Handcrafted Orchard Ranch Wedding

If you’re marrying someone whose family owns a ranch like this in California, it’s absolutely a no-brainer that you’re going to get married on this beautiful spot of land. I was definitely floored to see all of the lovely copper and indigo details in this wedding shot by Gantes.Co, especially that ceremony setup with that gorgeous arbor styled by Sitting In A Tree and covered in blooms by Sweet Memories Flowers. From Ring to Reception definitely pulled out all of the stops and Molly and Brennen’s big day looks so magical. Still swooning over those cotton field shots.

From the bride, Molly: Brennen and I are both pretty laid back and knew that all we wanted was a space that was welcoming and felt like us, so it only felt natural to get married at his family’s walnut orchard. I have always had a thing for the outdoors and muted natural tones, so I wanted to be sure that it had a natural feel. We also wanted a simple and sleek aesthetic with clean lines but still wanted to play up our laid back personalities with the bohemian element to make it less formal and stuffy. So we went with a natural bohemian modern vibe.

I traveled a lot growing up and for work and have fallen in love and started collecting with textiles from various countries/cultures. And Brennen is a huge fan of the color blue (just look at his closet and you’ll realize the love is real). So I knew I wanted a unique pop of a fun bohemian textile which we were able to find in an amazing indigo dyed cloth napkins – those napkins were the perfect touch and really brought together the bohemian vibe we were wanting. The copper cups were also a favorite of mine and added to laid back vibe with the long family style tables and the gorgeously messy eucalyptus greenery covering each table.

We DIYed the banners which my mom and I sewed out of white canvas material. We then had an amazing calligrapher write the details of the for the menu, bar, deserts which really added a fun touch and saved us from having to print menus. My favorite project was the hand written thank you notes we put at each place setting. This day was so special for us, but what made it special were getting to celebrate with the people who have loved, prayed, and adventured with us over the years. So Brennen and I each hand wrote a thank you to each guest/ family/friend to let them know how much their friendship and support has meant and how thankful we are to have them in our lives. For the seating charts, I bought the metal grid racks online and then spray painted them copper. By having the display so large, it helped people find their seat easily and tied in with the other copper accents of the cups and banners. I borrowed the photobooth backdrops which were made by the creative genius that is Kim Rico of Drops of Honey Design.

Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? Sit down and decide the non-negotiables. For me, I knew I wanted to buy the bridesmaid dresses for my girls, have a HUGE gourmet burgers bar and have an EPIC dance party. For Brennen, he wanted it to be at his house, to have a casual atmosphere, the Visalia Trolley and to walk into the Bulls theme song. Once that was all laid out, it made the decision process so much easier. Pretty early on, I just had to delete my Pinterest and go with my gut. It is easy to get overwhelmed with what “could be” and the endless DIY projects out there. But once I stopped looking around and comparing, I was free to do what felt most “us”. Yes, there are people you need to consult and think about. But really, do what feels most you.

Wedding Music:
Processional: “Sweet Disposition,” Temper Trap // Vitamin String Quartet
Bride’s Processional: “All My Days,” Alexi Murdoch
Recessional: “The Heart,” Head and the Heart
Reception Entrance: Bulls theme song
First Dance: “Heaven’s Knife,” Josh Garrels
Father/Daughter Dance: “Forever Young,” Bob Dylan
Mother/Son Dance: “Like Jesus Does,” Eric Church

From the photographers, Gantes.Co: Molly + Brennen are the sweetest and were so giddy all day and we feel like that shows through these photos. Who doesn’t want to be that way on their wedding day? 🙂 The couple got married at her now husband’s family’s walnut orchard ranch in Central California. Molly wore a gorgeous, modern dress, and the bridesmaids wore dresses, shoes, and necklaces from Madewell.