Ambassador Mansions & Gardens is a very quiet, peaceful, and truly beautiful place. It's hidden between buildings, and if you don't know it's there, you might easily miss it -- which makes it feel like a secret garden in the middle of the city. The territory is incredibly well maintained, with huge mature trees, beautiful flowers, fountains, mini waterfalls, and small ponds where you can see fish and turtles. There is also a lovely grassy area in the center where you can sit, relax, or have a small picnic. Geese walk freely around the gardens, and colorful parrots fly overhead, adding even more charm to the atmosphere. In April, the garden looks especially stunning -- the pergola and trees are in full bloom (I wish I remembered the names of those gorgeous flowers!), and the whole place feels alive and magical. Honestly, this garden is beautiful in any season of the year. You can come here with dogs, which is a big plus, but it's important to respect the property rules: pets must be on a leash, owners are responsible for cleanup, professional photography requires a permit, and activities like skateboarding, drinking alcohol, or organized sports events are not allowed. These rules help preserve the calm and cleanliness of the space. There is also a secondary school located on the property, which adds to the unique character of the place. Parking-wise, we were able to find free street parking nearby without any issues. This is a perfect spot to slow down, enjoy nature, and escape the city noise for a while. Highly recommended for a peaceful walk or a quiet moment surrounded by beauty. read more

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What a beautiful place to walk around and enjoy the grounds. It is a private property so make sure to follow the rules and don't litter. Ambassador gardens is a luxury residential community with beautiful homes and condos. The grounds are beautiful with big trees, water features and seating areas. We even saw turtles and big birds by the waterfall. Really lovely place to take a stroll at. We parked on Green Street and walked towards the ambassador auditorium... see my videos and pictures. So pretty. read more

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Great place to relax and sit for a bit. This was one place I've heard about through a friend and wanted to take my pal Jack to go for a walk and check out this scenery. Very peaceful and quiet. Dog friendly of course. There was multiple benches to sit on and enjoy the flowing water and koi fish ponds. The building structures were beautiful and well kept. I would recommend this place if you want to take a break and sit and enjoy the area. People were friendly and welcoming. Parking is a bit limited as we had to park across the street. This area is located behind apartments and a bit hidden from the public. Once you walk around you'll find your way. Overall great place to visit. read more

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Parking is a bit tricky as the grounds are gated off but we parked on the street across from the mansion and walked over. Very beautiful and even has a koi pond. Great spots for photos and not too many crowds. Nice spot for a peaceful walk. Not too big. Mansions are gated off. read more

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We stumbled upon this place on yelp and decided to go on a long walk and wander off after having a big lunch. It's a private property so some areas are restricted and you'll see people coming out of the apartments. The area is nice for a small picnic or stroll. There's some benches around to see the view. There were also some koi fish ponds, turtles, etc to look at. I did not expect much but the area is quite large and the scenery is nice. It felt kinda peaceful. I would recommend wandering around here if you're bored and local to the area. read more

Free time at home? Go to this place to walk around with your dog and family. You can sit on the grass and mal a little picnic. The place is a private property, just follow the rules and enjoy the gardens and beautiful mansions and nice condos around. I think it's free for pic sessions. Pasadena always has good things to do. read more

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What a beautiful hidden spot in the midst of a busy city. Great place to a stroll in the park or to have a picnic. Nature's beauty at its finest. read more

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we decide to come here in lieu of a botanical garden due to the scheduling. The GPS tried to lead us into a gated housing apartment. there was an open area that was next to a school. This open area was next to some very fancy buildings that were private property. The area was very beautiful, but I wasn't sure if I was at the right place or not because it was so quick to walk through it all, and if we were allowed to be near those private properties. I feel that the directions were not clear and the space was not worth traveling only to visit unless you're local to the area, or passing through. read more

I was totally blown away by how beautiful it is here. Such a peaceful ambience, mansions hold intimate prayer sessions during the week. Was here for Jesus Image tour which was such an anointing time of prayer and worship seeing people coming to Jesus and getting set free was an honor to witness. read more

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Went here on a l whim. It was beautiful my dog really enjoyed walking around here. The flowers and gardens were beautiful. Would recommend going. read more

The fresh crisp ambience & surroundings of Mother Nature beauty. A place to reflect your inner thoughts with pleasant surroundings! Let yourself be you! read more

