The Narrative loft is such an incredible event space! A while back I had my wedding rehearsal dinner there and it was perfect. I had about 20 people and it was a great size for our group. The decor in the Narrative Loft is so beautiful and thoughtful, I did not bring in much and it looked gorgeous. Also the staff was great to work with from the start of planning and during the event everything went so well. I was able to fully enjoy myself and not worry about anything. I feel so lucky I was able to find this amazing event space right in Santa Barbara, I highly recommend having your next event here! read more

Really great space to hold events. It's decorated well, cool space and lots of options for how to use the space. Well maintained, good service. read more

The second we saw the Narrative Loft we knew it was the perfect space for the reception for our early October 2016 Wedding. It is such a beautiful and unique setting and we couldn't have been more pleased with how everything came together. Throughout our entire planning process the staff at the Loft answered all of our questions and offered lots of insights for vendors in the area and recommendations. We are from LA and Kat was especially helpful and flexible in allowing us to see the space or drop by on our time-cruched planning weekends in the area. We fell in love with the loft because of its open canvas nature allowing us to pick the vendors and decor allowing us plenty of room for DIY elements. The space allows about 150 people max so it feel very intimate but not at all over crowded with our 120 or so guests. We had planned to have a food truck and the location of the Loft allows for the food truck to pull right up to the front entrance. Guests were able to walk down the stairs for a late night bite then back up to continue the party. Overall we wanted a low key fun vibe to the night so our guests could just relax, party and have a great time, and The narrative Loft was the perfect place to do this! If you are looking for a unique, fun, relaxed and gorgeous venue to make you own, the Loft is it! read more

See all

The Narrative Loft is such an amazing gem in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara! My husband and I hosted our wedding reception here and had the most incredible time! The space is absolutely stunning - lofty, open space with gorgeous woodwork and tons of natural lighting. The feel is slightly industrial, slightly rustic. Our wedding was super DIY and The Narrative Loft was the perfect blank canvas to make our dream reception come to life. We cannot praise The Narrative Loft team enough. Michelle and Kat were warm, welcoming, organized, and flexible regarding scheduling both throughout the planning process and the day of the event. We live in NY and planned our wedding long distance; they were with us every step of the way and always responded to our requests/questions efficiently. They also recommended the majority of the vendors that we used who were all superb! A few more pros for this phenomenal space: there are no noise restrictions, on the weekends guests can park for free in the massive parking lot, you can bring in vendors of your choosing, and it's conveniently located in the hip Funk Zone, walking distance or a short drive away from State St. (and the beach). Guests were easily able to walk to nearby bars after our reception. Best of all, The Narrative Loft team really invested themselves in our event - they were calming and kind and did everything in their power to make sure that our event ran smoothly and that we had the best time ever. Our guests could not stop raving about the beauty of the loft and how comfortable they felt in the space. The loft was the perfect size for our 75 guests but could easily have accommodated more people. We highly, highly recommend The Narrative Loft for anyone looking for a fun space to get creative in! read more

The Narrative Loft - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

I had my wedding at the Narrative Loft in early 2020 pre-pandemic. We worked with the Event Director and getting everything organized was seamless and communication was great. The architecture and design of the space is awesome--it allows for so much versatility depending on event style/theme and even budget. It's really hard to find an event venue like this in Santa Barbara not to mention because of the location (non-residential) you can keep your party going until 1am and we took advantage of this and we danced the night away! If you are looking get away from the typical hotel wedding/event and prefer to have a space curated to your own taste and style plus the flexibility and creativity of choosing from any vendors + having the space until 1 am vs the normal 10pm shutdown, you should absolutely take advantage of booking this amazing and one of kind venue in SB! read more

We used the Narrative Loft for a recent TEDxLive event (http://TEDxSantaBarbara.com) and the space contributed so much to the success of the day. Specifically, working Michelle to set things up was a breeze and her onsite staff, Sarah, was extremely helpful through setup - day of and cleaning up. The space itself is extremely flexible and we were able to create several areas for viewing the livestream (using the included Mac, Wireless and Projector was a big help). Sarah has added value right away by setting up a nice area with a couch and some nice, comfortable chairs, this created yet another conversation area. Little things like easy access to air conditioning, electrical plugs, a house audio system (SONOS) made the day go very smoothly. People commented all day long about how cool the space was, how open and airy it felt and how 'TEDlike' the atmosphere was. Nearly everyone had never been in the space, as it's off the beaten track. Yet everyone said, "We'd come back in a minute to an event here." We're looking forward to doing more here at the Narrative Loft and working with Michelle and her team. read more

