Taglyan Cultural Complex, Los Angeles

Opened to great fanfare in 2008, the Taglyan Arts and Cultural Complex offers a dazzling combination of Old World opulence and cutting-edge audiovisual technology. Located mere blocks from the world famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine, this venue may be new to the event scene, but with its stately limestone façade it looks like it’s been part of the neighborhood for years. As soon as you enter the massive iron gates on a quiet side street, you feel like you’ve been transported to a European villa. Italian cypress, magnolia and olive trees, along with vintage-look street lamps, dot the property. Immediately on your right is the formal brick courtyard, anchored by the kind of huge two-tiered fountain you might find in an Italian piazza, complete with figural fish and turtles spouting water. A formal garden contain- ing white roses encircles the fountain, creating a very romantic spot for wedding ceremonies. As an added enhancement, the historic French Normandy-style building across the street acts as a charming backdrop. Taglyan’s upper patio, which could serve as an alternate ceremony site or for cocktails, overlooks the courtyard and has its own cherub fountain with two small gardens and marble pillars.