Sydney + Kevin | David Manning Photography

Posted on April 1, 2020
in Updates
by lcr

 

Rustic Romance at the Ranch

 

 

We wish more of our clients used the front of our historic Hacienda for their ceremony backdrop!

For big groups like Sydney and Kevin’s guest list, this vast space is perfect!

 

 

These charming flower girls nearly stole the show!

Delighting everyone by surprise, we can’t think of a better way to honor beloved family members by including them in the wedding ceremony.

 

 

After a heartfelt ceremony, this happy couple shared their first of many kisses as Husband and Wife!

 

 

The “I Do” Glow never gets old!

As the family and Bridal Party stayed behind for pictures, the rest of the guests made their way through the Hacienda courtyard to the main reception area.

 

 

Once there, guests enjoyed craft cocktails, music, and were encouraged to sign the happy couple’s guestbook.

 

 

Personal Touch Dining kept the drinks flowing and delicious bite-sized appetizers always on hand!

As always, all of their food is made fresh and on-site!

 

 

As an extra treat, the love birds asked to provide a Leaning Tower of “Cheese-a” for guests to help themselves to as well!

 

 

On top of our plethora of lawn games we provide, The Happy Camper Photo Bus added one more way for guests to have fun throughout the night.

 

 

Finally, it was time for everyone to find their seats, so the night’s formal events could begin.

Fun DIY seating charts like this are cute, unique, and economical!

 

 

With so many guests, Sydney and Kevin had a wide variety of seating options.

Half the guests sat at Farm Tables, which not only look fantastic at our rustic venue but also need very little in the way of decoration because of their gorgeous dark wood finish!

 

 

At each seat, the guests found their names, hand-written by the Bride and Groom, on terracotta coasters.

These doubled as escort cards and fun favors to take home!

 

 

Back from family and romantic sunset pictures, with David Manning Photographer, the newlyweds finally rejoined the party with the Grand Entrance!

We love this shot of these two framed in a tunnel made by their Bridal Party.

 

 

Often the first time a couple gets to sit down and relax, the moment the grand entrance finishes, Personal Touch Dining offers them a tray of appetizers and helps our Event Coordination Team plate-up their dinner for them.

 

 

After an exquisite and plentiful Mexican Style Buffet dinner, guests enjoy a champagne toast, and then got ready for dessert by getting a little dancing in with DJ Nick Weiss!

 

 

Most couples these days opt-out of a grand, multi-tiered wedding cake and go for a small Couple’s cake for the cake-cutting ceremony.

Personal Touch Dining offered a mouth-watering donut spread for perfect to-go desserts to keep the dancing going!

 

 

We loved working with this incredible couple and their talented coordinator, Jessica Nelson, and can’t wait to see what their future holds!

 

Thanks to all the fantastic vendors who helped us make the day possible.

A special shout-out goes to Personal Touch Dining for their diverse skill-set and expertise in everything they do!

 

 

Vendors

Personal Touch Dining

David Manning Photographer

The Happy Camper Photo Bus

Jamul Flowers

DJ Nick Weiss

Jessica Nelson– “Plan, Prep, Party” Event Coordinator

Joann Lane– “Ceremonies de Vie.”

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

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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