The Narrative Loft - The crowd at TEDxSantaBarbara LIVE giving a shout out to the TED Audience during the Livestream as it was simulcast at The Narrative Loft - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is an amazing venue! My daughter's wedding reception was beautiful. Bree, the event coordinator, made everything easy for us and was always there if we had any questions. Loved this loft! read more

Wonderful venue to have a small/medium sized wedding or event. We shot a wedding here and they were very accommodating to not only us as photographers but especially to the guests and other vendors. There was always someone to answer a question! They have everything you need to make your event great. read more

We choose The Narrative Loft for our wedding venue. From start to finish the entire experience was amazing, and better than I'd even imagined. Michelle and Kat were who we primarily worked with, & they were the sweetest throughout planning, our million questions, and last minute changes. Thank you Narrative Loft for hosting our dream wedding!! read more

See all

When I first heard of The Narrative Loft, it was through a friend of a friend. They had hosted a wedding reception there as well. What first drew us in to have our wedding and reception here was the open loft that had beautiful wood flooring and beams with all the large windows with natural lighting. Although the Loft is often used for receptions only, our wedding was small enough to hold the wedding and reception both at the same place. We opted to have our guests seated at family style banquet tables rented from Just4Fun Party Rentals and our sweetheart table served as our makeshift alter. Everything looked amazing and just how I imagined it would look. The space and lighting made our intimate wedding feel even more intimate and romantic at the same time. We would totally recommend the Loft for anyone wanting to have a more unconventional wedding or even just a beautiful reception. You can decorate anyway you'd desire and have a caterer of your preference. The Loft does not force you to follow a specific list of vendors all though they do have recommendations if you need help. So we were able to have street tacos for our reception dinner! Who doesn't love tacos?!? Coordinating plans through emails with Michelle from the Narrative Loft was very easy and she replied very promptly. Maybe we can have our vowel renewal here in 5 years read more

See all

Studio 240 (Now formerly named The Narrative Loft)--is hands down an AMAZING SPACE to hold a party or wedding reception. First off, this review is long overdue! My husband and I had our wedding reception there this past November. Michelle and Rachel are amazing individuals to work with. They are prompt when responding to emails and calls. They have recommendations in the area for venues. Amazingly thoughtful, accommodating and highly supportive for whatever vision you may have for your party or wedding reception. The space itself is quaint and gorgeous with woods floors, high ceilings, huge windows toward the front, wood pillars--a beautiful space to work with. They also have a huge kitchen that is always useful. They have PARKING as well. As much as Santa Barbara is a beautiful location to hold a party or reception, parking has proven to be difficult. The Narrative Loft has a huge parking lot we were able to utilize. I would definitely use this space again. They are reasonable too--which is hard to find in that city. Important: don't let the surrounding area throw you off. If you head there from the freeway, it looks more industrial than other areas in SB, however, you can give your guests directions coming from the ocean--heading East on S Calle Cesar Chavez coming from E Cabillo Blvd (toward the ocean) is what we had our guests do. Simply put, it was just a prettier drive that way. Side note: As far as venues we worked with for our reception--Tom from Wendee's Occasions was great for lights and Just-4-Fun Party Rentals was great for chairs and tables. Nate from Wild Onion did our catering! All amazing. Cheers! read more

We had our wedding reception at the Narrative Loft in early September, 2016 and I cannot say enough great things about the space and the people associated with the Loft. The Staff were world class. They met with us multiple times leading up to our reception in order to make our experience as seamless as possible. They are very accommodating and have plenty of great recommendations. They are there to help you with your every need which is incredible. The space itself is phenomenal. From the outside it is just another industrial building. When people get up the stairs they are blown away by what is inside. There is no noise curfew time which can make for a fun long night. All of our vendors had no issues with moving into or out of the space. We reached capacity with guests at 150 but the room itself still felt big enough that it wasn't crowded yet cozy enough to make the evening intimate. The location of the Loft is superb. In the funk zone and a stone's throw from the ocean. Many guests were able to walk back to their hotels. All of our guests have been raving about how neat the space is. Santa Barbara is a wonderful town and this was a great venue. I would highly recommend the space and look forward to having more parties there. And the Price is unbeatable! read more

