The bride is often led in by a brother or uncle, where the groom waits with the bride’s parents. The bride’s parents offer their daughter in marriage in a ritual called kanyadan.

Indian marriages are known for their lavish and vibrant look, but in reality there is much more than just the gloss and glamour in an Indian wedding ceremony. In fact, the Indian wedding ceremonies are the most ritualistic and serious of affair than any other kind of marriage performed anywhere else in the world, and it is considered as a soulful affair of the merger of two souls.

Hindu wedding ceremonies are traditionally conducted at least partially in Sanskrit, the language in which most holy Hindu ceremonies are conducted. This Hindu Priest was also fluent in English and translated the complete ceremony and the meanings of each ritual he performed into English.

In most Hindu weddings, the ceremony is held on a small, usually covered stage, known as mandap. This couple decided against the covering so that the guests could see and enjoy the ceremony, and they also felt the backdrop of the Langham Hotel was sufficient enough. It also allowed me to get better unobstructed wedding photography coverage.

After the initial exchange of garlands by the bride and groom, the bride and groom are next seated in front of a holy fire, or agni, as a priest recites various mantras from the Holy Scriptures. In Hinduism, fire is regarded as a purifier and a sustainer of life. In a ritual called Mangal Fera, the couple offer prayers to the fire, which represents God serving as the couple’s witness as the two are joined in marriage. Prayers are offered by placing honey, rice, and flowers in the flame. In this ceremony the sashes worn by the bride and groom are tied together for the bride and groom walk around the fire seven times; each time around the fire, a symbol of the four ashrams of life, praying and exchanging vows of duty, love, fidelity, and respect.

The rituals performed at an Indian ceremony vary greatly depending on what area of Indian they originate from. This ceremony was predominately based on traditions of Northern India, and one of the most cherished and symbolic tradition is the placing of the toe ring on the bride by the groom.

Brides typically dress in colorful saris and are painted in elaborate mendhi or henna designs covering her hands and feet before the ceremonies begin. It is said that the darker and bolder that the Henna becomes shows the deep love that she will hold for her husband. The groom is dressed in a sherwani (long jacket) and ‘churidars’ (fitted trousers).

And one of the final rituals performed in this ceremony was the application of the ceremonial Tilaka on the bride’s forehead by the groom to indicate her marital status.

It is worth mentioning that according to Indian tradition, in a Hindu wedding, the bride and groom marry each other and the priest only assists with the Mantra.

Te santu jard—istayah sampriyau royisnu sumansyamanau
Pasyema sharadah shatam jivema sharadah shatam shrunuyam shardah shatam
“We should be able to live a graceful life that is full of mutual love and warmth. Our sentiments should be auspicious.
We should be able to see for a hundred years, live a healthy life of a hundred years and listen the music of spring for a hundred years.”

To view more of my wedding photography coverage of this event, including pre-ceremony work and the reception, please check out my slide-show video of this event on DeRemus-Photography-In-Motion.

Their reception was in The Georgian Ballroom.

The Langham Hotel in Pasadena is located at 1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue and is set on 23 lush acres overlooking the immaculate suburbs of San Marino.

To see more of my work, please visit deremus.com.

DeRemus Photography is an award winning photographer who specializes in wedding, portrait and fine art and is available for travel throughout Southern CA and for destination weddings worldwide.

All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.

]]> http://blog.deremus.com/2010/01/02/wedding-photography-langham-huntington-pasadena/feed/ 2 http://blog.deremus.com/2009/12/16/wedding-photography-at-calamigos-ranch-malibu-los-angeles/ http://blog.deremus.com/2009/12/16/wedding-photography-at-calamigos-ranch-malibu-los-angeles/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:28:19 +0000 DeRemus http://blog.deremus.com/?p=1724 This is Melissa and Michael and their wedding was an October event held at the Calamigos Ranch in Malibu. CA.

To see more of my wedding photography coverage from this event (over 100 more pictures actually) in an animated video please check out this wedding video from photography stills at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, CA.

This first image shown was a quickly done photograph taken just minutes after the ceremony  on one of the several wooden bridges you find at the Calamigos Ranch.

Of course we began the photography much earlier in the day with ready shots of both the bride and the groom.

My wedding photography coverage always includes a fusion (or mixture) of  photojournalism, editorial and posed. And whenever I mention the word “posed”, I feel I must add that we can do as little or as much as you like.  And although this couple had a lot of requests for posed work of both their rather large wedding party and their families, they were such a fun couple that when it was all said and done, I still had many more candid, photojournalistic images than posed.

