• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Home
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Submit Wedding

Destination Wedding Details

Inspiration for every detail of your wedding away

  • Shop
  • Real Weddings
  • Vendors
    • Find Vendors
    • Join Vendor Directory
  • Ideas
    • Welcome Bags & Favors
    • Bridesmaid Gifts
    • Styled Wedding Inspiration
    • Cake Ideas & Tips
      • DW Cake Tips
      • Tropical Wedding Cakes
      • Beach Wedding Cakes
      • Beach Wedding Cakes II
    • Save-the-Date/Invitations
      • Personal Destination Wedding Websites
      • Save the Date Ideas
      • Destination Wedding Invitations 101
      • When to Send Invitations
      • At Home Reception Invitations
      • Booklet Invitations
      • Unique Invitation Ideas
      • Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette and Examples
      • Destination Wedding Programs
    • Flowers
      • Bouquet Ideas
      • Bouquet Tips
      • Centerpiece Ideas
      • Beach Wedding Arch Ideas
    • Ceremony/Reception
      • Guest Book Alternative Ideas
      • Program Ideas
      • Unique Wedding Signs
      • Destination Wedding Theme Ideas
      • Creative Ideas
  • Fashion
    • DW Dress Guide
    • Destination Dress Gallery
    • Tips for Buying a Gown Online
    • Men’s Destination Attire
    • Bridesmaid Destination Attire Tips
    • A Guide to Beach Wedding Attire Tips for Guests
    • Destination Hairstyle Gallery
  • Advice
    • DW Planning
      • The Best Destination Wedding Checklist
      • Destination Wedding Planning Tips
      • Destination Wedding Do’s and Don’ts
      • Legal vs Symbolic Weddings
      • Free Planning Spreadsheets
      • Managing Family Reactions
    • Photography
      • Finding a DW Photographer
      • Preparing for Your Photos
      • All about Trash-the-Dress Photos
      • Photography Basics
    • Money Matters
      • Keys to Cheap Destination Weddings
      • Budgeting Tips
      • The Truth about Free Weddings
    • Travel
      • How to Travel with Your Dress
      • Destination Wedding Packing Checklist
      • DW Packing Tips & Advice
  • Etiquette
  • Search
  • Shop
  • Real Weddings
  • Vendors
    • Find Vendors
    • Join Vendor Directory
  • Ideas
    • Welcome Bags & Favors
    • Bridesmaid Gifts
    • Styled Wedding Inspiration
    • Cake Ideas & Tips
      • DW Cake Tips
      • Tropical Wedding Cakes
      • Beach Wedding Cakes
      • Beach Wedding Cakes II
    • Save-the-Date/Invitations
      • Personal Destination Wedding Websites
      • Save the Date Ideas
      • Destination Wedding Invitations 101
      • When to Send Invitations
      • At Home Reception Invitations
      • Booklet Invitations
      • Unique Invitation Ideas
      • Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette and Examples
      • Destination Wedding Programs
    • Flowers
      • Bouquet Ideas
      • Bouquet Tips
      • Centerpiece Ideas
      • Beach Wedding Arch Ideas
    • Ceremony/Reception
      • Guest Book Alternative Ideas
      • Program Ideas
      • Unique Wedding Signs
      • Destination Wedding Theme Ideas
      • Creative Ideas
  • Fashion
    • DW Dress Guide
    • Destination Dress Gallery
    • Tips for Buying a Gown Online
    • Men’s Destination Attire
    • Bridesmaid Destination Attire Tips
    • A Guide to Beach Wedding Attire Tips for Guests
    • Destination Hairstyle Gallery
  • Advice
    • DW Planning
      • The Best Destination Wedding Checklist
      • Destination Wedding Planning Tips
      • Destination Wedding Do’s and Don’ts
      • Legal vs Symbolic Weddings
      • Free Planning Spreadsheets
      • Managing Family Reactions
    • Photography
      • Finding a DW Photographer
      • Preparing for Your Photos
      • All about Trash-the-Dress Photos
      • Photography Basics
    • Money Matters
      • Keys to Cheap Destination Weddings
      • Budgeting Tips
      • The Truth about Free Weddings
    • Travel
      • How to Travel with Your Dress
      • Destination Wedding Packing Checklist
      • DW Packing Tips & Advice
  • Etiquette
  • Search
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Submit
  • Advertise

A Beautiful Destination Wedding on a Private Ranch

You are here: Home / Real Destination Weddings / A Beautiful Destination Wedding on a Private Ranch

//  by Cynthia // Leave a Comment

After a serendipitous discovery of the Santa Margarita Ranch, this couple knew they’d stumbled upon the perfect venue to create what would be one the most gorgeous wine country weddings we’ve ever shared.

Jayna and Daniel’s taste is classic, and you see it in every detail. From the groom’s vintage Gucci tux to the perfect mesh of rustic and modern decor, they created the dreamiest occasion to celebrate their love. Like with most destination weddings, they quickly realized that you just can’t plan for everything.

beach wedding program fans

A little rain hardly threw them for a loop, but it was when they tried to capture their newlywed portraits that they ran into trouble (scroll down to see more of the story in the bride’s own words). I will say though, that the pictures Jennifer Lourie captured of Jayna wearing a hoodie over her beautiful Allure gown as Daniel carries her over his shoulder safe from mud are my favorite. It just tells the story of a couple who isn’t afraid to roll with the punches, and they’re able to laugh off some of life’s obstacles and figure it out as a team.

