A Candlelit Gothic Winter Wedding at the Ebell of Long Beach | Rebecca & Joshua

Rebecca and Joshua's January wedding photographed at one of Long Beach's most distinctive historic venues

Rain on a January wedding day usually feels like bad luck. At the Ebell of Long Beach, it became part of the atmosphere. The courtyard's skylit ceiling kept guests dry while the soft grey light filtered down through the windows above, deepening the moodiness of a day that was already designed around candlelight. Rebecca and Joshua chose this venue for its Spanish-Revival architecture, its century of history, and its capacity to hold a fully candlelit reception. What unfolded was a wedding that felt cinematic in every direction — moody, intentional, and deeply emotional from morning to last dance.

This is their story, photographed across the courtyard, the bridal and groom suites, the Parlor, the Grand Hall, and the architectural details that make the Ebell of Long Beach one of the most photogenic wedding venues in Los Angeles County.

Why the Ebell of Long Beach Was the Right Venue for a Gothic Winter Wedding

Most wedding venues are designed for daylight. They look their best in golden hour, with floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor lawns and natural light pouring through. The Ebell of Long Beach is different. The historic Spanish-Revival venue, built in 1924 and carefully restored to its original beauty, was designed to feel cinematic at every hour of the day — but it absolutely peaks at night, lit by candlelight against its century-old architecture.

Rebecca and Joshua understood this when they chose the venue. They weren't planning a light, airy spring wedding. They wanted something moodier — gothic-inspired, candlelit, deeply atmospheric. They wanted European winter romance, not California sunshine. The Ebell gave them exactly that, and on a rainy January 3rd, the weather only deepened the mood they'd designed.

A few things made the Ebell the right venue for this aesthetic vision specifically.

The architecture is already moody. The Spanish-Revival design — red-tile roof, intricately sculpted portico, hand-stenciled ceilings, exposed brick, mosaic-tiled floors, iron archways, and the dark wood of the Grand Hall — does the heavy aesthetic lifting. You don't need to bring in dramatic decor. The venue is already dramatic.

The skylit courtyard is a weather-proof outdoor feel. The Ebell's most iconic space is the Courtyard, which has a glass ceiling that filters natural light during the day while protecting guests from rain or wind. For Rebecca and Joshua's January wedding, this meant their ceremony was outdoors aesthetically without any of the weather risk. The rain came down on the glass ceiling and only deepened the atmosphere.

The two-level structure creates day-long visual variety. The Ebell's bridal suite and groom's suite are on the second floor, with a central staircase descending into the Courtyard ceremony space. The dinner reception is held in the Grand Hall. Cocktail hour and dancing happen in the Courtyard itself. Guests move through architectural spaces all day rather than staying in one room. From a photography perspective, this gives me four to five visually distinct environments in a single venue.

The exclusive catering partner — Trés L.A. — handles the entire experience. The Ebell's in-house catering team, six-time winner of "Best Catering in Los Angeles," means food, beverage, and event coordination are all unified under one organization. The day flowed seamlessly because the team handling logistics was already operating as a single unit.

A Slow Morning at the Ebell — Bridal and Groom Suites Side by Side

The Ebell's getting-ready spaces are one of its underrated features. Most historic venues don't have proper bridal and groom suites on-site, which means morning preparation gets pushed to a hotel or rental space and the day's flow fragments before it even begins. The Ebell solves that. Both suites are on the second floor, just steps apart, and each has its own personality.

The Ebell's groom suite is dark, library-toned, and unapologetically masculine. Heavy wood, dim ambient light, leather chairs, vintage details, and a deep red pool table at the center of the room. Joshua arrived first that morning with his groomsmen and his dad. Rather than a traditional getting-ready setup, they leaned into the room's atmosphere — playing pool, drinking, helping Joshua with his suit, sitting in the leather chairs while his dad tied his tie. Some of my favorite candid frames of the morning came from these moments. The room's dim, moody lighting demanded a different photography approach than a typical bright bridal suite, and the result was getting-ready imagery that felt more editorial than expected.

The bridal suite told a different story. Rebecca arrived with her mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and best friends — all of them in matching loungewear. Rebecca wore an elegant white nightgown while her bridesmaids wore coordinating blue pajama sets. The energy was unhurried, supportive, and full of quiet anticipation.

