When you’re planning and have a mega hurdle to overcome, it can be pretty darn tough to imagine your big day turning out as beautiful as you hoped. With the help of Cause We Can Events, Valerie + Ryan were set to celebrate with 80 guests at a reception in Big Sur. But epic storms and mudslides changed the plan. Turns out, this setback led them to check out the Carmel Valley Ranch, and as Jordan Galindo‘s photos definitively prove, these two achieved the ethereal, romantic California wedding they dreamed of all along.
Did we mention that V + R found DART Collective + other wedding vendors here on 100LC? Find your dream wedding vendor in our guide.
Valerie’s bridal bouquet by Katie of Eothen Floral consisted of dahlias, strawflower, garden roses, abelia leaf, pistachio leaf, and mums.
Valerie says, The place card holders were made from our own wine corks we saved for the past few years. We tried to give guests a cork where it may be an inside joke or something they could relate to. We also went with a non-traditional guest book and instead had guests sign a custom framed “Love” sign that Ryan had given me for Valentine’s Day one year. We also loved putting together our custom welcome bags for guests when they arrived to their hotels for the weekend. We had custom totes designed that mimicked our save the dates along with a weekend itinerary, our favorite snacks, custom Koozie and a survival kit inside.
They wanted the vibe of their reception to have an al fresco dinner party feel, with a fairly neutral color palette and décor, save for a few pops of autumn in the bouquets and centerpieces.
Ryan initially planned to propose on the day we were moving into our new apartment, but the moving company ended up being over five hours late that day which basically ruined his initial plan for the evening. He was acting very strange that day but I didn’t think much of it at the time (I thought it was a little moving stress!). He kept it a secret for another week, and the following week he ended up “re-planning” the outing. The actual proposal was in our apartment, it was special, just the two of us and I, of course said YES! Then he insisted we go to one of our favorite local biergarten in Venice, called Wurstkuche. He had planned a surprise engagement party and invited my parents, aunt, uncle and many friends there to celebrate, it was a blast!
Oh, how we love a good story and a happy, happy ending. Congrats, V + R!
Photography: Jordan Galindo / Cinematography: Gruen Films / Ceremony Venue: Carmel Mission / Reception Venue: Carmel Valley Ranch / Wedding Planner: Cause We Can Events / Florist: Eothen Floral / Hair & Makeup: Cameron Alexis Artistry / Invitations: August + White / Cake: Freedom Bakery & Confections / Table Runners: Party Crush Studio / Goblets & Lanterns: Chic Event Rentals / Tables & Lounge Rentals: Viewpoint Events / Signage: The Heart & Hand / DJ: DART Collective / Photobooth: The Vintage Photobox / Wedding Dress: Jonathan Simkhai / Gold Hairpieces: Adir Abergel / Veil: Noon on the Moon / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Rings: Custom from Concierge Diamonds in Los Angeles / Maid of Honor’s Dress: Reformation / Groom’s Suit: Tommy Hilfiger / Accessories: The Tie Bar
