Balboa Park - Desert Garden
San Diego, CA
| Venue type | Garden & Conservatory |
| Location | San Diego, CA |
| Published price | From $191 |
| Capacity | Up to 20 guests |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony only |
What the venue publishes
Grounds Use Rental Fees (per day per location), 'Activities/Events with 50-300 persons - Other Users: $191'. The fee schedule specifies that the ground use fee for wedding reservations smaller than 50 people is the same as the 50 to 150 person category, so this 20-person site is still $191/day. Two-hour minimum, four-hour maximum.
$191 is the lowest published rate for this space. Day, season, and residency can move it up.
Capacity 20, standing only - sized for an elopement. Add the hourly Opportunity Fund Fee ($1.20/hour for under 50 people) plus approximately 3-5% processing. More than 150 species of cacti and desert plants. No restrooms on site, no food or beverages. Ceremony only. Awarded through the monthly wedding lottery.
Published on sandiego.gov, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in San Diego
$191 is the 8th lowest published starting price of the 30 venues listed in the San Diego metro. The metro median starting price is $191, and 11 of the 30 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 4 garden & conservatory listings in the metro it ranks 1st lowest, against a median of $191 for that type.
What the capacity costs per guest
The source publishes a capacity of 20 guests. At $191, filling the space works out to $9.55 per guest for the site fee alone, before the license, an officiant, food, or rentals. The median published capacity across the 12 San Diego listings that publish one is 50 guests, so this space is smaller than the metro median.
Cheaper published prices in San Diego
This listing in San Diego publishes a starting price below $191.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego County Clerk Civil Ceremony - County Administration CenterSan Diego, CA · Courthouse & City Hall | $107 | not published |
Other garden & conservatory listings in San Diego
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Balboa Park - Alcazar GardenSan Diego, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $191 | 50 guests |
| Balboa Park - Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose GardenSan Diego, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $191 | 50 guests |
| Balboa Park - Zoro GardenSan Diego, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $191 | 75 guests |
Marriage license in San Diego County, CA
The venue fee above does not include the license. San Diego sits in San Diego County, CA, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County ClerkCounty Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101 |
| License fee | $129$129 Public Marriage License; $144 Confidential Marriage License; $107 Civil Ceremony; $58 Witness provided by the County Clerk. An additional $2.50 surcharge is applicable for card payments. Fee schedule revised 06/30/2025. |
| Waiting period | None |
| License valid for | 90 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | valid and current government issued photo ID for both parties |
| Appointment | Required |
| Apply online | Application available online |
| Same-day issue | Issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | Offered for $107Civil ceremony $107 by appointment at county office locations, with indoor and outdoor ceremony areas (outdoor subject to weather, events, and maintenance). County Clerk staff perform ceremonies only in English or Spanish; for any other language the couple is directed to have someone apply as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day ($115). A witness provided by the clerk is $58 and a renewal of vows is $107. Outside decor, custom setups, and celebratory items are not permitted. |
| Witnesses | 1 required by statute |
Source: arcc.sandiegocounty.gov, arcc.sandiegocounty.gov, cdph.ca.gov
Licenses and ceremonies are by appointment only, appointments open 7 weeks ahead and fill up quickly. A couple can select a License and Ceremony appointment type to do both at once. Schedule the appointment first, then complete the online application. There is no residency requirement, both parties must be 18 or older, and the office only registers licenses issued in San Diego County. Confidential licenses may also be issued by an Authorized Notary Public in the county, outside normal business hours and office locations. Every city in this metro is in San Diego County.
How the metro prices out
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Other spaces at Balboa Park
Balboa Park rents 8 spaces for weddings and each is priced separately, so booking this one does not get you the others. Compare all 8 side by side.