We shot her morning details on the deep red pool table in the groom's suite — the rich color of the felt provided a strong, moody backdrop for the rings, invitations, and bouquet detail flat lays. Then Rebecca walked through the venue in her robe before getting dressed, taking in all the decor and design that her planner had executed. By the time she returned to the bridal suite for her dress and final touches, every detail of the day was already in place — a rare luxury that comes from working with a venue and team that handle logistics this completely.

The bouquet itself was the first signal of the day's color palette. Deep red florals — heavy, romantic, gothic — that matched the cascading installations hanging from the ceremony arch downstairs. The bridesmaids' bouquets carried the same red. The boutonnieres echoed it. Color throughout the entire day was carefully unified.

The First Look on the Second Floor Hallway

Once Rebecca was fully dressed, we set up the first look in the second-floor hallway connecting the two suites. Joshua waited with his back to her at one end of the hallway. Rebecca approached quietly, tapped him on the shoulder, and turned him around.

What happened next is one of the moments I always tell couples to plan a first look for. Joshua broke down. He was so emotional and so excited that he didn't try to hold the tears back. Rebecca was on the verge of tears herself but kept telling him not to cry because she didn't want her makeup to go. They stood there for a moment, both fighting to stay composed, and then they finally pulled each other in.

These first look moments happen quickly and they're impossible to recreate. The photography happens in the first 30 seconds and you either have the angle and the focus and the read or you don't. I shot it tight on faces — close enough to read every expression — because moments this raw deserve close framing.

After the first look, we walked them down the central staircase together. The staircase descends into the Courtyard ceremony space, which by this point had been fully set up with the floral arch, the candle installations, and the black ceremony chairs. Their first view of the full ceremony setup happened from this staircase — a planned reveal moment that gave them their first look at the day's design alongside their first look at each other.

We took portrait moments on the staircase itself, framed by the cascading red florals on either side and the candle vessels lining the steps. Then we moved into the Parlor — the side room with floor-to-ceiling orange curtains, a baby grand piano, and a long sofa. The Parlor is the Ebell's most cinematic interior space. The afternoon light filtering through the curtains created moody, painterly portrait conditions. We shot Rebecca and Joshua by the windows and on the sofa — quiet, intimate, editorial frames before the day shifted into ceremony mode.

Family Greetings and the Final Hour Before Ceremony

Their immediate family was waiting in the Courtyard when Rebecca and Joshua came down. We did some additional portraits underneath the floral arch — the centerpiece of the ceremony space — with the cascading red blooms and green foliage hanging directly above them. The arch was massive. It made every portrait beneath it feel architectural.

We did some walking shots through the Courtyard, some center-stage portraits showcasing the venue's full design, and some closer crops focused on Rebecca and Joshua themselves. Then we moved into family portraits — close family members, siblings, parents, best friends in different groupings. Doing family portraits before the ceremony rather than after is something I recommend whenever the timeline allows. The light is better, the energy is fresher, and the post-ceremony hour gets to belong fully to the couple.

By the time guests began arriving with umbrellas and damp coats, Rebecca and Joshua were tucked away upstairs. The Ebell's coat check kept everything dry inside while guests filtered into the Courtyard for the ceremony. The rain outside became atmospheric rather than disruptive.

A Gothic Winter Ceremony in the Ebell Courtyard

By 4:00 PM, the Courtyard had transformed. The black ceremony chairs were filled. Candles in glass vessels lined the staircase descending into the Courtyard. The ceremony space itself was lit by the venue's globe chandeliers and the warm ambient wall lighting — a softer, more diffused glow than the fully candlelit Grand Hall that would follow later in the evening. The cascading red and green floral installation above the ceremony arch caught the soft grey light from the glass ceiling above. Live violinists played from the side, setting the tone before the processional began.

Joshua walked in first with his parents, then his siblings, then Rebecca's family. Each entrance set up the moment everyone was waiting for.

When Rebecca walked in, she walked alone.

She wore a Vivienne Westwood gown — simple, silk, with a clean elegance that contrasted the heavy gothic florals around her. A blusher veil covered her face. The whole room stood as she entered, and even though Joshua had already done a first look earlier, his reaction at the altar was just as emotional as the first one had been. Some of my favorite shots from the entire day came from photographing his face as Rebecca walked toward him.

