Plaza de Magdalena - San Juan Capistrano, California

Kassidy K.

As a wedding photographer, working at Plaza de Magdalena has been an incredible experience! This stunning venue offers an array of picturesque spots just steps away for capturing the perfect moments. The ambiance is truly magical, making it a dream setting for couples on their special day.

What truly sets Plaza de Magdalena apart, however, is their exceptional catering staff and banquet manager. They are not only professional but also incredibly accommodating, ensuring everything runs smoothly, allowing me to focus on getting the best shots. Their attention to detail and commitment to excellence shines through in every aspect of the event.

I highly recommend Plaza de Magdalena for any couple looking for a beautiful venue paired with top-notch service!

Kate P.

We had our 145 person wedding at Plaza de Magdalena and couldn't be happier with our decision! Patti and the catering team were great to work with, food was amazing, and the venue was beautiful. They went above and beyond to accommodate our unusual requests, like an eating contest, and the town had so many cute places to take pictures. You can't go wrong with Plaza de Magdalena!

Andraé B. V.

Plaza de Magdalena was the dream venue for our wedding, offering not just a stunning setting but also top-notch service. A special shoutout to Patti, who was incredibly helpful in answering all our questions and making sure everything went smoothly. The food was delectable, the service staff were friendly and diligent, and the overall value was unbeatable. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect experience and highly recommend Plaza de Magdalena for anyone looking to host their wedding or next big event.

Christina C.

We could not be happier with this beautiful venue. We came upon it and it filled all of our needs! Patti was great in her assistance from food tasting to walk throughs. Our guests could not stop talking about the beauty of the venue (outdoor courtyard and ballroom), the amazing food, and the amazing service. Everyone was so kind and helpful from beginning to end. They made the most memorable day of our lives truly special. Thank you to the Plaza de Magdalena Staff!

Cameron C.

I had my wedding here this summer 2025 and it was very difficult planning with the venue manager Patti. She did not respond in a timely manner to emails, phone calls or texts when I would contact her.

Patti wrote in our contract that we could have 200 people in the courtyard and reception. Months later when we gave her the final guest count within the timeline we discussed she said that we wouldn’t be able to fit the 194 people we had invited and that the 200 number in the contract was just there as a placeholder. When we pressed her for the actual number of people we could fit, she would not give us a straight answer but kept giving us a range of “around 160-170”. My fiancé had to go in person to talk to her because she couldn’t give us a definitive answer. even after she said 160-170 people. In the end, some of our guests ended up having to stand in the back or up on the terrace.

Patti also told us that there would be 10 chairs per table and on the wedding day, there were many chairs missing from each table. We had great day-of wedding coordinators who handled everything but our guests were standing around during our grand entrance because of this issue.

In addition, the venue started using a new payment system midway through our time working with them. Patti informed us that we had not paid our security deposit but our records had shown that we had. After a lot of back and forth with Patti, she realized that she had made a mistake in the new system and that we actually had paid for the security deposit. She ended up making the correction but it was hard to get a hold of her by phone or email.

Additionally, with the new payment system, we were sent an invoice that had a random extra charge that had no explanation. When we asked Patti to remove it and she said she had no idea what that charge was for and removed it.

Patti also did not let us schedule our rehearsal dinner because she “had to hold the spot for another party.” This “another party” was not booked for that day she just had to keep it open just in case. The night before our rehearsal dinner she emailed my wedding coordinators saying that we can have the rehearsal at the venue. At that point it was too late as we already had made other plans.

Overall a very frustrating experience with Patti but the venue itself was beautiful. Trying to coordinate and lock in details with Patti made the planning of our wedding much more stressful than it needed to be. The rest of the staff we interacted with did a fantastic job. At the end of the day we got married and that’s what matters but would not recommend working with this venue or having a wedding here!

Emily V.

We had the most special wedding thanks to this gorgeous venue. Patti was super helpful and kind - very willing to work with us on our requests. The venue staff was helpful and the food is DELICIOUS! We loved how the venue is all connected. They truly made our wedding such a seamless, stunning day! Thank you Plaza de Magdalena team!!

Darien G.

We had our wedding at Plaza de Magdalena this May. The rustic courtyard is absolutely gorgeous, and the combination of the inside-outside feel was exactly what I wanted. We had our dinner inside the hall, and our guest table, dessert table, and photo booths were outside in the courtyard - it was spacious and perfect! Patty is so easy to work with, and she shared in our excitement from day one. Thank you for making our wedding day such a joy!

Elizabeth P.

Plaza de Magdalena was an absolute dream for our wedding! The venue itself was beautiful, providing a stunning backdrop for our big day and the food was incredible, impressing all our guests. Plus, when unexpected issues popped up, the venue staff worked with us to find solutions. They were accommodating, ensuring our wedding went off without a hitch. We couldn't have asked for a better experience!