About The Rosewood Miramar Beach

Located along the Montecito coastline, Rosewood Miramar Beach is one of Southern California's most sought after wedding venues. The site has a history going back to the 1880s, when British couple Josiah and Emmeline Doulton first acquired this stretch of shoreline. By 1910 it had grown into an established beach hotel known as Miramar By The Sea, a place William Randolph Hearst reportedly favored on his way north to Hearst Castle. The property changed hands several times before Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso purchased it in 2007 with the intention of rebuilding it as a resort that honored the site's history. After more than a decade of planning, Rosewood Miramar Beach opened in March 2019 as the only five-star resort in Southern California set directly on the beach.

Couples are drawn to the Rosewood Miramar because it is a luxury property with direct access to the beach, the resort experience it offers their guests, and its setting in Montecito, a quiet, upscale part of the Santa Barbara coast. That combination turns the wedding into a full weekend away.". Few venues in Southern California offer that same mix of luxury, location, and beach access all in one place.

Ceremony and Reception Spaces

The Great Lawn

The Great Lawn is the largest outdoor event space on the property, a wide open lawn that sits at the heart of the estate and works well for both ceremonies and receptions. With the Manor House at one end and the ocean at the other, the lawn has a natural orientation that works well for ceremonies and photographs alike.

Event Lawn

The Event Lawn sits adjacent to the Great Lawn and has its own distinct feel, a slightly more contained outdoor space that works naturally for smaller ceremonies or cocktail hour.

Chandelier Ballroom

The Chandelier Ballroom occupies the west wing of the Manor House, a large high-ceilinged room with expansive windows, rich finishes, and custom Baccarat chandeliers overhead. The room opens to a private terrace, which means the indoor-outdoor flow during a reception feels natural.

What We Love About the Rosewood Miramar Beach

Variety of Backdrops

From the Pacific coastline to the garden pathways and the Manor House interior, the property gives us different environments to work with without ever leaving the grounds. The day's photographs are all unique, which is rarer than it sounds at a single venue.

Exceptional Lighting

The coastal light here moves through several distinct qualities across a wedding day. Softer and more diffused in the morning before the marine layer clears, direct and warm through the afternoon, and fast-shifting at golden hour as the sun drops toward the water. We can work with natural light across the full day and use its different qualities to keep the images from all looking the same.

Detailed Architecture and Design

The property's architecture pulls from California Riviera influences, arched windows, white plaster and terracotta tones carried through from the exterior grounds. Step inside the Manor House or Chandelier Ballroom and the same care shows up in the high ceilings, rich finishes and windows that let the coastal light move through the space. Details carry through every space, which means there is always something interesting in the frame.

Insider Tips

For getting ready, we always recommend requesting a larger suite with big windows, since the natural light and space make a real difference during morning preparation.  

Find time for pictures at the curved staircase inside the Manor House, one of the more iconic locations on property. It was designed as a nod to Paul Williams, a significant California architect whose original drawings are on display at the property's entrance. The scale and geometry of that space work better earlier in the day, or late evening, when there is less foot traffic around the Manor House entrance.  

Plan for an additional 20 minutes for portraits before sunset when the timeline allows. The Event Lawn and beach catch the last directional light from the west. Moving from the ceremony lawn to actual sand produces some of the most relaxed moments we see all day.

Who is the Right Couple for the Rosewood Miramar Beach?

The couples we see choosing the Rosewood Miramar tend to want more than a standard venue. They want a full weekend. The luxury property has hotel accommodations, a spa, multiple restaurants, and a resort experience that gives guests somewhere to be before and after the wedding itself. Couples hosting out-of-town guests, or wanting the celebration to carry into multiple days, find the on-site accommodations and dining make it easy to enjoy a full weekend.

Not many venues in Southern California can offer a historic estate, direct beach access, and a full resort experience in one place. The spaces connect well, the light works across the whole day, and guests tend to leave talking about the weekend. If that combination sounds like what you are looking for, the Rosewood Miramar is worth putting at the top of your list.

Inspiration

The best way to get a feel for what your day could look like at Rosewood Miramar Beach is to see real weddings we have photographed at this property. Take a look at the celebrations of Shira & Steve and Talia & Edward to see how different couples have brought their vision to life here. For some extra information and fun facts take a look at the reviews from these publications - Conde Nast Traveler, Cosmopolitan and Forbes Travel Guide.

Considering a Rosewood Miramar Beach Wedding?

Whether you are still exploring venues or have already chosen Rosewood Miramar Beach, we would love to connect. We have photographed here throughout the year and would love to share what we have seen and learned from documenting weddings at this property.