Absolutely! But our facility is a wonderful and beautiful place to have both! There’s no need to make your guests drive from one venue to another. We have everything you’ll need here.

Absolutely not – we are open to the public.

Yes! Guided sites tours are available by emailing Joanie Bear, our Facility & Events Coordinator, or calling her at 805-965-4583 ext. 223. Please suggest a day and time or two that would work for you when making your inquiry. Also, feel free to stop by any time during Sunday Service or during normal business hours to take a peek!

You can check availability of dates on our online wedding calendar by clicking here. To place a courtesy hold on a date, please fill out our Wedding Request Form below. You will receive a response within 24 hours at the most. When you’re ready to turn your hold into a firm reservation, a signed contract and a $500 payment towards your balance will do the job!

Your rental fees include one hour in our sanctuary, usually a day or two before your wedding date.

Yes, you can! Our only requirement is that the person is licensed to conduct wedding ceremonies in the State of California. 

Yes. In addition to reserving the facilities, your rental fee also includes the Unitarian Society event assistant for the day of your event (and at your rehearsal) to assist with vendors, security, and custodial services.

On Saturdays, for a wedding with a reception, you and your vendors (including deliveries) can gain access at 12:00 p.m. On Fridays and Sundays, that access time is 2:00 p.m. If additional hours are needed, please contact our Facility & Events Coordinator, Joanie Bear.

By city ordinance, all events must end no later than 10:00 p.m. Your vendors however are given another hour to clean-up and move out.

Yes, but only if they are enclosed in protective glass containers and your plans for the location and number of candles must be discussed in advance with our Facility & Event Coordinator.

Yes! We love helping you include your furry friends in your wedding celebration. Your well-behaved dog is welcome to join you on your special day. Other animals will be considered upon request.

We prefer that you use vendors on our approved list, but it is possible for you to use a vendor not on our list. Our main concern is with caterers. If you want to use a caterer not on our list, we would ask for an additional $500 refundable security deposit, a visit to our kitchen at least two months in advance and some additional paperwork. For a list of vendors, please click here.

Yes! The Unitarian Society does have in-house table and chair rentals, in addition to a couple of lighting packages. For more information, please click here. All other rentals must be provided by an Approved Vendor. USSB does not provide event supplies such as table linens, glassware, tableware, decorative supplies, etc.

Yes. We require that all weddings hire an approved professional wedding coordinator for receptions or large events (over 50 guests). A wedding coordinator is not required for ceremony-only. Our vendor list has many wonderful Coordinators, and you can also purchase wedding coordination services through USSB at a reduced rate. (These are former employees who have gone on to become wedding coordinators but know the in’s and out’s of our venue!)

Yes. A room is available just off our sanctuary, and it has its own bathroom.

We do not allow event hosts to provide their own food or alcoholic beverages, but you may be able to do so with your caterer. USSB requires all receptions to work with a licensed caterer or bartending service. Some caterers will allow their clients to provide the alcohol, but the caterer has to be the one to make this decision and then to serve your guests.

Due to the fact that we are right in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, there isn’t enough space to have our own parking lot. However, we have many large events here throughout the year, including services every Sunday, and parking never seems to be an issue. We have two large loading/unloading zones right in front of the church, so your guests can be dropped off right in front, with only the driver having to walk a couple blocks back.