San Diego Event Venue

Summer 2021 Trendy Wedding Design Concepts

Thanks to COVID vaccine distribution, happy couples from 2020 are crossing their fingers, hoping their wedding dreams will finally come true. This Summer, weddings are bound to shock and awe guests with their bold statements and unique customizations!

Rising Hemlines

Knee-length, “tea-length,” and mini wedding gowns are some of the top keywords for 2021 dress trends. These options are easy to dress up or down, usually cost less than formal floor-length ball-gown shapes, and are super thriftable. Plus, with all the elopements, outdoor weddings, and out-of-the-box wedding locations, these shorter skirts might be better equipped for the varying environments.

Digital Invitations

With nearly everything being virtual now, it’s no surprise that sending event invites via snail mail is a thing of the past. Whether you’re looking at it from an eco-friendly perspective, a time and efficiency angle, or fully embracing the virtual culture, this seems to be the best fit for most couples these days. We plan on digital invitations to become the standard across the board soon.

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Intimate Ceremonies

Most couples and their families are still concerned about the pandemic, so big ceremonies and receptions are still on ice. To still honor their wedding date, “Minimonies” and “Micro Weddings” are popping up everywhere. These wedding ceremonies take the spirit of elopement, minus the secrecy, and supplemented by all of the support from afar. These safe, intimate gatherings usually only have immediate family members and a tiny bridal party in tow, keeping the risk of spreading the virus to a minimum.

The Mountains are Calling

Couples are getting creative at social distancing by diving into the wilderness and gathering together in local, national parks. This fits the two big trends we’ve seen since last year with couples wanting to give their guests a one-of-a-kind experience and the passion for outdoor weddings.

Warm Over White Pallets

Green and white florals have been the go-to color combination for a while now, but we’re sensing a warm breeze blowing through. Couples seem to be gravitating towards rich, Autumnal tones reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s. We’re excited to see warmer hues like burnt orange, deep burgundy, and vibrant purple making a comeback.

Summer 2021 Weddings will still feel “different.”

Unfortunately, COVID-19 will still be part of our reality for a while. However, now that wedding venues and coordinators have adapted to the new planning process, we're likely to see fewer delays, as well as safer gatherings. Dr. Anthony Fauci has been quoted saying that he believes the United States can reach “some degree of normality” by “the end of the summer, the beginning of the fall of 2021,” but we’re hopeful that it’ll be sooner!

Spacious Outdoor Cocktail Hour Area

Our Rancho comes equipped with ample space for guests to relax and socialize during the Cocktail Hour.

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Overlooking the Upper Lawn, the patio wraps around our venue, dipping into shaded private patios and circling the Upper Bar.

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It’s the perfect spot for Welcome Tables, Gift, and Guest Book Tables, and Stationary Appetizer Stations for your guests to enjoy while they sip cocktails before moving downstairs for dinner.

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The Groom's Den

Located behind the built-in bar on the Lower Lawn Reception area, this private room is without a doubt the perfect place for the Groom and attached bridal party to relax before the ceremony. All the groomsmen will be sure to have the best time relaxing, enjoying their drinks and food, and most importantly, celebrating the Groom while applying their final touches to their wedding day attire.

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Equipped with plenty of seating and storage space, our clients are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks to both the bride and groom’s rooms. This way, they have everything they need to enjoy their time here. We want everyone to be fully prepared for the big day ahead, and these are the perfect places for that!

The Bridal Suite

One of the best parts of your wedding day is those few hours right before the ceremony takes place. This is the time for brides to relax with their wedding party, take photos, or do a first look. We’re thrilled to offer our couples this special place to spend these key moments before they tie the knot!

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Our bridal suite is attached to the main house, with all the creature comforts of getting ready at home. Cozy and charming with the vintage adobe floors and vaulted ceilings, this suite is equipped with plenty of fantastic lighting, mirrors, and counter space in the two bathrooms for final touches on makeup or hair.

