Notes on the light
Cielo Farms sits at the top of the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu, and the elevation is the whole story. Olive groves and panoramic views run in every direction, and because you are up above the marine layer that affects so much of the coast, the light here behaves differently than it does at sea level: softer through the middle of the day, then sharp and genuinely spectacular in the hour before sunset.
The spaces, and how they film
The Ceremony Arch. A rose-and-eucalyptus or all-white floral arch sits with the mountains as backdrop, built to be the wide shot that anchors the whole film.
The Vineyard Rows. Some ceremonies here run guests past rows of vines toward the arch, which gives us a strong processional shot in addition to the ceremony itself.
The Reception Tent. A tented reception space keeps the evening comfortable once the mountaintop cools off after sunset, which happens faster up here than it does closer to the coast.
The films, so far
We have made three films at Cielo Farms so far: Alex & Leah, married under a rose-covered arch with the mountains behind them, Andy & Emily, whose ceremony ran past vineyard rows toward a wall of white and blush florals, and Jacob & Malia, married in November with the vows timed to land as the light turned. Three weddings is enough to know this property’s rhythm in more than one season, and we would like the fourth to be yours.
Filming here
Because Cielo Farms sits well above sea level, it cools off fast once the sun drops, faster than most Los Angeles venues closer to the coast. We plan coverage of the last light carefully, since the golden hour up here is short and dramatic rather than long and gradual, and then recommend guests have layers ready for the evening.
Have you filmed a wedding at Cielo Farms before?+
Yes, twice. Alex and Leah's wedding film and Andy and Emily's wedding film were both made there, and you can watch both on this page.
Why does the light look different at Cielo Farms than at other Malibu venues?+
Elevation. The property sits at the top of the Santa Monica Mountains, above the marine layer that affects much of the coastline, so the light through the day is generally clearer and the sunset window is sharper and more dramatic.
Does it get cold in the evening?+
It can, more than you might expect for Malibu. We recommend having a plan for guest comfort after sunset, since the mountaintop cools faster than venues closer to sea level.
Do you travel to Malibu for weddings?+
Malibu is well within our regular range as a Los Angeles based studio, and Cielo Farms specifically is a property we now know well.
More venues we know
See every venue we have filmed, and our notes on filming across Los Angeles. See also our notes on filming across Malibu.
Planning notes, and the numbers
Checked July 2026
Cielo does not publish its own rates, so everything below comes from wedding industry listings rather than the vineyard. Published figures disagree with each other, and where they do we have said so rather than picking the one we liked. Treat this as the shape of the number, not a quote.
- Rental fee
- Listings disagree. One puts a Friday near twelve thousand five hundred and a weekend between thirteen thousand five hundred and sixteen thousand five hundred. Another separates peak season, April through October, from the rest of the year and quotes a Saturday as high as nineteen thousand five hundred. Weekdays are priced on request everywhere. Ask for your exact date. 2026 rate
- Capacity
- Two hundred guests, with no stated minimum.
- The property
- Thirty acres of hillside vineyard, with ceremony, cocktail hour and reception all held on site.
- Rental window
- Twelve hours.
- Amplified music
- Off at ten. This is the figure that changes a wedding here more than any other, and it is worth building your timeline backwards from it.
- Catering
- Handled exclusively by one caterer. Reported per person food and beverage runs roughly one hundred and fifty to three hundred dollars, plus a kitchen build out of about fifteen hundred to three thousand. 2026 rate
- Wine
- A three case minimum from the vineyard. Outside wine carries corkage at twenty-five dollars a bottle. 2026 rate
- Not permitted
- Open flame, confetti and smoke effects.
- Parking
- Up to one hundred cars.
Compiled from published wedding industry listings including Symboll and Venue Report, checked July 2026. Cielo Farms does not publish rates on its own site, and the listings above do not agree with one another. Confirm every figure with the vineyard.
