2026 Best of
Santa Barbara®
Romance
By Tiana Molony | October 22, 2026
Photos by Ingrid Bostrom | Illustrations by Ben Ciccati
Find more Best of Santa Barbara 2026® winners here.
Bed & Breakfast/Inn
Santa Barbara Inn
Across from Cabrillo Beach, Santa Barbara Inn is a 70-room Spanish Mediterranean boutique hotel with private balconies and views of the Pacific and the Santa Ynez Mountains. Convivo, the inn’s ocean-view “Nomad Italian” restaurant, serves handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and other Italian-inspired dishes. According to the inn’s website, its name means “come together and feast” in Italian. Nominator Jim C. praised the hotel: “Location, elegance, great service, relaxing, super convenient to all of Santa Barbara. Classy, run by people with roots in the Four Seasons Hotels.”
Runner-Up: Simpson House Inn
Caterer
Events by Rincon
“We have many moving parts being a full-service catering company that encompasses catering, planning, rentals, lighting, staffing, and bar service,” said Alyssa Searcy, owner of Events by Rincon. “The consistent team we have had over the years makes the impact, and everyone works together to make each event special and memorable. We watch every detail from events spanning from five people to 3,000 people.” A little-known fact about Events by Rincon is that it has been in business for more than 42 years. What keeps the team excited about what they do? “The joy we get from our clients for our hospitality and service.”
Runner-Up: Omni Catering
Event DJ
DJ Zeke
The day Zeke Monarrez says he’ll never forget was a wedding at an indoor venue. “It rained so hard that day in November that the roof leaked in the middle of dancing,” said Monarrez, owner/operator of DJ Zeke S.B. “However, the guests didn’t care and kept dancing for two hours more with water above their ankles.” Keeping a floor like that moving takes more than the sound and lighting rig. “Everyone thinks that all we do is press play on the music,” Monarrez continued. “There’s a lot more that goes into it for us. Paying attention to the smallest details is our greatest asset.”
Runner-Up: DJ Darla Bea
Event Rentals
Bright Event Rentals
Planning an event is a lot easier when you can get the tables, chairs, linens, glassware, lounge furniture, lighting, and tenting all in one place. Bright Event Rentals does just that, with a Santa Barbara showroom on Chapala Street and an inventory that runs from the practical — china, flatware, serving pieces, bars, and catering equipment — to the showstoppers, including chandeliers, dance floors, lounge collections, staging, and tenting. Bright Event Rentals puts it this way on its website: “For premier event rentals in Santa Barbara, Bright Event Rentals is your go-to source,” and “With a reputation for excellence, we provide top-tier rental equipment to enhance any gathering.”
Runner-Up: Tent Merchant
Florist
Riley’s Flowers
Multiple studies have found that flowers can have a positive effect on our mood. Perhaps that’s why we instinctively turn to them for both happy and sad occasions: to mark the death of a loved one or celebrate an anniversary. Riley’s Flowers understands the effect those delicate petals can have. The shop specializes in weddings, funerals, and events, creating arrangements for some of life’s biggest moments. It also offers same-day delivery until 1 p.m. throughout Santa Barbara, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria. The shop is open Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Runner-Up: Alpha Floral
Hotel
San Ysidro Ranch
“One of my favorite lesser-known facts about The Ranch is its long history as a retreat for creative minds,” said Ian Williams, general manager. “The property’s privacy and peaceful setting have inspired some remarkable work over the years. John Huston completed the script for The African Queen while staying at The Ranch, and Stevie Nicks worked on ‘Stand Back’ here during her honeymoon. Writers have also long retreated to the property to find inspiration and work through writer’s block. I love that The Ranch continues to offer that same sense of solitude and inspiration to guests today.”
Runner-Up: El Encanto
Limo/Transportation Services
Santa Barbara Airbus
It started with a drive nobody wanted to make. Santa Barbara Airbus cofounder Kelly Onnen was working as a flight attendant, and her husband and fellow cofounder, Eric Onnen, often drove her to and from LAX. While visiting Kelly’s family in Canada, her father mentioned a shuttle service connecting a smaller town with a major airport, giving them an idea for Santa Barbara. “From there, Santa Barbara Airbus was born with the simple idea that honestly no one wanted to drive people to LAX,” said Samantha Onnen, CEO. Today, the company’s buses carry wedding parties and other groups, and, as nominator Patricia S. put it, “Not having to drive to Dodger games is an added bonus.”
Runner-Up: Jump on the School Bus
Photographer
De Colores Photography
“My business name is De Colores, like the song,” said Mayra Martinez, photographer and wedding officiant. “The song speaks about love in all the colors. I wanted my business to represent love, diversity, and inclusivity.” Born and raised in Santa Barbara, she shot her first wedding 13 years ago and still gets excited for every one. “Every couple is different, as well as their love stories, and I just love what I do so much that I also recently started officiating weddings as well.” With three daughters under age 5, Martinez is grateful to run a business that allows her to be “a present mom as well.”
Runner-Up: Lauren Marie Photography
Restaurant with a View
The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach
[See Eating: Sunday Brunch]
Runner-Up: El Encanto
Stationery Store
Folio Press & Paperie
“Days before Christmas 2017, smoke from the Thomas Fire left the shop with no staff and no customers,” said Folio Press & Paperie owner Marlene Bucy, on a day she’ll never forget. “My husband, Frank, and our then 15-year-old daughter, Dela, came in to work with me. At the end of the day, I found Dela lying on her back on the floor upstairs, absolutely exhausted. The support I received from family and community during that time has stayed with me, allowing Folio to continue to stay open and grow.”
Runner-Up: Ink.Paper.Crafts
Wedding Cake Shop
Lilac Pâtisserie
[See Eating: Gluten-Free Options]
Runner-Up: Anna’s Bakery
Wedding Planner
Tyler Speier Events
Tyler Speier was 18 when he started what he thought was a side job. “I had no idea this would be my career,” said Speier, owner and creative director of Tyler Speier Events. “It was just a side job, and here we are.” In December 2025, his team planned Engage! Santa Barbara, a luxury wedding conference that drew event professionals from all over the world. Big productions leave no room for error, and pulling one off together is the payoff. “I love that we get to create meaningful moments for our clients to celebrate their life milestones,” Speier continued. “Each story is unique, and each design is unique — it keeps our work fresh, interesting, and meaningful.”
Runner-Up: Dalina Klan
Wedding Venue
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse has long been a favorite wedding spot for locals and out-of-towners alike. The County Clerk-Recorder’s Office has performed marriage ceremonies there since 2005, when the Spanish-Moorish landmark was already more than 75 years old. In 2025, the office reportedly conducted about 4,000 wedding ceremonies, while issuing more than 6,000 marriage licenses — a record number. For couples looking to tie the knot there, five garden spaces are available to reserve: the Sunken Gardens, Palm Terrace, Fiesta Stage, Bird of Paradise Area, and Rotunda Lawn. Rentals are offered in three-hour blocks, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 3 to 6 p.m., with capacity varying by location and reaching up to 200 guests. The indoor Mural Room seats up to 100.
Runner-Up: San Ysidro Ranch
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