Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara — Attraction in Santa Barbara

My husband and I had a “mini/micro-wedding” at USSB December 30th, 2023. After being together for almost 7 years and 2 years engaged, we decided to move forward and elope! We spontaneously made the decision about 3 weeks before the date we chose to do it on. After so much searching and favor from the Lord, we fell upon USSB and fell in love with the sanctuary space. It was absolutely beautiful and perfect for what we were looking for. We had a small, intimate ceremony with our immediate family and a couple friends followed by a dinner at a local restaurant.

THE SPACE: The indoor chapel is stunning. We are so thankful to have our ceremony and forever photos in a beautiful space like this one.The arch detailing of the architecture and the large stained glass window made our ceremony photos look like a dream. It was just the perfect space for an intimate ceremony. Our family sat in the first two rows of seats. We decided not to mic up or use the sound equipment the church provides, but our guests could hear everything and it was nice to have everyone close to us. The sanctuary also has a beautiful grand piano so we hired a close friend who is a professional pianist to play before & during the ceremony. That was a beautiful touch.

We were also provided a space for myself (the bride) to get ready in. With it all being short notice, we did not arrange for a rehearsal or a tour of the property before the day-off. I was not able to get an early hotel check in to get ready in SB before the wedding, so it was really useful to have somewhere to change and touch up hair & makeup before walking down the isle. The exterior of the church was absolutely beautiful for photos after the ceremony.

THE PROCESS: Incredible! We worked with Joanie who is just wonderful. She worked very hard to flip the space for us since it was so close to the holidays, AND she did it on short notice! Joanie made our dream come true. She was kind, excited with us, and so generous with her time. Joanie always got back to me very quickly even though we were communicating in between the holidays.

POST-WEDDING REGRETS: The only thing I wish I could have had the opportunity to do would be to have a large wedding at the USSB! The property is just stunning and truly makes the perfect wedding venue inside and out. I’ve said it a million times already, but the sanctuary was the perfect space for an intimate, romantic ceremony. I cannot have pictured having our “mini/micro-wedding” anywhere else.

I don’t have all of my photos yet, but I will attach the ones I do have! So-Cal Photographer...

I have been a wedding and event planner in Santa Barbara for 10 years and during that time I have worked at the Unitarian Society a number of times. I am always excited when clients tell me they have chosen USSB as their wedding venue because I simply adore this venue. It's in an ideal and picturesque location in downtown Santa Barbara close to many other attractions including the Santa Barbara Courthouse and Alice Keck Park which are both lovely for pre or post wedding photos. I also love working with Joanie and her team who are always friendly, attentive, and accommodating when it comes to helping couples plan their big day. The venue itself is beautiful with its Spanish style architecture and offers a wide range of options with their indoor and outdoor spaces, giving couples the versatility to create their day however they choose. Most of all, I love that USSB is an inclusive and safe space that welcomes and celebrates love in all its forms. - Brenda Cali,...

This was the venue of our dreams. We got married in May of 2024. Everyone who works at USSB was very attentive and responsive leading up to the wedding. All our questions were answered and no details were left out. We rented the entire ceremony and reception area. There are so many options to choose for your special day. The venue is very ornate so no need to go over the top for decor. We did a Polynesian style wedding and the decor mixed with the venue well. My vendors also enjoyed the space and clean up was seamless. My pro tip would be to reserve parking in the front of the venue and the cross street. You can do this for a fee with the City of Santa Barbara public works department. This helped immensely with older guests and our parking spot for our 'get away car'. Overall, this...