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Cheap Wedding Venue
updated: Mar 05, 2013, 8:57 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Help! I've grown up in Santa Barbara all of my life, born and raised as one may call it. My question to the community is...does anyone know of a venue that can host a wedding for under $10,000 and still hold 75 people?? I know nothing about wedding planning, as I am just beginning. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 381484	2013-03-05 09:00 AM
El Paseo.
KIDS	2013-03-05 09:03 AM
The SB Independent Wedding Issue is on the stands now. Maybe it will give you ideas.
COMMENT 381487	2013-03-05 09:03 AM
Rockwood? Also, Earl Warren will be having their annual Wedding Faire soon. All kinds of info, vendors, etc.
COMMENT 381489	2013-03-05 09:06 AM
How about the beach?
COMMENT 381490	2013-03-05 09:08 AM
I got married and had my reception at the Western Carriage Museum. It was the perfect size and a lot of fun. Also parking is no problem too.
COMMENT 381491	2013-03-05 09:13 AM
Elks Lodge can. Their grove is a nice little area for the ceramony and depending on the season for the reception as well or go inside.
COMMENT 381493P	2013-03-05 09:17 AM
My house. It will be a little cozy but I can use the $10,000.
COMMENT 381495	2013-03-05 09:18 AM
Condor @ SeaLanding
COMMENT 381500	2013-03-05 09:22 AM
The Elks, Moose, or Eagles Lodge are probably your most affordable options. Check and see if anyone associated with the wedding is a member of any of these lodges.
COMMENT 381501P	2013-03-05 09:27 AM
I don't know the current prices, but I held an event at the Faculty Club at UCSB in 2004 and it was very reasonable. Lovely location, overlooking the lagoon. Parking for guests was included in the cost.
COMMENT 381503	2013-03-05 09:30 AM
Rincon Catering has a place on Santa Claus Lane and does a great job with catering. They are wonderful people and help several non-profits in town. Recommend them highly.
COMMENT 381505	2013-03-05 09:36 AM
The University Club is a good spot. All-inclusive, $50/pp minimum.
COMMENT 381507	2013-03-05 09:43 AM
Try the Santa Barbara Cabrillo Arts Pavilion Center. Very beautiful location! The view is just breathtaking. Especially on a dreamy wedding night celebration!
COMMENT 381508	2013-03-05 09:47 AM
The Faculty Club at UCSB is a nice setting and the rates are reasonable.
COMMENT 381510	2013-03-05 09:49 AM
I got married at Rockwood Women's Club last year - it was beautiful!! With Rockwood, you have a lot of freedom with all of the vendors - as opposed to other places that will only allow you to use certain caterers or rentals which can make the wedding more expensive. Ours was in the neighborhood of $15,000 total with 140 people - I cut a lot of corners, but also splurged on a couple things - loved our photographer and my dress (it was over $2,000!!?! - never thought I'd spend that much on a dress!) Good Luck planning - and don't freak out if everything doesn't turn out exactly as you pictured - just enjoy the day!!
COMMENT 381515	2013-03-05 10:03 AM
Carpinteria Lions Club. Rincon Beach Club. Santa Barbara Historic Museum. Womans Rockwood Memorial Hall. Chase Palm Park Pavillion. Cabrillo Arts. Veterans Memorial. Goleta Stow House
COMMENT 381516	2013-03-05 10:06 AM
$10,000 is cheap? I guess $10,000 *is* cheap compared to the vulgar exhibitions of excess, pomp and opulence, typified by the Kardashian "wedding" of a year or so ago.... which lasted all of few *weeks*. Where has our sense of values gone? I was married 20 years ago and the entire thing cost under $200. I am still happily married. Save your money... you may need it in the future, as the screws are inexorably tightening around we-the-people
COMMENT 381517	2013-03-05 10:06 AM
You basically have three options: 1) Church wedding w/ onsite reception venue 2) Reception venue w/ onsite wedding ceremony 3) Outdoor ceremony w/ reception onsite or somewhere else #3 is the cheapest option and allows for the most creativity. You can crash (or pay a fee for) any beach or park for your ceremony and go anywhere for your reception e.g a flash mob wedding at the Mission rose garden or the beach and El Paseo or Stella Mare for the reception. The roof of the Canary Hotel for the ceremony and reception. As soon as you have to hire a caterer vs. using a restaurant the costs go up fast. #1& #2 are the most expensive. In this category the University Club is the top choice if you want a fancier, pretty indoor location with exceptional onsite catering. They may not have room for an onsite ceremony for 75; so you would do it somewhere else.
