There is a whole world of dessert options beyond traditional tiered cakes to explore for your wedding. Dessert bars in particular offer long-term snacking compared to active stations like the S’mores, Ice Cream Sundae, and Churro stations that we provide. These dessert bars are perfect for couples who want to keep their guests on the dance floor and want to appeal to the largest crowd. Check out these mouth-watering options below for your own sweet, sweet inspiration!

Gipe Photography

Dessert trends have been pointing away from classic tiered cakes, with their overly sweet or inaccurate amount issues, and towards experimenting with smaller portions or varieties of treats as options for guests.

Anastasya Photography

Donuts, in particular over the last few years, have rocketed off the charts in popularity!

Honestly, who can resist fried dough covered in sugar?

Gipe Photography

Cupcakes offer options for your guests’ special dietary needs as well!

Instead of ordering one layer of cake hoping and worrying about anybody’s allergy restrictions, ordering cupcakes allow for specific numbers of different flavors to please everyone.

Anastasya Photography

Your favorite treats to go–such as cookies, brownies, lemon bars, and any other sugary concoction are perfect for guests to snag from a dessert station on their way to the dance floor.

Krissel Rivas Photography

Snag your favorite candies in bulk to share with your guests. They can make little to-go bags of their favorites to take home. A healthier version that we’ve seen of this dessert station option is a trail mix station!

Acqua Photo

Choose your favorite treats and go wild! We love seeing couples get creative with their choices.

Gipe Photography

Just ask our coordinators for ideas on how best to display all of your treats!

Leo Carrillo Ranch Coordinated, Managed, and Catered by Personal Touch Dining.

Timeless Elegance Meets Rustic Charm!

Among his squad of groomsmen, the stylish surprise of Adam’s white jacket and black bow tie made him stand out as the prominent star of his show!

We love the fun mix of blues in Julie’s Bridesmaid’s dresses; the effect gives depth and personality to her side of the bridal party!

As their guests arrived, everyone stopped at the Welcome Table to drop off cards, gifts, and grab a quick refreshment before finding their ceremony seat.

As a cute activity for the guests, instead of a sign-in book, Julie and Adam asked for well-wishes or advice to be slipped into wine bottles for them to read years later!

Everyone waited excitedly for the ceremony on our patio, while they listened to Nick Weiss Music artfully sing and play his guitar.

Our Pepper Tree had a miniature makeover for the big day, thanks to KO Floral Designs, with a stunning garland of eucalyptus and pops of bright corals, pinks, and peach blooms.

The last to leave the Hacienda, the Bride and her Father get to share a private moment before they make their trip down the aisle.

What a spectacular backdrop this scene makes for The Big Kiss!

You can’t help but catch the excitement coming from The Glow off of these two!

As soon as the ceremony finished, guests moved to the reception area where Personal Touch Dining served craft cocktails and fresh appetizers made on-site!

KO Floral Designs and Ivory + Stone Event Co. worked together to make sure each dining table had the perfect tablescape.

Finally, after some romantic sunset pictures, the love birds made their way back to the party with their Grand Entrance.

The First Dance as Husband and Wife is such a heartwarming moment for the newlyweds to have, especially surrounded by their family and friends!

For dinner, Personal Touch Dining offered guests a delicious and well-balanced buffet full of Julie and Adam’s favorite dishes, all made fresh on-site!

A champagne toast after dinner brought laughter and happy tears right before opening the dance floor for the rest of the evening.

KO Floral Designs decorated the adorable Couple’s Cake and Dessert Bar shelves for the cake cutting later in the night.

Personal Touch Dining made sure to gather a wide variety of sweet treats for guests to grab on their way back to the dance floor!

Nick Weiss Music kept the dance floor rocking the rest of the night, much to the delight of the groovy guests!

We are so proud to be part of this beautiful couple’s love story!

Thanks to Ivory + Stone Event Co., Mike Thezier Photography,  and the rest of the incredible vendors for working with us to make this day so special!

Special thanks to Personal Touch Dining for their Venue Management, Special Event Coordination, and fabulous Event Catering!

