Camp Wedding: Carol and Chris

 

Ahh, summer.  The quintessential time of year that children of all ages look forward to. No school, no tests, no schedule. Just time to relax, enjoy good moments with friends, and for the lucky few, attend an awesome summer camp. But who says that good-time feeling has to end? Chris and Carol wanted all the fun and joy associated with camp, but with the company of their loved ones for their wedding day. It looks as though they achieved just the perfect amount of relaxation, celebration, and good times all around.

 Handmade details were present throughout the property, from the welcome signs and guestbook to the seating and flower-filled roll-top desk. A sign painted with the words "You are what you love" were prominently displayed on our rock-lined tiers for all guests to see. It was a motto that emanated from that morning deep into the dancing festivities at night. Guests were offered parasols to shade themselves from the sun peeking through the oaks and they were armed with signs shouting, "Hooray!" for the special moment the bride and groom would say, "I do."

       

From the ceremony, guests moved to the main lawn and terrace area for drinks, dancing, and fun! Reception tables were outfitted with our own vintage china place settings, complete with wine goblets and mason jars. Small, green succulents were scattered on the tables and were complimented by lacy LED votive holders for a romantic ambiance once the sun went down. All the decorations created a natural elegance that enhanced the space and echoed the Camp Wedding theme. 

As day turned to night, everyone flocked to the dance floor to celebrate Chris and Carol and the love they have for one another. A photo booth complete with silly props was set up for guests to take pictures and even the couple got in on the fun! From parasols on the dance floor to the Lego cupcake toppers, Chris and Carol crafted a unique, loving celebration for their wedding day. Who needs camp when you can have Camp Wedding?

A special thanks to the wonderful photographers at Atrero Photography and all the talented vendors who made this wedding one to remember! 

Wedding Consultant: Laura Lambillotte, I do...Weddings and Events
Florals: Melissa Barrad
Rentals: Hidden Valley
Officiant: Carolyn Krish
Photographer and Photobooth: Atrero Photography
Dessert: Twiggs Bakery
Hair: Bluxom Salon: Marchelle
Makeup: Mahal Style: Rochelle
Transportation: WESS Transportation, 760-272-0025

Lewis and Cheryl's Wedding

Love is always in the air at Hidden Valley, and what better time to showcase a beautiful wedding than now? Lewis and Cheryl were recently hitched at the property in a laid-back affair that oozed love, good feelings, and lots of laughs.

Fresh, natural succulents were used in Cheryl's bouquet for her walk under our canopy of oaks. A color palette of tan, turquoise, and cream flowed throughout the ceremony and reception spaces for a little pop of color among the greenery. Groomsmen carried turquoise pocket squares with tan jackets that complimented the bridesmaid dresses, blending everything seamlessly together. 

The reception was a true celebration of Cheryl and Lewis as a couple. Fresh, organic elements were interspersed at the reception and rustic items were placed around the tables as decor. For dessert, they made a sweet display with a cake and several yummy cupcakes for their guests to enjoy.

Here is what Cheryl had to say about her wonderful experience

 with Hidden Valley:

Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa is wonderful! If you are planning a wedding, this is the way to go. I rented the whole place for the entire weekend of my wedding. We paid the same amount other locations asked for, but would only give me 6 hours of their time. Talk about bang for your buck! So, I didn't feel rushed in and out. We had all the time in the world to set up and break down. That fact alone took so much stress off of me on our perfect day. Almost all of my husbands guests came from out of town, state, or country. I did not want money to be the reason they did not attend. By using Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa we where able to set his friends and family up with a place to stay on site and still had money to provide all the meals for the weekend.

Congratulations, Cheryl and Lewis! Thank you for letting us share in your beautiful day.

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.

Jenna and Steven's Wedding

 Our friend, Jenna, at Flutterglass Photography, recently had her gorgeous nuptials at Hidden Valley. It truly was an intimate and romantic affair with 1,000 origami cranes made by family and friends to wish the couple good luck. A whimsical iridescent backdrop added to the rustic and natural beauty of the wedding stage.  Take a look at the lovely video created by J Video Productions and prepare to swoon...

Jen and Mack's Wedding

 

    When it comes to planning a wedding, inspiration is everywhere. From Pinterest to wedding blogs, there are creative ideas to suit every couple for their big day. One of our recent couples, Jen and Mack, found several elements to fit their Midsummer Night's Dream inspired wedding. With a little help from family members and friends, they were able to create a romantic, inviting atmosphere for their nuptials at Hidden Valley. 

    Armed with lace and vibrantly colored floral arrangements, they truly made the property their own. Yards of cream colored fabric were hung on the wedding stage, summoning an image reminiscent of a Shakespearean sonnet. Richly colored roses in every shade adorned the stage and added a midsummer's eve element to the location of their vows.  

   After the ceremony, guests were guided to a gorgeous, white tent complete with draped fabric and lanterns covered in flowers. After the sun went down, this beautifully constructed area echoed an ethereal quality with dimly lit twinkle lights lining the perimeter. Details became more romantic and the space more intimate as they celebrated with their loved ones.  

  

                                            

    

Congratulations to Jen and Mack!