We hosted our wedding after-party at the Narrative Loft this past Memorial Day Weekend. The event went perfectly and we couldn't have asked for a better evening. About a month prior to the event, our original venue (The Art Foundry in Santa Barbara) went bankrupt and we were thrown for a loop without a venue to host our after-party. With a busy weekend approaching, we panicked...but the Narrative Loft answered our prayers. Within a few days, we booked the space and they took incredible care of us. They were super flexible and easy to work with. Their policies on renting the space are very fair and their team is extremely helpful and quick to respond to any questions you may have. I would highly recommend this space for any events you have coming up. It was the perfect location for our party, and we're so glad it got to be a part of our special day! We'll have fond memories of it for a very long time. :) read more

We had a mendhi/sangeet/birthday party at the Loft the night before our wedding in Santa Barbara and it was PERFECT! The space is obviously amazing but the loft staff is wonderful and so helpful! We loved it and couldn't be happier with our choice! The fee is flat, there's no sneak attacks, there is no noise ordinance, and there's no fee to bring in a caterer like many other venues have. Not to mention, Kat is the best! read more

See all

Last year, my fiance and I were searching for venues. Once we walked into The Narrative Loft, we knew it was the perfect place for our wedding reception. The space is beautiful and a little quirky, with an urban loft feel. Additionally, we appreciated the complete flexibility we had over choosing vendors and didn't have to worry about the noise ordinance. Michelle and her staff were prompt with responses and helpful the entire time we planned our DIY wedding. The Loft is by the Funk Zone, where we walked around with our photographer for some fun photos in industrial, artsy spaces. Our ceremony was at East Beach, and guests were able to walk over to the Loft for the reception. We had 82 guests and everyone fit comfortably with plenty of room for a dance floor. We liked the aesthetic of the venue so much that we didn't bring in any outside decor, except string lighting across the exposed ceiling. There's also a curtained area that the venue probably uses for wardrobe changes during photoshoots--we repurposed it for an iPad photo booth. Overall, the Narrative Loft fit every single one of our needs (including our budget), and our guests had an amazing time. We would highly recommend this space to anyone looking for a fun, quirky venue. read more

My wife and I were determined to find the perfect location for our wedding reception. The requirements were an open, loft-style event space that we could make our own. When she found The Narrative Loft, she knew it was perfect, and of course, it was! The staff was incredibly fun, easy to work with, and very communicative. Since we live in San Francisco, they made planning super easy and streamlined. As we both run our own small businesses, we appreciated working with people who shared our expectation and work ethic. Given that it was our wedding, we didn't get a chance to see what the end result would look like until after all the guests had arrived. When we walked into the space, we were stunned at how beautifully everything came together and how happy everyone was! We would highly HIGHLY recommend The Narrative Loft for events and would love to throw another party there if we can! To read more on their blog about our wedding and the vendors we used, go here: http://www.thenarrativeloft.com/blog/2016/9/12/what-a-lovely-day Many thanks to The Narrative Loft for making our special day perfect! read more

We chose the Narrative Loft for a photo shoot for our webpage and had a great time. The Narrative Loft was the perfect setting for us. It instantly creates that warm, comfy feeling of being in your home, paired with the California cool that our brand stands for. Michelle's team was very accommodating and we'd do another photo shoot there in a heartbeat. We (Suissly) are a brand new startup located in beautiful Santa Barbara, California that designs, manufactures and sells bedding products online direct to consumers. The Suissly mission is to create products that make your bedroom more comfortable, more playable and more livable. The initial set of products consists of mattress, pillows and sheets that ship, free of charge, in a box directly to your home. You can try all Suissly products for 100 nights and return them if you don't like them. Suissly is launching on August 1, 2016. read more

We had our reception at the Narrative Loft last month in April, and it was nothing short of magical. We had to move our reception there within 5 weeks of our date because of COVID complication with a previous venue. Breanna was the most supportive and really helped us scramble and plan a wedding in 5 weeks. The venue came as a blank space and we were really able to make it what we wanted. 100% recommend! read more

Working for 240 STUDIO and Michelle Lee has been such a fantastic experience. Michelle and the studio have given me a great amount of knowledge in the industry. The studio is absolutely gorgeous, there is nothing like it in Santa Barbara. Come stop by and say hello :) We have all types of events, its a great space for receptions, workshops, corporate meetings and shoots! read more