Vendors

Mike Thezier Photography

Ryan Films SD Videography

KO Floral Designs

Nick Weiss Music

Personal Touch Dining

Ivory + Stone Event Co.

Bohemian Bold!

This resourceful pair combined stunning desert scene photographs, a wild romantic ceremony arch, and minimalist table centerpieces to convey their love of adventure and modern bohemian spirit.

This gorgeous bride thought of every detail, using the accent colors in her bouquet to inspire her fabulous accessories!

Ginny paired her elegant lace bodice wedding gown with fun pale salmon fringe statement earrings and a set of gorgeous burnt orange satin heels.

To add a deep contrast to all the warm color tones, Michael and his groomsmen looked sharp in their navy suits.

In the privacy of the Hacienda’s side garden, the love birds snuck in their First Look.

Guests made sure to drop off gifts, cards, and any other wedding “responsibilities” at the Welcome Table before finding their ceremony seat.

Michael and Ginny fell in love with our Washouse’s rustic charm and chose to use it as the base of their incredible ceremony arch.

Rebecca Eichten Floral Art and Design blew us away with her spectacular array of dried desert flowers!

After the heartfelt vows, everyone cheered for The Big Kiss!

Glowing with excitement, the newlyweds made their way back down the aisle together as Husband and Wife.

We were so impressed by the statement this bar sign makes with its mesmerizing background!

As Singler Photography stole the happy couple and some choice family away for formal pictures, the rest of the guests helped themselves to the bar from Personal Touch Dining.

The theme continued to the seating chart as well!

Guests enjoyed the Pixster Photo Booth, and fresh appetizers made on-site from Personal Touch Dining before finding their tables.

The custom table markers explained the significance of each name to the Bride and Groom.

We love the ingenious use of cement pots to add modern flair to the rustic desert foliage in the centerpieces.

Every place setting showed an incredible amount of heartfelt attention to detail by Michael and Ginny!

It included a custom menu card, a bundle of sage as a wedding favor, and thank-you-note escort cards.

After an incredible dinner from Personal Touch Dining, the guests took to the dance floor with Sound Illusions and rocked the night away!

We’re so happy for this beautiful couple, and are beyond grateful for the chance to be part of their special day!

Thanks to the fantastic team of vendors who helped us make the magic happen!

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

Vendors

Singler Photography

Sound Illusions DJ services

Rebecca Eichten Floral Art and Design

Personal Touch Dining

Pixster Photo Booth

Boho-Sweet!

Chris and Brittany brought their romantic boho dreams to our Ranch for their special day, and we couldn’t have been happier to have them!

We were head-over-heels for Brittany’s vintage-inspired croche lace gown!

For a lively group of Bridesmaids, we always recommend a free choice on bodice style.

Now everyone can look and feel their best on your big day!

Chris went with a light gray, almost linen suit, which is perfect for our sunny San Diego Summers!

His troop of Groomsmen sported a slightly darker suit to help Chris stand out.

Florist Lily Benjamin wound a lush garland around our Pepper Tree for the ceremony, and we love to see it all dressed up!

As guests arrived, our Coordination team helped them find the card box and encouraged everyone to sign in before finding their seats.

Full of laughter, tears, and infectious smiles, the ceremony made everyone present feel included.

After a quick ring exchange, it was officially time to seal the deal with The Big Kiss!

The newlyweds made their way back to the Hacienda, guided by one of our feathered friends, who are always ready for their closeup!

Personal Touch Dining served guests tray-passed appetizers to pair with their specialty crafted cocktails after the ceremony.

We loved the look of the engraved charger plates on the Sweetheart Table!

This style of charger is unique, elegant, and a beautifully sweet way to accent their tablescape.

Happy Camper Photo Bus entertained everyone for hours with their multitudes of fun photo props and instant-print photos to take home as a memory of the night’s festivities.

Bill Calhoun Mobile Music brought the happy couple back to the party with the Grand Entrance and First Dance!

Personal Touch Dining then opened the buffet for hungry guests to get their fill of the hearty dishes they provided.