All was well in the end, and as you can see they were able to spend the night laughing, dancing, and enjoying some divine cake. That’s all you really need, right?

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0013

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0002
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0003

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0016

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0017
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0018

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0025

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0000

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0001

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0028

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0032
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0020

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0021
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0022

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0024

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0023

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0037

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0033

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0038

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0034
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0040
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0043
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0042

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0044

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0047

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0048

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0004

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0008
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0053

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0055

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0054
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0056

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0009

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0010

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0072

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0075

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0050

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0057

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0058

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0059

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0060

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0061

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0041

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0069

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0065

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0064

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0062
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0068

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0063

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0070

destination wedding ranch
destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0066

destination wedding santa margarita ranch 0011

Q&A with the Bride

Why did you choose to get married at this destination and venue?

We chose to get married in California’s Central Coast for our love for wine country, olive groves, beautiful green rolling hills, and close proximity to many of our friends and family living in Los Angeles. We had our first vacation in this area together several years before, so it’s special to us. Living on the East Coast presented geographical challenges while we were planning a destination wedding.

Daniel trusted me to chose the venue during a visit with my maid of honor and grandmother. After visiting various wineries in Paso Robles, I started to feel less optimistic about finding my “dream venue”. As we were driving down the 101 highway to the last venue to take a look at, we got lost and pulled over on a dirt road. As we sat in the car feeling hopeless, I saw a sign that said “Santa Margarita Ranch” surrounded by gorgeous green hills.

The scenery alone spoke to me. I guess my grandmother had the same epiphany as she googled the phone number and called to request a site visit. The venue accepted and gave us a tour. The ranch has nearly 15,000 acres of open pastures, vineyards, and gardens, along with a historic barn that took my breath away with the unique stone wall interior and vaulted ceilings. I called Daniel and he knew we found our dream spot.

How many people attended your destination wedding?

120

What were your sources of inspiration when choosing your colors, flowers, cake, etc..?

We wanted every element of our wedding to represent our love. Our inspiration came from places we traveled together, meals we enjoyed together, and items and colors that felt natural, modern, and simple. We knew we wanted to the main source of beauty to be the backdrop of our venue.

Was there something unique or special that you incorporated into your wedding décor/theme?

I made welcome gift boxes for our wedding party when they arrived at our large vacation rental property that were unique and special to each recipient.

What was your favorite wedding detail and why?

The food menu! We both love cooking and believe there is an art to the preparation, cooking, and presentation of food. We had the most incredible caterer, Trumpet Vine Catering, who we designed the menu with based on what we thought would be best enjoyed and appreciated by the guests.

During the food tasting, we weren’t 100% happy with the meat option we chose. So I (jayna) ended up working with the chef to develop my own braised short rib recipe with gremolata recipe as one of the main courses served family-style.

And also my wedding gown.

Was there any tradition that you skipped or a tradition that you put a “destination wedding” spin on?

We certainly didn’t keep the guest list short. And to our happy surprise, our friends and family still joined us from around the country.

What was the most memorable or unusual thing to happen on your wedding day?

About 30 minutes after our outdoor ceremony, it rained. It didn’t pour but it was still enough rain for guests to find temporary shelter during our outdoor cocktail hour. Once the rain turned into a very light drizzle, our photographer grabbed us for couple portraits. Of course I wanted to take photos in the gorgeous green hills that looked even more dramatic with the clouds rolling in. Since we couldn’t get there by foot we saw our family friend with a truck who offered to drive us up the road a bit with the bride, groom, maid of honor, and photographer in tow.

To our absolute horror, we got stuck in the muddy cow pasture. At first we had one of those “this cannot be happening” moments as we had 5 men in the back trying to push the truck out of the mud and getting very wet from the rain that picked up again and mud splattering upwards. None of us had our phones except for the driver who called my father-in-law to attempt to tow his truck out of the mud. So no one knew where we were – we later found out no one was concerned and enjoying the cocktail hour.

Both trucks got stuck and we all shifted focus to getting us back to the barn to join our guests. In those moments, I felt a surreal rush of calmness overtake me and just absorbed everything happening around me and feeling grateful. However, the LAST thing we wanted to do was take couple portraits. Logistically it would be virtually impossible to not get soaked with mud. Our incredible photographer coached and forced us like a hero to take our photos anyway – that these moments we will cherish forever.  We agreed and I saw the five men throw down wooden blocks and moving blankets to create a bridge for me to walk over the deep mud.

Our photos turned out incredible and afterwards my maid of hour carried my shoes and Daniel put me over his shoulder and carried me back to the casita to reunite with our wedding party. We laughed, almost cried, and drank a glass of champagne as our friends cleaned us up with paper towels. Moments later, our day-of wedding coordinator told us to line up and enter the barn as the DJ announced the wedding party. Having no moment to really discuss what just happened, we entered last and had our first dance together giggling and smiling over what we just experienced.