The image below on the right, might be on of my favorites of the day. It is the bride’s father and brother as they see her for the first time in her gown. It just goes to show its not only the women who can get a little choked up…

The first look…

A small sampling of portrait work…

Their wedding ceremony was at the very picturesque Garden Patio which features waterfalls at each end and at night the trees and redwood arbor illuminate with strings of lights.

To see more photography of this event (over 100 more pictures actually) in a slide-show format, please click here.

Their reception was in the Calamigos Ranch Main Dining Room which is just a few steps away. One of the room’s most memorable features is the romantic “waterfall”, a curtain of water that descends like a light rain just outside the glass widows of the south wall. To see more room shots from Calamigos Ranch and also the Calamigos Equestrian please go to my wedding reception room shots post.

This was a fun couple and it was a very high energy night with most of the guests on the dance floor for most of the night.

My congratulations to Melissa and Michael. My your life together be blessed with good health and good fortune.

Please visit my DeRemus-Photography-In-Motion blog to see more images from this event.

The Wedding Coordinator for this event was Karin Detweiller of Artistic Weddings.

The florist was Susanne Lawrence of Jardin del Sol Flowers.

The Calamigos Ranch is located on Latigo Caynon Road in Malibu, and is a Los Angeles wedding location and reception site.

To see more of my work and for more information please visit www.deremus.com.

Pasadena-based photographer David DeRemus is available for travel worldwide and specializes in wedding, portrait and fine art photography

This is Julia and Bill, and their wedding was at the Tampa Garden Club in Tampa, Florida. For their wedding, they did a BYOP (Bring Your Own Photographer)… which was me.  Just goes to show the value of a good referral.

They both have two daughters from previous marriages that made for a very close-knit and lively wedding party.

Before the wedding ceremony began, we did a few pictures of the bride and groom and their girls. The bride looked smashing in her retro, yet modern wedding dress.

The ceremony – short, sweet and peppered with bits of humor, and of course, ended with a kiss.

The girls did a little dance for the recessional they choreographed by themselves.

Another kiss, this one showered with rose pedals.

The Tampa Garden Club was nicely done and beautifully lit for this event. Credits listed below.

The last dance done only as children can do it. I think these two were celebrating their new sisterhood…

A rose pedal send off… Congratulations to Julia and Bill. May your lives together be blessed with happiness and good health.

If you live in the Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg or the Sarasota, Florida areas and you like what you see, call or email to inquire about my special deals for your area.

To see more about my style as a wedding photographer, check out “My Style As A Wedding Photographer“.

You can see more many images from this Tampa Garden Club wedding at my “DeRemus-Photography-In-Motion” blog.

To see more of my wedding photography and more for about my photography styles, please visit my website: “DeRemus.com.”

Wedding Coordinators: Simply Divine Events
Wedding Officiant: Lynne Walker
Caterer: Rita Carlino Catering
Florist: Events in Bloom
Band: Les Sabler
Decorator: Event Design
Cake: Cakes by Caroline
Plant Rental: Plant Directions
Linens: BBJ Linens
Chair Covers: Concept Bait

Photography by Pasadena, CA based, DeRemus Photography.

“DeRemus Photography” is available for travel in all of Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Southern CA and offers destination wedding photography worldwide.

All images and text are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.

]]> http://blog.deremus.com/2009/11/06/wedding-photographer-at-the-tampa-garden-club/feed/ 1 http://blog.deremus.com/2009/09/17/wedding-photography-calamigos-equestrian/ http://blog.deremus.com/2009/09/17/wedding-photography-calamigos-equestrian/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:02:07 +0000 DeRemus http://blog.deremus.com/?p=1279 The wedding of Mandy and Salvatore at the Calamigos Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA.

The floral arrangements were the perfect shade of blue… which as you can see in the photographs, made both the bride and her mother very happy.

The ceremony was held at the Little White House, with the reception in the Polo Room and patio.

I find my wedding photography to be much more enjoyable when I am photographing people whose hearts are so obviously filled with joy and their emotions so flowing…

The wedding ceremony begins and the groom, with his family from Italy looking on, is presented with his bride from his soon to be father-in-law.

To see more of the photographs from their wedding ceremony and reception at the Calamigos Equestrian Center, please visit: DeRemus Photography-In-Motion.

Congratulations to Mandy and Salvatore! May your journey together be filled with happiness and blessed with good health. l’amore è un viaggio, non una meta.