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Other room accessories include full-length mirrors, hooks to hang dresses, comfortable chairs, and ample lounging space indoors and outside at the private side patio. We allow clients to arrive two hours before their ceremony start time. Brides can chat with their bridesmaids, bring their own choice of food and beverages to snack on, and perfect their wedding ensembles before the big moment!

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Everyone who got ready in our Bridal suite may leave their personal items there during the reception. Everything will be safe and secure, allowing for a worry-free night of partying! We will remove any trash left behind and do a thorough check for any accidentally forgotten items at the end of the evening.

Our Lower Garden

This area of our Rancho stuns our clients with how it feels so intimate yet simultaneously spacious.

Is it possible to make a space like this intimate garden look bigger after filling it up with tables? Apparently, it can be done! This garden getaway is tucked into the heart of our venue with lush natural beauty along its perimeter. With a second built-in bar for your guests, this shaded outdoor dining location is perfect for enchanting evenings surrounded by rich native plant life.

This flexible outdoor dining area works well for any event type.

We’ve seen elegant seated dinners, casual moving-style events, and everything in between. Depending on the mood of your event and what you know your guests will enjoy best, our Lower Garden can effortlessly adapt to your needs. Are your guests less likely to dance the night away, or would they rather stay at the tables to chat? From rounds to Farm Tables, there are endless arrangement layout combinations that will promote the best feel for your guests. Our Event Coordination Team will help customize the best option for your unique needs.

Minimize your décor costs!

When you’re already in the middle of so much bountiful greenery, there isn’t as much need for lavish floral décor. Eucalyptus and Pepper Tree branches are fantastic space fillers for long rope garlands, and bringing in similar greens as the scenery will make your event feel beautifully tied together. Or, save money by allowing your surroundings to do the hard work for you. Accent your dining tables with small blooms instead of green garlands and dazzle your guests with fun, artful metallic pieces.

Reach out for a floor layout recommendation for your event or any other décor ideas for this charming outdoor dining location!

Seating Chart Inspiration

It’s getting close to the big day. You never thought you’d have to choose between so many tiny details, and there’s one more hurdle you have to jump. The thought of going through your whole guest list and assigning every person a table or seat can seem intimidating. We get it. But don't be tempted to throw all caution to the wind, toss a big "Open Seating" sign out, and pray to the wedding Gods that all will work itself out. It never goes well.

Seating arrangements for your wedding will give your guests some direction and allow for a much smoother transition from Cocktail hour to formal dining. We cannot stress enough...We strongly recommend making a seating arrangement plan!

There are endless options to choose from when deciding how to display seating charts.

It all depends on the couple’s unique personalities and what they feel is right for their guests. Most couples choose to have one large seating chart that guests can easily read during cocktail hour. This option saves a bit of time and money since it functions alone, without the second step of escort cards. You can assign guests to certain tables and allow guests to choose their seat and sit next to whoever they want within the table assignment.

We especially love when our couples get creative with their seating chart! All that really matters is that it’s easy for guests to read, but we’ve collected some of our favorite examples below for better inspiration. It’s always so fun to see what our couples come up with!

Have Some Artsy, Eco-Friendly Fun With It!

We’ve seen couples transform old windows, doors, window blinds, and even old chicken wire from their local flea market into incredible seating charts. Let your imagination go wild and find something to repurpose or re-recycle again after your big day. Almost anything can be made to look like wedding decor with a little help from your florist on the day-of. Go a step further and write your guests’ names on leaves! Silver Dollar Eucalyptus leaves have a ton of space, and if you mess one up, there’s planty more since they literally grow on trees.

Why Is This So Important?

In the best-case situation, your guests decide to steal chairs and place settings from one table to another. Not a big deal? Wrong.

Each tabletop, depending on the shape, place-setting design, and table size, has a seating limit so that everyone can sit and eat comfortably. Since that wasn’t made clear, now everyone is knocking elbows and eating off each other's plates.

Plus, what about the now awkwardly empty tables they took the settings and chairs from in the first place? They're sitting there making your reception look like Swiss Cheese! Big empty holes in the crowd will stick out when looking back at group pictures. The dining space will seem patchy and threadbare, like moth-eaten cloth, and your photographer will have to avoid large whole-room shots.

