Hollister Ranch Wedding by Ellie Grover
Posted by Josie | 2 comments
Marissa and Dan had a breathtaking and joyful wedding. Located at the beautiful Hollister Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA, this couple sure picked an amazing place to get married. With gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean all around them, they were in pure bliss. The ocean mixed with some natural tones really captured their personalities. Ellie Grover was there to photograph all the fun and whimsical moments of this perfect day. Enjoy!
Girl Meets Boy…
We met at UCLA, during finals week. Even though Dan was a math major and I was an English major, we ended up studying together. Ten months later, we started dating and never wanted to stop hanging out. We’d been together five years when Dan proposed to me on the cliffs of Santa Cruz, after an afternoon of surfing. I was so surprised I started crying and said, “Will you marry me too?”
Wedding Planning Inspiration…
We love camping, surfing and, simply, being outside together. This location holds deep meaning for us as a couple, a place where we spend much quality time together. We wanted our wedding to be vibrant with color, while also natural with an elegant touch. We hoped it would be respectful of tradition and serious about the commitment of marriage, while also playful, whimsical and–of course–fun.
Details…
I loved the recycled glass candle pillars, which were part of our dinner table centerpieces. I also loved the handmade napkin rings (paper flowers on wire rings), created by a dear family friend. One of my favorite touches is the arch, beneath which we were married. Dan constructed it, out of driftwood we collected together. Our wedding day was very windy, so the arch’s structural integrity was tested–and passed with flying colors!
Color Palet…
We selected charcoal gray, blue and coral. I wanted my bridesmaids’ dresses to be charcoal gray because, to me, it feels classic yet innovative. Dan’s favorite color is blue, and we loved the colorful flare of the coral. I loved the arrangements our florist put together, which combined a ton of wildflowers, in all different hues.
Memorable Moments…
Before I headed down the aisle, I had to take off my veil because it was so incredibly windy on the bluff where we were married. I was there with my father and stepfather, and my best friend, about to head down the aisle to my groom–and, in that moment, I knew that details like a veil didn’t matter in the least!
My maid of honor gave a speech that I will always remember. She unearthed emails I’d written to her, from back when Dan and I first started dating. She shared excerpts, woven with her own reflections on us. Dan and me, and all our guests, laughed through the whole toast.
Lastly, I loved dancing at our wedding. Dan and I hoped we’d dance like crazy at our wedding, and boy did we get to! We danced together and with our friends and family. It was the perfect way to merrily celebrate our marriage.
RADDEST Wedding Vendors…
Lisa Vilhauer of Fleur de Lis did an incredible job with flowers. She brought together the organic tone, bright colors and specific types of flowers I’d hoped for, while on a budget.
Ellie Grover captured beautiful and fun images. We feel that we got the best of both worlds–classic wedding highlights and key moments, while simultaneously intimate and creative.
Touch of Style (Laura Robertson and Taryn Ruiz) were amazing on our wedding day. Any unforeseen complication that arose and they were there to take care of it! We are very grateful that our wedding day got to be peaceful for ourselves and our families, thanks to them.
Phil’s Catering’s staff was friendly and warm, on the day of; and we received rave reviews from all of our guests about the food.
Advice for Other “Newbie Brides”…
Have an amazing time with the ones you love!
Wedding Artists | Photography: Ellie Grover Photography | Venue: Hollister Ranch | Caterer: Phil’s Catering | Flowers: Fleur de Lis Flowers | Hair/Makeup: The Queen’s Bee’s | Cake: Solvang Bakery | Rentals: Tent Merchant | Linens: La Tavola Linens | DJ Entertainment: Goodbeat Productions
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Welcome!
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My name is Cameron Ingalls… I’ve been a wedding photographer for over a decade and in that time have worked with hundreds of artistic vendors and at the most gorgeous venues. I started this community to do a couple of things. Primarily I want to introduce and expose newly engaged couples to the artists that not only love what they do but love who they do it for! These are the vendors who are raising a bar of excellence in their craft; they care about details and they care about service. As a result I hope to foster a community among these artists across Santa Barbara.
Our NEW website is live at theweddingstandard.com and will soon be including Santa Barbara Venues and Artists.
Please email info on weddings at Holister Ranch. Thanks much, Shirli
What a beautiful wedding and couple! Congrats! How would I go about renting that site at Hollister Ranch? Any additional info would be very appreciated! Thanks!