To see the complete set of previews (edited wedding photographs), please visit deremus.com/online_viewing.

To contact DeRemus Photography regarding your upcoming wedding, please go to my flash gallery: deremus.com/your wedding, then select “your wedding”.

Floral arrangements by Shirvan Design in Burbank, CA.

Cake by Porto’s Bakery in Glendale, CA

Music by VIP DJ Entertainment.

Wedding coordinator: Tana Ingels of Ingels and Co.

To see more of my wedding photography at the Calamigos Equestrian Center, please visit another Calamigos wedding.

To see room shots of all three ballrooms at the Calamigos Equestrian Center, please visit my post: room shots.

The Calamigos Equestrian is located at 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank, CA. They are located in the northeast corner of Griffith Park. You have views of both Griffith Park the San Gabriel Mountains.

DeRemus Photography specializes in wedding, portrait and fine art photography and is Pasadena-based,  serving Los Angeles, Orange County, and Southern CA and offering destination wedding photography worldwide.

All images and text are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.

You might recognize this couple from my first “wedding photo of the day” post, which is a great example of their dancing abilities.

The ceremony was at the Little White House at the Calamigos Equestrian Center in Burbank. (I work here often, so please check back for more posts on this location.)  After the ceremony, Peter hopped in their get-away car, and it was off into the sunset… OK, it actually wasn’t sunset yet and where they were off to was the Flamingo Banquet Hall in Tujunga.

They forewent many of the traditional reception events. However they did not dance  just one or two, but three extremely well choreographed dances for their guests. (Their choreographers were Francisco and Stacey Martinez, a.k.a. “The Teachers of Teachers” of The Dance Family Studio in Pasadena, CA.)

You can see more of their images at DeRemus Photography In Motion.

You can see the complete set of previews (password required) at deremus.com/online_viewing.

You can see room shots from all three ballrooms at the Calamigos Equestrian in Burbank at “room shots“.

You can see more of my work at www.deremus.com.

(All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.)

The Calamigos Equestrian (also known as the Los Angeles Equestrian Center) is located at 480 Riverside Dr. in Burbank, CA 91506. This is a wonderful venue with three options for ballrooms. It is actually located in Griffith Park and has great views and large sycamore trees.

The Flamingo Banquet Hall is located at 7179 Foothill Blvd. in Tujunga, CA. It is right on the corner of Foothill Blvd. and Commerce Ave. and is easily accessible from the 210, 118, 134 and 2 freeways. The management and staff here are really great.

The day began at the St. James Catholic Church in La Cresenta.  It was a warm summer afternoon. The priest, Father Frank, was here from Ireland and was very excited about the fact that this was his first Quinceaños ceremony to be preformed. And speaking for myself, now having photographed several of these Quinceaños ceremonies,  I have developed a reverence and appreciation for the significance and the meaning of this custom.

I had already photographed Desiree for her guest sign-in album and the family portraiture on a previous session at the Pasadena Courthouse. To see some of the photography from that session, please see Photos for Quinceañera.  And now with the year of planning behind them, this day began to come to fruition, and everyone’s spirits were high. Desiree was looking very pretty and quite poised. I began the day with candid photography before the reception and a few quick window light portraits with the Quinceañera and then on to the Quinceaños ceremony.

After the ceremony we did a good number of family, extended family, and guest portraiture, all of which are available for viewing by visiting: www.deremus.com/online_viewing.  Then a little more work with Desiree, and then we’re off to the reception.

The reception was held at the Imperial Palace, which is located at 1175 N. Lake Ave. in Pasadena, CA. This was my first time to this establishment.

It is a nice ballroom with good service.  And with the ballrooms tall ceilings and the layout of the dance floor, it was a good room for me to use a creative lighting approach. The music was provided by Octavio of Dj-Tavo, who kept them dancing all night long.

To view and purchase the complete set of photography and to purchase the extended length version of the animated photography video , please visit www.deremus.com/online_viewing (a password will be required).

(All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.)

This was a summer wedding with the usual hopes (and expectations) for a clear and warm day with the ceremony  scheduled to be in the Castle Green garden. Unfortunately it rained the night before, and the decision was made to move the wedding ceremony inside to the main salon of the Castle Green.

Despite the unanticipated rain, Valerie’s spirit was not the least bit dampened. And as her bridesmaids and her mother helped her to prepare, they were all in a convivial mood. Matt, the groom, on the other hand, was a bit on the nervous side.

