Maddie + Matt | Vee Taylor Photography

Posted on March 26, 2020
in Updates
by lcr

Inspirational DIY Boho-Chic Wedding!

 

 

Matt and Maddie had a gorgeous fall wedding here at the Ranch, and we loved all the intricate DIY details they incorporated into their special day!

 

 

These lovebirds were the perfect couple to get married here, and they were so kind as to answer some follow-up questions we had about their special day!

 

 

What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style, or color palette?

Maddie: “We were inspired by the bohemian beauty of Leo Carrillo and Southern California sunsets. We wanted our wedding to be fun, have a lot of texture and color, and be full of details that represented our guests and us!”

 

 

Maddie: “We incorporated a range of terra cotta, light pinks, and pops of yellow and white throughout, as well as palms and pampas grass!”

 

 

How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?

Maddie: “We had such a blast designing with our amazing florist KO Floral Designs! Leo Carrillo is so effortlessly beautiful, so we wanted to just highlight and play off of the character at the Ranch.”

 

 

Maddie: “We wanted to focus our ceremony décor on the tree by using a garland with palm fronds and pampas grass.”

 

 

How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.

Maddie: “Matt and I met when we were 15 years old in high school biology class! We started dating shortly after and have been together ever since! Fast forward ten years, and Matt decided to surprise me with a day of all my favorite things. He took me on a scavenger hunt around all my favorite places in LA and ended the night with a surprise in Malibu. We hiked to the top of a mountain and at the top, he lined the path with candles and rose petals and had a “will you marry me” sign, then he quickly got down on one knee and proposed!”

 

 

Tell us about your wedding!

Maddie: “At our ceremony, we included a wine box tradition, where we included letters to each other that we will read at our first anniversary, and replace every year to reflect on our relationship grew over the years.”

 

 

What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?

Maddie: “We loved our ceremony!! It was so emotional and fun, and really captured our love for each other (we thought we wouldn’t cry…and we all cried a ton!)”

 

 

After this heartfelt ceremony, guests were encouraged to move down to the reception area for the rest of the evening’s festivities!

 

 

Personal Touch Dining worked in collaboration with the newlyweds to whip up some fun signature drinks!

 

 

Cam Ham Photo Booth delighted guests with their vast array of photo props and instant prints to take home!

 

 

Maddie: “We also incorporated a ton of DIY projects, such as:”

  • Our seating board
  • All of our signage
  • Our custom laser-engraved coasters with each guests’ name
  • Our table numbers
  • Custom dyed table runners
  • Our laser-engraved cake topper

 

 

We were in awe of this gorgeous and unique seating chart!

It’s such a personalized touch that makes guests feel special for seeing that bit of extra effort for them.

 

 

Every guest just needed to find their customized antiqued polaroid to find their seats.

Imagine looking up pictures for every guest!

 

 

Maddie: “For the reception, we wanted everything to look warm and blend with the sunset. One of our favorite décor items were our peacock chairs during our reception!”

 

 

The Grand Entrance, after some romantic sunset pictures, was immediately followed by the First Dance!

 

 

We love this shot by Vee Taylor Photography!

It visibly shows the tidal wave of love a Bride and Groom receive from their friends and family when they’re announced as Husband and Wife.

 

 

Always such a beautiful moment!

 

 

As soon as the Bride and Groom sit after their first dance, Personal Touch Dining offers them their tray of appetizers.

That’s when our Event Coordination Team plates-up their dinners for them, so they can take a minute to relax.

 

 

Maddie: “Matt and his groomsmen and friends also choreographed a dance for the wedding, and it was such an epic moment! It was such a fun and exciting part of the day, and our guests loved it!”

 

 

Bill Calhoun Mobile Music took over for the rest of the evening, always keeping the dance floor grooving!

 

 

This adorable Couple’s Cake had the customized cake topper mentioned earlier!

Personal Touch Dining made sure to have plenty of other desserts for the hungry guests to nibble on.

 

 

Here we see Red Velvet Cake Shooters, Cannolis, and Churros with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, all made fresh on-site!

 

 

What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?

Maddie: “Ahhh – all of it!! Haha, we absolutely loved every part of our wedding, from our awesome vendors and décor to our fun-loving guests, to the music, and the amazing food  – everything was even better than what we had envisioned! We had so much fun dancing with family during the reception and loved getting to sneak away for romantic sunset photos!”

 

 

Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?

Maddie: “The advice out there is true! The day goes by so quickly, but you will have memories for the rest of your life. So, prioritize what will bring you and your partner joy as you celebrate the beginning of your future together! Having an amazing vendor team makes all the difference!”

 

 

There aren’t enough words to properly thank this gorgeous couple for including us on their special day!