I am a local clothing designer, and I rented The Narrative Loft for a look book fashion shoot in fall 2014. Both Rachel and Michelle were more than accommodating, and they made us feel comfortable the entire day. The space is amazing and is multi-functional as it can be used for photography shoots, receptions, performance space, conference space etc. It is a creative's dream! My photographer, models and I loved working with them, and I know I chose the absolute right place in Santa Barbara. The rates are fair, and everything was effortless. I highly recommend The Narrative Loft for anyone looking for a fabulous space in Santa Barbara. read more

What a beautiful venue. We had our reception at the Loft and could not have been more pleased with the space and the service we received. Their flexibility with vendors and the feel of the space allowed us to have the perfect reception for our wedding of ~70 people. Michelle was responsive to my emails and we were able to visit the space as many times as we needed during the planning process. The staff even provided specific measurements so I could create a to-scale layout. I would highly recommend the Loft for any event venue, not just weddings - though we couldn't've asked for a better venue for ours. read more

I threw myself a 60th birthday party and my event planner, Dalina of Once in a Lifetime, recommended The Narrative Loft. It was the perfect setting. Very urban and cool with so many features already there that I didn't have to do too much extra. My friends were super impressed! The evening was just right with the lighting, and the set up for places for my guests to talk, visit, or eat, and yet plenty of room for dancing and the DJ. Hats off to a great location and attention to detail. Katina Etsell read more

Honestly the best place to hold an event. They went out of their way to help me organize my reception. I highly recommemd this place. The staff goes above and beyond in order for events to go smoothly. I appriciate the staff for always being avaiable to show the venue numerous times, anytime of the week. During my reception they where on hand for anything that came up. This place has: an amazing dedicated staff, plenty of free parking, and you may play music through the night without worrying about Santa Barbara strick noise ordinance. read more

The Narrative Loft - Its honestly the most beautiful place to host any event - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

One of a kind event space in Santa Barbara! Great services and amenities. With such a large space if you can think it, you could probably do it there. We held a company workshop and with their big screen projector the demo was seen by all, there was plenty of space for the served lunch, and because of its great location we all grabbed drinks in the funk zone afterwards. All in all a very productive and fun day because of where it was held. Will book again. read more

I had my wedding reception at the Narrative Loft a week ago and it was so beautiful!! We first met with Kat over the summer and as soon as we walked into the loft, we knew it would be perfect for our ~95 person reception. I visited the loft several times during my planning process and even behaved a little bridezilla at some points lol, but throughout the entire process, Michelle and Kat were amazing. I believe Kat no longer works at the loft, so I mostly dealt with Michelle toward the end. The Thomas fire had me really stressing out a few weeks before my wedding, but Michelle called me to check in on how I was doing and assured me everything would be okay. Thank god the fire cleared up before our wedding and everything turned out beautiful. The day of the wedding, Michelle's assistant was there, who was equally amazing. I wish I could remember her name, but with all the excitement from the wedding, it slipped my mind. The lights accidentally came on during dancing, and since she was in her office, she came out immediately to save the day. Everyone at the loft is so sweet and attentive and I am so glad this location to celebrate my wedding. read more

The Narrative Loft - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

just attended a dear friend's wedding this past wkend at the narrative loft and wow! what a lovely functional / versatile open space! my friend's style is very anthropologie and the narrative loft was exactly her. but really though, since it's one giant open space you can really decorate it anyway to fit your personal style. they don't have an onsite kitchen, so all catering will need to be prepared... in the parking lot. but regardless, the catering team did a fantastic job! the narrative loft can easily accommodate 100-150 guests, but anything over may be stretching it a bit, especially if you're looking to allocate some room for the dance floor or maybe photo booth. parking is available on the street and outside, but it does seem like it's quite limited so carpooling would be recommended to the guests. docking one point for the bathroom situation. i think the narrative loft is a bit dated, so they only have 1 bathroom for women, 1 bathroom for men. there was always a queue to use the bathroom :( and you know how us ladies get, we sometimes just had to share with the gentlemen because our line was just getting too ridic... and the bathroom feels like someone's bathroom at home, no toilet seat covers... and 1/2 way through the paper towel ran out. but other than that, still a great place to consider for events! read more

Wow and Wow! Can I just say working with the gals at the Narrative loft for my fabulous 5 Oh Birthday Bash was such a pleasure! They are so much fun and so on top of there game! We put together the best Birthday bash I have ever attended (and it was mine!)! The venue is awesome and transforms beautifully! We had approximately 60 people there with a bar, a stage for the band and a large sitting area and it was perfect. Our guests danced their rear ends off on the beautiful wooden floor ( no need to rent a dance floor) and a great time was had by all! Thank you ladies! read more