COMMENT 381521	2013-03-05 10:13 AM
The Yacht Club is suprisingly reasonable as well!
COMMENT 381524P	2013-03-05 10:18 AM
I had mine at Rockwood. It was reasonable, but parking was an issue.
COMMENT 381526	2013-03-05 10:19 AM
There are lots of great venues in Santa Barbara. The Rockwood Womans club and the Rincon Beach Club are both amazing venues. You can get married and have your reception at their locations without having to travel. Also the Santa Barbara Zoo, which is catered by Rincon is also a great venue. The Cabrillo Arts Pavilion is good and you can get married on the beach in front of the venue. If you speak to your caterer they can suggest venues too. I highly recommend Pure Joy and Rincon catering. I've played at over 600 weddings in Santa Barbara and you can't go wrong with either company. Good Luck!!!
COMMENT 381542P	2013-03-05 10:42 AM
Anyone know the price to do this at SB Historical Museum? I was there once when they were setting up for a sit-down dinner in the courtyard and it looked enchanting.
COMMENT 381562	2013-03-05 11:25 AM
Any local park. The fees are very minimal. Including the sunken gardens.
COMMENT 381565	2013-03-05 11:32 AM
@542P - When I looked into the Historical Museum it was $5000 to rent and they had restrictions on approved vendors. I'd also put a good word in for the Big Easy Catering Co - best deal in town!
COMMENT 381569	2013-03-05 11:36 AM
Most of the venues for receptions -- e.g. SB Historical Museum, Zoo, require that you bring in (meaning RENT) everything from the chairs, tables, plates, linens, lighting, etc. from outside vendors plus food, beverage, decorations, and music. Only a few venues such as Yacht Club and University Club have ONSITE food and services and tables and chairs so you can get a quote that is all-inclusive. Rockwood has tables and chairs but you hire the caterer and rent everything else (last time I checked). The choice is between a backdrop for which you rent everything you need vs. backdrop that already has food service and dining arrangements or some combination.
COMMENT 381584	2013-03-05 11:53 AM
Do you have to have it in SB? Santa Barbara is known as a destination wedding location, so most of the places are over priced. Why don't you find a vineyard in S.Y. valley or Ojai? Gorgeous locations and it will be cheaper.
COMMENT 381586P	2013-03-05 12:03 PM
Dos Pueblos Ranch- Search for Trisha Fountaine I think she is the gal who does the events out there.
COMMENT 381587P	2013-03-05 12:03 PM
I did it in our back yard in Goleta, about the same number of people, for well under $2,000 total, about 20 years ago. We didn't want things, so our reception was a potluck. The only gifts we ended up having to deal with some guests who gifted us with the containers their potluck offerings came in, which was cool and practical. We provided flowers, rented tables and chairs, and all the drinks. I wore a family wedding dress. Everyone had a lovely time. Spending $ to have a nice wedding is not required.
COMMENT 381588	2013-03-05 12:03 PM
I held mine at the El Encanto (few years back) and you can serve lunch instead of dinner to keep the cost down. No rental of chairs required around the lily pool for the service itself. Turned out lovely.
COMMENT 381606	2013-03-05 12:33 PM
As always, so much judgment. Some people like a simple home wedding. Others prefer .. and can afford ... a different venue. To each his own. There are many lovely places recommended here and I hope the OP finds something suitable.