We loved working with them and wish them nothing but the best in their future together!

Huge thanks also to our phenomenal team of vendors who helped us put together another dream wedding!

Special acknowledgment to Personal Touch Dining for their multiple roles and faultless commitment to our clients!

 

Vendors

Bill Calhoun Mobile Music

KO Floral Designs

Vee Taylor Photography

Reel Thread Films

Cam Ham Photo Booth

Personal Touch Dining: Catering, Venue Management, and Event Planning/Coordination

Invitation Designer: Bride DIY

Men’s Attire: Kenneth Cole, the Tie Bar

Dress Store: Ellie’s Bridal Boutique Alexandria

Jewelry: Bride – custom ring made out of family heirloom, Groom – Grandfather’s wedding band

Bridesmaid Dresses: Lulus

Dress Designer: Essence of Australia

Hair: Hair by Jordan

Makeup: Makeup by Nancy J

Lynn + Conor | Phil Chester Photography

Posted on March 18, 2020
in Updates
by lcr

 

From Las Vegas to Leo Carrillo Ranch!

A Love Story

 

 

Lynn and Conor were one of our sweetest couples, and we loved their decor inspired by our Boho-Chic beauty!

Lynn even took time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions about their special day for us!

 

How did you meet?

Lynn was on her first girl’s trip to Las Vegas. Conor and his MLS buddies were there for an off-season good time. The two groups met over bottle service and were inseparable all weekend.

Lynn- “Both of us also happened to be living in San Diego, which is where we started dating and fell in love coming up on eight years ago! We basically found love in the club in Sin City!”

 

 

We can’t get enough of these Satin Champagne Bridesmaids dresses!

They’re perfect for complimenting the warm undertones of our Hacienda.

 

 

Tell us about the proposal!

Lynn- “Conor proposed in the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. He got both families together to be there for the big moment. We were walking through the gardens, Conor got awkward at one point and was holding onto my shoulder for an uncomfortably long time. I asked him if he wanted to keep going, and he then got down on one knee. I kind of blacked out from there and have no idea what he said, but he eventually handed me the box, and I think I asked him if he was supposed to put the ring on my finger? Then everyone in the gardens (which was A LOT of strangers) started cheering. It was perfectly awkward, and so us. He then threw a little surprise celebration when they got back to our house with some of their closest friends and family.”

 

 

Tell us about your wedding.

Lynn- “Conor’s uncle was our officiant, and it made for the most beautifully emotional ceremony. We both wrote our own vows, which was a highlight for both of us.”

 

 

Lynn- “Another favorite little detail is the customization of Conor’s wedding suit. Conor’s father passed years ago and was not able to be with us in-person on our wedding day. With the help of his mom and a fabulous suit designer, I was able to have a love note Conor’s father had written stitched onto the inside of this suit jacket along with his signature.”

 

 

How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?

Lynn- “We had a very sweet and talented florist, Wildflower Design Studio, who made all my ceremony, table setting, cabana plants, and wedding cake décor come true! She was basically responsible for [all] the beauty! We really wanted to keep a minimal look, so we brought lots of candles and not much else. As far as what we DIY-ed, we created the seating chart (do not recommend – formatting all the names, which was 185 for us, is soul-crushing and WILL make you cry), the place cards, signs, and the photos of family wedding photos in the dessert area.”

 

 

Personal Touch Dining prepared all the event’s food on-site, including these delicious sliders during cocktail hour!

 

 

How did you both choose your wedding day look?

Lynn- “I had a vision for Conor’s suit, and we found an amazing company in LA to design it. I wanted a terracotta, clay suit for him, and he slayed in it. For myself, I wanted enough glam that still let me feel like myself in a dress that gave me heart eyes. It was simple, comfortable, and felt like an actual dress versus a gown. Funny story, my strap broke halfway through the reception, and Kendra came to my rescue and sewed that baby back together while I was still in the dress!”

 

 

What was the inspiration behind your day? 

Lynn- “Our inspiration for the wedding was a minimalistic yet romantic feel, with neutral tones. The venue was so gorgeous – we didn’t really feel the need to fill the space with much more. We wanted to showcase its beauty! Our goal for the wedding was for everyone to have full bellies and to overly indulge in the open bar and get their boogie on the dance floor!”

 

 

What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?

Lynn- “Sharing our vows with each other and looking into a sea of adoring eyes during the ceremony still floods us with emotion. Our best man, maid of honor, and parents also gave some award-worthy speeches that made us laugh, cry, and all the feels in-between.”

 

 

After another spectacular dinner from Personal Touch Dining, the newlyweds cut their cake!

The feathers as a cake topper decoration were so unique and fun!

