The Harper

Most Recent Comments

• January 2024 by Anna Vergara
  We had the honor of hosting our wedding here at The Harper on 1/19. From start to finish, Jess was such a great help. We’ve obviously never done this before and she was there every step of the way to answer any questions we had. Not only did we get referred to a Wedding Planner, but they made it easy to find all vendors we needed. They broke down all the information we needed with contacts and websites.It was such a smooth sailing process. Perry and I could not have been more blessed to find this venue. It is beautiful inside and out and it made our night very memorable. They were always willing to help and answer any and all of our questions. Trust me, when I thought I had stupid a question, they made me feel like it was an important question.Roomforty (f&b) were a pleasure to work with. They were there every step of the day to make sure our guests and us (the bride and groom) were taken care of. Everyone enjoyed their service and we received so many compliments on their behalf. Food and drinks were amazing. Everyone just enjoyed their hospitality and they even enjoyed themselves as well. Such friendly personalities and got along well with our guests.
• October 2023 by Agnes Sam
  I am a wedding coordinator and my clients recently hosted their reception at the Harper OC. I worked with Jess G. from the get go and she was amazing to work with. It was so easy to communicate with her, and she was very responsive to my messages. She provided a plethora of information that was incredibly helpful for our vendor team, which in turn allowed me to streamline and organize information for everyone.On wedding day - Jared, Lorenzo and Dana from the venue & catering team were so incredible to work with. If there was anything that the couple, a vendor, or our team needed they quickly sprang into action to make sure things were taken care of. Dinner service ran so smoothly, and as a coordinator I don't think I've ever seen guests go through the buffet line and back to their seats so quickly! Truly a testament to their professionalism and expertise in the industry.Overall I would highly recommend The Harper to my clients over and over again. If you're getting married in the OC, this is a great spot to do it!
• October 2023 by S W.
  I had the pleasure of attending a wedding at the Harper last weekend, and it was a delightful experience. The inclusion of valet parking service added a touch of relaxation to the event. While the finger food received a thumbs up, the dinner was decent, albeit not exceptional. It's worth noting that options for non-drinkers were somewhat limited, which was a bit disappointing.The venue itself is unassuming yet surprisingly spacious, easily accommodating nearly 100 guests. The service provided was exceptional, with all staff members displaying professionalism and courtesy throughout the event. As a guest, I wholeheartedly recommend this venue for special occasions. However, I can't comment on the pricing aspect, as I'm not privy to that information.
• August 2023 by Katrina Palandri The Agency Real Estate
  Gorgeous event space! Minimalist modern design with two outdoor spaces filled with beautiful greenery. The front outdoor space with pebble flooring is smaller and connects to a more feminine styled dressing room. The larger outdoor space connects with the main seating area, beautiful window bi-folding doors brings nature in. There's two bars, one at the front entry, and another in the main space that connects to the outdoor patio, which helps ensure your guests will enjoy the beautiful scenery while enjoying their favorite drink.Jess, Katie, and Lorenzo worked tirelessly with us on perfecting our menu, drinks and decor. I highly recommend using this space, and their catering for any corporate, wedding or special event.Parking is limited but they do have valet service.
• June 2023 by Phuong Le
  Good service but the food is ....not quite.
• June 2023 by Athina Ikonomou
  Highly disappointed with the Harper and all of the staff. I am planning my July wedding and originally had picked this venue due to it uniqueness and “culinary experience” aspect. After feeling extremely pressured into signing lengthy and confusing contracts, I was left even more confused and to fend for myself. Questions took weeks to answer and I truly did not feel supported through this experience.The worst part was the “group tasting” 2 months after signing the contract we were scheduled for a group tasting with 9 other couples with upcoming weddings. Not only was about 10% of our food options available for tasting that day (the rest was random food) but they had served the staff before us so we were not able to taste all the options that were there. Needless to say the tasting was abysmal, only about 2 options were edible. Food was overly salty and bland. Once I voiced my concerns about this, I was informed that if I would like a private tasting it would be $150/person.After all this, I decided to cancel my contract with the Harper, while still planning my July wedding. I lost 50% deposit (which was a huge blow, but rather lose the money than deal with this adolescent venue). A month or so after cancelling the owner Steve Fortundao reached out to me via email and asked to speak with me by giving him some dates and times that work for a touch base. I responded to him with no other communication back. My point of contact Jess has been giving me the run around and it’s so frustrating. The worst part is that I am still waiting for the return of my deposit! The Harper had held my money that I need for planning my upcoming wedding for over 2.5 months!!!What a scam this place is. Go with another more seasoned venue, unless you would like to be 100% stressed the whole time you are planning your event.
