We’ve hosted weddings for couples who met in college, couples who got engaged on hiking trails, couples who wanted their families from opposite coasts to finally meet. Some booked us because their guest list hit two hundred and they needed a venue that could handle it. Others wanted the four suites so their wedding party could stay onsite. A few just saw the stone pergola and waterfalls and knew this was the place. Here’s what happened when they celebrated at Villa Loriana.
Tyler and Danyelle, 2018
Tyler and Danyelle were the first wedding at Villa Loriana after we rebuilt. They’re family. Tyler is Rob and Lori Gillespie’s son, and their wedding happened the same year we finished construction on the Villa in 2018.
Their ceremony took place under the stone pergola with wisteria vines, the same spot where couples get married now. The two story Italian Villa with its stone turret and arched windows was brand new, and their reception filled the grand ballroom with west facing windows that brought in golden light during sunset.
Tyler and Danyelle’s wedding set the standard for how we run events here. They used the Baldini Suite for getting ready, the outdoor pavilion for cocktail hour, and the ballroom for reception. Their guests stayed in the four suites that sleep up to eighteen people, and everyone woke up together on the property the next morning.
Jesse and Jenna, 2022
Jesse and Jenna got married here in 2022. Jesse is Rob and Lori’s other son, so this was another family wedding on the property. By 2022, we’d been hosting weddings for couples from across California’s Central Coast and beyond, and Jesse and Jenna’s wedding showed how the thirty acre property works when you know it inside and out.
Their guests spread across the park lawn with the bocce court and horseshoe pits during cocktail hour. The outdoor pavilion with stone arches and built in water features became the main gathering spot before reception. Jesse and Jenna used the Cottage for their pre event space, the one with the wrap around porch and private patio with a fire pit, tucked up the hill among the oaks.
Their reception happened in the ballroom, and our built in bar with kegerator kept beverage service running smoothly all night. Wine, beer, and spirits flowed, and the bar connected to our electrical system with 30 plus dedicated 20 amp circuits, so there were no power issues even with a full house.
What These Weddings Taught Us About Running Villa Loriana
Tyler and Danyelle’s wedding in 2018 proved the layout works. Ceremony under the stone pergola, cocktail hour at the outdoor pavilion, reception in the ballroom with those west facing windows. The flow makes sense, and guests move through the property without bottlenecking.
Jesse and Jenna’s wedding in 2022 confirmed that the thirty acres give people room to spread out. Even with a full guest list, the park lawn, bocce and horseshoe areas, and multiple gathering spaces keep things from feeling crowded. The four suites meant their closest family and friends stayed onsite, which turned the wedding into a full weekend instead of just one night.
Both weddings showed us why the built in bar with kegerator matters. Rental bars eat up setup time and add fees. Our bar is already here, already connected to power, and your bartenders start working the minute they arrive.
What Villa Loriana Includes for Your Wedding
Your wedding package includes a two night stay in four luxury suites for up to eighteen guests. The Baldini, Toscana, and Sorrento Suites are inside the Villa with private entrances, and the Cottage is detached up the hill. Each suite has a full kitchenette, and the Baldini Suite connects to our shared kitchen with a Wolf range and butcher block island.
We provide tables and chairs for your ceremony and reception. That’s twenty five round tables and chairs for up to two hundred guests, with seating for up to three hundred total if your guest list grows. The built in bar with kegerator is included, and wine, beer, and spirits are all welcome to be served.
You get access to over an acre of waterfalls and water features, tree and landscape accent lighting, paved parking for up to ninety cars plus vendor spaces, and complimentary Wi-Fi for guests and vendors. Our on site Villa Loriana staff works your wedding day, and we handle trash service so your catering team doesn’t haul anything off property.
Conclusion:
We’re located at 500 West Ormonde Road in San Luis Obispo, in the Edna Valley on California’s Central Coast. The property sits midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, minutes from Pismo Beach and downtown San Luis Obispo. Vineyards and oak groves surround the estate, and the ocean is close enough for a quick drive.
Rob and Lori Gillespie founded Villa Loriana. It started as Loriana Ranch, and the first wedding happened in 2013 under a grand tent. A fire destroyed the early structures, and the family rebuilt, finishing the Italian Villa in 2018. Tyler and Danyelle’s wedding was the first celebration in the new space, followed by Jesse and Jenna’s in 2022.
Today, Villa Loriana is family owned and operated. We built this place for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations, and every detail reflects what we learned from hosting our own family here first.
Want to add your story to Villa Loriana’s history? Book a tour or call us at 805.710.9868. You can also email hello@villaloriana.com or request our pricing guide.
FAQs
Are Tyler and Danyelle and Jesse and Jenna real couples who got married at Villa Loriana?
Yes. Tyler and Danyelle married here in 2018, the same year we finished rebuilding the Villa. Jesse and Jenna married here in 2022. Both are family weddings. Tyler and Jesse are Rob and Lori Gillespie’s sons, the founders of Villa Loriana.
Can we see photos or videos from Tyler and Danyelle’s or Jesse and Jenna’s weddings?
Tyler and Danyelle’s wedding in 2018 and Jesse and Jenna’s wedding in 2022 are part of our family history. For photos and videos from other Villa Loriana weddings, visit our gallery or check our Instagram @villaloriana.slo.
What’s included when we book Villa Loriana for our wedding?
Your wedding package includes a two night stay in four suites for up to eighteen guests, tables and chairs for up to three hundred guests, the built in bar with kegerator, on site Villa Loriana staff for your wedding day, over an acre of waterfalls and water features, tree and landscape accent lighting, paved parking for ninety cars plus vendor spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, access to our caterer’s prep kitchen, and trash service. Wine, beer, and spirits are welcome, and a back up generator keeps everything running.
How did Villa Loriana get started?
Rob and Lori Gillespie founded Villa Loriana. It began as Loriana Ranch, with the first wedding in 2013 under a grand tent. A fire destroyed the early structures, and the family chose to rebuild. The Italian Villa was completed in 2018, and Tyler and Danyelle’s wedding was the first celebration in the new space. Jesse and Jenna’s wedding followed in 2022. Today, Villa Loriana is family owned and operated.