I held my wedding here on November 14, 2009 and it was PICTURE PERFECT in every way! I could not have asked for a better or more beautiful venue for the price. The lush gardens and mansion landscape makes for spectacular photos. Walking down the steps towards Merritt Garden is like every little girl's fantasy. Sylvia was super nice throughout the whole planning process and though she was somewhat hard to get a hold of at times (we played a lot of phone tag), everything went without a hitch for the most part. She was there throughout the day on my wedding day to make sure the mansion would be unlocked at my convenience and checked on the bathrooms to make sure they were stocked (the bathrooms are a bit far though). She also put up parking signs so guests knew where to park. Unfortunately, I heard from a very disappointed Sylvia that she had trouble with the city and Ambassador Campus would NOT be open for weddings after March 2010. I feel horrible for the brides that got their contracts cancelled and don't know what I would do if that were me. The surrounding neighborhood is upscale and pretentious, and I guess the noise levels were not to their liking even though there is already a sound restriction in place. read more

Beautiful venue for a wedding. Ceremony area gets changed to dinner area. Everyone moves to waterfall area for reception. Then theres an after dinner party upstairs where the mansion/house is. Pretty neat. Not the easiest venue to bring a photobooth to but the coordinators were on top of their communication and lead us to our parking spot and photo spot. Again, not easy to wheel in things. This was also during their construction time. Beware, bring bug spray!!! read more

Ambassador Mansion and Gardens is an amazing wedding venue!!! I am partial since I got married here. I rented the Mansion and Bridge/Pond for the ceremony. They no longer allow weddings at the mansion itself but you can have weddings still on the grounds. I was happy that parking was included for my guests. You have to provide everything else, including insurance. They allowed me to do two photo shoots here prior to the wedding day. Staff were really friendly and helpful the entire time. Fell in love with this place the second we visited. Amazing venue. I will have a life time of memories here!!! read more

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We had the perfect wedding in September at Merritt Mansion and Gardens. The setting was just right for us, informal but elegant. For the ceremony, our guests sat around a circular pond and we got married in the middle of the bridge. Even though it was a hot day, the huge trees provided just enough shade for us. We had a surprise band enter from the back of the courtyard and all the guests paraded with them up to the house where the reception was. I LOVED the antique looking chandeliers and the gorgeous floor to ceiling wood paneling. That being said, it was perfect because I had an excellent team to help me pull it off. Thank you Nira and Amber Events! TIPS FOR UPCOMING WEDDINGS: 1) Be wary of the preferred vendors. I spent well over $1000 bringing in other vendors to do what my caterer could not. I wish I had spent that money up front with another caterer and avoided all the stress that followed. If you dont have a caterer, try Huntington Catering Company (they may be on the list now but they were not when I got married). They are great and can do rentals and bar services in addition to just food. 3) Read your contract carefully. Just a week before my wedding, I was told I needed to pay more money ($1000+) to bring in my rental furniture and wedding cake. Ambassador Campus was very fair about it so all worked out. But don't let something like that happen to you. 4) If you dont have a professional wedding planner, please call one. There are so many rules, hidden fees and little things that can happen. Save yourself the trouble and the money by calling someone who knows what to do. If you dont have one, Amber Events is amazing! read more

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I came here for Lena B's wedding on Saturday and it was just the most beautiful spot for such an event. The ceremony itself was on a lawn where chairs were set out under a huge shady tree. Afterwards, cocktails were served on the side -- can't even describe it -- and the dinner service set up at the lower garden area. It was just gorgeous. There is a little hideaway 'room' where a fire was going and you can go in there to melt marshmellows for the smores. It was a picture perfect setting and yes, us girls went a bit nuts getting our pictures taken. From beginning to end, it was the most perfect venue for a wedding fit for a queen -- which, Lena typified completely that evening!!! My only complaint is that the bathrooms are very far and when everyone's wearing high heels, it gets old when you're going to the bathroom the 2nd or 3rd time of the night. Otherwise, it was perfect! read more

Beware if you think your wedding is important to you! Construction interfering with Merritt Mansion will ruin the view. Bathrooms will be unavailable or inaccessible. This is a recent situation, they had to cancel a lot of weddings because of it. We had to go to court and got a reward from the judge. read more

Ambassador Mansions and Gardens - Construction in the area - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Again my review is not based on how inside of this place looks like or anything from inside the property but for wedding photo shooting they charge $500.00 for 2 hours and they know that 90% of the weddings party come with the big Limos and there is no parking lot or any parking space except the street parking if you be lucky to find one. If you charge $500.00 for 2 hours photo you need to give some sort of service. There is also construction going on about a year or more and not finish yet, I guess they are building another mansion that is why it takes so long. read more

Ambassador Mansions and Gardens - From green street a shot from a white building in the park - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

