Santa Barbara, California is known as “The American Riviera” for good reason. Just north of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is located on the sparkling Pacific Ocean with the majestic Santa Ynez mountains as a backdrop. With a year-round temperate climate, this dreamy Southern California region is a fantastic locale for an outdoor wedding. Here are some of our favorite outdoor wedding venues in Santa Barbara County.

If you’re looking for an iconic hotel that harkens back to old Hollywood glamour but with a modern twist, then Belmond El Encanto may be the perfect venue for your Santa Barbara wedding. Perched high in the Santa Barbara hills on seven acres, this timeless hotel is the perfect place to declare your love. Host a micro-wedding by the wishing well, a romantic reception beside the Arbor and Lily Ponds, or plan a lavish event in the grand ballroom.

800 Alvarado Pl
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Website

Located in the charming village of Solvang in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort melds the spirit of the Old West with contemporary resort-style charms. This sprawling 10,000-acre ranch features 50 miles of riding trails, a 100-acre spring-fed lake, two 18-hole championship golf courses, tennis courts, a pool, spa, and fine dining. Choose from a range of beautiful outdoor venues, from the enchanting setting of the Sycamore Grove, to the historic Adobe, the breathtaking Proposal Point (overlooking the private lake) to the intimate Creekside Lawn. This picturesque ranch offers endless options for a wedding of any size. When you reserve the entire Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, you and your group will have full reign of everything.

1054 Alisal Rd
Solvang, CA 93463
Website

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara expresses the romance of this coastal city with a collection of distinctive wedding venues. The Bluff overlooks the Pacific Ocean and can accommodate up to 300 guests. The Terrace and Lawns is another spectacular outdoor venue featuring ocean views and surrounded by lush landscaping.

8301 Hollister Ave
Santa Barbara, CA 93117
Website

San Ysidro Ranch is a magnificent oasis of tranquility spanning 500 acres and 17 miles of hiking trails nestled in the Montecito foothills between the mountains and ocean. This iconic ranch has served as a relaxing retreat for countless celebrities, including Audrey Hepburn, Winston Churchill, JFK and Jackie (who had their honeymoon here), Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh (who were married here), and many other actors, rock stars, politicians, and writers.

900 San Ysidro Ranch
Santa Barbara CA 93108
Website

Looking for something a little different? Hotel Californian offers three rooftop wedding venues. The largest rooftop venue, the Mirador, features poolside ambiance with panoramic views of the ocean and mountains. If you need a little more space, the 4,500-square-foot Court of Califia event lawn is surrounded by dramatic Spanish colonial architecture and a palm-shaded courtyard.

36 State St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Website

If you’re looking for laid back sophistication for your wedding day, then look no further than the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. This luxury resort is set on 22 acres of romantic gardens between the sparkling Pacific Ocean and the breathtaking Santa Ynez Mountains. Imagine saying “I do" with an intimate seaside ceremony at Butterfly Beach followed by an elegant reception in the Mariposa Garden surrounded by lush palm trees, babbling fountains and incredible 1930s Spanish Colonial architecture.

Santa Barbara Historical Museum is an early Spanish California cultural landmark located in the heart of Santa Barbara's historic district. This romantic setting offers two private, interconnected courtyards distinguished by native and exotic landscaping and accented with ambient fountains.

Rosewood Miramar Beach is situated on 16 acres of pristine oceanfront property in Montecito. This marvelous resort has several lawn and garden areas ranging from 800 to 8,000 square feet that serve as exquisite outdoor wedding venues.

1759 S Jameson Ln
Montecito, CA 93108
Website

Enjoy rustic romance in the foothills of Carpinteria at Klentner Ranch. This 40-acre ranch boasts a large polo field with ocean views, rustic barns, avocado orchards, a tranquil swimming pool and private garden settings. Your wedding will feel ultra private and luxurious at Klentner Ranch.

3344 Foothill Rd
Carpinteria, CA 93013
Website

If you want to get “wild” at your wedding, then The Santa Barbara Zoo may be the perfect outdoor wedding venue. You and your guests will enjoy nearly 30 acres of lush gardens, ocean views, and 146 species of majestic mammals, reptiles, birds and insects. The Zoo is available for private use from 5 – 10 p.m. year-round. Have your ceremony in the beautiful Palm Garden (which can accommodate up to 250 guests) and your reception on the Hilltop reception site (which can accommodate parties of up to 2500). You’ll not only have an unforgettable wedding venue, but you’ll also support this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization’s conservation efforts.

Southern California-based Bonnie Foster Productions (BFP) travels globally and has provided its award-winning, world-class live and hybrid musical entertainment for weddings and special events at the majority of these Santa Barbara County wedding venues.

Bonnie Foster Productions incorporates a decades-evolving proprietary winning formula developed over 42 years at Wayne Foster Entertainment, a legendary musical family business established in 1972 by Bonnie Foster’s parents, Marin and Wayne Foster.

We also team up with highly-rated, professional, creative, and service-oriented vendor partners to provide custom dance floors, stages, backdrops, event lighting, P.A. sound systems, vintage and contemporary furniture rentals, floral designs, traditional, contemporary & mobile photo booths, LED walls, wedding photography and videography, virtual wedding live-streaming services and much more.

Your wedding will be the one that you and your guests will be inspired to participate in, truly enjoy, always remember and talk about for decades after the last note is played. Call or text us today at (858) 967-0167 to see how we can partner with you to make your wedding musically extraordinary, exceptionally gorgeous, and ultimately memorable and engaging for you, your families, and friends.

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Blog Header Photo by Lauren Scotti