Big Top Rentals and they focus on larger events like marathons and car dealerships, but I was SO excited when a wedding came in and I got to help plan it. There is something about weddings, love, and romance that is so magical to me. This lead me to the life goal of owning a wedding venue that made the couples wedding day as easy and relaxing as possible. After graduating college, my family decided it was time to turn my dreams into a reality. We all work together and I couldn't have done this without them.