The Tri-Tip is always a crowd favorite of the many fresh dishes made on-site!

A hilarious family heirloom cake topper decorated the Couple’s Cake from Flour Power Custom Cakery.

Personal Touch Dining served slices of cake and added extra sweets for guests to grab and go, perfect for on their way back to the dance floor.

We’re so thankful to Madeline Barr Photography, and the newlyweds, for allowing us to share such a fun and loving day with our readers!

We absolutely loved having Chris and Brittany’s special day here at the Ranch!

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

Thanks to all the wonderful vendors who helped make this day so flawless.

Especially the staff at Personal Touch Dining for their Event Coordination, Catering, and Venue Management!

Vendors

Personal Touch Dining

Bill Calhoun Mobile Music

Lily Benjamin: Florals

Happy Camper Photo Bus

Madeline Barr Photography

Flour Power Custom Cakery

Their romantic white wedding and spirited families lit up the night. Thanks, Chris Ellis Photography, for these stunning pictures that we can’t wait to share!

Jimmie and his half of the Bridal Party were the first to have their photos taken after getting ready in our repurposed Carriage House.

The front entrance of our Stables is a photographer favorite for its rustic whitewashed brick walls that add a fun juxtaposition to the sharp lines of a well-tailored suit.

Abby and her Bride Tribe started the wedding day prep in their hotel room before putting the final touches on at our Ranch.

Her dress was an exquisite blend of vintage elegance beading and a boho-chic cut with delicate flower details.

With loose waves and a crystal flower crown, Abby looked every inch a dream Bride.

Like a Queen in her castle, She glowed with excitement sitting in our vintage chairs as the final touches to her ensemble were added.

We always recommend a First Look over at The Stables.

It gave the love birds a private moment to see each other before the craziness of the Ceremony and Reception began.

A First Look is often the last private moment a happy couple got before they became Husband and Wife.

With the First Looks finished, the whole Bridal Party got together at our Cabana before the ceremony.

Large Bridal Parties like this are always the life of the party!

The ceremony on our Washhouse Patio beneath the shade of our majestic Pepper Tree was for Jimmie and Abby’s closest family and friends.

Small ceremonies like this sometimes offer that sense of intimacy a Bride and Groom want to reflect throughout their relationship.

Abby’s Father, Bill, officiated the ceremony.

Jimmie’s excitement is contagious in this picture, and we can’t get enough!

Finally, The Big Kiss!

This moment here is why we love what we do.

The “I Do” Glow is one of the best parts of these special events.

As the newlyweds went to take family pictures, the rest of the guests made their way down to the reception area.

There, Personal Touch Dining served fresh appetizers, made on-site, and craft cocktails to kick off the party!

 Chris Ellis Photography took the love birds all over our event site for the perfect couple’s portraits.

The stunning floral arrangements, from the bouquets to the table centerpieces, were from The Flower Shop Encinitas!

We love the natural hints of pale blue in Abby’s romantic bridal bouquet.

After all the formal pictures finished, Abby changed into her party dress!

This Grecian-inspired gown looks comfy while still exuding classic elegance meant for a Bride.

For dinner, Personal Touch Dining served a hearty buffet, with food made fresh on-site!

They always make sure to include substitutions for anyone with potential dietary restrictions; all they need is a little heads up.

After dinner, guests enjoyed chocolate-covered strawberries from Personal Touch Dining for dessert and then danced the night away with Sound Prodigy!

We loved working with this incredible couple, and we wish them all the best in their bright future together.

Thanks to all the fantastic vendors who helped us make the magic happen for Jimmie and Abby! Special thanks go to Personal Touch Dining for the Special Event Catering, Coordination, and Venue Management.

Vendors

Personal Touch Dining

Photography: Jessica Wardwell and Chris Ellis Photography

Florist: The Flower Shop Encinitas

DJ: Sound Prodigy

Thanks to Joe & Kathrina Photography, we’ve got some beautiful pictures to share.

After a heartfelt ceremony on our Wash House Patio, guests made their way down to our reception area.