• May 2023 by Maureen P.
  This beautiful venue we used for our daughters wedding. Everything was easy. Loved the coordinator Jess. She kept us on track and answered all our questions with a sweet incredible attitude! Loved her. The servers/crew were incredible. The valet ran smoothly and professionally. What a great service. We selected the buffet and it was delicious although the entrees were room temp not hot. Appetizers were a hit... glad we went with 3, the cheese board. Nachos. Steak frites. Wish they had put more aside for the wedding party since I only got to try one. The guests said they were amazing. Everything we ordered was gluten free. That meant so much to us since the bride and 4 of the guests have Celiac disease. We had bronze package for drinks and that was a great choice. We had champagne on each table but didn't really need it.We did extra desserts that were wonderful and I recommend in addition to wedding cake.Loved the whole set up of inside outside venue. We used the courtyard for cocktail hour and brought our own games. That was also a hit. There's probably so much more I could say but I give this venue 5 stars and that says it all.
• May 2023 by Athina I.
  Highly disappointed with the Harper and all of the staff. I am planning my July wedding and originally had picked this venue due to it uniqueness and "culinary experience" aspect. After feeling extremely pressured into signing lengthy and confusing contracts, I was left even more confused and to fend for myself. Questions took weeks to answer and I truly did not feel supported through this experience. The worst part was the "group tasting" 2 months after signing the contract we were scheduled for a group tasting with 9 other couples with upcoming weddings. Not only was about 10% of our food options available for tasting that day (the rest was random food) but they had served the staff before us so we were not able to taste all the options that were there. Needless to say the tasting was abysmal, only about 2 options were edible. Food was overly salty and bland. Once I voiced my concerns about this, I was informed that if I would like a private tasting it would be $150/person. After all this, I decided to cancel my contract with the Harper, while still planning my July wedding. I lost 50% deposit (which was a huge blow, but rather lose the money than deal with this adolescent venue). A month or so after cancelling the owner Steve Fortundao reached out to me via email and asked to speak with me by giving him some dates and times that work for a touch base. I responded to him with no other communication back. My point of contact Jess has been giving me the run around and it's so frustrating. The worst part is that I am still waiting for the return of my deposit! The Harper had held my money that I need for planning my upcoming wedding for over 2.5 months!!! What a scam this place is. Go with another more seasoned venue, unless you would like to be 100% stressed the whole time you are planning your event.
• April 2023 by DJ iSizzle
  The Harper is an absolute gem of a venue! From the moment I arrived, I was blown away by the stunning views of the surrounding countryside. The venue itself is beautifully designed, with elegant and tasteful decor that perfectly complements the natural beauty of the location.
• March 2023 by Breigh Dang
  My husband and I loved having our wedding at the Harper venue. It was the perfect location for our wedding and I’m so glad we chose it as our venue. The bridal suites, ceremony space, and reception space are all in one location which made it extremely convenient for us and our guests. Communication with Lyzmari, Jess, and their whole team was easy and efficient from the very beginning. They are professional, accommodating, and organized. The venue is exactly as described and we loved all of the small touches that made this venue perfect, from the picture perfect getting-ready suites to the complimentary beverages waiting for us in the suites and post-ceremony. At our production meeting, Jess and the team made sure the floor plan and all of the details for our wedding were clearly communicated and we so appreciated all of the small changes and adjustments they were able to accommodate even leading up to the wedding day. We had an amazing experience getting married, and we couldn’t have asked for a more seamless experience than with the Harper and the Hospitality Collaborative team.
• March 2023 by Glenn E.
  I drove by today to see what the building looked like. I am planning on attending a wedding later in March and wanted to decide whether to drive or take an Uber.There's no sign around the building to indicate which building is the Harper nor the location of the entrance's location. The only indication is a sign in front of a building, I assume across the street from the Harper saying, "No Parking for The Harper."I definitely will plan on taking an Uber and hopefully the hosts will have a sign posted showing the entrance.
