Sarah & Grant

June 30, 2018 | Santa Barbara, CA







The Wedding

The ceremony and reception will take place at Condor Ridge Ranch located in the foothills of the Gaviota Coast just west of downtown Santa Barbara. Since the venue is tucked away in the foothills with extremely limited parking, shuttle buses will transport guests from, and back to, downtown Santa Barbara (outside of the Blue Sands Inn).

SCHEDULE

3:15pm • Shuttles leave for the venue from outside the Blue Sands Inn (Please arrive 15 mins early)
4:15pm • Ceremony Starts
4:45pm • Cocktails & Appetizers
6:15pm • Dinner
8:30pm • Dancing
11:00pm • Last bus leaves venue for Blue Sands Inn or After Party (one bus each)

Note that shuttle buses are on hand to take guests back to the pickup location in Santa Barbara throughout the evening. Unfortunately private vehicles are not permitted at the venue.

The ceremony and reception will be outside and Santa Barbara can be warm in the afternoons but chilly in the evenings. There will be sunscreen and blankets onsite, but bringing an extra layer would not be discouraged. Also note that high heels should be worn at your own risk due to some rough terrain.

 Click here for the weather forecast

Dinner will be served buffet style with a selection of local Southern California cuisine. Appetizers will be served during the cocktail hour as well. There will be a stocked open bar with a selection of mixed drinks, local California wines, and regional craft beers.

Before & After

While the wedding will take place on Saturday, we have a number of events planned for those of you coming to Santa Barbara early or staying late (highly encouraged). Also, check out the Traveling section for more, non-wedding related suggestions.

Friday • Hike

Join us on Friday afternoon for a short hike up to Inspiration Point. The hike is approximately 3.5 miles round trip and rewards hikers with stunning views of the greater Santa Barbara area, including the northern Channel Islands. We will meet at the Tunnel road trail head at 3pm and aim to be back before 5pm. Location/Map of meeting point: https://goo.gl/maps/FeKc1UZ8Vxj. Parking is along the road and limited so carpooling is encouraged.

Friday • Drinks & Light Food

On Friday evening before the wedding we will be getting together for drinks at Pure Order Brewery. We'll provide some light food (not dinner) and stimulating conversation, you buy yourself a beverage. We plan on arriving around 7pm and the Brewery closes at 9pm (those of you not joining the hike are welcome to show up earlier). Pure Order is within walking distance of Santa Barbara's Funk Zone for those wanting to continue after last call.

Saturday • After Party

Downtown Santa Barbara has a surprisingly vibrant nightlife. Since the wedding will officially end at 11pm, we will have one of the buses take a detour down State Street for those interested in continuing the festivities. More information on specific after-party venues will likely be determined enroute

Sunday • Coffee & Pastries

The morning after the wedding, join us for coffee and pastries on East Beach directly in front of Blue Sands Hotel (see map here). Come by any time between 10am - 11:30am to say your goodbyes and/or hang out on the beach. We'll have some beach games (e.g., bocce) as well.


Sunday • Surf Session

If you are planning on sticking around on Sunday, join us for a Sunday afternoon surf session (surf permitting). No experience necessary and we can stop by the rental shop on the way to pick up extra boards and wetsuits. Depending on the surf report we will either go to Campus Point or Devereux/Sands. Email Grant (grantdmckenzie@gmail.com) if you are interested in joining.

Our Story

Sarah Harris

Sarah grew up and went to college in New England. After years of shoveling, she decided to give Southern California a try. She enjoys yoga, trail running, and most outdoor activities. When stuck inside, she loves to read and snuggle with their dog, Zelda.

Grant McKenzie

Grant grew up in Richmond, BC and has spent a large portion of his life traveling. He appreciates good craft beer, water-related activities and a decent pop-punk melody. When he can pull himself away from work, you can find him on the water or on the road with Sarah and Zelda.

Zelda

Zelda was found on the mean streets of Santa Maria. Now she lives the good life and fancies herself a queen. She is a master squirrel chaser.

Good Decisions

Their eyes met across a dusty classroom at UC Santa Barbara. Sarah mentioned her love of maps and Grant was smitten. After graduate school, the two moved to Washington, D.C., where they currently live. Grant asked Sarah to marry him on the Southernmost tip of Iceland in May of 2017.

Travel & Accomodation

As many of you are coming from out of town to join us for our wedding, we wanted to provide some information on how to get to Santa Barbara as well as accomodation options. Santa Barbara is very much a tourist destination and can be a little pricey accomodation-wise. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at grantdmckenzie@gmail.com.

Travel

The closest airport is the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA). Alternatively, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is approximately a 1.5 hour drive from downtown Santa Barbara and there are plenty of rental car options. Santa Barbara Airbus runs a direct shuttle from LAX to downtown Santa Barbara and Goleta roughly every 2 hours for those not wanting to brave LA traffic.

Accomodation

Santa Barbara is an incredible summer town and given that, hotels tend to be expensive and book up early. If you are interested in being "in-the-action," the hotels around Stearns Wharf or East Beach are where you want to stay. If you are looking for something a little quieter and/or cheaper there are a number of good options in Goleta, the town directly West of Santa Barbara or Santa Barbara County, the un-incorporated area between Santa Barbara city and Goleta (confusing, I know).

While there are plenty of great hotel options in the area, we recommend the boutique Blue Sands Inn as it will be the pick-up and drop-off point for the shuttle bus to the wedding venue. We have a limited number of rooms blocked off for our guests at a reduced rate. If you would like to book a room please contact the hotel:

Blue Sands Inn, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 965-1624
Email: bluesandsinn@gmail.com
Mention that you are a guest attending the Harris/McKenzie wedding.

If the price tag for a hotel room downtown is a little on the high side for you, a cheaper alternative is to book a short-term rental (e.g., AirBnB, VRBO, etc.) in Goleta, Montecito or surrounding Santa Barbara County. Please note, however, that while rentals may be available within the Santa Barbara city limits, there is an ordinance against these listings so book them at your own risk.

Shuttle Pick-up & Drop-off

Shuttles will be departing for the wedding venue at 3:15pm on Saturday from outside the Blue Sands Hotel in downtown Santa Barbara.

Local Activities

While we do have a busy weekend of wedding-related events planned (See Before & After events), Santa Barbara offers a variety of activities for those staying longer or arriving early.

• Wine-tasting in the Funk Zone
• Visit the Old Santa Barbara Mission
• Shopping on State Street
• The Bluffs at Ellwood Beach
• Walk along Stearns Warf
• Farmers' Market on Saturday Morning
• Art Walk on Sunday Morning

RSVP


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