Mandi and Ben's Wedding!

For Mandi and Hidden Valley, it was love at first sight! From her very first tour, Mandi saw the property for all of its beauty and possibilities, and she knew that it would be the perfect place to marry her other love at first sight: Ben. From the very beginning, we knew that Mandi and Ben were going to be a really fun couple to work with. Their family was very involved in the planning. A big group of extended family came to tour the property as they prepared. Brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents all helped to build the detailed elements of the event. Mandi came to Hidden Valley with a clear vision for her wedding, and that vision carried through into a collection of amazing details. With the help of their family, this dynamic couple created a wedding that was well planned and very well executed. We want to share some of their special details with you! 

One of their incredible details appeared right in the men's clothing. Ben took advantage of his wedding day to gather his groomsmen and subtly reveal their super-identities. He made his wedding attire exceptional by equipping each of his groomsmen with awesome cuff-links to reflect their inner heroes. 

This family is handy bunch! They used their creativity and skills to hand-make many of the elements of their wedding. For example, they created a photobooth for their reception. It was assembled in true vintage rustic style, with cute frames and delicate vintage fabric. Mandi and Ben completed the set with masks, hats, and mustaches for dressing up. Their photobooth was a smash hit with the wedding guests! Local Escondido photography company, Dapper Images, did a fantastic job capturing these and all the other amazing shots of the big day!

Many of our couples choose to have a special lovebird's table for their reception. Mandi and Ben chose to place their table on the Wedding Stage. The display was thoughtfully constructed with numerous details including mismatched chairs, vintage picture frames, graceful florals, elegant china, and a celebratory bottle of champagne. Word has it that grandma hand-made the vintage-style chairs! The beautiful florals were constructed by our extraordinary friend Kelly Fiorito with Petals and Lace. 

We were impressed and inspired by Mandi and Ben's signage. The signs used an array of materials, textures, and hand writings to create the rustic, vintage flair that we love at Hidden Valley. The superstar family even built the entire wooden Bar booth themselves! They've inspired us to create our own new signs for the property (keep your eyes peeled for a blog when they're ready!).

As the evening progressed, the entertainment continued. We were especially impressed by the tender moments Dapper Images managed to capture between Mandy, Ben, and their parents during the dancing portion of the evening. It is clear to us that their family shares a lot of love.

Many congratulations to Mandi and Ben! We have nothing but warm wishes to send to you as you begin this new journey. We hope your happiness only continues to grow.

Thanks to the vendors who made this special day possible:

• Photography: Dapper Images
• Florals: Petals and Lace
• DJ: DJ React (949) 842-8465
• Caterer: Out Of This World BBQ
• Bar: GYD Bartenders
• Transportation: Wess Transportation (760) 741-9953

Children's Garden

Hello, everyone!

It's October, and our Hidden Valley children's garden is bursting into ripe maturity! We took this picture on a recent visit up to the property. Okay, so maybe it isn't the most plentiful garden that ever existed, but we're proud of our little pumpkin patch! We've got plenty of sizable fruit to cook and carve. We've already picked one to make roasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin soup. This will be a fruitful Halloween indeed!

Looking forward to Fall and Winter!

As summer begins to wind down, we are looking forward to the wonderful autumns we have at Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa. In the fall and winter, a peaceful serenity falls over Hidden Valley. The crisp air creates a refreshing atmosphere that is only augmented by the cool light coming through the branches of Hidden Valley's protective tree grove. In this environment, walking along the various Hidden Valley trails becomes a meditative experience that both awakens the senses and quiets the mind.

While the cooler seasons can get a bit chilly, Hidden Valley is never truly cold (this is San Diego, after all!). In addition, the brisk weather makes indoor activities all the more luxurious. In the Main House, our guests and their families can spend time curled up on the couch watching movies (we have a big collection to choose from!), and enjoying the spectacular, big window views at the same time. A cozy fire in the fireplace sets the perfect atmosphere. Past groups have taken advantage of the time to invite a yoga instructor to teach private group classes in the Event Center. In the evenings, loved ones can cuddle together around the outdoor fire pit to roast marshmallows and enjoy each other's company. These communal activities are perfect for spending time together during a wedding, family reunion, or retreat.

The country environment of Hidden Valley Retreat gives everyone who comes the chance to notice and appreciate the special complexities of nature in every season. Spring and summer have much to offer, but we adore the cooler months at Hidden Valley as well! We hope that everyone will one day get the chance to experience the refreshing, natural atmosphere of Hidden Valley in the autumn and winter.

Sarah and Casey's Wedding

Take a look at this lovely video full of highlights from Sarah and Casey's wedding at the property! Thank you to Cricket Estrada for filming and sharing this with us!

Sarah & Casey's wedding highlights from Cricket Estrada on Vimeo.

Getting creative at Hidden Valley!

As some of you might know, Hidden Valley is the perfect place for family reunions, church getaways, weddings and more. We recently had a group of girls from a church stay at our property for a few days in order to bond and explore together. All the girls participated in many different team-building activities and discovered Hidden Valley's numerous gardens, plants and trees. The group then came together to create hand painted, customized signs that are now placed around our property identifying different plant life. In the picture below you can see one of the girls holding her handmade sign titled, "Fiona's Enchanted Garden." Why not stop by and paint your own? We would love to have you add your creative flair to our gardens and other outdoor areas!

The Bug Blug

   We all had an amazing time when High Tech Middle Media Arts (HTMMA) students came to the Ranch to study bugs! This school has a 2-week intensive study and 35 kids chose to research Entomology (the science of bugs).  The teachers and kids ages 12-14 arrived nice and early armed with butterfly nets, jars, digging gear and a bit of ether to knock the bugs out.  What a day we had hunting for our multi-legged and winged creatures.  They also caught and released many frogs, lizards, and even a baby garden snake.

   The night was perfect for roasting marshmallows and making Doughies (cooking a poppin’ fresh biscuit over the fire on a stick and then filling it with chocolate and whipped cream on top!) Yummy!  Then they set up a night capture net with a black light to attract the bugs.  We told stories, watched a movie, and then called it a night as the group slipped into dreamland…

    The next day everyone excitedly sorted and mounted their displays and by the afternoon the group was off. They returned to Point Loma to send the kid’s home, with memories of the great times they had together and, with a bag of bugs!  It is so wonderful, as a parent, to be at the Hidden Valley Retreat with our children and their friends to enjoy the country and our magical gardens. This wonderful property is a great place to experience nature so don’t let the bugs…bug you!

Lizard found on the property

Let's find some bugs!

Butterfly catching time!

Making Doughies.....yum!

Researching bugs