Summed up in the words spouted from an enthusiastic bridesmaid while we wiped the mud from Daniel’s black dress shoes, “Mud is love.”

What was your favorite part of having a destination wedding?

My favorite part of having a destination wedding was the adventure and element of surprise that goes into the planning and weekend of festivities shaped around our wedding. It felt like a weekend getaway with literally all of our closest family and friends. We had a rehearsal dinner at Tooth & Nail Winery the night before so it truly felt like a dream weekend.

What was the biggest challenge in planning your destination wedding?

The biggest challenge of planning a destination wedding is the logistics of hiring vendors without meeting them first or having in-person check-ins. For example, choosing the decor and furniture at the rental vendor was a challenge because I didn’t get to see the showroom prior to selecting the items.

What’s your advice to other couples planning a destination wedding?

I strongly suggest finding and hiring vendors you feel super comfortable with that have a similar aesthetic that speaks to you. There are so my vendors out there and picking the best one based on your needs and how you feel are critical.  Another tip that helped me a lot was having a registry on Zola so all our wedding gifts were delivered to our home. It saved a lot of money and stress for figuring it out otherwise. And it was so fun to come home to an apartment full of wedding presents.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jennifer Lourie
Bridal Gown:  Allure Bridals
Groom’s Attire:  Gucci vintage tux
Venue:  Santa Margarita Ranch
Bridal Shoes:  BHLDN (Jewel by Badgley Mischka Mayra Block Heels)
Hair & Makeup: Blue Bird Salon

 

Related

destination wedding welcome bags

Filed Under: Real Destination Weddings Tagged With: wine country weddings

Cynthia
Cynthia

Cynthia is the founder and editor of Destination Wedding Details.She has over 15 years experience in the Marketing and Event industry and launched Destination Wedding Details in 2010, shortly after planning her own destination wedding. Cynthia uses her experience and genuine passion, to inspire brides who are planning their dream wedding away from home.

Previous Post: « A Spectacular Fairy Tale Castle Wedding
Next Post: Boho Autumn Beach Wedding Inspiration in Italy »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Top Wedding Site

best destination wedding blog award

top destination wedding blog award

Sponsors

Wedding Dresses, Bridesmaid Dresses, & Formal Dresses - Lulus.com




destination wedding vendors
Dessy Twist

Dessy After 6

Costa Rica Weddings


Advertise on Destination Wedding Details

Featured Destination Wedding Vendors

DamolaMakeovers Makeup Artistry
DamolaMakeovers Makeup Artistry

Damolamakeovers Makeup Artistry is an experienced and versatile Destination m...

Bride Tribe Travel - a division of Escapes Unlimited
Bride Tribe Travel - a division of Escapes Unlimited

Bride Tribe Travel is a division of Escapes Unlimited AZ created exclusively ...

Villa Punto De Vista
Villa Punto De Vista

If your dream destination wedding conjures up images of pristine sand beaches...

KT Travel & More LLC
KT Travel & More LLC

KT Travel & More LLC is a certified destination wedding, honeymoon, and roman...

Stepping Out - Online Wedding Dance Program
Stepping Out - Online Wedding Dance Program

Stepping Out has created a new and exciting way for you to learn your first d...

Linda Dancer - Honeymoons Inc.
Linda Dancer - Honeymoons Inc.

As a former airline employee who loved to travel and an incurable romantic~ b...

VIP Vacations Inc
VIP Vacations Inc

VIP Vacations would be honored to help you plan your destination wedding! We...

Vacationeeze
Vacationeeze

Vacationeeze is a family owned travel agency with over 30 years of experience...

Popular Content

Destination Wedding welcome bags
17 Welcome Bag Items Your Guests Will Love
best destination wedding venues
An Expert Guide to the Best Destination Wedding Venues
Wine Country Weddings destination
This Venue is a Hidden Gem for Wine Country Weddings
Private Costa Rica Wedding Venue
Discover a Private & Luxurious Wedding Venue in Costa Rica
tropical artificial wedding bouquets
These are the Most Authentic Real Touch Bouquets We've Ever Seen
buying a wedding dress online
Guide to Buying a Wedding Dress Online
Destination Wedding questions and answers
Answers to all your destination wedding planning questions
bridesmaid gifts
30 Bridesmaid Gift Ideas
Destination Wedding Guestbook Alternative
11 Awesome Destination Wedding Guestbook Alternatives
best Destination Wedding locations
How to do a Destination Wedding Site Visit
destination wedding website
destination wedding checklist

Follow Us

Featured Posts

Destination Wedding in a Secluded Santorini Venue

Impromptu Elopement on Hanalei Beach

See More

Footer

Ultimate Destination Wedding Etiquette Guide

Get Your Free Destination Wedding Etiquette Guide

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get a free Destination Wedding Etiquette Guide, plus monthly checklist reminders, inspiration, tips and exclusive giveaways!

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Submit
  • Advertise

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 Destination Wedding Details LLC · Privacy Policy · Cookie Notice · Disclaimers · General Terms of Use · Vendor Terms of Use