We did the first look in the Castle Green’s velvet draped Moorish Room, and finally we see a smile on the groom’s face.

We did a little photography in the Castle Green gardens with its sweeping graceful lines.  (I swear, every time I go there, I see the place with fresh eyes.)

F.Y.I. This photo was created in high-resolution digital color, and then a copy was converted into black and white. With the exception of my work done with infrared (not pictured), all of my wedding photography is done in this manner so that you may have the photograph in black and white and someone else can have it in color.

While I was photographing with the bride and her girls, my second photographer photographs the groom busily writing. It seems he woke up being not satisfied with his vows he had written for his bride, and he was now very intently doing a rewrite. And as you will soon see at the ceremony, the reading of his vows caused quite an emotional response.

And with the rewrite of his vows now being completed, the expression on the groom’s face has become totally different.

We have all of the bride and groom and wedding party photography work completed and the bride out of sight before the guests arrive.

And then a few candid moments with the bride as the bridal party lines up in the Castle Green ballroom before she enters the room. And then we go into the marriage ceremony in the main salon…

They did all of the traditional wedding reception events, and then they danced the night away…

You may notice that even in this big room with its tall ceilings and large groups of people, that the backgrounds of my photographs are well lit.

And I will leave you with this tender moment from their last dance…

To see more of my work, please visit my site at “www.deremus.com.”

To view photographs of the Castle Green ballroom with different configurations, visit “Wedding reception room shots.”

(All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.)

The historic Castle Green is located at 99 S Raymond Avenue in Pasadena, CA. and with its spectacular towers, turrets and grand staircases, the Castle Green has been and continues to be the location of many Hollywood productions.

]]> http://blog.deremus.com/2009/08/25/wedding-photography-at-the-historic-castle-green-in-pasadena/feed/ 0 http://blog.deremus.com/2009/08/13/wedding-photography-at-the-los-angeles-country-club/ http://blog.deremus.com/2009/08/13/wedding-photography-at-the-los-angeles-country-club/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:30:20 +0000 DeRemus http://blog.deremus.com/?p=479 It was a beautiful summer day. The day was warm and the turfs were green at this fun and very festive wedding held at the Los Angeles Country Club, which features two historic 18-hole golf courses with architectural designs. And who would have guessed that the groom was a professional golfer.

This was a colorful wedding with a focus on earth tones: greens, browns, tans, orange and shades of whites, all further enhanced with yellow accents. The bride, Kayla, had a great sense of vision of what she wanted. Then she put a lot of thought and attention into the details of the day. So I and my associate photographer set out to photograph what would turn out to be her perfect wedding so that her memories will never fade and be forever preserved.

Here I have photography of the bouquet and green wedding gown, the colorful invitations, elegant floral table arrangements with colorful umbrellas overhead, bouquets from different perspectives. And hey…check out those sequined sandals.

…did I mention the umbrellas?

And for those of you not in the know, this style of photography used to archive, chronicle and document both the day and the specifics of the day is referred to as documentary*.  It is just one of the many styles that should be included in the repertoire of a quality, professional wedding photographer.

A few ready shots of a very happy bride with her best friends and then her focus shifts to the ceremony about to begin…

An onshore breeze picks up and the warm day cools and the air becomes crisp and fresh as the ceremony begins and the emotions begin to flow freely…

A quick portrait of the newlyweds at twilight under their elegant floral canopy.

Then we’re off to the reception…you can see room shots of their room on my next post, which will be aptly titled “room shots.”

The reception officially kicked off with the newlywed’s first dance. The food was fabulous, the champagne superb and the mood festive. The live band kept the party going strong, and as you can see, everyone danced the night away.

To see photography of their wedding reception room, please visit “wedding reception room shots.”

To see more of my work and for contact information, please visit www.deremus.com.

DeRemus Photography specializes in wedding, portrait and fine art photography and is available for destination weddings worldwide.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

(All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.)

* Documentary photography is to chronicle, archive, register, or document on film or through digital capture and/or onto photographic prints in a factual manner. While the documentary style can include photography that is candid (photojournalistic) in nature, it is different from photojournalism as it often deals with scenes or subject matter the  photographer has set up or arranged in a specific manner.

