This past September my husband and I were married on a sandy beach in Santa Barbara, California. We wanted a very small ceremony and after researching online, I discovered a company in Santa Barbara called ‘Weddings by The Sea’ with elopement style wedding packages. So we left the approaching cold of Winnipeg and were welcomed by sunshine and ocean breeze. We started our adventure with our friendly and boisterous cab driver who picked us up at LAX – upon hearing of our wedding plans in Santa Barbara he quickly convinced us that we picked a poor location for our wedding and he tried to persuade us to stay in Los Angeles where all the ‘fun’ beaches were. My heart dropped slightly as I was excited to explore the acclaimed ‘American Rivera’ I had read about online, Santa Barbara is known for its red topped Mediterranean style buildings and coastal town. But my disappointment quickly faded as we pulled around a bend on the highway and into the city, I was greeted by a sparkling ocean expanse and brightly coloured flowers flowing down the edge of the street underpass. Away from the sea were mountains with houses built up the sides, there was a haze from the humidity and afternoon sun lingering over them, which made for a dreamy sight. I was overjoyed to discover my research for our destination was all I had envisioned it to be and more. Read More >