OMG. O.MY.HEAVENLY.LORD!!! i found the place. i found the perfect venue for my garden wedding. a picture is better than 1000 words, and you can't appreciate the beauty of this place until you see it in person. http://www.ambassadorcampus.com/ you can rent any of the gardens or mansions (more expensive) from 6am to midnight for "cheap" (in wedding terms) without too many restrictions. the drive to the site is just as beautiful when you take orange grove blvd. and it is literally a block away from the old town which can provide a lot of entertainment for your out of town guests. i LOVE this venue!!! read more

Be very careful if you're thinking of renting any part of Ambassador campus for your event/wedding. They're trying to sell the place piece by piece right now. And the contract has a line to it saying that upon a sale of any part of the location you're renting, the owner can cancel the contract ANYTIME!!! Although Sylvia said they will have to give 180 days notice, otherwise they still have to honor it. But that's not what the contract says if you read it carefully. Right now she said she's going to talk to the owner about possible changes to the contract, we'll see what happen. READ THE CONTRACT CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU SIGN. UPDATE: The final word is, the contract cannot be changed. read more

My friends recently got married to the most amazing wedding venue! This location is definitely a hidden gem of at the heart of Pasadena! I have never heard of this location until my friend sent out of save the date card! The mansions and the overall location was so breathless and unforgettable!! This was one of the most memorable wedding I have attended. You can do a lot with this location! But keep in mind you will need to bring all the vendors to this location. The ceremony and reception are all held outdoors! There are a lot of walking and be careful of the steps. The older guests were not too find of the walk, but I didn't mind at all with my heels. There are mansions on site which your guest will be about to hang out during the reception. No one lives in any of the mansion!! My friend also took her wedding pictures around the location. They do provide valet and parking is located in the front! I would highly recommend anyone who is looking for a perfect wedding location! read more

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Friends of the Ambassador Campus should get their last rites, because it isn't long for this world. A megadeveloper from Orange County is about to build a million crackerbox condos over what has always been a pretty, free place very dear to my heart. http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/01/building_at_pasadenas_ambassador_west_site_back_on.php City of Pasadena, you have shattered my heart. read more

One of the most beautiful places for a wedding for 2 of my very beautiful friends. There are a lot of good places to take amazing photos. Fountains, and a mansion!!! Anyways, I felt for the girls, walking down the "aisle" was like walking down a bunch of stairs. The one drawback was the restroom. It's a 5 minute walk from the reception area, so when you drink a lot that can pose a slight problem. By the time you go do your business and come back you'll need to go again. read more

Attended my cousin's wedding recently and enjoyed it! The ceremony took place below the Merritt House on a bridge overlooking a pond. The seating was perfect as everyone had a great view of the ceremony. We were able to use the Merritt House for photo ops and there is a restroom located inside. After ceremony, there was cocktail reception held at the Terrace Villa. This was cozy and had very limited seating. They had a great assortment of fresh fruits, cheeses, crackers, and spread. There was open bar all throughout cocktail and dinner hours. They also served a couple of appetizers. Dinner Reception was held in the Great Lawn accommodating nearly 500 people. The Ambassador Campus is perfect for a classy and elegant wedding. It can accommodate big events and has great photo ops. I would recommend this venue especially during Spring/Summer but not Winter as it can be freezing for guests. read more

As I promised...I am writing about my horrible experience here with The Ambassador Campus... It is actually really sad that this place is going to waste because it is so beautiful. The sound ordinance issue with the city of Pasadena has forced this place to shut down and squashed many a brides dreams of a gorgeous wedding with a garden and mansion backdrop. Whatever the neighbors complaints are about and city board meetings decision is on this place is something I can't control but the management company who booked all the dates for 2010 could've handled the situation a bit better. I feel like there are some important facts not being told to the future brides and grooms who gave their $1500 deposits to reserve a wedding date at this venue. I guess we'll never know. Don't get me wrong, my deposit was returned to me in full but all I got was a short letter saying that the current the management company (Sylvia Noland Inc.) was no longer going to be in charge of weddings here from March 2010 due to "medical reasons." Uh...okay. But we were given the impression that our dates were secure and a new management company was going contact us shortly to draw new contracts for us to sign, and we that didn't need to worry. Boy...were we ever so wrong. After a couple of weeks of "sorries" and "we'll let you know asap" all we got was an email...not even a personal call apologizing...telling us that The Ambassador Campus was not able to get a permit from the city to hold weddings for after March 2010. So...all of us who booked a date for after March 2010 were left without a venue. Without a venue...it's kind of hard to start planning a wedding. So now...back to square one. It is a beautiful venue with so much potential if run efficiently and professionally. The short letter with a check returning our deposit and email we received telling us that our contract is null and void was done without much consideration. It was definitely a slap in the face. So FYI...no weddings will be done here anymore. read more