We had our wedding dance party here and it was a hit! Working with Michelle was a dream, she answered all of my scattered bride-brain questions, gave me a list of wonderful vendors, and had so many small detail suggestions that went a long way. In terms of the event, everything from our perspective went smoothly and we are still getting comments on how beautiful the venue was. We did minimal decorations as the venue on it's own has it's special vibe and look. Many thanks to the team for making our special day all the more perfect! read more

Such a hidden gem. Recently visited the Narrative Loft and the staff was more than accommodating. Whether you want to fill the space up with tables and chairs or a vast open space for people to dance the night away... The space itself is very unique and gives room to lots of different layout opportunities. It's also filled with lots of decorative and unique pieces that give it a special look and feel. I'll definitely be looking into the Narrative Loft for my own event or as a photo studio sometime in the future. read more

The Narrative Loft is such a great venue for just about any event! I am a DJ and run a small DJ company in Santa Barbara and we have been at this chic and hip urban oasis numerous times - for birthday parties, graduations, weddings, and more. I've heard most guests say that they didn't know this amazing place existed - it's a refreshing out-of-the-ordinary venue! Sarah and her team are so welcoming and accommodating to their clients, and to us. Power/electrical is plenty, so we can do crazy lighting (string lights, uplights, video projections for our video DJs) and crank it up (yes, we can party loud and hard because this venue is indoors in an industrial area - parties have gone to 2am!). We love the Narrative Loft - thank you guys for keeping it edgy and artsy! read more

Michelle Lee is fantastic! I recently had head shots done at 240 AND photos of my Dog taken (Michelle also owns www.pets-in-focus.com) and I LOVED the images, Michelle's energy and her creativity! She helped me feel comfortable (smiling for an hour isn't always easy haha) and guided me through the process. I love a photog who fixes hair, makeup and angles to get the best result and Michelle did all of those things! Her studio props are super fun and her images are amazing. I HIGHLY recommend Michelle for commercial, personal and pet photo shoots! read more

240 Studio, the owner Michelle Lee, and all the staff are super supportive and truly provide a professional as well as inspiring and creative place to work. The light is fantastic, and the vibe energizing. It's the perfect place for me to work and create! read more

I am a photographer and recently had a shoot at 240 STUDIO. Michelle was very helpful and accommodating. And the space itself is fantastic! It is air-conditioned (which was so worth it on the hot summer day!!!), spacious, has a dedicated makeup room, lounge and the ambiance is really cool. I would really recommend this space for a studio to shoot in but also as an amazing event space. read more

This event space is top notch! My husband and I used the space for our wedding and it was intimate enough to talk and mingle with everyone but large enough to have multiple activities going on throughout the night. The staff are incredibly attentive and you're given a lot of flexibility how the space is designed. Couldn't have asked for a better location! read more

What a great venue!!! The Narrative Loft is a new space in Santa Barbara. As a coordinator- I love having a wide open floor plan that allows the hosts to create whatever "feel" they want! If you are looking for a change of pace- and are hosting a birthday party, office mixer, or intimate wedding reception- this is your place! read more

Just a fantastic space for a party. Staff is professional and helpful. The super cool loft atmosphere really enhances the relaxed party feel. Loved it. read more

The Narrative Loft, besides the fact that it is an amazing venue, have really great people taking care of it. Michelle worked with my team and was very understandable with everything. I say understandable because we are all international students who were, for the first time, planning an event. She was patient and always replied to our email as soon as she could and always made time to meet with us. People at the event loved the place and we were just so glad to have had the amazing opportunity of working with The Narrative Loft team. read more

Went here for a wedding. Great staff and a fantastic venue. Really enjoyed myself. Would love to come back to this location for my own event, just don't tell my girlfriend it would ruin the surprise. read more

The Narrative Loft is an amazing space for varying types of events. Working with Michelle and her team has been an absolute blast. I highly recommend this space for all your event needs. read more

An excellent value for any party or event! This space is not only unique to the Santa Barbara area but offers a spectacular atmosphere for a wedding, after party or workshop. We recently planned an after party for a wedding here and the staff was incredible helpful and our clients were thrilled with the way the event turned out! read more