Another sticky situation to consider is how people tend to collect in familiar Cliques. Rarely will your close friends and family members naturally intermingle. You can’t really blame them for choosing instead to socialize with those they are already familiar with. Weddings are supposed to be about connecting and expanding relationships, not just bunching off into small groups like in a cafeteria lunchroom. Seating charts are just a nudge in the right direction!

So we implore you: Please do future-you a favor and plan those seating arrangements!

Your guests will appreciate it, and you'll avoid any awkward seating choices for guests to make, especially if they don't know many people or come alone.

Here are some tips for the planning process:

  • No Procrastinating: give yourself about three weeks, from the start to the last seat, to map everyone.

    • Giving yourself this much time on the project will ensure that nobody gets forgotten.

    • There are bound to be late additions and cancelations. If everything is figured out weeks before the event, it won’t be such a task to add or subtract a seat or two from a table!

We suggest organizing and displaying guest's names alphabetically for easy searching, since organizing people by their table may take longer to find.

  • This project is all you’ve been thinking about for a hot minute. While it makes more sense on the planning side to display the arrangements where you finally decided to place them, everyone’s first inclination is to look for their names alphabetically. The biggest issue we see with seating charts is that someone skipped over their own name after searching through all the tables. We’ve been wired since we first learned the alphabet to think this way, make it easy on your guests and yourself.

Follow these steps, and the issues we mentioned won't be a second thought, allowing you to truly enjoy your big day!

Real Rancho Weddings | Samantha + Collin

Let’s TACO-bout Love!

Collin and Samantha’s magical day here at our Rancho was all about the “Three F’s”: Family, Friends, and FUN! From Taco Bars to donut bars, this was the party of the year. Thanks to the collaboration with Sassy Little Bee Event Coordination and the incredible photos from Renata Amazonas Photography, we can show the world how special this wedding was!

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Samantha and her entourage of bridesmaids and family members finished putting on the final details to their wedding-day ensembles in our Bridal Suite. The room’s energy was bubbly and sparkling with excitement, perfect to match the abundance of champagne that they brought!

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Before too many guests arrived, Renata Amazonas gathered the love birds in our Welcome Courtyard for the First Look. This courtyard is perfect for an intimate moment like this. The wedding day, while fun, can get pretty hectic! First Looks give the happy couple a minute to themselves before the party starts.

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Once enough guests arrived, Sassy Little Bee Coordination guided everyone to their seats and lined-up the Bridal Party for the ceremony! This enthusiastic flower girl nearly stole the show but was the perfect way to proceed Samantha down the aisle.

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We love the way ceremonies turn out in our Upper Garden! The secluded area is lush with natural beauty, and our sunny Carlsbad weather means you can let the garden do all the work creating a romantic atmosphere.

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After exchanging vows and “I Do’s,” we love watching glowing couples come back down the aisle. It’s hard not to burst with happiness when your clients look like this!

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Guests were encouraged to make their way downstairs to the reception area for cocktail hour with RG Bar Services while the bridal party celebrated outside of our Bridal Suite.

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Renata Amazonas made sure to capture the love birds in some of our favorite photo spots around our Rancho, including this historic seating area in our Welcome Courtyard.

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Adore Folklore and Farm Tables & More came together to create this incredible secret garden retreat on our Lower Lawn. This space is intimate yet spacious enough to fit your guests for a cozy and warm environment surrounded by stunning natural beauty.

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Mexico City Cuisine set up a delicious Mexican Buffet with a Taco Bar and steaming sides on our built-in bar! Guests raved about the wide selection of topping choices for their tacos, and many came back for seconds.

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After dinner, HVK Entertainment helped lead toasts and the special dances, such as the First Dance and Mother and Father Dances, before opening up the dancefloor to everyone for the rest of the night!

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VG’s Bakery brought a mouth-watering spread of sugar-glazed dreams for dessert. Donuts of every flavor, shape, and size accompanied the delicious wedding cake! Guests helped themselves to the donuts as they danced and enjoyed the remainder of the evening.

