Destination Weddings in Santa Barbara

At Montecito Country Club, you may be surprised to know that most of our weddings are destination in nature. Long gone are the myths that destination weddings are for tropical islands with only 20 guests in attendance. A Destination Wedding is now described as a wedding in which the majority of guests coming are from out of town. It may be that the bride or groom grew up in Santa Barbara, moved away and now wishes to celebrate their nuptials back in their "hometown". Or as is more common, many couples from big cities know what a destination hot spot Santa Barbara is. Known as the "American Riviera", our property boasts some of the most beautiful views of the Santa Barbara Harbor, Channel Islands and mountains in the county. The architecture of the Montecito Country Club is Spanish in nature and the convenient location to many hotels suiting a variety of budgets only makes it that more ideal. With all the activities available to couples and their guests in Santa Barbara, many couples make their wedding weekend an entire weekend of festivities and activities for guests (i.e. harbor cruises, wine tasting tours, etc). While Montecito Country Club is ideal for wedding ceremonies and receptions, many have also chosen it for their Farewell Brunches, Bridesmaids Luncheons, Welcome Receptions the Friday prior to the wedding day to allow guests coming from all over to have a chance to visit one on one before the "hub" of the big day and much more.

Since Destination Weddings are so popular, we asked our local leading professional wedding planners what they recommended for couples considering getting married out of town for a destination wedding. Here are their top 5 tips:

1. Decide on a location in the town you desire.

2. Know the marriage laws and marriage license information in advance

3. Visit at least once - whether it is to take care of legal details or you are simply looking for your ideal wedding location, your first-hand knowledge from your visit will help in your planning and conveying important information to your wedding guests.

4. Get professional help locally. By booking your wedding and reception at an established venue with impeccable references and reputation, you are ensuring a seamless day. By hiring a professional wedding planner to assist with all the details from your long distance, you will save time and money.

5. Give your family and friends plenty of notice. Send out Save the Date cards, or electronic Save the Date "cards". Many couples have found use of Wedding Websites invaluable to keeping their guests posted about the wedding plans, special activities happening during the wedding weekend and much more.

With a little planning and communication to all, your Santa Barbara wedding can not only be one of the most memorable days of your life, but can provide memories for a lifetime for your guests as well.

All photographs in this post by Kate Mefford.