Elizabeth and Tobin's Wedding

  Each wedding is special and unique at Hidden Valley. From caterers to decorations, couples embrace their creativity and create a wedding day that is representative of their love story.
 

We recently had the honor of hosting Elizabeth and Tobin's wedding. This duo incorporated DIY elements into every aspect of their big day and it looked flawless! A simple color palette and natural tones made for an elegant wedding that blended seamlessly with our outdoor venue. 

  Guests were escorted to Hippocrates Circle, our large oak-filled area that is popular for weddings. They walked through sage-colored curtains leading the wedding stage. Seating is the round here, but additional seats were brought in to accommodate more guests. Though the space is large and full of trees, it is very intimate and brought a closeness during the ceremony for the bride and groom. A wooden chuppah decorated with white flowers and vases of lavender framed the couple as they spoke their vows. 

After the ceremony, guests traveled to the wedding lawn where large tables were set up for the reception. The bride's father, a lighting designer, brought in yards of string lights and created a unique lighting design to highlight the reception area. A dance floor was brought in and placed on our DG area, making for a smooth and solid surface where guests could boogie down. Once night fell, it created a whimsical and
warm atmosphere for all attendees.

   Bouquets of lavender were placed at each table and were a prominent element from ceremony to reception. The purple was carried through to the signs direction guests and informing them of the celebration that was taking place. Menus and place cards echoed the purple hue in chevron patterns that added a bit of pizzazz to the natural surroundings. Lavender and moss colored succulents served as anchors for place
cards while vintage forks held up table numbers.

 We want to thank Elizabeth and Tobin (and their amazing vendors) for allowing us to host their beautiful wedding celebration!

Photos by: Jenna Kageyama, Flutterglass Photography

Chris & Christy's Wedding

 Chris and Christy are a vintage match made in heaven. This lovely couple incorporated unique elements (check out the amazing brooch bouquet!) into their wedding and truly made the day their own. Take a look at some of our favorite photos, taken by the talented Stephanie Olvera. Enjoy!

DIY elements at Hidden Valley

     At Hidden Valley you can personalize all aspects of your wedding! Our chalkboard signs add a DIY touch to your special day and allow your creativity to shine. These boards are also perfect for writing down your wedding menu, as a festive guest book, or even to display a special message to guests when they arrive. You can use these boards as directional signs to inform  guests of important locations on our property, too. Summon your imagination and use colored chalk to match your theme. These stand alone boards are the perfect addition to a wonderful wedding at Hidden Valley!

Our inspiration shoot and virtual tour

Sometimes it is difficult to visualize exactly where everything is located on our property, so we teamed up with Here Comes the Guide to create a virtual 360 degree tour of our grounds. We decided to stage our own inspiration shoot in order to help future brides create their own Eco-friendly, DIY wedding at our property.

  First thing's first: our wedding stage. We wanted to use simple decorations to accent the ceremony site, so we chose something inspired by summer. A yellow lace trim was tied to each chair down the aisle, as well as to the stairs at the wedding stage altar to define the aisle. The color combination of lemon yellow and olive green was used to enhance the natural setting and give a pop of color against the white chairs we placed on the lawn. Simple, yet sweet!

   Next stop: Reception! We placed round tables on each tier overlooking the wedding stage. Cream colored linens were accented with silver buckets, filled with lemons and cream colored tulle. We wanted a fresh and summery feel, so we had to have mason jars filled with lemonade at each place setting. Sliced lemons, along with red and white striped biodegradable paper straws, were placed in each mason jar for extra fun. To top it all off, deep-hued green napkins were trimmed with our aisle ribbon and a silk marigold carnation to finish the look.

   When nature is the focus of your big day, then Hippocrates Circle is the perfect location. Our towering oak trees make for a visually stunning ceremony space any time of the year. For this outdoor area, we chose to do simple decorations so as not to compete with the surrounding nature. A cream colored burlap runner marked the aisle leading to the stage and small bows decorated each bench down the aisle. Ikea lanterns created a border with soft, glowing light. We used LED lights in particular, so there would be no fire hazards in such a heavily wooded area.

  Overall, our sweet, country style transformed the space without drawing attention away from the natural state of the property. Eco-friendly products and DIY ideas made for a fun celebration without harming the environment. Be sure to view our virtual tour and see our ideas come to life!

All photos by: David Lenhert 

The Clickery Inspiration Shoot

Here at Hidden Valley, we love Clickery Photography! Katie and Zack truly know how to capture life's important moments. From brides to grooms and everything in between, Clickery is as professional as it gets.

   With great photos from Michelle's recent nuptials, it's no wonder brides keep flocking to use their services. It's great to have a duo such as these two because they capture every detail of your wedding. Katie can be present for bridal shots and time with the girls, while Zack can focus on the groomsmen. With such a large property, one photographer can easily feel overwhelmed. However, with Katie and Zack, you never have to worry about missing that amazing wedding photo.

  We clearly love Clickery and all that they do, so we decided to enlist their services for an inspiration shoot. They are extremely familiar with our 11 acre grounds which made them efficient and knowledgeable about where to get the best photos. The final product was absolutely gorgeous- sun setting, vast angles, and picture perfect scenery.

  Katie and Zack are truly masters of the lens. Take a look!