COMMENT 381619	2013-03-05 12:46 PM
The Mural Room at the courthouse is beautiful and very inexpensive. You hardly need any decorations at all. You would have to have your reception somewhere else, but there are so many great places that you would have your pick of the litter. The French Table is across the street - not sure if they host events, but it's worth a try. Since they are a recent addition to the area, they may be eager to please. You could also look into other County and City parks. Chase Palm Park Plaza (by the carousel) is inexpensive and charming, but you have to bring rentals and food in.
PJG	2013-03-05 12:46 PM
First United Methodist Church is beautiful and they have a reception hall. They are very reasonable. However, no booze allowed. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum also rents out for weddings/receptions. However, I don't know the price or capacity.
COMMENT 381625	2013-03-05 12:53 PM
SY wineries are the priciest wedding venues by far because they are big for "destination" weddings. You can do local beautifully and affordably. Also I believe the El Encanto ripped out the lily pond a while ago. Wasn't that documented here on Edhat?
COMMENT 381631	2013-03-05 01:10 PM
Julia?
COMMENT 381634P	2013-03-05 01:16 PM
A very informative thread. Thanks and congratulations to the OP.
COMMENT 381635P	2013-03-05 01:18 PM
When I was doing this research more than 25 years ago, someone suggested the garden at San Ysidro Ranch. I assumed that it would be too expensive, but it turned out the event coordinators at the Ranch were great about tailoring the event to stay within our budget (we had to use them as the caterers). We had about 100 people in the garden for both the ceremony and reception, and it was lovely (one friend said ours was the best wedding she'd been to, after her own). One bonus was that with the beauty of the garden, we didn't have to bother with floral centerpieces or other decorations.
COMMENT 381655	2013-03-05 02:02 PM
Seriously... look in the current Independent's Wedding Issue. Take a lot at and talk to all the venues listed. See what you get for what they're asking. $10K for the venue sounds like a lot of mullah, though it's unclear if you expect catering and rentals to be included or if that's what you mean by "host the wedding". Best wishes... whatever y'all decide.
KNITALIFE	2013-03-05 02:26 PM
One venue I didn't see mentioned that pleasantly surprised me at a recent wedding reception I attended is the Carrillo Rec Center. I do not know how much it cost to rent, but I do know that this was a couple on a budget, although you never would have guessed it by the presentation at the event -- beautiful! It is newly renovated and very nice with a great ambiance!
BURNTTHISTLE	2013-03-05 02:39 PM
City or county park with reservation area. ie. Stanwood, Toro Cyn., Palm Park,
COMMENT 381669	2013-03-05 02:47 PM
The Museum of Natural History has a nice hall with tables and chairs available. I've seen catered events there. Or you could probably rent a large bbq rig like they use at Fiesta and hire a few college students from the City College culinary school to grill. Costco has stuff like shrimp platters and salad kits. How hard could it be? --Two grand tops
COMMENT 381692	2013-03-05 03:55 PM
Yes, 587P, we did exactly the same thing and had a lovely time as well. It was an amazingly fun and memorable occasion. No, spending lots of $ on a wedding is not required.
COMMENT 381693P	2013-03-05 04:02 PM
I highly recommend Rockwood. It was the best value we found and the coordinator was excellent to work with. I loved having our ceremony and reception all in one place and the setting is absolutely beautiful! We went over to the Mission to take photos at Sunset. It was an amazing day.
COMMENT 381720	2013-03-05 05:32 PM
Don't!
COMMENT 381721	2013-03-05 05:34 PM
516, you're confusing values with your opinion. There's not wrong at all with having any kind of budget for your wedding. If you want a $200 from 20 years ago, great. If you want a 20 grand wedding next week, great. If you can pay for it and it's what you want, there's no question or morals or value to it. Until you decide to put on there, which is wrong.
