Places of the Heart : The area has wedding sites for everyone from train lovers to traditionalists.

The search for the perfect wedding site in the San Fernando Valley is like the hunt for the perfect home. Three things matter the most: location, location, location.

“That’s what everyone asks about first,” said Darian Mathias, who operates a location service in Sherman Oaks. “That’s what sets the tone for everything.”

The Valley offers a venue for everyone--the intimate country chapel, the spacious Western ranch, the quaint bed and breakfast, and the unusual airport restaurant. Each place offers a different kind of charm.

According to wedding experts, outside weddings continue to be popular in the Valley. Couples prefer alternatives to the conventional church and banquet package. In Southern California, outside is in.

“People want to be outdoors,” said Sue Ladnier, event coordinator at Cheers, a catering service in Northridge. She does about 40 weddings a year. “They’re tired of the same old thing. They’ve gone to a lot of weddings, and they’re tired of the hotels.”

Also, because a lot of people get married for the second time, they strive for uniqueness. The first time down the aisle, they may have opted for a church wedding. The second time, they want things a little different.

“That means they tend to not want an elaborate ceremony,” said Tobey Dodge, a wedding consultant in Woodland Hills. “With the economic situation, they have smaller weddings which tend to lend themselves more to the outdoors.”

Following is a sample of nine sites in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys chosen for their attractiveness and uniqueness. Other locations deserve honorable mention: the Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills, the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys and the University Club in Northridge. (Prices given are for renting the spot for the ceremony. Every site, except for the first one, offers both ceremonies and receptions.)

Little Brown Church in the Valley, 4418 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City--Ron and Nancy got married here, and so have about 20,000 others over the last 40 years. It was Ron’s second, Nancy’s first.

On some busy Saturdays, as many as eight or nine weddings might occur, each an hour apart.

“What people like is the charm of a country chapel in the middle of the city,” said Catherine Martin, who books the weddings. “You don’t see that anymore. People like the intimacy of it. There’s a feeling of peace when you walk in.”

That’s certainly what attracted Robert Pierce and his bride, Maria Theresa Libecap. It didn’t hurt that Robert’s parents, Richard and Imogene, had been married in the same church in 1959.

“We didn’t want to live together,” said Imogene, who got divorced in 1965. “So we got married. The quaintness of the place appealed to us. It’s been so long, but everything looks the same to me.”

The average ceremony at the nondenominational church takes about 20 minutes, then couples pose for pictures in the small adjacent garden. The chapel, which features 10 rows of benches, has an organ and a piano, and some plants near the front that add an extra touch of nature.

The price ranges from $190 (26 to 40 people) to $275 (more than 100), and covers the church, organist and minister. Call (818) 761-1127.

94th Aero Squadron Restaurant, 16320 Raymer Ave., Van Nuys--a place for couples hoping to get their marriages off to a flying start.

If you don’t mind the possibility of a plane drowning out the priest, and you prefer informality, this may be your spot. It certainly did the job for Olga Allen and her husband, Hoss, of Palmdale.

In April, Olga and Hoss got married on the grounds outside the restaurant. From there, one can see the runway of Van Nuys Airport, a replica of an old World War II fighter plane, a duck pond, an army Jeep and a Red Cross ambulance.

Olga, however, couldn’t see much.

“As nervous as I was,” said Olga Allen, 41, “everything was a kind of blur.”

Because it was her second marriage, she opted for something less “uppity.” When she first checked the place out, because of its unusual location, she was afraid that her family might have doubts.

“I started laughing so hard,” she said. “I could see my family saying, ‘It’s so disgusting.’ But I wanted something different.”

It made Hoss happy too.

“I fly model airplanes,” he said. “I’m a plane fanatic.”

Fortunately, Hoss had his back to the runway so he wouldn’t be distracted.

Many couples gather in a brick dining room area that Cathy De Guzman, director of catering, calls the “bombshell patio.” It was built in 1972 as a replica to a heavily shelled French farmhouse; there are several big holes in the ceiling and a host of artifacts from both World Wars on the grounds and walls. The real 94th Aero Squadron was one of the first American fighter squadrons to see combat service in World War I.

De Guzman said the rental price is negotiable, but she normally charges about $200 for 100 guests. Call (818) 994-7439.

La Maida House, 11159 La Maida St., North Hollywood--a bed and breakfast for the betrothed to take the next step.

Situated on a quiet, residential street, the 7,000-square-foot Italian villa was built in 1926 and features a spacious living room, a high ceiling, a marble fireplace and an 1881 grand piano. But it’s the grounds--a big lawn, magnolia trees, assortment of flowers, antique Italian fountain--that appeal to the bride and groom.

