We had our wedding at The Riviera, and it was everything we could have hoped for and more. From start to finish, the team was so easy to work with. Communication was always clear, prompt, and direct, which made the whole planning process stress-free. Pricing was also very competitive for the area, especially for everything that was included.
We held our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all at the venue, and the flow was perfect. The patio dinner under the string lights and olive tree was absolutely magical. Guests loved the family-style meal, which kept the food hotter than plated service, especially the fish and meat. The passed appetizers were a big hit too, and the coconut shrimp was especially juicy and delicious.
Because our planner KB Events had worked with the venue before, everything ran seamlessly. We also loved that we could use some of the venue’s furniture, which looked beautiful and fit the space perfectly. Both of us were able to get ready on-site in the bridal and groom suites, which created really special pre-ceremony memories with friends and family.
Our guests could not stop raving about the venue. The location right off State Street made things so convenient with no need to coordinate shuttles, and the free parking lot was a huge plus, even offering overnight parking in case anyone needed to leave their car and take an Uber. Later in the night, the dance party in the Living Room was epic: intimate, lively, and with cozy spots for guests to sit and chat if they wanted a break.
We loved that The Riviera felt unique, full of character, and not like a typical hotel venue, which was so important to us. We are beyond grateful to the entire staff for their friendliness and professionalism before, during, and after. Highly recommend to any couples looking for a truly special place to celebrate.

We are beyond thrilled that we chose the Riviera Mansion as the venue for our wedding day!!!

The food, the service, the smiles, and the congratulations created an exceptional ambience and unrivaled experience for us and our guests. Time and again, we’ve heard from our friends and family that the one word they would use to describe our wedding is “PERFECT!”. That’s in no small way a reflection of the seamless execution and exceptional service the team at Riviera Mansion provided to us. Speaking personally for us as the wedding couple, every team member at the Riviera Mansion made us feel not only welcome but like close family arriving at some grand homecoming. It was truly exceptional.

Christy, the events director at the Riviera Mansion / University Club is an absolute joy to work with! From the very beginning, she was responsive, open, flexible, and made us feel incredibly comfortable. Christy's communication and attention to detail set her apart from others by miles -- throughout the planning process, we had complete confidence in our wedding venue because of Christy's hard work . Thank you Christy for all that you do!!!

It goes without saying, you will not go wrong with the Riviera Mansion!

Finally, here's a few pointers on choices we made with Christy and we're so happy we did:

1 ) Family Style dinner was phenomenal -- everyone was served on time, the food was excellent (trip tip, chicken, pasta which works for vegans), and the guests were chatting it up as they passed plates

2) Dancing in the Living Room was awesome! We were a little nervous about the Hora and the chandeliers but it worked out perfectly.

3) Late Night Bites -- CHOOSE THE SLIDERS! All the guests (myself included) were chowing down on these at the end of the night. The Riviera Mansion kitchen works some serious magic on those.

Exceptional Venue for a Dream Wedding! For context, I'm a project manager and have led several event planning teams for 500+ attendees. Our wedding at The Riviera Mansion was an absolute dream come true! From start to finish, every detail was flawlessly executed, making it a stress-free experience.

The venue itself is breathtaking, providing the perfect backdrop for our special day. The picturesque surroundings added an extra touch of magic to our ceremony and reception. Can we talk about the parking?! TONS of free parking for the event and ability for overnight for guests who ubered.

What truly sets The Rivera Mansion apart is their incredible team. The staff went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of our day was perfect. From vendor referrals to coordinating with our other suppliers, they made the planning process seamless.

The catering staff and manager, Christy, deserve special recognition for their professionalism and attention to detail. They worked tirelessly to accommodate all of our requests and exceeded our expectations in every way. Last but not least, the hospitality shown to us and our guests was exceptional. From the moment we arrived until the end of the evening, we felt welcomed and cared for.

The food was beyond outstanding - our guests are still raving about it! From the appetizers to the main course and desserts, each dish was impeccably prepared.

We cannot thank the team at The Riviera Mansion enough for making our wedding day truly unforgettable. If you're looking for the perfect venue for your special day, look no further book it!

My husband and I loved our venue! It was quintessential Santa Barbara, which is exactly what we wanted. We initially chose it because we were allowed to arrive to the venue as early as 9:00am, and they had a beautiful getting ready space for me and my bridesmaids. Christy, the Wedding and Events Manager, was probably my husband's and my favorite part about the whole experience in planning our wedding. She was so responsive and supportive with any and all questions we had about the smallest of details. The whole staff was extremely professional and kind. I would recommend!!

We loved Riviera Mansion when we toured it because it has a "home" vibe - dining room, living room, etc. We could see our guests, old and young, different personalities, all enjoying the spaces. We had no idea how right we were! The venue is perfect for that "family" vibe and created the perfect environment for our wedding. Not to mention, it is a gorgeous property. On top of it all, the staff was a delight to work with. Everything was executed flawlessly. Which allowed us to just relax and enjoy the day!

The Riviera Mansion was the first venue we looked at and the one we ended up falling for. We loved that it had the option of indoor/outdoor spaces and that we could have the entire venue to ourselves for the day. It was the perfect size to accommodate our 100 guests comfortably. The mansion and the grounds were a beautiful backdrop for all of our photos as well. Breanna was very responsive to all of our questions and was so great to work with. Chef Jamie was also nice enough to help us create a menu that met our needs and was present at our tasting to meet with us. Very pleased with our choice!

