Classic and Romantic Wedding at Rancho Valencia

Grace and John’s classic, romantic wedding at Rancho Valencia has three things I love: a dog, mix match bridesmaid dresses, and a choreographed first dance. That’s a winning recipe for a wedding if I do say so myself. Rancho Valencia is one of my favorite properties to photograph and I was delighted to shoot there for Grace and John’s al fresco affair which was published on Style Me Pretty.

Getting Ready

The invitation suite for this wedding proved nothing short of stunning. The blue letterpress ink tied to the blue envelopes were incredible. I am obsessed with how beautiful those pieces are. You’ll see lots of blue woven throughout this wedding and each piece of it will be equally romantic and gorgeous. Guests were all given a welcome box that contained weekend essentials – all cute and practical of course!

Ceremony at St Therese of Carmel

St Therese of Carmel served as the location for Grace and John’s ceremony. John teared up as Grace walked down the aisle in her beautiful cathedral length veil. The ceremony was special to the couple who would share sweet smiles with each other throughout the hour. Finally, the ended the event with a kiss and a proud walk down the aisle and out the doors where they were celebrated with hundreds of bubbles!

Portraits at Rancho Valencia

A wedding at Rancho Valencia will always have a variety of portrait locations. That’s one of the reasons I love it. After we completed wedding party portraits, I took Grace and John on a photo tour around the property. Of course, we had to include their puppy Leo in a few of the shots!

Wedding Reception at Rancho Valencia

The cocktail hour took place on the Sunrise Terrace and featured a beautiful escort card display with a large flower arrangement. Each card featured a real flower above the table number. Belly bars with grey printed linens and lush flower arrangements filled the space.

The reception itself was jaw-dropping. A large structure covered in smilax framed the head table, while a mix of long and round tables flanked the dance floor. Each table was topped with very flower-heavy centerpieces. The tables were so beautiful! During the reception itself, Grace and John performed a fun choreographed dance before hearing a speech from her father. They also danced with their parents and cut a beautiful buttercream cake. It was truly a glorious evening that I was honored to be a part of.