Weddingbee Blog

Did I mention that my hometown is a resort town, and it’s where all the stars from Los Angeles come to have a retreat? Whenever I mention that I come from Santa Barbara, CA, the person’s response is always, “Oh, it is beautiful there!”

… And it really is. I love it there, and I miss it!

The Old Mission Rose Garden - personal photo

I was so excited to share my beautiful hometown with my fiance’s family (many of whom never have been to California).

There are so many sites that would make a beautiful ceremony site.

At the top on my list were a.) Chase Palm Park (it is on the waterfront and even has a vintage carousel!), b.) Manning Park, a woodland enclave in the midst of Montecito, and c.) The Old Mission A.C. Postel Rose Garden––just across the street from the historic California Mission.

Chase Palm Park - image from lotsafunmaps.com

And did I mention the reception venues? The Bacara Resort & Spa and The Four Season’s Biltmore. These were the top two on my list.

So being the planner that I am, I researched all of my favorite sites and talked to the wedding coordinators at each facility. Then I figured out the best pricing, the best ambiance, the best food. Then I proposed our pick to our parents.

A mid-morning ceremony at The Old Mission Rose Garden and a late lunch reception at The Bacara. It was all decided! It was going to be beautiful!!

The contract for the Rose Garden was signed. It was a public park, so the fee was (somewhat) minimal at $650 with a security deposit of $150. The checkbook came out, everything was mailed, and I received confirmation for the venue. Then after negotiating the price with The Bacara and the final contract was drafted, something just didn’t seem right. Why did the venue need 90% of the total food and beverage fee over 12 months in advance? Every other site only required 5-10-25-50%. I had never seen anything more than that. Was The Bacara going through hard times? Were they going to go bankrupt before our wedding? Was I being swindled? So, I gave the wedding coordinator a call. And that is when I found out that our site was secured for July 31st, 2009 not 2010!

After figuring out the SNAFU, the wedding coordinator was going to call me back and let me know the price increase for the 2010 date. I guess they were going to give us a good deal for the close 2009 date. But then after I left messages and emails, he didn’t call me back. A week or two went by. Then, second thoughts went through my head.

What about Catalina Island––the place we vacationed last year and had a blast at? The place where I attended my first wedding as a child? Should I switch our traditional hometown wedding for a (semi)destination wedding on Catalina Island?

Ultimately, we decided to switch our wedding from my hometown of Santa Barbara, CA to Catalina Island. It is a mini-destination wedding, really, because it is just off the coast of California—twenty miles off the coast of Los Angeles, which is about an hour boat ride. It isn’t too far from my hometown, but it still is a destination.

Aboard the Catalina Express

The idea of simply getting on the ferry boat and setting foot on an island is a breath of fresh air. And for the rest of the family coming from New York and New Jersey it will be a different experience. Things are always a little bit different on an island—more laid back, more isolated.

A Lazy Trip on the Catalina Island Express

So, it was goodbye traditional wedding in the bride’s hometown! We are taking the one-town island of Catalina by storm!

Is your wedding seemingly close to your hometown but also seemingly far from it? What makes your venue so different from the feel of your own hometown?