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Weddings

About

Weddings by the Sea is a boutique wedding studio based in scenic Santa Barbara, California. For over 15 years they've specialized in intimate destination weddings, elopements, engagements, and vow renewals. Catherine Forester, owner of Weddings by the Sea is a wedding planner and notary public. She can plan/design a wedding ceremony and issue marriage licenses. This makes Weddings by the Sea especially unique and one of the few wedding companies in California that can easily provide multiple services. Weddings by the Sea has created beautiful and memorable wedding experiences for hundreds of couples at many stunning historic and coastal locations in Santa Barbara. They have won the WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice Award eight times.

Facilities and Capacity
Weddings by the Sea utilizes several gorgeous locations for wedding ceremonies and vow renewals. These include the Santa Barbara Beachfront, historic Santa Barbara Courthouse, lush sub tropical gardens such as Alice Keck Memorial Garden, and private venues. Packages are designed to accomodate from 2 - 50 people. Santa Barbara offers a variety of locations with incredible ambiance and spectacular views, providing couples with the intimate destination wedding of their dreams.

Services Offered
Weddings by the Sea offers comprehensive packages that streamline the wedding planning process and service all of the wedding essentials needed for your coastal ceremony. They offer a team of professionals that include wedding coordinators, photographers, officiants, florists, and musicians. Wedding packages can be customized to fit your indivdual style and vision. They also offer several a la carte wedding essentials. Services include:

  • Confidential marriage license
  • Event design
  • Wedding ceremony coordination
  • Officiants
  • Photographers
  • Live music
  • Chairs
  • Floral Design
  • Decor - including wedding arches and arbors
  • Site crew and setup
  • Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions

Do you offer an hourly rate?

Yes

What wedding events do you provide services for?

Ceremony

What wedding planning services do you offer?

Partial Planning

What weddings do you have experience planning?

Civil
Cultural
Destination
Elopement
Eco-Friendly
Non-Religious
Religious

Reviews of Weddings by the Sea

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.8 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
4.8 out of 5 rating
231 Reviews
97% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Weddings by The Sea, specifically Catherine Forester and her team, received consistent praise for their exceptional service, attention to detail, and seamless coordination in planning and executing weddings and special events. Clients mentioned the ease of communication, responsiveness, and professionalism of the entire team, including helpful recommendations for various aspects of the wedding. Reviewers highlighted the beautiful ceremony arrangements, personalized touches, and the overall stress-free experience, making Weddings by The Sea highly recommended for couples seeking a magical and memorable wedding day, with numerous positive mentions of the officiant, photographer, and other staff involved.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Weddings by The Sea, specifically Catherine Forester and her team, received consistent praise for their exceptional service, attention to detail, and seamless coordination in planning and executing weddings and special events. Clients mentioned the ease of communication, responsiveness, and professionalism of the entire team, including helpful recommendations for various aspects of the wedding. Reviewers highlighted the beautiful ceremony arrangements, personalized touches, and the overall stress-free experience, making Weddings by The Sea highly recommended for couples seeking a magical and memorable wedding day, with numerous positive mentions of the officiant, photographer, and other staff involved.

K
Kiley A. Sent on 09/21/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing service and quality!

We couldn’t have asked for anything better! We were so surprised how every detail was covered so perfectly. We didn’t have to a whole lot of planning, just answering questions and Catherine put it all together for us. We did this all from Nebraska through phone calls and emails and Catherine even made the time to meet with us when we came out to check everything out. Every person we worked with through Catherine’s services were top quality and we are so grateful.
Brianna
Brianna M. Sent on 12/27/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Weddings By The Sea was the best decision!

Choosing Weddings By The Sea was the best decision we made for our big day. Their attention to detail, seamless coordination, and creative flair turned our dreams into a stunning reality. From start to finish, they orchestrated a flawless celebration, leaving us with priceless memories of a perfect wedding. If you're looking for a wedding planner who goes above and beyond, Catherine Forester is the one!






G
Gaelen Sent on 05/22/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Great experience

Catherine was so accommodating and helped to make our day perfect! Everything went so smoothly and she was always responsive/answered any questions we had. The photos also turned out beautifully! Can’t thank the amazing team enough!

Professional Network & Endorsements

4 Endorsements
Divine Bits of Beauty Ceremonies Divine Bits of Beauty Ceremonies Wedding Officiants

It is truly a pleasure to work with Catherine and her wonderful team at Santa Barbara Weddings By the Sea. Catherine is warm, professional, talented, creative and attentive to detail. She is a natural at creating extraordinary and beautiful events and is able to bring the visions of every couple to life with ease, grace, and efficiency. Catherine has a dedicated team of reliable and highly skilled individuals, who bring integrity and talent to each aspect of the ceremony. Planning a wedding in Santa Barbara could not be easier!

My Generation Weddings My Generation Weddings Wedding Officiants

Kim works with couples to plan weddings which are perfect for them. Her attention to detail, speedy communication, and reassuring demeanor help guide couples through the process of realizing their dream wedding. I have officiated weddings for her many times and I am always impressed by the wedding moments she helps create, how comfortable each couple is on their wedding day, and how beautiful the ceremonies are. Kim does a fantastic job! I highly recommend Kim and Weddings by the Sea for any couple looking to get married in the Santa Barbara area--you'll be glad you did! – Dusty Hoesly, My Generation Weddings

White Doves Los Angeles Southern California White Doves Los Angeles Southern California Wedding Rentals

I can't say enough about how impressed I am with the service, quality and knowledge of The Weddings by the Sea-Santa Barbara. The service is friendly, accommodating and professional. I highly recommend Them!

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