The Top 5 Santa Barbara Wedding Venues
A 2023 Guide
Full of the laid-back luxury so prevalent in Southern California, Santa Barbara wedding venues are some of the most sought-after, world-renowned wedding venues in the world.
I’ve been photographing weddings on the west coast for nearly 16 years and I can say that some of the most beautiful venues in the world are found in Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara County.
If you are looking for a luxury wedding venue that is sure to wow all of your guests, you are looking in the right spot.
Let’s look at my top Santa Barbara wedding venues to help jumpstart your search for the perfect place to get married in Southern California.
Top 5 Santa Barbara Wedding Venues
There is no shortage of Santa Barbara wedding venues that offer a phenomenal experience in a luxury setting. So remember, that this list is not conclusive but rather touches on the venues that I have direct experience with that I can attest are exceptional.
Ojai Valley Inn
Ojai Valley Inn is quintessential California, with its Spanish revival architecture and painfully chic decor. While technically located in Ventura County, this historic inn is close to enough to be considered a Santa Barbara wedding venue.
This hotel offers laid-back luxury at its finest, perfect for a discerning couple looking for a wedding venue that screams luxury but isn’t pretentious. Ojai Valley Inn frequently makes appearances in magazines such as Conde Nast and Travel and Leisure — both in features and in “best of” lists.
The Hotel
Ojai Valley Inn is located in Ventura County, east of Santa Barbara and just north of Ventura. Nestled in 220 acres flanked by the Topatopa mountains, the inn is easily accessible from Santa Barbara, Ventura, and LA - making it the perfect spot for a destination wedding.
The history of the land is spiritual and sacred. Originally the home of Chumash Indians, the land has long been seen as a mystical place, full of energy that creates a feeling of peace rarely duplicated elsewhere. Today, the Ojai Valley Inn is a spiritual retreat, respecting the history of the land and inviting its visitors to unwind from the chaos of modern-day living.
Set amid acres of lavender and olive trees, the hotel itself is as refined as its surroundings with quiet Mediterranean hues and elegant Spanish hacienda decor.
Wedding Details
With lush gardens, the Topatopa mountains, and the peaceful calm radiating from the land, the Ojai Valley Inn is quite the place to begin a marriage.
There are several ceremony sites available for onsite weddings. You can get married at the giant oak tree near the Artist’s Cottage or at the Hacienda Courtyard for a more intimate ceremony. The resort also offers several beautiful ballrooms, with up to a 300-guest limit, as well as a newly built modern farmhouse venue as well.
Belmond El Encanto in Santa Barbara
If beach views are more your vibe, then the Belmond El Encanto offers another great option for your wedding with its sweeping ocean views and intimate private cottages.
Stylish and chic, this resort is all sea breezes and fresh air, luxury, and relaxation.
The Hotel
Belmond El Encanto began as the original Hollywood getaway back in the early 1900s. With old screen legends such as Clark Gable and Carole Lombard putting the hideaway on the map, the resort continues to thrive as a destination for creatives looking for a place to unwind and relax.
Today, the resort continues to thrive and inspire. Its location, a mere 9 miles from the Santa Barbara airport, makes it an easy escape — and an even easier destination wedding location.
Wedding Details
With both ballrooms and elegant outdoor options, you can easily design a wedding that is personal and meaningful. There is a wisteria-lined arbor, sophisticated ballrooms, and whimsical gardens that give “Secret Garden Vibes”. One of my favorite spots at the resort is the lily pond. It makes an excellent ready-made aisle or a serene spot for couple portraits.
Rosewood Miramar in Montecito
Down the road from Santa Barbara is Montecito, home to some of the most beautiful coastline in California (and to some of the biggest celebrities as well). Also located in Montecito is the Rosewood Miramar in Montecito. This gracious, elegant resort is in high demand for weddings, making it the perfect place to wow your guests and create memories for a lifetime.
The Hotel
The Rosewood Miramar in Montecito is one of the newest additions to luxurious Southern California resorts. The resort opened its doors in 2019 and captivated the America Riviera since. With timeless elegance, the hotel is like stepping back to a more simple time; but in the same breath, it is modern and cutting-edge.
The hotel has 161 rooms and suites, two pools, a spa, and some fabulous restaurant options. The hotel also has a private beach which is a huge perk. Another fun little addition? A passenger train runs through the property giving the resort lively entertainment several times a day.
Wedding Details
It’s the small details that really sets Rosewood Miramar on the map for luxury weddings — like the cutest stretch Fiat gold cart (it's pink!) that takes couples around the venue. Like most Santa Barbara wedding venues, there are several options for ceremony and reception locations, all of which are outstanding.
My favorite area is a grand estate lawn that makes for a stunning location for both ceremonies and receptions. You can also take phenomenal portraits there as it offers mountain views, a private beach, and cobblestone pathways (basically a little of everything).
Bacara Santa Barbara, A Ritz Carlton Resort
The Ritz Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara is everything you would imagine a Ritz Carlton in Santa Barbara would be - 78 pristine acres of pure elegance. This location is perfect for the couple looking for a timeless and oh-so-luxurious venue with world-class service.
The Hotel
Located twelve miles north of Santa Barbara, the Bacara Resort is easily accessible but still remote enough to feel like you are truly getting away from everything. The 358 guest rooms are all impeccably decorated with a chic but laid-back California style and its signature restaurant, Angel Oak, is well known for its extensive wine collection.
Wedding Details
Hosting a wedding at Bacara Santa Barbara is, without a doubt, a luxurious affair. From stately ballrooms to outdoor ceremonies with endless ocean vistas, you truly have so many options. The resort also offers one of the prettiest indoor venues in the area, the Rotunda. With its floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the ocean, you’ll feel like you are outside, with the convenience of being indoors.
To add to the already impeccable venue, a Bacara Santa Barbara wedding is pet friendly, has a dance floor, and has valet parking for your guests.
Klentner Ranch
Klentner Ranch is a definitively western-style polo ranch with California style. If one word were to describe the ranch it would be rustic-luxe — luxurious but unpretentious, laid-back, and attuned with nature. A wedding here can be refined but still down-to-earth and very natural.
Klentner Ranch is the one location on my list that is not a hotel and does not offer overnight stays. Instead, it is solely a private venue.
While the lack of lodging may seem like a negative, the reality is that the privacy and exclusivity that the ranch offers make the 10-mile trek into Santa Barbara worth it. (Plus, it is very easy to set up transportation for your guests).
Wedding Details
The Klentner Ranch offers a blank space, so to speak, for its wedding couples. Everything at the venue must be built, giving you total control over your wedding day. You have use of the polo field (perfect for a tent), the pool area, or the gardens. Since there is no indoor space at the ranch, a tent is highly recommended.
Photography at Santa Barbara Wedding Venues
As a seasoned wedding photographer in the Santa Barbara area, l would love to chat with you about your wedding and the vision you have for your wedding photography. Reach out today for more information.