Hi There, The Ambassador as a wedding and event venue is NOT closed, but under new management. Please call us with any questions at 626.793.4420 or check our our new website http://ambassadorweddingsandevents.com/ Thank you. read more

This was one of our potential venues for a wedding and a popular place in pasadena to take engagement pictures. Unfortunately, it is currently under construction so didn't make for an ideal wedding spot. read more

This venue is still open for event and wedding rental but the mansions are no longer a part of it. Beautiful events are still hosted on the plaza in front of the Ambassador Auditorium as well as in Fowler Garden. If interested please visit http://www.ambassadorweddingsandevents.com/ You may also call 626.793.4420 for information. read more

This place is gorgeous! The landscaping and architecture is beautiful enough so that you won't need to spend on extra decor. Unfortunately, this place was out of my budget for a ceremony only. Pricing seems okay for a wedding ceremony + reception, but my fiance and I plan to have only a ceremony (we'll have a reception at a restaurant). If you decide to go with the Ambassador Campus, they rent out the place to you for the whole day. Rent for a two hour ceremony and rent for a ten hour wedding are the same. read more

I was invited to a wedding this past weekend at this facility. Nice and clean! Very picturesque in Old Town Pasadena! The reflecting pools and the fountain in the center made this place magical. Only problem that I had was the heat, but there is not much you can do about that. read more

I think that this is the most beautiful and perfect venue and it was the one part of my wedding that I couldn't live without. The price is INCREDIBLY reasonable! Especially since with most venues you only get a 5-8 hour time slot...Ambassador offers you all day plus two extra hours for cleaning. I agree that 500 for a picture permit is expensive however...if you choose to book this venue for your wedding you are given one for free which is great I think. I've already reserved this spot for my wedding next year and I can't wait. Sylvia was the best and made me feel really great about my decision. Just as Lena B. said...you have to see this place for yourself. Sylvia was always available and worked hard to fit MY schedule before I was even committed to having my wedding there and I think that says something the service I will be getting all the way through my wedding day. read more

Secluded in the center of Pasadena among lush Italian gardens, The Ambassador Mansions and Gardens is the ideal address for that special wedding. This venue offers a combination of fantasy, romance, and relaxation in its graceful setting where true quality is in its architectural and garden design that delights and inspires the soul. Ms. Sylvia Noland is the Venue's Coordinator. She is an artistic visionary whose ability, unique creative talent and outstanding reputation have made her an unrivalled success in the wedding and event planning industry. She made our son's wedding MAGICAL ...commencing with the cocktail party in the Terrace Villa followed by the sit down dinner under the stars at the Fowler Garden for more than 350 guests. It turned out to be such a spectacular event that our families describe it as "The Wedding of the Century!" Everything from the catering, the flowers, the table decoration, to the music, the lighting were great. Our requests were her main priority; she delivered every minute detail with great enthusiasm, professionalism, and uniqueness. She relieved us from the anxiety of the evening by providing her distinct service, superb planning and execution. From arranging the necessary supplies, to managing the vendors and guests. She made sure the day went by with the precision of a Swiss watch. I highly recommend Sylvia Noland as a wedding planner/coordinator as well as The Ambassador Mansions & Gardens as the Venue. read more

Helped out with a wedding here. Worst venue ever. Way too many rules. For the price that was paid to book this place, you don't get what you pay for. The city of Pasadena sound ordinance fines you $1500 if your music goes over a certain decibel, so we couldn't even hear the speeches made by the best man or maid of honor even though we were in the front. The catering and event service that is recommended by this place because it follows all the rules was the worst service I've ever worked with. Extremely unorganized. Save your money and go elsewhere! read more

are you kidding me? $500 for a two hour permit to take wedding photo per Sylvia. Descanso Gardens only charge $250 for for 2 hrs for 10 people and Arboretum in Arcadia only charge $100 for 3 hrs + $75 for Ground Supervisor Fee for 10 people. read more

congrats lena!!!! lena's wedding here on saturday night was fabulous. the whole event was beautiful, and dancing under the stars couldn't be beat. the only problem was that the bathrooms were far away, but other than that, everything went off w/o a hitch. read more