 

 

Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?

Lynn- “Make it your own. Make it simple. Make it fun and playful. It’s going to be the best day of your life – as cliché as that sounds! We didn’t know we could even feel so many emotions until our wedding day. LCR (especially Kendra!!), made the process so easy and enjoyable for us. Choose your vendors as soon as you can and then spend the rest of the engagement enjoying each other.”

 

 

Lynn- “On the big day, pick a few moments where you come back to the present (so much emotion and adrenaline can otherwise make it feel like a whirlwind) and really try to look around at all the people who came there to celebrate and love you and absorb all the sweet emotions. For myself, I picked walking down the aisle with my father, exchanging of vows, and also during the reception while everyone was seated for dinner.”

 

 

Lynn- “We were thrilled we chose LCR. They made all our dreams come true, and all our guests still tell us it’s the best wedding and venue they’ve ever been to!”

 

We are touched by all the love coming from this gorgeous couple, and we wish them all the best in their bright future ahead!

 

Thanks to all the fantastic vendors who helped us put together another magical event!
We can’t do what we love without your dedication and excellence.

 

Special Thanks to Personal Touch Dining, who juggles all our Special Events Catering, Coordination, AND Venue Management!

 

Florist: Wildflower Design Studio (Now Closed)

Photographer: Phil Chester

Invitation Designer: minted

Men’s Attire: Knot Standard for the groom’s suit (style advisor Gage Minton)

Veils: Mia Bella Bridal

Dress Store: BHLDN

Jewelry: bracelet gifted from parents

Bridesmaid Dresses: Missguided

Catering, Coordination, and Venue Management: Personal Touch Dining

 

Garter and Bouquet Toss Alternatives!

Posted on March 11, 2020
in faq, Updates
by lcr

The Garter and Bouquet Toss are infamous time-honored traditions at weddings.

Unfortunately, guests’ reactions to this tradition can be an unpredictable mixed bag, potentially throwing off the mood of your event.

We got our experts together to cook up some fresh twists to help rejuvenate this wedding ritual, so old customs can be tailor-fit to you as a couple on your big day!

 

Give New Life to an Old Custom!

 

Consolation Prizes

-Kids Prizes: Weddings with lots of children might want to encourage a separate kids-toss with fun prizes so the adult toss can be ore traditional. This way, everyone feels included, and nobody accidentally gets stepped on during the excitement!

-Cash Incentive (AKA Singles for the Singles): Placing a bit of money on the bouquet, or with garter, before the toss can add a little motivation for your guests to claim the prize! Gift cards are a fun alternative as well and could encourage future romantic dates for the lucky winner.

-Bottle of Booze: Winning a bottle of something nice to accompany the bouquet or garter might also promote a little more interest from guests!

 

New Methods: Fresh perspective on old fun!

-Hot Potato: (Similar to musical chairs, but with fewer chances for accidental injuries.) While a song plays in the background, guests can pass the garter or bouquet around in a circle until the music stops. The one left holding the prize is the lucky winner!

-Box of Treasure: Have guests pick a key out of a mixed pile to unlock a box or birdcage with the award.

-Ribbon Pull: An old European version of this tradition. Many false ribbons are held in the Bride’s hands above her head, with one secret winner tied around the bouquet. Everyone pulls at the same time and the winning ribbon reels in the prize!

-Toss the Boutonniere: If you still want to throw something to the single men, but you don’t want the scandal of the garter toss, then toss the boutonniere – but take the pins out first!

-Football/Three Flies Up: Easier to throw and catch–especially concerning the garter, a football can be an easy alternative. This saves the integrity of the bouquet and modesty of the Bride.

 

Pranks: For couples Who Love to Laugh Together.

– Blindfolded “Quick Switch”: Groomsmen can throw on a thrift store wedding gown and swap out with the Bride in the chair. The blindfolded Groom will be none the wiser when he goes for the garter, and guests will be on the floor rolling with laughter. The topic of family gatherings for years to come!

-Magic Trick: Pull random items from beneath the dress stashed out of sight behind the Bride. She’ll be shocked as everything, but the kitchen sink comes out from under her skirt!

-Breakaway Bouquet: Why battle over a single bouquet? Throw a “Breakaway Bouquet” made of separated flowers, so everyone in the crowd gets one!

-Gender-Bend: Surprise unsuspecting guests by swapping outfits, and reverse the garter retrieval! Hilarity is sure to ensue.

 

Or, Toss the Tradition Entirely.

-Anniversary Dance: Honor the longest-married couple by giving them the bouquet.

