San Ysidro Ranch
A working ranch from 1893 and a hotel since the 1930s, San Ysidro Ranch is 550 acres of oak and citrus in the Montecito foothills with 38 cottages scattered up the hillside and no two of them alike.
San Ysidro Ranch is a resort destination wedding venue in Montecito, United States, hosting 20 to 150 guests in the $$$$ price range, reached from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), ~25 minutes by car. Best months: July, August, September, October.
About San Ysidro Ranch
A working ranch from 1893 and a hotel since the 1930s, San Ysidro Ranch is 550 acres of oak and citrus in the Montecito foothills with 38 cottages scattered up the hillside and no two of them alike.
Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier married here in 1940.
John and Jacqueline Kennedy honeymooned here in 1953, in what is now the Kennedy Cottage.
Ty Warner bought the ranch in 2000 and spent four years rebuilding it.
Ask about a date.
Choose a day from the calendar.
Nothing is reserved until the venue confirms. A first note comes back within two business days.
Although it has become extremely pricey the attention to detail seems to keep improving. We prefer eating at the bar as the menu has excellent offerings without the additional “fuss” and prices as the sit down restaurant.
David Schwartz · on Google →Capacity, rooms and facilities
Staying over
- Rooms
- 38 rooms
- Whole property to yourselves
- Yes
The ceremony
- Outdoor ceremony
- Yes
Getting there
- Nearest airport
- SBA, 45 min by carAisle estimate
- Parking
- Yes
The spaces
- Indoors or out
- Both
- Setting
- Coastal, historic, elegantAisle estimate
Venue highlights
- Ranch from 1893, hotel since the 1930s, rebuilt under Ty Warner
- Vivien Leigh married here in 1940; the Kennedys honeymooned in 1953
- 38 cottages across 550 acres of the Montecito foothills
- Ceremony on the Wisteria Lawn, dinner at the Stonehouse
The wedding season
A sample wedding weekend
See the day-by-day outline+
Use this as a starting point and adapt it to your bookings and guests.
- 16:00Guests check into the cottages; drinks at the Plow & Angel
- 19:30Welcome dinner on the Stonehouse terrace
- 10:00Morning hike up San Ysidro Trail or a slow breakfast in the cottages
- 16:30Ceremony on the Wisteria Lawn
- 17:30Drinks in the Meadow with the canyon opening to the ocean
- 19:00Dinner and dancing at the Stonehouse
- 11:00Farewell brunch before the drive back to Santa Barbara
Costs and booking details
- Getting there
- SBA · ~25 minutes by car
Guests fly into Santa Barbara Airport.
- Typical total
- $175,000Aisle estimate
The ranch publishes no wedding price list. Site fees, the ceremony setup charge and the buyout minimum are planner-reported; the per-head and room figures are our estimates from the property tier. Treat every number here as a starting point, not a quote.
See the full figure+
$175,000 minimum spend for a buyout of up to 150 guests (planner-reported)
- Ceremony fee
- $2,500Aisle estimate
A one-time licence and setup fee, paid to the venue.
See the full figure+
Site fees $2,500 to $30,000 by space and date, plus $750 ceremony setup (planner-reported)
- Reception
- $250 / headAisle estimate
A seated dinner with wine and service, by headcount.
See the full figure+
$250 to $400 per guest for dinner and drinks (estimated)
- Room rate
- $1,000 / nightAisle estimate
A standard room in the wedding window. Group rates on request.
See the full figure+
Cottages from about $1,000 per night in season (estimated)
- Weather window
- July – October
The 4 months the weather is kindest. Weather does not indicate whether a date is available.
- Direct line
- (805) 565-1700
Answered by the venue in local hours.
Questions about the venue
How many guests can San Ysidro Ranch host for a wedding?+
Up to 150 with a full property buyout. Individual spaces are smaller: the Wisteria Lawn, the Meadow and the Stonehouse terrace each suit a different guest count, and the ranch will tell you which fits your number.
What does a buyout of San Ysidro Ranch cost?+
Planner-reported figures put a property buyout at a minimum spend of $175,000 for up to 150 guests. Site fees for a single space run from about $2,500 to $30,000 depending on the room and the date, and ceremony setup adds $750.
Can our guests stay at the ranch?+
Yes. There are 38 cottages and suites, enough to hold most of a fifty-guest wedding on site. Rooms are released in blocks and Montecito books out early, so hold them at the same time you hold the date.
Which airport is closest to Montecito?+
Santa Barbara Airport is about 25 minutes away and takes domestic connections through San Francisco, Denver, Dallas and Seattle. Los Angeles International is roughly two hours down the 101 and is where most international guests land.
Is the property easy to walk around?+
Not entirely. The cottages are spread up a steep hillside and staff move guests by golf cart. Tell anyone with limited mobility before they book, and ask for a cottage near the Stonehouse rather than at the top of the property.
What is the weather like in Montecito?+
Dry and mild most of the year, with rain concentrated between December and March. June mornings often start under coastal cloud that burns off by noon, which matters if your ceremony photographs depend on the canyon view.
Could this be your venue?
Ask about your plans, pricing and availability. You do not need a fixed date yet.
Still deciding? Elena is Aisle’s AI wedding planner. Give her a month and a guest count and she will forecast the budget, work out how your guests would travel, and put a first plan on paper. No account needed.
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Weighing San Ysidro Ranch against the field?
Answer four questions, budget, season, guest count, feel, and a shortlist of comparable houses comes back in about a minute. No sign-up needed.
Sources and booking notes
Confirm your dates, guest numbers, room arrangements and inclusions with the venue before booking. An enquiry does not reserve a date. Figures labelled Aisle estimate are modelled from regional rates and public sources; they are not venue quotes.
Sources for individual venue facts
Rooms: 38 rooms
“Thirty-eight vine-covered cottages surrounded by incredibly landscaped gardens with flowers always in bloom under a canopy of stately sycamores and gnarled oaks make this exclusive property destination unplugged from the rest of the world.”
Read the source for roomsWhole property to yourselves: Yes
“Experience ultimate exclusivity with a resort buyout, offering guests a personalized, once-in-a-lifetime event amongst the natural beauty and privacy of San Ysidro Ranch.”
Read the source for whole property to yourselvesOutdoor ceremony: Yes
“Say ‘I do’ surrounded by lush landscaping and sweet-smelling roses.”
Read the source for outdoor ceremonyParking: Yes
“Individually decorated cottages feature a gated entry with an enclosed garden and adjacent private parking.”
Read the source for parkingIndoors or out: Both
“Flexible indoor and outdoor space with award-winning dining and customized itineraries will leave your group feeling invigorated and inspired.”
Read the source for indoors or out