** History of Los Angeles Country Club

In the fall of 1897, a group of Los Angelenos organized a voluntary association to further the cause of one of Southern California’s newest sports. The Los Angeles Golf Club, as they called themselves, leased a 16-acre vacant lot at the corner of Pico and Alvarado and laid out a nine-hole golf course. Called “The Windmill Links,” the course was named for a makeshift clubhouse crafted out of the bottom of an abandoned windmill. Through the middle of 1898, this site served as the club’s home until the course became too crowded. The Club located its next site at what was called Pico Heights at Hobart and 16th Street. The new home was named “The Convent Links” for its location behind a convent near Rosedale Cemetery. Again, nine holes were laid out for play, but by the spring of 1899, this course and clubhouse had also become overcrowded.

The search committee for a new site, consisting of the club founders Joe Sartori and Ed Tufts, found the club’s new home just 0.2 miles west of the Convent site. The Club’s new home was to be at the northeast corner of Pico and Western. The clubhouse was transported intact to the new site and was expanded there. More importantly, the club finally laid out its first 18 hole golf course.

After years of planning, the new club in Beverly Hills officially opened on May 30, 1911. Its stately clubhouse, tennis courts, and 36 holes of golf have served as the club’s home ever since. The original golf course was laid out by Joe Sartori, Ed Tufts, Norman Macbeth, and Charles Orr. Later, the courses were redesigned by Herbert Fowler and George C. Thomas, Jr.  In 1996 and 1997, an extensive renovation of the north and south courses was completed.

In its 100 years, the course played host to the Los Angeles Open in 1926, 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1940. Joe Norwood 1892-1990 was the head professional at these tournaments. He was also a charter member of the Professional Golfers Association – Southern California Chapter which was formed in 1924.

And for you golf fans:

Year Number 7 of the World Club Championship (2009) proved lucky indeed for Los Angeles Country Club. In a spirited All-American duel, the LACC team of Dan Jennings and Brad Shaw dethroned defending champion Pine Valley Golf Club of New Jersey (Kelly Miller and David Abell) at Jeju Island, Korea’s Club at Nine Bridges. The World Club Championship is a week-long match-play tournament that pits 16 clubs from GOLF Magazine’s list of the Top 100 Courses in the World.

The Los Angeles Country Club is a Platinum, private, member-equity Club located at 10101 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

Katy, being one of the  brides who have no interest in doing ready shots, arrived ready to go.

Neither of these two typically enjoy having their pictures taken and are both quite camera shy, which being a former member of that club, I can relate those feelings of awkwardness anytime someone points a camera at you. I have found that by being upbeat, patient and giving direction when needed and also willing to burn some images to get to the fun…we usually do (get to the fun, that is).

Who says portraits have to be dull and static…and speaking of portraits, we can do as little or as much as you like. I recommend at least a minimum of 15 minutes with the bride and groom. If you want more, I’ll be  happy to do that for you. And as you can see, I do it well.

And this is the way I like to end the night…

DeRemus Photography…real wedding photography for real people!!

To view photography of the reception room set ups, please visit “wedding reception room shots.”

F.Y.I. I am also one of the photographers that is recommended by Villa del Sol d’Oro, on their website . Go to: sagardens.com, select Villa del Sol d’Oro/see pictures. Thank you for viewing my blog.

(All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.)

*History of Villa del Sol d’Oro

Villa del Sol o’Oro is a replica of the Villa Collazzi located on the outskirts of Florence Italy.  Villa Collazzi has been occupied for several centuries by the Bombicci — Fomi family, and legend has it that the Villa is the only one ever designed by the immortal Michelangelo. The Villa del Sol d’Oro is one-quarter scale to the original.

This beautiful and well thought out villa is nestled at the foot of the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains in the picturesque City of Sierra Madre, the Villa was built in the “pure” Italian Renaissance Style in 1922 by the famous Pasadena architect Wallace Neff and was completed by 1928. The estate was built by Dr. Jarvis Barlow for his wife, who had visited the Villa Collazzi and wanted a house just like it. This design was a radical departure from the Mediterranean style that that Neff perfected in his other homes. He used entrance rotunda and iron work in several of his later homes.

Originally built on thirteen acres of trees and flowers overlooking the entire San Gabriel Valley, the Villa had five master bedrooms, four bathrooms, and ample help quarters, one of the first electric elevators in the area, porches on three sides, and spacious patios. On the grounds were garages, stables, caretaker’s home, swimming pool, bath house, and tennis courts.

The building is comprised of two stories and a tower. It is said that the walls are made of two rows of hollow tile to keep the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The lower story houses the reception rooms, dining room, drawing room, and library. The upper floor includes the living quarters and a spacious ballroom. The tower was built to obtain a better view of the valley.

