The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic Los Angeles was held at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. The West Coast edition celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. After seeing the pictures from the June Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic on Instagram during my girls’ trip to Vegas, the seed was planted about the Los Angeles polo match in October.

The photos we were seeing were so over the top, colorful, and had beautifully dressed people all in the name of sunshine and champagne. What was a casual mention by the pool became a real thing and I’m so glad that we made the commitment to go and were able to experience the event ourselves!

Polo Classic Ticket Tiers

There were three different ticket tiers for the Polo Classic: General, Rose Garden, and La Grande Dame. Here are the details and prices of each.

General Admission: $90-$150

• General Admission event entry
• Shuttles to-and-from check-in lot and event grounds
• Access to champagne bars, merchandise tent, games, and gourmet food trucks
• First-come, first-served open lawn seating

If you paid a little more, you also received:

• Exclusive access to the first set of shuttles for early entry
• Limited Edition Veuve Clicquot Yellow Flutes compliments of American Express

Rose Garden: $500

The Veuve Clicquot Rosé Garden had open lounge seating and beautiful décor. Your ticket included:
• One bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rosé champagne
• Individual gourmet lunch
• Dedicated parking and shuttle service to-and-from check-in lot and event grounds
• Dedicated champagne bars, photo moments, merchandise tent, and photo booth

La Grande Dame: $1,900

• Exclusive access to the Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Garden with champagne bottle service and prime fieldside views
• One bottle of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2008 + two glasses of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 2008 champagne
• Gourmet champagne lunch
• Dedicated intimate lounge seating
• Complimentary valet parking and dedicated boarding for shuttles to-and-from check-in lot and event grounds

My Rosé Garden Experience

I was pumped about the Rosé Garden after a friend of mine raved about it after every event. She’s gone many years and is a very trusted source as many of the same things either delight or annoy us. Ha! An upgraded ticket provided a separate entrance, shuttles and everything for both Rosé Garden and La Grande Dame.

The Rosé Garden upon arrival

One of the two photo backdrops in the Rosé Garden.

When you walked in, there were pops of pink and orange and music playing to keep the excitement up! The floral arches throughout the garden were beautiful, but I have to tell you,  a couple of people mentioned that they were used last year among other decor and furniture. It didn’t really matter to me, but I can see how it would bother those expecting a different experience.

There was never a long line at any of the champagne bars or food stations. Your bottle of brut rosé was opened when you redeemed your tag from your wristband, so you had to consume the bottle on-site. All of that was communicated in advance so it wasn’t a surprise. The wine came in the cutest carrier which made it easy to transport and also keep your wine cool as you were navigating the grounds.

Food, though? I wasn’t that impressed. The box lunch was just all right and the couscous side salad was the standout! Sadly, it was in a small container.

There was one photo booth and for hundreds of people, that was just not it. The line was out of control and so was the swag line. I stood in line for about 35 minutes to purchase a couple of things. Granted, the line went down once the match had commenced but I didn’t want to miss the match and I also didn’t want the items I wanted to sell out.

Your Questions Answered

I asked you all on my Instagram stories what you wanted to know about the event that I didn’t already share, so I’m answering your questions right here and right now!

Q: How long does the event run? Is there more than one match?

A: The event started at 11am and the last shuttle left around 6pm. We arrived around 12:30 and were able to secure a spot. There is one match.

Q: Do a lot of ladies wear heels?

A: Yes, they do! However, I did not. I knew I would be walking on grass and dirt all day and that just seemed like a disaster. I opted for a wedge sandal. But, everyone is dressed to impress. You’ve got to make the decision for yo’self!

Q: What was in the swag bags?

A: Absolutely nothing – because there were no swag bags. They had swag to purchase, starting at $15 for a bottle stopper and going up to $150 for a straw bag. I was disappointed that they didn’t have any hand fans, stickers or anything available for people. My friend did come up on a hand fan but I can’t remember the story of how she got it. Anyway, the marketer in me thinks it was a huge miss, especially with the bottle stopper. They opened up your bottles once you redeemed your ticket in the rose garden, so unless you brought your own stopper, you were just walking around with an open bottle of champagne. Not the worst thing, but also not the best!

Q: How do you get invited? Did you buy your ticket?

A: I’m not sure, but my guess is that you have some sort of celebrity status or are a preferred vendor of the brand. I purchased my ticket.

Q: Is it worth the splurge on high-end tickets?

A: I really want to have a different answer then what I’m about to say. My answer is I’m not sure. Here’s why.

• All of the spectacular photo opps were on the general admission side which was on the waaaay other side of the field, which you couldn’t cross and there weren’t any shuttles or golf carts escorting people. You literally had to walk the perimeter in the sun to get over there and guess who just didn’t want to do that. A miss on my part? Maybe, but I believe the event organizers should’ve thought about that.
• Once your bottle of champagne was empty, you then had to purchase glasses of champagne + cocktails at a premium. I’m sorry, but if I have an upgraded ticket, and I’m at a Veuve event put on by Veuve, I don’t understand the upcharge. Happy to pay for additional wine but the markup was lame to me.
• A friend of mine was in the La Grande Dame area and the lunch was pretty meager. All small plates and cheese + charcuterie, which is great for photos and the event flow, but she didn’t receive access to anything more substantial like the box lunches we had in the rose garden.

Q: Outfit deets please! Where is the dress from?

A: You can shop my look below! This dress was a steal on ASOS. Click any image to be taken to the website.

Biggest Question of All: Would you go again?

The next polo classic is on the East Coast on Saturday, June 6, 2020, and even with my “okay” experience at the LA one, I am planning to attend. I feel as a fan of the brand, I owe it to myself to check it out especially since the East Coast traditionally has a different flavor, one that I am always loving. So, yes, I’m already thinking about my outfit. 🙂 But, I’m really hoping that they increase the photo opportunities and games on the Rosé Garden side or at least make it more accessible for those with upgraded tickets. It is so annoying to go through the hashtag and feel like I could’ve had a better experience and kept some money in my pocket by opting for a different ticket. At the end of the day, it is a really fun day if you spend it with friends. With the bubbly ready and plentiful, you can have a very memorable day with your favorite people to enjoy life or celebrate a special occasion.

You can get more information on the upcoming polo classic on the website and by following Veuve Clicquot on Instagram.

Cheers!

Ma frens!