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We were so honored to be a part of this beautiful celebration of love!

Thanks, Colling and Samantha, for choosing our Rancho for such a special day, and we wish you both all the best in your bright future together!

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Huge thanks also go to Sassy Little Bee Event Coordination for putting together such a fun day with a fantastic team of vendors!

We couldn’t do what we love without the hard work from everyone!

Vendors

Coordination: Sassy Little Bee

Photography: Renata Amazonas

Videography: Blue Tiger Films

Musicians: The Electric Mud

Catering: Mexico City Cuisine

Bartending: RG Bar Services

Tables: Farm Tables & More

Rentals: Adore Folklore

DJ: HVK Entertainment

Florals: Intentional Blooms

Cake: VG’s Bakery

Our Top 5 First Look Locations!

Enjoy the Magic of Your First Look in Our 5 Favorite Must-Have-Moment Locations!

The idea of a "First Look" comes highly recommended by wedding professionals, but it's still debated among couples. The time-honored--yet undoubtedly superstitious--practice of not seeing your significant other until the actual wedding ceremony pervades this magical day. Many couples insist on waiting, while others opt for a First Look hoping to ease wedding-day nerves--or to make sure they enjoy cocktail hour with their guests.

Our Rancho weddings come with tons of obvious perks, but every corner of the grounds itself is an opportunity for that priceless shot! The original architecture enchants with its rustic charm, and the surrounding landscapes offer endless artful photo opportunities. With over 20 acres of land, our couples take advantage of every inch that we offer.

If you end up going for the big pre-ceremony reveal a First Look provides, our experts selected 5 of their favorite spots around our Old Rancho that are perfect for this special moment!

1. The Welcome Courtyard

One of our most iconic areas, known for the coexistence of wild natural beauty and gorgeous historic style. This otherworldly combination of plants and Spanish tiles create the most stunning boho backdrop for a First Look.

2. The Upper Patio

Our experts are serious in stating that a first look does not spoil the ceremony. We think that you'll be overwhelmed with emotion no matter what, so if you want to see your partner, don't skip it. Why not have two magical moments on your special day?

The symmetrical aesthetic of this location, just inside the Welcome Patio, creates the most satisfying eye-candy pictures!

This shaded space offers lots of elbow room for photographers to find those dramatic angles.

3. The Lower Patio Steps

This multifaceted space is capable of every romantic's deep-rooted desire to have a bride glide down the steps towards her future husband. We can't get enough of the potential this secluded spot offers.

In general, private moments for a Bride and Groom are far and few between. A First Look is an excellent decision for couples who want to spend some quiet time together before the ceremony. It gives the love birds a moment before the day officially starts to connect and take a deep breath.

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Privacy is a privilege on your big day. It's a whirlwind once guests arrive, and having a first look gives you and your partner a few moments together before all of your family and friends surround you.

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4. The Old Barn

Don't forget that timing is critical! If you're having a winter ceremony, First Look photos are essential if you want portraits taken with natural light. The sun will be down between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., so this it's your chance for pictures in the sun.

Our Old Barn THRIVES during golden hour. Photographers eat up the contrasts of weathered wood and polished wedding attire.

The Old Barn shines at every angle too! The ancient wood reclaimed by nature is perfect for the couple looking to make a statement with their First Look pictures.

As our second-most iconic location, the Old Barn offers the most versatility of any other landmark on our grounds. Explore around to each side for four completely different stunning backdrops.

5. Explore the Exterior Grounds

There's just something otherworldly about an open field. The right photographer can transform a sparse meadow of sticks into a landscape of wonder. The Exterior Grounds are a blank canvas for the imaginative couple seeking romance, magic, and a little bit of classic rustic charm.

There are countless locations around the Rancho for your perfect First Look!

No matter where you turn, gorgeous rustic architecture, natural wild desert beauty, and opportunities for must-have moments are all around!

 

The First Look is definitely a "Must-Have-Moment," so ask our team of talented coordinators exactly where your First Look should be at The Old Rancho!