The unveiling at the altar became one of the most charged moments of the day. A deliberate pause. The blusher lifted. The full read of her face. Joshua reached for her hand, and they exchanged vows that left guests in tears.

Rebecca's vows were honest in a way that rare ceremony moments are. She talked about how Joshua had defrosted her heart, how meeting him had let her be vulnerable for the first time, how he'd accepted parts of her that she had never shown anyone before. The exchange wasn't just romantic — it was a real account of what their relationship had built. Throughout the ceremony, my second photographer captured wide shots from the second-floor balcony overlooking the Courtyard — angles I couldn't get from the floor, looking down through the architectural framing of the iron railings.

The recessional ended with a dip kiss at the end of the aisle. The violinist's final notes carried them out, and they were taken upstairs to the bridal suite to sign their marriage license with their immediate family. Their family did a prayer there, welcoming both of them officially into each side. Rebecca and Joshua stayed for a few minutes afterward, quietly with each other, sharing a champagne cheers before the rest of the day continued.

Editorial Portraits in the Groom's Suite

After the ceremony, while cocktail hour began in the Courtyard below, my videographer and I had an idea that I'm still glad we executed. We pulled Rebecca and Joshua back into the groom's suite — the dark, library-toned room with the red pool table — for a private set of portraits.

The room is a photographer's gift. The dim ambient light acts almost like a spotlight. The dark wood creates contrast that makes white wedding attire glow. The pool table provides a structured visual element to compose around. We shot Rebecca and Joshua sitting on the table, leaning against it, and standing in the dim corners of the room.

These ended up being some of the most editorial frames of the entire day. They feel less like wedding photos and more like a magazine editorial — moody, painterly, sculptural. The kind of images that work as much for the couple's home as they do for any portfolio or feature.

The Reception Reveal in the Grand Hall

While Rebecca and Joshua were doing portraits, their planner Audrey Jean Events had transformed the Grand Hall. The curtains separating the Courtyard from the Grand Hall were drawn closed so the reveal would belong entirely to Rebecca and Joshua. They stepped through with their planner, and we documented the moment they took it in.

The Grand Hall stopped them both.

Dark wood paneling rises to a dramatically high ceiling where crystal chandeliers hang in concentric rings, throwing warm light across the entire room. Candles lined every table — tapers, votives, clusters of flickering light that filled the space from the tablecloths upward. The combination of chandelier light from above and candlelight from every surface created the kind of layered, dimensional warmth you can't engineer with overhead lighting alone. The room glowed rather than shined.

Light purple napkins added a soft contrast against the dark tablescapes. The long family-style dinner table ran the length of the room with candles down its center. Black bistro chairs — carried over from the ceremony — were reset around every table, keeping the day's design cohesive from ceremony to reception. The sweetheart table carried the same red florals from the ceremony arch, connecting the design from start to finish. The hand-carved fireplace at the far end of the room anchored everything.

Most couples walk into their reception alongside their guests and never get a private moment to take it in. Rebecca and Joshua did it differently. While guests were still at cocktail hour in the Courtyard, we slipped away with them and their planner for a private first look at the Grand Hall before anyone else saw it. The curtains came open and they had the room entirely to themselves — just the two of them, the candlelight, and a space their planner had spent months designing. The frames from that moment are some of the most genuine of the entire night because there was nothing to perform. It was just their real reaction.

After the reveal, they stepped back into the Courtyard and were greeted by all their guests with sparklers and the live band playing. The dancing started before dinner — Rebecca and Joshua walking through the crowd with sparklers around them, the live band already setting the energy of the night.

Dinner, Live Music, and a Drummer Groom's Surprise

Rebecca opened dinner with a thank-you speech that felt different from most. Instead of a traditional toast, she'd written a poem — witty, heartfelt, naming people in the room. It set the tone for an evening that would be more emotionally honest than performative.

Then the speeches began. Both of Rebecca's best friends — including one who wasn't part of the wedding party but was clearly part of her chosen family — spoke. Her mom led a prayer. Joshua's brother, sister, and father each gave their own speeches, and you could see the weight of what each person was saying landing in the room. There were tears and laughs and the kind of real reactions you only get when the speeches are genuine.

After dinner, Rebecca and Joshua did a dress change. She moved into a second white dress with a different neckline — sheer panels and ruffled details, more reception-coded than ceremony-coded. He swapped his black blazer for a white tuxedo blazer. Then they did their first dance to a fully choreographed routine in the Courtyard, surrounded by guests, with American Events Network carrying every beat.