NATURE BOY	2013-03-05 07:39 PM
I'm not a snob, but... getting married at a Lodge? Elks, Moose, or Eagles? It's a bit... I dunno, lowbrow? Nothing against lodges, but aren't they really places where people drink beer and play bingo under fluorescent lights? Which is great. But having your special day there?
COMMENT 381752	2013-03-05 08:06 PM
We had ours at the amphitheater at Godric Grove in Elings Park. The amphitheater is very nice with one of the best views around. There is also a great area for the reception right next to the amphitheater. You can definitely fit the venue into your budget and have it catered by a number of companies. We used Fresco and were happy. So many beautiful choices in the area!
COMMENT 381753P	2013-03-05 08:15 PM
I've been officiating for 11 years and here are some of my thoughts. The Courthouse Mural Room, which good for photos, has very poor sound quality for the ceremony so if you have elderly people, it is very boomy and hard to hear in there. Any outdoor location that is public is subject to yahoos and to the noise and distractions of the weather and public. Intimate settings for the ceremony, such as the Unitarian Church or the Historical Museum are lovely and much cozier than an open space. The Historical Museum is also quintessential Santa Barbara-really lovely. Most all parks and open spaces in SB are gorgeous. The Biltmore does a perfect job everytime, and they "can" work with you on the cost, plus their food is fantastic. That said, I was married 18 years ago in a back yard with a small catering company and it was very, very nice. We started our marriage without debt that way. Good luck!
COMMENT 381758P	2013-03-05 09:20 PM
If I had to do it all over again, I would absolutely get married at the SB County Courthouse (either in the tower or Mural Room) and then have the reception at that cute little restaurant across the street (The French Table). Just do passed heavy hors d'oeuvres instead of a 'sit down' meal. You will be able to see and talk to more guests that way. if you have more than 100 people, it will be very difficult to talk to everyone. Keep it small! Keep your $20000 more dollars (that i spent on mine). Don't get me wrong, I love my hubby, but I regret spending that kind of dough.
COMMENT 381771P	2013-03-06 01:11 AM
SB Historical Museum. On a Sunday. Nice and quiet. Lovely setting. Flat and easy to walk around, for those older guests. No dance floor, but you didn't mention that or a band, so I'm assuming . . .
COMMENT 381777	2013-03-06 06:21 AM
Are u planning on having your ceremony and reception at the same place?
CORKY	2013-03-06 06:39 AM
You didn't specify in or outside, but I attended a very nice wedding at Oak Park on Saturday. They had the area from noon to seven, and had speakers set up for music.Of course, you'd have to contend with other people around including at least one street person, who was hoping to get in on the delicious soft tacos, etc. being served. Couldn't believe the bride actually found a lovely sheath white gown at Ross for something like $25. That's probably as cheap a wedding as I've ever seen, and they're just as married as those who spend $10,000. Not for everyone, I know.
CORKY	2013-03-06 06:43 AM
Don't think El Encanto is available yet.
COMMENT 381805	2013-03-06 07:39 AM
Almost any church in town can accomodate a wedding and/or reception up to a certain size. 75 people is easy for most churches for a wedding ceremony. 75 for a reception is a little harder but there are a number of choices in town and some will accomodate 75 or even 750 if you choose carefully. Some will work with any outside decorators caterers etc, and have few restrictions on times, menus, activities, etc. Some will work only with caterers etc known to them, and some may have restricitve policies on alcohol (depending on their beliefs and insurance policy), dancing, amplified music (especially if they in a residential area) etc. Many different looks and feels available out there. Have FUN doing the research. You'll learn a lot about our little town if you do.
COMMENT 381813P	2013-03-06 07:54 AM
The Station in Los Alamos in Wine Country. http://thestationlosalamos.com/ This is a very unique setting you won't find anywhere else.