Dr. Barlow himself supervised the planting of the trees which included: orchids, tulip, Japanese Magnolia, strawberry tree, flaming eucalyptus, monkey tree, camphor, sapoitas, English Yew, coral, and carob. To frame the southern façade, a sunken garden was added, lined on either side by Italian cypress.

The Villa is now part of Alverno High School, a private Catholic girl’s school, which has been educating young women since 1960.

The Villa del Sol d’Oro is located at: 675 West Highland Avenue, Sierra Madre, California 91024

The couple is Jaclyn Raymundo and Stephen Harding who first had me photograph them in studio. Their wedding reception was to be at the Castle Green so to play on the Victorian theme of Castle Green, they wanted photography with the look and feel of that era.

All images were photographed in high resolution color and then converted to black and white. Film grain was added. Further processing with differing degrees of sepia and (duo tone) black and white sepia was added. Some of the images were then selectively “aged” using antique plates, tin types and vignettes. My approach for adding any type of digital technique and/or enhancements is to never overshadow the original image and to keep the focus on the photography. The finished images were printed as 5×7 prints, framed and placed on each of the quest tables and the cake table.

Here comes the bride…and as you can see she was stunning and a little on the excited side 

Their ceremony took place on July 10, 2009 and was preformed at the immaculately beautiful (and somewhat infamous) St. Andrew’s Church in Pasadena, CA.

As I mentioned, the reception was at the historic* Castle Green, built in 1898 in Old Town Pasadena.  I have worked at the Castle Green as a wedding photographer on many occasions  and it is always a pleasure to work here as they have such beautiful grounds and unique architecture and always great food and wonderful service.

The bride’s gown was an custom design by Oliver Tolentino who is based out of Los Angeles and Manila, Philippines.  Would you believe he was even personally there to insure a proper fit!

A good time was had by all. Family and friends came from Ireland, Virginia, San Francisco and of course the Pasadena and Los Angeles areas.

Stephen continued to woe his new bride by serenading her with a cover version of the song Golden Brown. This was a very special song for Jaclyn because the first time she heard it was “ one of the first times I had ever heard Stephen’s voice when we were still communicating via the internet, when he still lived in Ireland”.  OK, she was in the San Gabriel Valley and he was in Ireland… now that would be a long distance relationship.

And in  the end, it was truly a fairy-tale wedding. Congratulations again to Jaclyn and Stephen. May your lives together be blessed with joy and filled with happiness.

To see more of my photography at the Castle Green, please click here.

(All images are copyright David DeRemus Photography and may not be used without prior express written consent.)

*History of the Castle Green

The Castle Green, which is one of Pasadena’s most unique buildings, was built in 1898 as the annex for the famous Hotel Green. The Castle Green is an imposing seven story Moorish Colonial and Spanish style building sitting  in Old Pasadena at Raymond and Green Street. The Castle Green was built by Col. George G. Green.

The Castle Green, opened in 1899 as the second of three buildings in the Hotel Green complex, was a lavish resort. Architect Frederick I. Roehrig, for what was later to be called the Central Annex, drew on Moorish, Spanish, Victorian, and other stylistic elements to produce Pasadena’s most stunningly original building. He blended domes, arches, pillars, balconies, and verandahs in a building of structural steel with brick walls and concrete floors, making it Pasadena’s first fireproof building. He tied it to the first part of the hotel complex, built on the east side of the street, by an ornate enclosed bridge crossing Raymond Avenue. When the Annex opened for business, its two cylindrical towers on the south and much of the roof line were illuminated with exterior lights. There was even a penthouse garden with a glass roof.

The Hotel Green became the social center of Pasadena, playing host to vacationing presidents and wealthy businessmen. It was also home to both the Tournament of Roses and the Valley Hunt Club.

At the end of the resort era, the west annex was purchased by a group of regular hotel guests who wished to continue to come to the Hotel Green. In 1924 the group of investors divided the hotel complex into three parts. The Central Annex was divided into fifty individually owned units and so it remains today, renamed the Castle Green.

Though the original building on the east side of Raymond has disappeared, the Castle Green continues, proud, unique, fascinating. The Castle Green is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (individually and as a contributing building to the Old Pasadena Historic District), the California State Register and is a City of Pasadena Historic Treasure, the highest designation is a city of incredible architecture. Due to the need of restoration of this historic site, the Friends of the Castle Green was formed.