The best engagement party venue in Los Angeles is the one that matches your guest count, your food plans and the hour you want to be done by, not the one with the longest brochure. For a garden celebration of up to 100 people, a private estate where you hire your own caterer and bring your own drinks usually gives you the most for the money, and that is exactly how we run events at The Enchanted Manor in Valley Village.
Start with the guest list, not the venue
An engagement party is the one celebration in the wedding timeline where the guest list can genuinely be flexible. Some couples want twenty people who know them best. Others invite both extended families, coworkers and every friend from college, and end up near a hundred. Settle on a range before you tour anything, because venue pricing in Los Angeles almost always steps up by headcount.
At the manor the steps are simple and published: up to 50 guests is $4,200, 50 to 75 guests is $5,400, and 75 to 100 guests is $6,600. If you are right on a boundary, say 52 or 76 people, it is worth deciding whether trimming a few names saves you a full tier. That is a conversation we are happy to have by phone at (213) 999-3050.
What an engagement party actually needs
Strip away the Pinterest boards and an engagement party needs a handful of things done well:
- Room to mingle. People should be able to drift between a bar, a seating area and somewhere quiet to talk. Several small zones beat one big ballroom.
- A moment for toasts. Plan a spot where you can stand, be heard and be seen, with a microphone if you have more than about thirty guests.
- Food that fits the mood. Passed appetizers, a grazing table, a barbecue or a seated dinner all work. Choose by how formal you want the evening to feel.
- A realistic end time. Many private venues, including ours, must end by 10pm. That suits an engagement party well, because it keeps the evening relaxed and leaves your guests fresh for the wedding itself.
- Easy arrival. Parking and ride-share access matter more than couples expect, especially when relatives are driving in from across the city.
Restaurant, hotel ballroom or private estate
Most Los Angeles couples weigh three kinds of space. A restaurant private room is convenient and the food is handled, but you are usually tied to a minimum spend and a fixed menu, and the room can feel like any other dinner out. A hotel ballroom is polished and predictable, though it tends to be formal and carries its own food and beverage packages. A private estate gives you the most atmosphere and the most control, but you need to organise caterer, drinks and rentals yourself.
If you are leaning toward the restaurant route for a smaller gathering, our guides to restaurant versus private venue trade-offs walk through the same decision for showers, and the logic carries over. For a wider look at pricing, our engagement party locations guide compares the options in more detail.
How a private estate engagement party works at the manor
The manor is an 18,000-plus square foot garden property on a quiet cul-de-sac in Valley Village, with the LA River running behind the house. Georgia Durante, who spent twenty-five years turning her home into this place, lives on the property, so a real host is nearby on the day.
Here is what the event rate covers and how the day is structured:
- Five hours of party time plus two hours of setup. Extra hours are $300 each, and every event ends by 10pm.
- Use of the grounds: the saltwater grotto pool with three waterfalls, the thatched gazebo bar with refrigerator, sink and barbecue, the lava-rock fire pit, the tri-level deck and the private patio with an outdoor fireplace and plush couches.
- A ceremony spot on the grounds is included. For an engagement party, couples often use it for a short toast or the moment they share the news with family.
- A house sound system and a wireless microphone. We do not allow DJs, so plan a playlist or a quiet acoustic touch instead.
You bring your own caterer and your own liquor and beverages. There is no costly venue food and beverage package to work around, so the money you would have spent on a minimum goes to the food and drinks you actually want. Georgia recommends caterers, but you hire whoever you like, and a bartender can work under the caterer's license.
The extras to budget for
A venue fee is never the whole bill, so here are the additional charges we list for events, so there are no surprises:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cleaning | $300 |
| Security deposit | $250, refundable |
| Tables | $8 each |
| Tablecloths | $10 each |
| Heaters | $75 each |
| Microphone rental | $25 |
| Battery lanterns or candles | $2 each |
| Cooler | $20 |
Chairs come from an outside rental vendor, and Georgia shares her contacts. One-day event insurance naming Georgia Durante and The Enchanted Manor is also required, and it averages $66 to $124. Because the evening ends by 10pm, an autumn or winter party outdoors often benefits from a few heaters, and the fire pit and outdoor fireplace help set the mood.
A realistic budget for 50 guests
Using only the figures above, a party for up to 50 guests starts at $4,200 for the venue. Add cleaning at $300 and tables and tablecloths for roughly six to eight tables, and the venue-side total lands in the mid-$4,000s to low-$5,000s before food, drinks, chairs and insurance. Your caterer's per-person price then makes up the rest. Because you control that number, you can scale it to suit your budget instead of a venue's minimum.
The same math is why couples with a guest list under fifty often find a private estate competitive with a restaurant buyout, particularly when they want the evening to last a few hours rather than a quick dinner turn.
Parking, guests and getting there
The manor sits minutes from the 101 and 405, and it is easy to reach from both Burbank and LAX airports. We have room for 12 to 15 cars on the cul-de-sac plus open street parking. For an event we recommend Uber or Lyft, particularly if there will be toasts, and valet does not work well on our street. Out-of-town relatives can take a special guest rate at The Mariposa hotel, one block away, and the couple can stay in our honeymoon suite at a discount.
"Our guests were blown away and kept asking... how did you find this place?!" - Shannon
Make it a weekend
Because the manor is also a vacation rental, some couples keep the festivities going. The Inn has a living room with a fireplace, a full kitchen and an octagonal breakfast room, and you can read more on our vacation rental page. If you are comparing your options for the big day itself, our guide to an outdoor wedding venue in Los Angeles covers costs and planning.
Plan your engagement party with us
If you would like to see the gardens, ask about open dates or talk through a guest list, text or call Georgia at (213) 999-3050. You can also read about all the celebrations we host on our weddings and events page. We would love to help you toast the news in a place that feels like a story you are about to begin.
Frequently asked questions
How many guests can the manor host for an engagement party?
Up to 100 guests. Pricing is $4,200 for up to 50 guests, $5,400 for 50 to 75, and $6,600 for 75 to 100.
Can I bring my own caterer and alcohol?
Yes. You bring your own caterer and your own liquor and beverages, so there is no venue food and beverage package. A bartender can work under the caterer's license.
How long is an engagement party at the manor?
Five hours of event time plus two hours of setup. Extra hours are $300 each, and all events must end by 10pm.
Is event insurance required?
Yes. One-day event insurance naming Georgia Durante and The Enchanted Manor is required and averages $66 to $124.
Can we have a DJ?
No DJs. We provide a house sound system and a wireless microphone for toasts and playlists.