Refreshing craft cocktails and delicious appetizers, made fresh on-site from Personal Touch Dining, circulated the area while everyone enjoyed mingling with their family and friends.

A vintage lounge area, from Sundrop Vintage Rentals, overlooked the patio games.

New lounge areas like this are high quality, comfortable, and perfect for any Instagram-worthy photo opportunities!

Beautiful Savage Flowers brought vibrant blues and pops of pink into their floral arrangements.

Overall, it had a wild romantic quality that blended seamlessly with the happy couple’s decor!

After cocktail hour, the newlyweds joined the party with their Grand Entrance, soon followed by their First Dance!

Guests enjoyed the heartwarming champagne toasts from the Bride and Groom’s parents, and then the buffet opened.

Personal Touch Dining served up another fantastic buffet dinner.

The guests were thrilled with the savory carved-to-order Tri-Tip and extra spicy Horseradish Cream Sauce!

Nick Weiss Music opened the dancefloor to everyone after dinner, and guests danced off just enough of their dinner to make room for the dessert!

The love birds decided to have a Couple’s Cake for their cake cutting ceremony.

We love the floral decoration on this beautiful cake!

Personal Touch Dining provided a full dessert display on our Dessert Bar for the guests to enjoy.

Between the Brownies, Lemon Squares, Cheese Cake Bites, and Chocolate Chip Cookies, everyone got exactly what they wanted!

We’re so happy for this incredible couple, and wish them all the best in their beautiful future together!

Thanks to all the excellent vendors who helped make this day so unique for Shelby and Emily!

We couldn’t do what we love without all your help.

Extra appreciative of Personal Touch Dining for the Catering, Event Coordination, and Venue Management of all our special events!

Vendors

Joe & Kathrina Photography

Personal Touch Dining

Nick Weiss Music

Beautiful Savage Flowers

Sundrop Vintage Rentals

Unique, Vibrant, and Bursting With Love

Angela and Morgan brought their closest friends and family to our ranch for their intimate ceremony beneath our welcoming Pepper Tree.

Wearing fabulous matching suits for their vows, they set the tone for their one-of-a-kind reception!

Angela encouraged her Bridesmaids to wear their most glamorous evening wear, ensuring everyone felt and looked their best that night!

Tina Jair, a friend of the love birds, arranged a unique bouquet or boutonniere for each member of the Bridal Party!

Personal Touch Dining provided the most excellent service for their buffet dinner, and after a lovely champagne toast, the dance floor opened!

DJ Pat, of Sound Prodigy, kept the party rocking, and the guests enjoyed drinking and dancing the night away.

We’re so honored to be part of this special day, and we wish Morgan and Angela all the best in their bright future together!

Thanks to all the terrific vendors who helped us make the magic happen, especially Personal Touch Dining, for all their hard work in so many facets of our operations.

Vendors

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

Sound Prodigy: DJ

Tina Jair: Florals

Drew Lang Photography

But, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, we thought we’d bring back one of our most festive weddings from last year!

Claudia and Reggie were a DIY decor inspiration.

Their attention to detail left no spot on our Ranch untouched by their heritage. These paper decorations on the ceremony arch were incredible, and the happy couple decorated it themselves!

Each of their tables had adorable miniature pinatas, customized maracas, and hand-planted cacti and succulents as their centerpieces!

We barely recognized our humble Cabana once Claudia’s beautiful paper flowers and Mexican Candy buffet were all displayed!

Are you looking for more pictures of this festive event?

Check out the full gallery on the blog post that we dedicated to them here!

From all of us here at Leo Carrillo Ranch, Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Vintage Elegance Meets Historic Charm

Inspired by our Historic beauty, this couple intertwined their classic “Roaring 20’s” wedding theme with our timeless rustic charm!

Ariana’s stunning feathery layered lace gown perfectly complemented her edgy smokey eye and luscious maroon locks for her Vintage Alternative look.

We love the halo of peacock feathers around her bouquet, so striking and romantic!

