Griffith Observatory Elopement Session

When Anastasiya and Adrian first reached out from Portland, OR to ask about our elopement packages, she had some ideas about the location. As soon as I saw Griffith Observatory among them, I was crossing my fingers and hoping that was their ultimate pick.

AND IT WAS.

The Griffith Observatory was designed by the architectural firm John C. Austin and Frederick M. Ashley in the Art Deco style and opened in May of 1935. Art Deco makes my heart sing. The symmetry, repetition, clean lines! The chevrons and sunbursts! It is one of Los Angeles’s most recognizable landmarks and, honestly, one of my favorite buildings in L.A.

I think most non-Californians learn about it in the same way— through movies. Rebel Without a Cause, La La Land, some sci-fi film where aliens attack it. It looms over Los Angeles like a celestial tour guide, promising enlightenment but also just a really good place to stare at the Hollywood sign with the other tourists.

The museum itself is free (planetarium shows are $10 for adults). Inside, you can wander through the exhibits, reading about the planets, black holes, and time dilation. There is a Tesla Coil, which I appreciate because nothing says “science” like a controlled lightning storm. There is the Foucault Pendulum, swinging slowly to prove that the Earth rotates—something I have always just taken on faith.

If you come at night, you can view the massive Zeiss telescopes, open to the public on clear nights, usually around 7pm (also free!). At sunset, the Griffith Observatory is the best view in L.A. The city below twinkles like an overambitious Christmas display. It won’t turn you into an astronomer, but you’ll learn something important: space is vast, the universe is mysterious, and no matter where you go, someone will always be blocking the best view with their iPhone.