COMMENT 381815P	2013-03-06 08:04 AM
Another mention of the courthouse mural room. Indeed - not for everyone, but 13 years ago my wedding was there with a reception at a relative's house. My dress was a vintage find, $100. Our biggest line item expense was my husband's and his two friends' tux rentals - they really wanted to go swanky and spent more than our wedding bands cost! Even so, the whole shebang was under $1500 and we're just as married as anyone else. But I never had a "wedding vision" that I was trying to create, and I'm practical almost to a fault and was flabbergasted that we spent what we did, even as little as we did - seemed like an awful lot for a party. I was feeling a lot of pressure from family to "do it right" but I would have been happy just signing some papers and going out to dinner with my husband and leaving the "party" out if it entirely. ;-)
COMMENT 381826P	2013-03-06 08:27 AM
The SB Museum of Natural History, Junipero Serra Hall, are both reasonable and beautiful. Most of the sites mentioned here begin renting at $5,000 which would eat up 1/2 of your budget.
COMMENT 381833P	2013-03-06 08:35 AM
Cafe Arts and Letters is a nice setting. Might be a place for a reception after a Courthouse ceremony-- an easy walk across the street. It's hidden away behind a gallery, so it would be more private than French Table. I just checked their website and there are some nice pictures of private events.
COMMENT 381852P	2013-03-06 09:18 AM
@833P, I went to almost exactly the wedding you've described, probably 8 or 10 years ago. The couple was married on the lawn in the back of the courthouse, then a horse-drawn carriage took them down to Arts & Letters (the rest of us walked). It was very nice. Also, someone mentioned dresses -- my mother-in-law donated her dress to me. I had to have a new top made, but the cost for fabric and dressmaker's labor came to less than $200. This was about 20 years ago, so it might be more now, but certainly less than the current prices for wedding gowns. Getting the exact dress you want made for you will probably be more economical than paying the prices at the stores.
COMMENT 381854	2013-03-06 09:19 AM
We had no money when we got married in 1999. We had ceremony and reception at the Frog Bar in Goleta. Beautiful setting. Married in the gazebo, walked over to patio, place was ours until dark! We had fifty people attend. Should look into it. On a side note...I know getting married, especially to the bride, is and should be a big deal...however spending money on it to make that happen is not important. As long as you have your friends and family to help make the moment all about you two, it will be one of the greatest days of your life. Get prettied up, serve some good food, and have fun. All that cash would be much better spent on a down payment for a home, your childs future (if you a parent), or any upcoming expense...expected or not. We had the most humble ceremony and honeymoon, and are still happily married with three boys. A year after we were married we were able to purchase a home because we cheaped on the wedding. MUCH more rewarding. Good luck!
COMMENT 381869	2013-03-06 09:44 AM
For a group of 75-125, I'd recommend the Chase Palm Park Center, one of the City's rental facilities. It's right on the oceanside of Cabrillo Blvd, is reasonably priced, and has a large grassy area between the beach and the facility that you can use for your wedding ceremony. Parking is adjacent in the Garden Street lot. There's a good sized main room, kitchen and patio that you can use for dancing. You also have the ability to choose all of your own vendors, so this is a great way to save money. Good luck! Have fun planning your wedding! Contact # 897-1983
COMMENT 381908P	2013-03-06 10:52 AM
Westmont College chapel + reception elsewhere. Alice Keck Park with reception outside on the lawn or inside at the Unitarian Church hall across the street. Upper Manning Park, we borrowed a motorhome for dressing rooms, bbq reception.
35FOREVER	2013-03-06 12:03 PM
Take a look at Girsh Park, you can basically create anything you want, there are some wedding pictures on the website.www.girshpark.org Your other option is to elope, then have a nice family dinner.Wishing you a happy marriage and don't worry too much about the wedding, it is only for one day.
COMMENT 381974	2013-03-06 01:01 PM
Live Oak Unitarian Church in Goleta is lovely. Have the ceremony there and the reception. inside or on the patio.

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