Spanish Monastery - (305) 945-1462

When I was young, The Ancient Spanish Monastery was a tourist attraction as much as a church. The history (it was built in Spain in 1141) and legend (Randolph Hearst purchased it in 1925, had it dismantled and transported to America) make it intriguing and worth visiting. My husband's granddaughter got married this summer and, when they were planning her wedding, I was excited to hear they were looking into The Spanish Monastery as a location for the event. They found there were seven areas to hold a wedding and/or reception at The Monastery - under the banyan tree, in the chapel, the Chapter house, at the French altar, in the loggia, by the prayer well or in the Savior's Gardens. Although each site is beautiful, none was quite right for the large (about 500 people), indoor wedding my stepgranddaughter wanted. The Monastery is open as a tourist attraction Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1:30-5 p.m. It is a beautiful, peaceful experience.

i looked at the Spanish Monastery as a potential wedding venue less than two years ago. A friend of mine had recommended it. However, she had seen it several years before. Apparently they are under new management and they aren't taking care of the grounds as wel as they should. There were no blooming flowers and the grass looked dull. Also, we were told that we had to get security to monitor the parking lot. We were a but worried about this, and once we started asking around, we were told that several cars had been broken into. I definitely did not want to put my guests through that! Plus it was pretty pricey.