“We looked at other B & Bs, but they couldn’t hold that many people,” said Rita Sowins of Glendale, who got married in March, 1992. “We loved the garden, and we just wanted that feeling of being in a house.”

The villa costs $1,800 to rent. Call (818) 769-3857.

Orcutt Ranch, 23600 Roscoe Blvd., West Hills--four wedding sites in one: a gazebo, nature trail, rose garden and arbor area. Couples can stage the ceremony at one spot and take photos everywhere else. A Spanish-style home hosts receptions.

“We believe in variety,” said Cheryl Tabbi, wedding coordinator at the 24-acre ranch. “You can make it look like you were married in four different places.”

Most people prefer the gazebo as the most romantic spot on the property. High heels can dig into the ground too much at the rose garden, and brides don’t like to get their long dresses dirty at the nature trail site.

Linda Rodengill of Venice, however, chose the rose garden.

“We wanted it to be more free-flowing,” she said. “Then everyone can be in the same spot and see everything.”

She said another factor in Orcutt’s favor was that it resembles the country homes of her native England.

“We both love old homes and antiques,” Rodengill said, “and we wanted to throw our own party. Too many places try to control everything.”

The ranch was the vacation residence of William and Mary Orcutt in the early 1900s. Orcutt is recognized by many as the father of modern geology. In the 1920s, the site was known as Rancho Sombra del Roble--ranch of the shaded oak.

On Fridays and weekends, it costs $350 for three hours or less; an additional hour may be purchased for $50. The fee Mondays through Thursdays is $275. Call (818) 346-7449.

Calabasas Inn, 23500 Park Sorrento, Calabasas--Evie Fingerman-Alloy was having dinner at the inn more than 10 years ago when the idea first hit her.

“It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen,” she said. “I saw a wedding going on the outside and asked about it. They said they had weddings there all the time, and I decided that if I ever got married again, that’s where I would want to do it.”

In March, 1992, she did it.

“I loved the waterfall,” she said.

As do most people who get married there, said Elissa Chenen, a banquet consultant at the inn. “Ninety-eight percent of the people who come here have seen pictures of the waterfall and that’s why they get married here.”

The waterfall serves as the backdrop to most ceremonies, as guests sit on chairs on the spacious lawn. The cost is $650 for an hour ceremony. Call (818) 222-8870.

Friendship Gardens, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale--David and Caril Drake do not consider themselves traditionalists, so getting married at a church was out from the start.

“We’re more free-spirited,” said David Drake, who got married a month ago at the gardens, situated in the western end of Brand Park.

The Drakes especially loved the garden’s ponds and Japanese-style tea house. From their home in Glendale, only a few blocks from the park, the couple took a horse carriage to their ceremony.

The gardens feature a beautiful array of yellow, red, pink and purple flowers that surround the pond. The tea house and pond create a wonderful backdrop to any event. The gardens are far enough away from the road to avoid traffic noises or other disruptions. Couples also get a panoramic view of the nearby hills.

The cost is $510 for six hours, which can be used for a wedding or reception, or both. Call (818) 548-2147.

Peter Strauss Ranch, 30000 Mulholland Highway, Agoura--Situated next to the Santa Monica Mountains, the site offers couples a chance to get married in nature, secluded from civilization. Operated by the National Park Service, the ranch features a wide, pretty lawn where most couples say their vows. Some choose to have the ceremony next to the stone amphitheater in the side of a hill.

“It’s a very quiet place,” said Alice Allen, National Park Service permit coordinator. “It was a home that Peter Strauss and his wife created. There’s a very personal feeling about the site that attracts people.”

The price ranges from $300 to $600, depending on the number of guests. Call (818) 597-1936.

Vincent Hill Station, Acton--for those who want to hold their wedding in the past. Known for decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a depot for the Southern Pacific railroad, the restaurant has tried to re-create the old days--seven brown Southern Pacific cabooses were built for decoration, and a few symbols of an English train station have been placed outside, including a phone booth and signs of different destinations.

“We wanted to make people have a unique atmosphere,” manager Ryan Watt said.

Couples get married outside the restaurant, usually next to the phone booth. Watt said he does not charge for the ceremony, only for whatever guests order from the menu, which offers French and American cuisine. Call (805) 272-4799.

Valencia Country Club, 27330 N. Tourney Road, Valencia--another quiet spot, just off the Golden State Freeway, on the other side of Magic Mountain. Here, couples say their vows on a brick patio with a view of the lush, well-kept golf course. There’s also a nice view of the surrounding hills, and the spot is very quiet.

The price ranges from $300 and up, depending on the number of guests. Call (805) 259-0042.