We just had our wedding at the Ambassador Campus and although it was a roller coaster of a ride it was by far the best and most beautiful location we could find and customize to fit our needs. We originally were contracted to utilize the Marriott Garden, Marriott Mansion, and Italian Garden (which would be torn down right after our wedding to be built into condos) however 2 months before the wedding date one of the buildings flanking the Italian Garden collapsed which caused them to start demolition around that entire area and we panicking on what to do. As luck would have it the 2nd wedding happening on this site cancelled and we were able to ask to utilize the entire area for the cocktail hour and reception. So with a month to go we worked with our caterer Event Professionals (HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) to quickly setup the cocktail hour at the Japanese Garden, the Reception at Fowler Garden, and the post dinner reception at Terrace Villa while keeping the Marriott Garden with its beautiful bridge for the ceremony. While we were worried about the guests walking around the entire area all day it turned out to be great and everyone loved the beautiful gardens and mansions. read more

My husband (fiance back then) and I looked at so many different venues for our wedding I never thought I would find anything. I've always wanted a garden wedding and albeit there are so many beautiful gardens in the LA area, most of them require that you book both ceremony and reception at the location. That was one issue we encountered...another issue was we were having a Saturday May wedding and so many places were booked! Then we found Ambassador Campus. I knew the minute I stepped foot inside the grounds this was the place for us. It was everything I wanted and more. There are many different sites within the campus to hold your wedding but I immediately fell in love with the Great Lawn. It was perfect...babbling brook, luscious green lawn, great big beautiful tree and a staircase that leads down to all this beauty. It was simply perfect. Then I immediately feared it would cost an arm and a leg to rent the grounds...but it was actually very reasonable in comparison to other sites within the LA area. And if this wasn't enough, the package we got included one of the mansions - for us, Terrace Villa. Terrace Villa was recently renovated and was simply beautiful. Oh wait, and there's more. The package also includes a permit to shoot your engagement pictures. And you're able to have a rehearsal prior to your wedding day as well. After looking at so many venues and packages, Ambassador's prices are unbelievably reasonable. The onsite coordinator, Sylvia, is also fabolous to work with. Super nice, super acommodating, and very helpful. My entire experience with Ambassador was everything and more. I can literally go on and on and on about this location. It's a gem and I would highly recommend it to any bride. read more

This place really is something special, sort of a tranquil oasis just steps from Old Pasadena. Even if most of the fountains are not working anymore, and the empty buildings have become dilapadated, the garden setting is very nice, and it is a great place to stroll around when the weather is nice. There are some koi ponds, a rose garden, a stream, and some formal gardens and some lawns. To top it off, unlike other local public gardens, such as Descanso Gardens, the Huntington Library, or the LA County Arboretum, this place is free. Enjoy it while it lasts, before the developers carve it up and destroy its ambiance. read more

I had my wedding ceremony here at Ambassador Campus Merritt Mansion Gardens in July. We got married on a bridge surrounded by our guest around a pond. The grounds are beautiful for pictures. The price to rent this venue for a ceremony is more expensive than others, but it was worth it. Sylvia, the coordinator there was very nice and helpful but promises more than she can keep. A lot of the guests got lost, as guests were directed to park at a school nearby. There was not enough parking space for all of my guests. We also paid premium to rent the venue for 4 hours for the ceremony but on the day of, there was a filming crew that was filming right next door at the same time! The filming crew signs confused my guests and the production assistants there prevented our photographers to go to some locations. We were unable to take pictures in front of the mansion that my dad loved in the first place when checking out the venue. The sound of filming did not end up bothering us during the actual ceremony. But for guests and for before ceremony pictures, it was a disturbance. The filming crew equipment were all over the grounds and they did not care that there was a wedding going on. Not only were we joined by a filming crew, there was also another bride there taking pictures on the ground. Overall, they did not get in our pictures, but we had to coordinate taking turns. This gave us less time and was a hassle since we were on a time constraint already. I tried not to let the disturbance bother me on my wedding day but just some tips for future brides out there. The grounds are beautiful but try to make sure you have your spot for the time there. read more

This place is spectacular. It is a true gem. It is expensive to take photos here; $500, however, the grounds are amazing for a lifetime of memories on print. I am actually sad to some extent that these grounds may disappear and become Mega Condos in the future; after the land is sold off. I took wedding pictures here 9 yrs ago for my wedding. And, I get compliments all the time when guest look at my wedding album. They have no idea that this was here in Pasadena nor have people ever heard of the Ambassador Campus. It isn't your typical local site around san gabriel valley that EVERYONE goes to. YOU DONT WANT YOUR PICTURES TO BE AT THE SAME SITE YOUR BEST FRIEND HAD.... I will be coming back to take photos with my two little girls! read more