decorations

Inspiration For A Valentine's Day At Home

Homey Date Night, Done Right

We love celebrating love!! With the outside world still a little hectic, we foresee many couples keeping their Valentine’s Day dates close to home this year. To help make the holiday still feel special, we collected a little inspiration on decorations, food, and flowers for you!

Bring Out The Kid At Heart

Reach wayyy back to a time when arts and crafts were a socially acceptable way to decorate, and get ready to whip out those safety scissors! This year decorate your home with home-made hearts and paper valentines. We love the idea of making this a pre-holiday date night idea for you and your significant other, or even a Galentine’s night. Check out your local craft store and see what options they have for Valentine’s Day, even if it’s just finding a ream of multi red-hued papers. Cut out hearts to string together or fold each piece of paper into an abstract shape to tape to the wall in a fun heart-shaped collage. Devoting a night to some quality time reveling in artsy nostalgia is sure to warm a few hearts.

A Romantic Dinner For Two

We saw so many people hone their cooking skills during quarantine last year. Personally, we’re still not quite at Master Chef level. When we saw the article titled “24 Romantic Dinners Literally Anyone With an Hour and a Brain Can Make” by Elizabeth Stark and Annabel Iwegbue from Cosmopolitan, we felt a little more confident in ourselves. The recipes they’ve collected encompass multiple cultures, tastes, and dietary restrictions. Save the article and pick a recipe to wow your Valentine’s Day date with your cooking abilities!

Dessert with a Surprising Kick!

Is it just us, or do chocolate-covered strawberries seem played out? Try some “Shots Through the Heart” instead! These deconstructed Strawberry Margaritas are a fun twist on an old favorite and perfect for those in the crowd who might have a darker sense of humor towards this holiday. We got this idea from Personal Touch Dining, and with it being fairly easy to make at home, we felt we had to share it with our readers. We found some adorable heart-shaped pipettes on Amazon that were under $10 and looked perfect for the job. After mixing up our favorite classic margarita, we filled each pipette with our marg and gently skewered each strawberry halfway through into the hollow center. When you’re ready to eat dessert, squeeze the pipette so the liquid fills the hollow center of the strawberry, and enjoy!

Don’t Forget The Flowers!

A lot can be said through some mini blooms and single-bud vases. Decorate your dining table at home using these and a sprinkle of votive candles for the perfect romantic ambiance! Mini bloom flowers like the ones below are easy to find and come in pretty sizable bunches; pair them with a few single roses or peonies for a tasteful arrangement. Start by placing one rose or another flower of your choice in a few vases for the center of your table. Trim the stems of your mini flowers as close to the petals as possible so that they lay flat. Place any number of these directly onto the tabletop around the vases and finish off the look with a few candles. Your table at home will transform into a sweet and dreamy location for your Valentine’s Day date, and you won’t break the bank buying massive bundles of roses!

We hope you have a safe and healthy Valentine’s Day from all of us here at The Old Rancho!

Trendy 2021 Spring Wedding Design Concepts

We’ve Got That Spring Fever!

** To clarify: We mean that the newest 2021 Spring wedding trends are making us crazy excited for the start of this coming wedding season. Otherwise, thankfully, we are very healthy.**

Between centerpieces, wedding ensembles, signature drinks, and decor, we’ve collected a bit of every Spring-spiration you could need!

For example, what event atmosphere could be more perfect for a sunny Spring day than a Garden Party? Our Lower Garden area transforms into a blooming paradise during that time of year. Use all of that natural beauty to your benefit! With much of the floral decor already present, incorporate some gorgeous Farm Tables and other natural-wood decors in softer weathered colors to complement a pastel color pallet. We love the look of a complete set, matching tables and chairs, to collect the look you're going for in one fell swoop. This particular design choice also allows for less elaborate centerpiece decor since so much of the look resides in the furniture, so you can save a bit on florals!

Photo: Renata Amazonas

Photo: Renata Amazonas

Speaking of table centerpieces, our recommendation? Keep it simple, delicate, and sweet.

A collection of vintage single bud vases and some candles are all you’d need to achieve a soft Spring look on your dining tables. Depending on your design preferences, accenting this look with some fun metallic geometric shapes or an accessory that defines you and your partner would be the perfect way to finish off the tablescape.

Photo: Renata Amazonas

Photo: Renata Amazonas

In 2021, the wedding wardrobe is looking light!

We’re seeing lots of this beautiful platinum gray in both bridesmaid’s dresses and groomsmen's suits. It creates a subtle but sturdy base for many color pallets, not only Spring, and compliments a wide range of accent colors. You really can’t go wrong pairing it with a pop of pink to warm it up, a unique energizing sage for some fun, or even a more mysterious lavender. Greens are especially trendy this year, so feel free to explore that Spring color pallet!

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If you’re having a Spring garden party, a lounge area for cocktail hour is essential.

We love lounges that complement our historic Spanish influence around our Rancho. For a Springtime event, the white Mexican Equipale chairs and sofas can be the focal area for your guests to relax while they enjoy refreshments. We’ve also seen gorgeous vintage sets help set the tone for a beautiful Spring inspired wedding.

Justice Photography

Justice Photography

Where there’s a Garden Party, there might be tea…

We don’t mean your Grandmother’s tea; we’re talking about something iced and probably spiked! Create a fun signature cocktail to serve your guests while they enjoy the Spring sunshine. They’ll love trying something fresh and new that reminds them of you. Garnish each with an edible flower to really seal the deal.

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Looking to fan this Spring Fever flame?

Check out our Pinterest for even more inspiration!

Farm Table Décor Inspiration

Table Trimmings And Garden Glory!

When deciding how to have your dining tables and centerpieces set, there tends to be much more to it than originally considered.  Chargers or none? Which type of plate? Silver or gold cutlery? Napkin color and fold? Favors? Garlands or vases? It just goes on and on. For those of us who aren't exactly visual, there might be too many details to imagine together.

Thankfully, we're here to help! We asked our talented coordination team here at The Old Rancho, and these are some of our favorite and most diverse examples of tabletop decor ideas. Hopefully, this helps narrow your search for decor and provide a bit more to visualize.

Spacious and Authentic

Many couples feel that the farm tables fit the tone that carries over from our historic Hacienda. Farm Tables also allow more elbow room for guests and space for large exciting centerpieces! The beautiful polished wood works so well with our Lower Lawn Reception Area. Surrounded by so much natural beauty, clients are drawn to the rustic romantic feel and want to emphasize it.

Tablescape Possibilities

There are endless combinations of glassware, silverware, chargers, and plates that we have available to make your tables look perfect on the big day. All it takes is some imagination! Start with a theme or mood you and your partner want to be the center of your motif. From there, napkin colors to centerpieces will start to fall into place. We love the rustic, “broody and beautiful” motif from Desire and Julian’s wedding here. Dark maroons, black, and bronze metallics brought an enchanting charm to our garden.

Looking For More Inspiration?

Check out our Pinterest Page or reach out and ask our team of experienced Event Coordinators!