Caterer Suggestions around Santa Barbara Area?

Re: Caterer Suggestions around Santa Barbara Area?

• csunsweetie member

  

  August 2009 edited December 2011

  You'll be surprised at how many vendors travel to SB versus finding local ones there. I found a LOT of the SB vendors were very expensive. Check out my planning bio for a great caterer. At times she is kind of hard to reach - but believe me, for the price, and the food quality, it's worth the initial struggles! She charged me a travel fee but I was on a tight budget and it definitely worked within it. GL!

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• KLinSBbride

  

  August 2009 edited December 2011

  Koji Nomua is amazing.  He can do anything you want (delicious food) and he is very experienced and professional.  We have used him before for events.  His email is koji.nomura@hotmail.com.  Best of all...he's affordable!! 

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• kcliveoutloud

  

  August 2009 edited December 2011

  We are getting married in Santa Barbara and decided to go the restaurant route. We are having our reception at The Arts & Letters Cafe (pics in bio). We have a small wedding, 69 guests invited, so it's the perfect location for us and we love it!A restaurant is another option for a reception, just thought I would throw that out there. Congrats on your engagement!

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• bostontoLA

  

  August 2009 edited December 2011

  I got married in SB in May.  The hotel catered, so I can't help you with that, but if you need a DOC, baker, etc.  I have great recs in my bio! 

  *PLANNING & MARRIED BIO* updated 7/9 *FOR SALE BIO*- updated 9/3

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• AnnieBellini member

  

  August 2009 edited December 2011

  I highly recommend Pure Joy Catering based in SB. Here's my review from my yet-to-be-shared married bio (nee dto finish!): Caterer: Pure Joy, Santa Barbara, California 805-963-5766 Finding a professional and talented catering company in Santa Barbara was a challenge for me. Since the caterer would be the largest component of my wedding budget-wise, I wanted a company that had a great reputation, made delicious food, was organized and quick to respond. After not receiving quotes from some caterers and getting incomplete quotes from others, I was blown away by the level of attention and professionalism I encountered with Pure Joy. After discussing my needs, I received a detailed four page estimate with pricing for my appetizers, meal, rentals and service. They made a sometimes overwhelming piece of the wedding so easy. Next up was sampling their food to make sure their reputation was deserved. Pure Joy arranged for my in-laws and my family to have a back door tastings of an actual wedding (permission is received before hand) they were catering. All we had to do was select a day that worked for us and a menu that we were interested in trying. We then quietly showed up near the catering area of a wedding (in the "back of the house" away from the wedding guests) and Pure Joy supplied tastings of the food served and a bottle of wine in an adorable picnic basket. The food was amazing and you could notice the quality even when cooking for large numbers of people like they will at a wedding. You can attend as many times as you like to try all of the food you like. So smart. Another reason why I loved Pure Joy was their organization and willingness to rework our quote at a moment's notice. When I thought I wanted multiple small plates with wine pairings and then changed my mind to do something entirely different, they were on it. When I needed to figure out ways to save on rentals at the last moment, they gave suggestions on how to save where no one notices and spend where people do.    Their service on the day-of was attentive, professional, warm and friendly. They even brought over an entire tray of appetizers to my husband and I to enjoy after the ceremony . . . brilliant! Their food was so, so amazing! People are still talking about the mini ramekins of baked mac and cheese and the portobello raviolis with browned sage butter. 

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• miaK822 member

  

  August 2009 edited December 2011

  Thanks so much for the recommendations! Definitely appreciate it all! We are looking at having our ceremony and reception at the winery my fiancé proposed to me at and they said that we need to bring in our own vendors and my initial concern was where was I supposed to cater the food from, but your suggestions definitely are appreciated!! Thanks again!

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