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 100 at dinner and 150 standing, where a wedding for 80 guests costs about US$61,000 (our estimate), reached from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), ~25 minutes by car.
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.
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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
Capacity
- Seated dinner
- 100 guests
- Standing reception
- 150 guests
Staying over
- Rooms
- 38 rooms
- Whole property to yourselves
- Yes
- Shortest whole-property stay
- 2 nights
- Whole property must be taken with the wedding
- No
The ceremony
- Outdoor ceremony
- Yes
- Indoor option if it rains
- Yes
Money
- A wedding for 80 guests
- About US$61,000, rooms extraAisle estimate
- Price
- US$2,500 to US$30,000 venue feeAisle estimate
- Nights the booking must cover
- 2 nights
House rules
- Exclusive use required
- No
- Music until
- 10:00 PM
- Planner required
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
Getting there
- Nearest airport
- SBA, 45 min by carAisle estimate
- Parking
- Yes
The spaces
- Event spaces
- Banquet room
- Reception indoors
- Yes
- Reception outdoors
- Yes
- Space for dancing
- Yes
- Indoors or out
- Both
- Setting
- Coastal, historic, elegantAisle estimate
The place
- Swimming pool
- Yes
- Sea view
- Yes
- Gardens
- Yes
- Private grounds
- Yes
- Mountain view
- Yes
- Historic building
- Yes
Food and drink
- In-house catering
- Yes
- Outside caterers allowed
- No
- Bring your own wine
- Yes
- Bar on site
- Yes
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
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 · about 45 min by carAisle estimate
Guests fly into Santa Barbara Airport.
- 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 pricing and availability for the month you have in mind. You do not need a fixed date.
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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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
Seated dinner: 100 guests
“The venue offers several distinct event spaces, including The Gardens (up to 100 guests), Old Adobe (up to 6 guests), Fireside Room (up to 30 guests), Veranda (up to 50 guests), Stonehouse Restaurant (up to 100 guests), and options for full resort buyouts accommodating up to 150 guests.”
Read the source for seated dinnerStanding reception: 150 guests
“The venue offers several distinct event spaces, including The Gardens (up to 100 guests), Old Adobe (up to 6 guests), Fireside Room (up to 30 guests), Veranda (up to 50 guests), Stonehouse Restaurant (up to 100 guests), and options for full resort buyouts accommodating up to 150 guests.”
Read the source for standing receptionRooms: 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 yourselvesShortest whole-property stay: 2 nights
“Fireside includes the Acacia cottage, Veranda and Stonehouse include the six French Lavender cottages, and a buyout includes all 38 cottages for two nights.”
Read the source for shortest whole-property stayWhole property must be taken with the wedding: No
“San Ysidro Ranch has an array of options that can accommodate large celebrations and intimate gatherings.”
Read the source for whole property must be taken with the weddingOutdoor ceremony: Yes
“Say ‘I do’ surrounded by lush landscaping and sweet-smelling roses.”
Read the source for outdoor ceremonyIndoor option if it rains: Yes
“Indoor spaces including the Fireside Room, Veranda, and Stonehouse are available for ceremonies and receptions, providing backup options in case of inclement weather for events planned in the Gardens.”
Read the source for indoor option if it rainsIn-house catering: Yes
“This venue requires its own catering.”
Read the source for in-house cateringOutside caterers allowed: No
“This venue requires its own catering.”
Read the source for outside caterers allowedBring your own wine: Yes
“Wine corkage is $75 per bottle, two bottle maximum.”
Read the source for bring your own wineBar on site: Yes
“Other standout amenities include a majestic swimming pool set against the hillside with the Plunge Pool Bar, a full-service Salon & Spa housed in a storybook cottage and a mini golf course with Masters touches.”
Read the source for bar on siteNights the booking must cover: 2 nights
“Fireside includes the Acacia cottage, Veranda and Stonehouse include the six French Lavender cottages, and a buyout includes all 38 cottages for two nights.”
Read the source for nights the booking must coverExclusive use required: No
“San Ysidro Ranch has an array of options that can accommodate large celebrations and intimate gatherings.”
Read the source for exclusive use requiredMusic until: 10:00 PM
“All events must end by 10:00 PM per Santa Barbara County ordinance.”
Read the source for music untilPlanner required: Yes
“A full service planner or coordinator is required.”
Read the source for planner requiredPets: Yes
“From the moment you arrive on property with your beloved pet, The Pampered Pet Program offers a heartwarming welcome and renowned 5-star service.”
Read the source for petsParking: Yes
“Individually decorated cottages feature a gated entry with an enclosed garden and adjacent private parking.”
Read the source for parkingEvent spaces: Banquet room
“The Veranda is exceptionally suited for every type of event , from executive retreats and board meetings, to weddings and celebrations.”
Read the source for event spacesReception indoors: Yes
“Located in a 19th century citrus packing house, the Stonehouse Restaurant features an elegant lounge and separate dining room with working fireplace and creekside views looking out onto a covered terrace with treetop views of the Pacific Ocean.”
Read the source for reception indoorsReception outdoors: Yes
“The Veranda opens to a private terrace where guests can mingle or dine under the stars.”
Read the source for reception outdoorsSpace for dancing: Yes
“The Plow & Angel after-party space permits amplified music and dancing inside.”
Read the source for space for dancingIndoors 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 outSwimming pool: Yes
“Other standout amenities include a majestic swimming pool set against the hillside with the Plunge Pool Bar, a full-service Salon & Spa housed in a storybook cottage and a mini golf course with Masters touches.”
Read the source for swimming poolSea view: Yes
“Set the tone for an unforgettable experience with an incomparable venue and exceptional service amidst landscaped gardens surrounded by the Santa Ynez Mountains and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”
Read the source for sea viewGardens: Yes
“Set the tone for an unforgettable experience with an incomparable venue and exceptional service amidst landscaped gardens surrounded by the Santa Ynez Mountains and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”
Read the source for gardensPrivate grounds: Yes
“Relax in vine-covered cottages with cozy fireplaces, private patios, oversized sunken spas, and outdoor rain showers tucked away in ultimate seclusion over-looking the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands from the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains.”
Read the source for private groundsMountain view: Yes
“Set the tone for an unforgettable experience with an incomparable venue and exceptional service amidst landscaped gardens surrounded by the Santa Ynez Mountains and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”
Read the source for mountain viewHistoric building: Yes
“A California historic landmark and oldest structure on property, the Old Adobe dates back to 1825.”
Read the source for historic building