-Cake Pull: Many variations of this technique exist, but it is popular in Southern traditions and similar to a “King Cake” from Mardi Gras celebrations. Small charms placed in a cake or cupcakes for participants indicate different types of prizes, such as good fortune in money or love. By either pulling a ribbon to extract the charm or eating the cake, guests can see what they’ve won. Be sure to warn guests before they take a bite!

-Pass The Torch: Give the Bouquet to the next Bride-to-Be with a wedding coming up. The ribbon or other decoration from that bouquet can be for “something borrowed” on her wedding day.

 

Have fun with the tradition and make it fit your personality however you see best!

 

Guests will be delighted by any efforts to keep it alive in your special way.

 

 

Thanks to True Photography for the fantastic pictures!

 

Hillary + Jacob | Chasing Light Photo and Film

Posted on March 4, 2020
in Updates
by lcr

 

Soundtrack of Love

 

We loved working with this fun-loving couple and honestly enjoyed every minute of their gorgeous Wedding and Reception here at Our Ranch!

 

We reached out to the newlyweds, asking a few questions about their big day, and they gave us a list of all their favorite memories. 

 

Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? 
Hillary: “The moment we arrived at the Ranch, we knew it was special. It was the first of four venues we toured, and nothing else compared. I envisioned simple, elegant decor with pops of reds, pinks, and oranges. The Ranch is so gorgeous. I really didn’t think it needed too many additional touches to highlight how pretty the venue is.”

 

Getting ready in the bridal suite, Hillary was a vintage vision in white, thanks to the help of her bridesmaids.

 

How did you both choose your wedding day look? 
H: “I didn’t necessarily have a specific vision I just knew what I didn’t want… the gals at The Bustle in Del Mar were so helpful!  After a long day of trying on what felt like a million dresses at a few other bridal salons, I described my preferences to the attendant. She pulled a few dresses and made adjustments based on my feedback. When I put on THE dress, she added the veil, and I started crying… something I certainly didn’t expect!”

 

H: “I knew Jacob would look amazing in a navy suit, and when we found “the one,” we knew we had to go with it!

 

 

Friar Tux suited up the rest of the groomsmen in the same sharp-looking navy suits to match Jacob.

We love the contrast of the red in the boutonnieres!

 

What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
H: “Definitely our ‘First Look’ and of course, saying ‘I Do’!

How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal. 
H: “Jacob and I both attended the University of San Diego but didn’t actually meet until our junior year while we were both stranded at LAX waiting to depart for our semester abroad in Madrid. He officially popped the question six years later at Sunset Cliffs on a sunny December day. He had a wonderful afternoon planned with lunch and a sunset gondola ride on Coronado.”

 

Chasing Light Fotography knows how to capture all the priceless moments of the night perfectly!

 

How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
H: “We kept it simple. Allyson from The Love Sparrows hit the nail on the head with our floral!”

Did you personalize the day in any way? 
H: “I’ve always been obsessed with photo booths, and the Can Ham Photo Booth fits perfectly with the vibe at LCR.”

 

After a private photoshoot at sunset with Chasing Light Photo and Film the Bride and Groom joined the rest of their party with a Grand Entrance!

 

Sound Illusions worked closely with the happy couple on the night’s music selection, and the First Dance fit these two perfectly!

 

 

After another incredible buffet dinner, the love birds revealed their sweet tooth!

A separate full Churro Dessert Station accompanied the Dessert Bar, which was all supplied by Personal Touch Dining.

 

What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
H: “We were super excited to get the party started and really looked forward to our music selection – we selected all of the songs for our cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. We got lots of compliments from our guests, which was awesome since we did take a lot of time putting the music selection together. Also, we were engaged for almost two years – we held out for our date, 9/21, because of Earth, Wind, and Fire. We closed out the party with ‘September’!”

Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
H: “Using vendors who have previously worked at your venue is so helpful! Our DJ (Sound Illusions), photographer/videographer (Chasing Light), and photobooth (Can Ham Photo Booth) vendors were all familiar with LCR, which I think was a crucial part of having the day run as seamlessly as it did.”
“Also, the folks at Personal Touch Dining know what they’re doing – from the day of coordination to the food, our big day was perfect!”

 

We’re so honored to be a part of this special day for these two!

We wish them all the best in their bright future together.

 

Thanks to all the marvelous vendors for helping us bring everything together for this beautiful couple.

Special thanks to Personal Touch Dining for the Event Catering Coordination, and Venue Management of our Ranch!

 

 

Vendors:

Can Ham Photo Booth

Chasing Light Photo and Film

Florals – The Love Sparrows

DJ – Sound Illusions

Catering/Coordination – Personal Touch Dining

Men’s Attire – Friar Tux

Dress Store – The Bustle

Bridesmaid Dresses – (each girl picked her own)

Dress Designer – Stella York

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