Then came the moment nobody saw coming. Joshua, a former professional drummer who had played in multiple bands before his wedding day, walked onstage with American Events Network and picked up the drumsticks. Rebecca stood directly in front of the stage at center. The crowd packed in close. He played one full song with the band — the Courtyard lit by candles and ambient color, his wife watching from the front row, guests surrounding the stage on every side. It's the kind of moment that doesn't repeat itself. The kind that defines a wedding from a guest's perspective for years afterward.

Late Night — Saxophonist, Balloons, and Taco Bell

Eventually the live band handed over to a DJ-saxophonist combo that carried the night into late hours. Rebecca and Joshua had also planned a balloon release — guests on the second floor dropped colorful balloons down into the Courtyard while the saxophonist played and the couple danced below. It's a detail you don't often see at weddings but it absolutely worked. The balloons gave the Courtyard a sudden burst of motion and energy.

Their late-night plans included two things I always remember when I think back on this wedding. They'd had custom hats made with their last name and "EST 2026" — branded merchandise for guests to take home. And they brought in Taco Bell for late-night food, which guests absolutely loved. Both details signaled what they cared about most — making the night feel like them, not like a generic wedding template.

The night ended with private couple portraits in the green room — a small space with green velvet sofa and mirrored walls that gave us beautifully reflective end-of-night frames.

Why the Ebell of Long Beach Photographs So Well for Gothic and Candlelit Weddings

A venue's photography potential isn't always obvious during a tour. Couples often choose a space because they love how it feels in person, then discover after the wedding that some spaces don't translate to photographs the way they expected.

The Ebell isn't one of those venues. It photographs as well as — sometimes better than — it shows in person. Especially for couples planning gothic, candlelit, or moody aesthetic weddings, three things make this venue uniquely suited to that vision.

The architecture creates inherent depth. Spanish-Revival design layers texture against texture — exposed brick, hand-stenciled ceilings, mosaic tile floors, iron archways, hand-carved fireplaces, dark wood paneling, the Frida Kahlo tapestry. Every frame I shot at the Ebell has visual depth without me having to engineer it. Compare that to a modern, clean-lined venue where the photographer has to create depth through props, framing, or angle — at the Ebell, the depth is already there.

The lighting flexibility supports both bright and moody moments. The Courtyard's glass ceiling provides diffused natural light during the day for ceremony coverage. The Parlor has directional window light for editorial portraits. The Grand Hall and groom's suite are dim and dramatic for moody work. As a photographer, I never had to choose between aesthetic moods — the venue gave me access to all of them in one building.

Candlelight transforms it. This is the Ebell's secret. Hundreds of candles change the entire feel of the space at night. The architecture becomes more dramatic. The textures deepen. The light source shifts from the daylight ceiling to the warm candle glow, and suddenly the venue looks less like Long Beach in 2026 and more like a 17th-century European salon. For couples planning candlelit weddings, the Ebell isn't just a venue that allows the aesthetic — it actively amplifies it.

Planning Your Own Ebell of Long Beach Wedding

If you're considering the Ebell for your wedding, here's what couples should know.

Capacity and pricing

The Ebell of Long Beach can accommodate up to 250 guests for buffet meals, 160-180 for plated dinner service, and 300 for cocktail-style standing receptions. Venue rental fees range from $3,000 to $3,800 depending on day of the week. Sunday is the lowest, Saturday the highest. Friday weddings fall in between, and reduced rates are available in January, February, and March.

The rental fee covers the venue itself. Food, beverage, and catering are handled separately through the exclusive in-house caterer, Trés L.A. Group.

What's included

The venue rental fee includes parking with shuttle service for guests, the use of all event spaces (Courtyard, Parlor, Grand Hall), banquet tables and chairs, access to the bridal and groom suites, and a one-hour planning meeting with the Event Director. The venue offers in-house day-of coordination as an add-on for $750.

Trés L.A. Catering

Catering is exclusive to Trés L.A. — a six-time winner of "Best Catering in Los Angeles" and Member of the Year for California Wedding Day in 2023. Outside catering is not permitted Friday through Sunday. Trés L.A. offers buffet, plated, small plate stations, pasta buffets, and custom menus. Bar service is also handled in-house.

