Tan Torres Family Reunion

Our new friends, the Tan Torres Family, had a fabulous time at Hidden Valley Retreat! Our large property was perfect to accommodate their family reunion this summer. Hidden Valley is also wonderfully private, so the Tan Torreses were able to create a personal atmosphere that was uniquely suited to their group getaway.

Our beautiful outdoor spaces are perfect for guests of all ages. The kids are free to explore and discover the different plants and terrains, while the adults appreciate the fantastic views, sunsets, and our Jacuzzi! The Tan Torres kids, in particular, made great use of the pool; swimming and splashing throughout the family's three day stay. Their constant, bubbling laughter and big smiles were a true testament to the great time they had the whole trip.

Thanks so much to the Tan Torres family for a fun and relaxing week. We hope you enjoyed it as much as us. From the pictures, it looks like you did!

New parking improvements!

 We have had a lot of improvements at the property lately and today is no different! With all the retreats, the reunions and especially the weddings we have coming up this summer, we wanted to make sure Hidden Valley would be the best it could be for our guests. Since parking is an issue that comes up often, we have decided to create more parking onsite! We are always working hard to accommodate our guests' needs, so we have decided to expand our parking capacity and give our guests easier access to the lower parts of the property.

  We already have parking at the top of the property for the wedding party. Our intention is to create ample and convenient parking for the daytime guests. That is why we chose to place the parking area just past the Main Gate. This will make it convenient to your guests coming to your ceremony and reception.

 Today we rented a bobcat from our friends at Valley Center to clear the brush and other debris for our new parking area. Diego, one of our onsite landscapers, did the initial clearing and organizing in order to give way for the bobcat. He even created  a new rock wall nearby! Once he had finished preparing the area, we had our wonderful caretaker, Alex, take the bobcat for a spin. He thoroughly enjoyed clearing and uprooting stumps all morning!

Alex having fun in the bobcat!

Take a look at the work in progress...

Irish and Peter's Wedding

Just as spring turned to summer, we had the pleasure of hosting Irish and Peter's nuptials at the property. The celebration was charming, but also especially unique and personalized thanks to the couple's creative DIY ideas.

flower arrangement

The pair took advantage of Hidden Valley's unique experience to customize their wedding. They set up craft stations in the event center in order to create beautiful floral arrangements and one-of-a-kind details. The vast property at Hidden Valley truly allowed Irish and Peter's loved ones to experience several special moments with each other doing fun activities.Together they transformed pretty chrysanthemums and stunning proteas into gorgeous, handmade flower arrangements and boutonnieres.

boutonnieres

With a second wave of DIY inspiration, Irish and Peter created their own guest poster rather than opt for a traditional guestbook. They started with a cute bicycle template, then asked their guests to mark the page with their own, brightly-colored thumbprints. The result was a fun, ultra-personal keepsake to commemorate the friends and family that shared this special day with them. 

The happy couple also reinvented the traditional seating card idea. Instead of using individual placement cards to guide guests to their seats, Irish and Peter chose a chalkboard style template to create a series of signs displaying the table number and the names of the guests that were seated there. The seating signs were then hung from a simple line of twine near the Barn House and the Garden Suite. Putting the assignments onto a clothesline evoked a casual, yet practical and pretty style in the great outdoors.

Irish and Peter even dressed up the lighting poles on the property by wrapping them in gauzy chiffon. It was a very simple way to add something special to the dance floor. They even decorated the back of the wooden wedding stage with paper garlands for a little pop of color. Accents of yellow and grey unified the decorations and completed the personal look of this creative wedding!

A big thank you to Photographs by Anjuli for the photos! Congratulations Irish and Peter!! 

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...

Meet our new friend at Hidden Valley!

  There's always something new at Hidden Valley and this week is no different! 

  Our newest addition to the property has adopted us as his new home. Not sure where Mr. Peacock came from, but we think he decided to leave the wild animal park for some rest and relaxation at Hidden Valley. 

 Who knows? Maybe you'll see this guy nibbling the fruit trees when you stop by!

  

       

Holly and Omri's Wedding

  It's official! Wedding season is in full swing at Hidden Valley Retreat. We've been anticipating the spring season and now that our gardens and trees are beginning to bloom, we have some wonderful weddings on the horizon.

  One couple who had their recent nuptials at Hidden Valley chose to start the season on a truly colorful note. Borrowing inspiration from the numerous flora we have on site, Holly and Omri created a rainbow-like atmosphere complete with handmade goods and lots of love.

  Our wedding stage at the property is a wooden work of art. It is one of our most popular areas for couples to recite their vows. Not only does it provide shade, but it evokes a rustic setting with the numerous intertwined branches overhead.  Not wanting to take away from its beauty, Holly created a ribbon canopy in every imaginable shade to accent the natural wood. It added a hint of color and panache without taking away from the woodsy setting during their ceremony.Several  galvanized buckets filled with baby's breath outlined the bridal party's path, adding a delicate, sweet touch to the festivities.

  After vows were recited at the wedding stage, guests then made their way to the Main House for some food, dancing, and fun! Market lighting was strung across the deck area creating a warm, intimate space for guests to gather as the sun went down. Multicolored Bunting signs were hung to add a handmade touch and continue the colorful theme from the ceremony site, too. A sweets station decked out with sugary treats added a bit of fun for the adults, while a kids table with crayons and pinwheels added some joy for the little ones. Even portable heaters were brought in to the area so that no one would be chilly on such a cool, spring night. It was an idea many guests were thankful for at the end of the day!

Deck reception at sunset

Deck reception with market lighting at night

 Once speeches were made and dinner was finished, everyone hopped over to the pool area for some amazing music and dancing! Twinkle lights, bunting, and even large inflatable pool balls were present to evoke a bit of charm and whimsy for the reception. Once the music started, there was no stopping this couple and their guests from having a joyful, loving celebration!

  We would like to give a special thanks to Justin and Keary Weddings for sharing their beautiful photos of the day and to all the vendors who made everything possible!

Caterer, Encore Catering- (858) 705-7320 
DJ, Lou Garcia- loudgarcia13@gmail.com
Cake, Twiggs Bakery- (619) 296-4077