One of the many benefits of staging your wedding at the Sunset is the ease of having everything in one package. This venue is particularly event-friendly, with distinct areas that coordinate with each phase of a wedding celebration.

First, say your marriage vows right on the beach. For a fee that includes the city permit, the Sunset arranges a platform walkway, runner and a wood stage area with the blue Pacific as a vibrant backdrop. Other elements further enhance the idyllic setting: Sailboats drift across the horizon…a pelican dives for its dinner…the sound of the waves is in soothing harmony with the music of your accompanist. As you walk down the carpeted aisle, a light breeze lifts your veil, which floats around you like sea foam. Your guests are entranced, and the fun is only beginning. (This writer knows from personal experience: She had her wedding here, and the guests are still raving!)

After the ceremony, your photographer captures dramatic photos of the bridal party during one of Malibu’s jewel-toned sunsets. Meanwhile, your guests are ushered through the restaurant’s main entrance and foyer (which also houses the bar and lounge) to a spacious enclosed patio on the right. Here they enjoy the cocktail hour and scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, while lolling on cushioned banquettes. Like the rest of the casually elegant interiors, the patio exudes a relaxed polish that makes lingering here a pleasure. Natural accessories punctuate flaxen-colored walls and wood furnishings, and blue-striped pillows remind you that the sea is right outside.

On the other side of the bar and lounge lies the Ballroom, where your reception unfolds in a simple yet classy setting. The look is clean and understated in order to adapt to your own décor, but the Ballroom has a couple of tasteful features that add to your event. The ceiling is draped with white fabric that lends a wavy softness to the space, and a row of view-filled windows curves shoreward, like a long ripple in the nearby surf. At some point during your festivities, you might drift outside with your sweetheart to stroll on the sugary sand and soak up a bit of moonlight.

Two cozy venues upstairs, the North and South Rooms, prove that the views are even more spectacular from on high. Picture windows keep these spaces bathed in golden daylight, when the warm, cheery ambiance is particularly popular for wedding brunches or showers; at night, star-filled horizons and city-light vistas are sparkling additions to rehearsal dinners.

The Sunset Restaurant, which is open for brunch and dinner, has a large number of regular (and often celebrity!) clientele and attracts more loyal fans every day. After paying a visit to this divine seaside locale, you’re bound to become a regular, too.