Best months and timing

The Ebell works year-round because the Courtyard's glass ceiling means weather doesn't constrain ceremony plans. That said, late spring through early fall remains the most popular booking window. For couples considering off-season weddings, the January-March discount makes it more accessible — and as Rebecca and Joshua's day proved, January weddings at this venue can be absolutely stunning.

How to inquire

Inquiries are handled through ebelllongbeach.com. Jennifer McLean (Regional Venue Sales Director) and Katie Mundorf (Regional Venue Production Manager) lead the team and are known for being responsive and approachable throughout the planning process.

A Note on the Vendor Team

• Venue: Ebell of Long Beach

• Wedding Coordinator: Audrey Jean Events

• Florals: Once Upon a Florist LA

• Photography: Rene Porto Photography

• Videography: Lero Movie

• Content Creation: Social Vow

• Hair: Esteban Romero

• Makeup/Glam: Hila Gordon Makeup

• Alterations: Luxury Alteration

• Band: American Events Network

• Catering: Trés LA Catering

• Cake & Desserts: Bakes by Betzay

• Photo Booth: Creating Moments

Good to Know: Ebell of Long Beach Wedding FAQs

How much does an Ebell of Long Beach wedding cost?

Venue rental fees vary by day of week and season, with reduced rates available for off-season dates in January, February, and March. Food and beverage are billed separately through Trés L.A. Catering. For current pricing, contact the Ebell team directly at ebelllongbeach.com.

How many guests can the Ebell of Long Beach accommodate?

The Ebell can host up to 180 guests for plated dinner service, 250 for buffet, and 300 for cocktail-style standing receptions. With 17,200 square feet of event space across the Courtyard, Parlor, and Grand Hall, the venue is versatile enough for both intimate weddings and larger celebrations.

Does the Ebell offer in-house catering?

Yes. Trés L.A. Catering is the exclusive in-house catering partner. Outside catering is not permitted Friday through Sunday. Trés L.A. is a six-time winner of "Best Catering in Los Angeles" and offers buffet, plated, small plate stations, custom menus, and full bar service.

Is the Ebell weather-proof for outdoor-feel weddings?

The Ebell's most iconic ceremony space is the Courtyard, which has a glass ceiling that provides diffused natural light while keeping guests protected from rain or wind. For couples wanting an outdoor aesthetic without weather risk, this is one of the most weather-resilient venues in Long Beach.

Can the Ebell accommodate fully candlelit receptions?

Yes — and this is one of the venue's strongest features for couples planning moody, gothic, or candlelit aesthetic weddings. The Grand Hall can be lit entirely by candles with no overhead lighting, transforming the historic architecture into something dramatically atmospheric. Hundreds of candles in glass vessels paired with the venue's chandeliers create the kind of cinematic ambient lighting that's difficult to replicate in modern venues.

What's the best time of year for an Ebell wedding?

The Ebell works year-round because the Courtyard's glass ceiling protects from weather. Late spring through early fall is the most popular booking window. For couples considering off-season dates with reduced pricing, January, February, and March offer significant savings — and winter weddings at the Ebell photograph beautifully, especially candlelit evening receptions.

Does the Ebell have a bridal suite?

Yes. The Ebell has both a bridal suite and a groom's suite on the second floor, just steps apart. The bridal suite is bright with natural light. The groom's suite is library-toned with dark wood, leather chairs, and a deep red pool table. Both suites are large enough to accommodate the full wedding party for getting-ready coverage.

What's the best time of day for ceremony lighting in the Courtyard?

Mid-afternoon ceremonies (3:00-4:30 PM) catch the strongest natural light through the Courtyard's glass ceiling. Evening ceremonies require strategic candlelight setup, which the Ebell's team is well-equipped to coordinate. Most couples find afternoon ceremonies followed by candlelit evening receptions deliver the strongest range of photography conditions throughout the day.

Photographing an Ebell of Long Beach Wedding

If you're planning your wedding at the Ebell of Long Beach and want it documented in a way that reflects the elegance and history of the venue itself, I'd love to hear from you.

You can read more about my approach in my wedding portfolio, explore my experience process, or learn more about working with me.

For couples considering the Ebell, I also recommend exploring the venue's virtual tour and reviewing their pricing details directly.

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