Calabasas Country Club

This picturesque venue in the hills of the west San Fernando Valley has an interesting history and a place in the hearts of classic cinema buffs. Once part of the Warner Ranch Group, it served as a rugged backlot for such notable films as National Velvet, Carousel, Robin Hood, The Good Earth, Giant and Showboat. In honor of that heritage, when the country club was built each of the 18 holes of its verdant golf course was named after one of the famous films. Today, you’ll be the ones getting top billing in your own “love story” production here. Special events such as bridal showers, birthday parties, Bar Mitzvahs and even weddings are usually held outdoors to take advantage of the beautiful setting. The expansive clubhouse patio, landscaped with islands of roses and magnolia trees, is large enough to host your entire celebration. Have your ceremony at one end, against a gorgeous backdrop of the rolling, pine-studded golf course with the 18th hole’s shimmering lake and bridge in the foreground. Then, while you’re posing for photos beside the lovely waterfalls, bridges and old oaks on the fairways, your guests can mingle over cocktails. Finally, serve dinner at the other end of the patio, enhanced by strings of bistro lights glowing overhead. Indoor options also showcase the verdant surroundings. The new bar area upstairs in the clubhouse is custom-made for cocktail receptions. Conceived by famed designer Serge Agraphiotis, it’s extremely inviting, with an abundance of warm wood used in the bar, the ceiling beams and detailing throughout. Lots of natural light flows in through two walls of huge picture windows that frame stunning views of the golf course. When it’s time for dinner, everyone simply steps into the adjoining Dining Room, a modern and casually elegant space that also overlooks the course through its own floor-to-ceiling windows. From either room, guests get an extra visual treat: a spectacular sunset. Whether you dine buffet-style or opt for a more formal