Her band of gorgeous Bridesmaids followed the vintage 20’s theme by finding exquisite emerald and sapphire toned flapper dresses to finish off the effect.

The ceremony beneath our majestic Pepper Tree needed only simple decorations along the aisle, and a flowing piece of white cloth to frame the happy couple!

The heartfelt vows, and including their daughter into the ceremony, caused more than a few misty eyes in the crowd.

After the Big Kiss, guests showered the newlyweds in dried flowers and endless love as they came back down the aisle as Husband and Wife.

While the happy couple took formal pictures with family, the rest of the guests moseyed over to the reception area for food, drinks, and lawn games!

The table centerpieces doubled as favors at the end of the night for the guests and were hand made by the Bride and Groom with tall vases, red velvet roses, and ostrich feathers.

Davin Lindwall Photography took these two all over our Ranch to find the perfect pictures, and they look meant for this iconic shot among our bougainvillea.

Rejoining the party with their daughter, they made their way to the center of the dance floor to kick off the rest of the evening with their First Dance!

We’re so thankful these lovebirds chose us to help them celebrate their love!

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

A round of applause for the fantastic team of vendors who helped us keep everything running so smoothly!

Special thanks to Personal Touch Dining for our Special Event Catering, Coordination, and Venue Management.

Vendors

Bill Calhoun Mobile Music

Flower You Beautiful

Davin Lindwall Photography

Personal Touch Dining

Primavera en El Rancho

Our favorite time at the Ranch is Spring!

Especially around April, when the peacocks are active and inspire our clients with their beautiful foliage and bright personalities.

Katy and her bridesmaids took their time getting ready in our historic vintage Bridal Suite while waiting for the ceremony to start!

We can’t get enough of the stunning embroidery on Katy’s gown!

Eamonn looked fresh in his Spring-inspired ensemble!

A light suit with a splash of color in a floral pocket square is the way to go for an April wedding.

As guests made their way down the path from the parking lot, enjoying the natural beauty of our Ranch, tray-passed champagne and sparkling water welcomed them into the ceremony area.

The intimate ceremony was for closest friends and family only, but right after, everyone enjoyed delectable appetizers and craft cocktails from Personal Touch Dining!

Below are pictured some of the Mini Beef Sliders with Muenster Cheese and Bacon Jam made on-site.

Our seating chart went with their rustic motif perfectly, and is flexible enough for escort cards or more extensive table arrangements!

We always appreciate when a happy couple wants to customize their tablescape; it allows us to show off our variety of options!

This gold flatware matched the vintage champagne glasses, and a menu-fold napkin has endless possibilities to tuck all kinds of thoughtful treasures for your guests.

These simple, yet gorgeous centerpieces were all from the Bride and Groom!

A tablescape can feel complete with a few hand-potted plants and a chic source of light for after sunset.

After the Grand Entrance, this glowing couple gathered everyone and expressed their sincerest thanks for all the love and support they’ve received.

Soon after, guests found their seats and staff from Personal Touch Dining poured more champagne as guests helped themselves to the buffet.

The rich assortment of food on the buffet, provided by Personal Touch Dining, included their heavenly Oven Roasted Parmesan Potatoes and tasty Herb Crusted Mahi Mahi with Lemon Chardonnay Sauce and Fresh Herb garnish.

As a final touch, their second protein was their famous Citrus & Oregano Marinated Grilled Tri-Tip, carved to order!

 This pairs best with their fresh Horseradish Cream Sauce, a Tomato and Corn Relish, and decadent Au Jus.

As thoughtful wedding favors, the lovebirds offered guests cozy blankets that matched our royal blue peacocks!

We loved working with this terrific couple, and wish them all the best in their bright future together!

Huge thanks also to our team of incredible vendors who helped us make such a fun day flow flawlessly!

Especially with all of Personal Touch Dining‘s hard work Catering, Coordinating, and Venue Management of the event!

Vendors

Bill Calhoun Mobile Music

Florals: By Client

Rentals: Adore Folklore

Personal Touch Dining

TK Photography

Pixster Photo Booth