We might just go ahead and crown Saddlerock Ranch the reigning Queen of Venues. We see a TON of weddings coming out of this gorgeous spot and they never cease to amaze. Plus zebras are usually involved which makes us quite happy campers. Also included in today’s affair – gorgeous photography by Yvette Roman, a sea of stunning details by Mint Julep Social Events along with R. Jack Balthazar leading up the floral brigade, scrumptious treats almost too pretty to eat courtesy of Vanilla Bake Shop and just wait until you spy with your little eyes the ceremony set-up. YOWZA. See it all here!
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Just when you thought all the pretty was coming to an end, we have a gorgeous film from Living Cinema to stretch out the party a little longer. Feast your eyes on this warm-fuzzy-inducing gem…
From the Bride…We both met in 2003 when we worked at the same advertising agency in Orange County. He was an Art Director and I was in Account Management, which coincidentally equates to the perfect wedding planning duo. He had the creative vision and I was into the details. We are both laid back, like to be comfy and love to dance. So the inspiration for our big day came easy: we wanted people to feel like guests at our home, like they were dancing in our very own beautiful outdoor living room. As we have both learned through many years in the ad industry, it takes the right team of people to bring an idea to life. And so the hunt was on for the perfect partners to do just that and the criteria was clear; a caterer that was up for the challenge of serving 14 different dishes, tapas style, from cuisines around the world, a floral and décor genius with exquisite taste that could transform an outdoor venue into a plush, cozy space, a photographer that could deliver a time capsule that would bring us back to that very day 20 years from now, a pastry chef who could transport us back to our childhood with old time classics, a videographer that not only shot weddings, but made beautiful films, and a wedding planner who had the courage to bring it all together.
I love to snack and Christian will eat anything….literally. So we thought this was a good opportunity to infuse some of our culture and introduce our guests to our heritage. We decided to serve a progressive dinner, tapas style – Italian dishes from my father’s side and Columbian and Filipino classics from Christian’s side. We were surprised at how adventurous our guests were as this was certainly not your traditional filet and chicken. At the end of the day, we are both still straight up American, so we did serve some traditional favorites during cocktail hour, fried mac and cheese, Kobe sliders and fruit skewers. And finally, we brought out a late night breakfast to honor me and my mom’s after hours pancake eating tradition.
Niki and Rene from R. Jack were my dream come true. They are truly responsible for transforming an already beautiful place into the world we had hoped to create. The Filipino lace that adorned all the farmhouse dining tables, the ceiling of Moroccan lanterns that lit the dance floor, the Persian rugs that covered the grass, the daybeds and blankets and mismatched pillows that formed the coziest of seating areas and the FLOWERS! They were everywhere and everything I wanted each arrangement different from the next, stems from all kinds of flower families.
Thank God we found someone who not only takes beautiful photos, but made the experience an amazing adventure. Because of Yvette, we discovered every nook and cranny of Saddlerock, even an up close encounter with some curious horses who insisted on a tasting of my bouquet and veil. At that moment it became clear that Christian had never been this close to a horse – he was completely freaked out.When Yvette delivered our wedding photos in a beautiful little silk box, we were overwhelmed at how clearly she was able to capture that day and all of its magic. As a bride my greatest fear was that our photos would not reflect the energy or the emotion of our wedding day. How could it be possible to package it all up – every piece of it, how we felt that day, and the dream of it all. But there it was, all of those memories and moments perfectly fit into one little box bound by a satin ribbon and I could not be more grateful for that.
Christian was the dream groom! He wanted to be a part of virtually every meeting and decision, but totally let me do my thing. He just wanted to come along for the ride – didn’t want to miss anything. But I will say, for such a neutral groom, he did inspire quite a few of my favorite details: He and his groomsman wore the traditional Filipino barong – not only to honor his father but also because he hates to tuck in his shirt.He was also dead set on wearing sneakers to satisfy his fetish, which I didn’t dare challenge him on. And the beer – we served Imperial as a nod to our Costa Rica honeymoon destination. One thing he was very particular about – his ring. It was hand carved by his artist friend (and fellow Filipino) as a wedding gift from Doyok wood from the island of Siargao where Cloud 9 is…(Cloud 9 is the best surf spot in the Philippines), and he loves it. And finally, the music – this was his personal mission…old school hip hop that we would dance the night away to. And that’s exactly what we did.
Designer + Florist: R. Jack Balthazar / Wedding Photography: Yvette Roman / Wedding Cinematography: Living Cinema / Wedding Coordinator + Producer: Mint Julep Social Events / Lighting: Lighten Up, Inc. / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Specialty Rentals (lounge furniture, linens): R. Jack Balthazar, Inc. / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Vanilla Bake Shop / DJ: Michael Antonia, Flashdance / Catering: Urban Palate / Venue: Saddlerock Ranch