• February 2023 by kylie cochran
  The Harper is nothing short of the perfect venue. As a wedding planner, I always provide my couples with the best recommendations of those in the industry who provide top tier service. I know that at the Harper, my couples will be taken care of with the incredible service leading up to wedding day, and wedding day staff. Not to mention the gorgeous setting that the venue provides for your wedding. I recommend the Harper to everyone!
• February 2023 by kylie johnston
  The Harper is nothing short of the perfect venue. As a wedding planner, I always provide my couples with the best recommendations of those in the industry who provide top tier service. I know that at the Harper, my couples will be taken care of with the incredible service leading up to wedding day, and wedding day staff. Not to mention the gorgeous setting that the venue provides for your wedding. I recommend the Harper to everyone!
• February 2023 by Henry T.
  It's certainly spacious enough to hold a wedding ceremony and reception for 150 people, but there were little flaws. Starting with inadequate parking outside of valet. Then the outside space pretty much bottles in the breeze around sunset and that makes the area feel like it's near freezing. The bathrooms are nice, though. The interior space is very nice.
• January 2023 by Gabby M.
  I got married at The Harper on 12-10-22 and from start to finish, The Harper was nothing short of amazing. I say this having booked this venue without having seen it in person before booking (check out the website's virtual tour for an overview of the whole venue). Right after we booked, Lyzmari contacted me and we set up a phone call to go through my initial questions. She was friendly, detailed, honest and personable. Throughout the wedding planning process, we worked primarily with event specialist, Katie Brantley, who we loved! Katie was warm, professional, communicative and helpful throughout the process. The venue is essentially an all-inclusive ceremony/reception venue, and they made wedding planning as stress-free as possible.The Harper is a beautiful and roomy modern/industrial venue. There is a spacious outdoor area that was perfect for our ceremony and cocktail hour. The outdoor area flowed into the even more spacious indoor area with lots of natural light for the reception. The reception space is right next to the ceremony space with large sliding glass doors which open to allow for a very indoor/outdoor feel. There is also a large skylight directly above the dance floor area. We used the indoor space as a blank canvas, which was great b/c we wanted to decorate the inside to match our moody theme. There is a beautiful bridal dressing room with a private bathroom/shower, as well as a separate groom's lounge. The bridal suite has floor to ceiling windows with ample sunlight pouring in the room - perfect for getting-ready photos, and it has a connected outdoor patio area that looks like a European villa - perfect for group photos. The Harper is located in an industrial area/auto corner, so from the street, it doesn't look like much. However, once you walk inside and into the space, you feel like you've been transported to the most beautiful, serene venue (there are also a ton of gorgeous areas around the venue for photos). The Harper is definitely large enough to accommodate a few hundred guests, depending on set up, but can also be configured for smaller crowds, and it's easily accessible b/c it's close to SNA with many hotels at varied price pts. With our guest count, we needed to have valet, arranged by Katie, and they were very fast and professional. The bathrooms were also clean and luxurious.The Harper's staff is exceptional. We went to a Thursday evening group tasting a few months before our date where we tasted different cocktails, apps, entrees, desserts and late nite snacks. We also got to mingle with the staff. The staff were so friendly and fun! On the day-of, everything was done so efficiently (there was never a long bar line), and everyone performed their jobs with a smile/positive attitude, which really brought the best energy possible to our wedding day! For our evening reception, we went with The Harper's in-house caterer, Room Forty, and bar service, Pharmacie, both of which were arranged by Katie. She was very clear and communicative about everything that she needed from us and when she needed them by (e.g., guest count, menu selections, etc.). We chose to do a plated dinner with choice of 3 entrees, one of which was a silent veg option that we selected ourselves. Katie worked very closely with our wedding planners (Fetelle Designs) to make things even more seamless and efficient. We didn't have to worry or stress about ANYTHING on our wedding day. I attached several photos by my very talented and incredible photographer, Kellie Jane at kelliejanecreative.com I highly recommend The Harper for anyone planning a special event or wedding. You can feel rest assured that they will work hard to ensure that your day is special and runs smooth.