The Riviera Mansion is the perfect wedding venue in the most romantic location. My husband and I got married here on 3/23/2019 and were blown away by our experience from start to end. The Mansion itself is gorgeous and it was love at first sight when we visited it for the first time.

Breanna, the venue coordinator was top notch when it came to helping us plan our wedding. She was so helpful, informative and attentive to our needs during every step of the process, and worked hand in hand with our wedding coordinator to ensure that everything turned out perfect.

The venue has everything you can think of - a gorgeous bridal suite upstairs and separate groom's suite downstairs. It has a wrap around courtyard/patio, and the most beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony space with a beautiful tree casting over the area. The venue provides all food and drinks - which were AMAZING.The service from the staff was phenomenol - they were on top of every detail and timing.

Our guests could not stop raving about the Riviera Mansion, and said that everything about it was perfect. I am beyond happy that we chose this venue for our wedding, and would choose it over and over again if I had to!

Thank you to the wonderful staff for making our special day perfect!

My wife and I were shown around the Riviera Mansion in late summer and we knew right away we had found our wedding venue for the next spring. We planned on about eighty guests and the fit was perfect! Breanna O'Toole, Director of Events at the University Club, was very helpful in the many decisions we had before us, from the delicious food choices to the arrangement of a special birthday cake during the reception, we could not have done it without her. Since neither my wife nor I lived in Santa Barbara, Breanna was also instrumental in making vendor recommendations to us, nearly every one of which we ended up employing.

Ample guest parking was a plus, but paled in comparison to the billiards room set-up for the boys. In the few hours before the ceremony, my groomsmen and I we were able to watch the game, have a couple of beers, and relax and shoot some pool. My fiancee meanwhile had an entire room upstairs for preparation of hair, makeup, and gowns, as well as some tasty snacks brought up from the kitchen for her and her bridesmaids and family.

We couldn't turn around without finding ourselves in yet another beautiful spot for a photo, and we had hundreds taken from beginning to end. The ceremony itself in the picturesque main garden was lovely, with the massive tree as a natural centerpiece and focal point for photos and videos, all of which turned out beautifully. The outdoor patio reception area with customized beverages and hors d'oeuvres was just the right size to walk through as bride and groom to talk with our guests. And of course, being Santa Barbara, the weather was perfect.

A wonderful plated dinner--the food was superb, and the service excellent--along with wine and drinks in the dining room, and toasts and dancing with a live DJ afterwards, and a whole separate room dedicated to dessert stations, sealed the evening into a spectacular memory of family and friends and laughter and love.

The Riviera Mansion University Club is an outstanding choice for a wedding venue, and we'll be recommending it for years to come. - Alex & Qing Marr -

We are so thrilled that we found this gem of a location! After looking at numerous venues throughout southern California, this was the only place that ticked all of the boxes. It was everything we wanted and more. Both of us really liked the beauty and the versatility of the Riviera Mansion, allowing us to plan an outdoor ceremony and dinner, with the option of moving things inside at the last minute if the weather did not cooperate. As it turned out, we had a perfect day for our ceremony outside on the lawn under an enormous and incredibly beautiful old tree. Dinner on the patio under the twinkling lights was magical. Having exclusive use of the entire facility and being able to have music until 11:30pm were additional benefits we did not find in other places nearby. And there were so many different rooms that we could keep the guests entertained from ceremony to cocktail hour to dinner to dessert to dancing, each in different sections of the mansion and grounds.
Two other real standouts we cannot fail to mention were the food itself and the staff of the mansion. So many guests raved about the food! Chef Jamie West was spot-on and the dinner exceeded everyone's expectation for a wedding meal, being more like dinner at a fine restaurant with exceptional attention to each course and each serving. A few of the guests even told us it was the best steak they ever had (we had the filet with port mushroom sauce). In addition, we also cannot say enough about the staff at the mansion, headed by event coordinator Breanna O'Toole. Breanna was simply the best, answering all of our questions in a timely manner and guiding us through the booking and planning process; and the entire staff was very professional, accommodating and helpful. We cannot recommend this place enough!

We had our August 2018 wedding ceremony and reception with 115 guests at Riviera Mansion. The venue is of course gorgeous, and gave the classic Santa Barbara look/feel that we wanted for our big day, but what made both the planning and event itself better than any other wedding I have been to is the fantastic staff!

1. Planning: Venue coordinators Breanna and Sarah were extremely helpful in the planning process - promptly answering questions about the venue and helping us thinking of timeline and planning details we may have otherwise missed.
2. Event Execution: They also ensured the day of the event went so smoothly. Everything was timed perfectly - from serving dinner, bringing in our cake, and more - and the staff was incredibly gracious and attentive to our guests.
3. Food/Drink: We heard from so many guests that the dinner was one of the best meals they have ever had. Chef Jamie was so accommodating, creative and thoughtful in his menu recommendations - including an amazing dessert bar and wine selection.
4. The Space: Riviera Mansion provided something for everyone - and we noticed our guests in all of these places! From the games we set up on the lawn, to the gorgeous living room where our older guests lounged during dancing - the spaces are beautiful, don't require a lot of decor, and are well-maintained (some recently updated). We also loved that it was close to downtown SB, yet very quiet and private.

Thank you, Riviera Mansion, for making our wedding day flawless, special and beautiful!