Elegant California Barn Wedding: Mimi + Alan

barn wedding

When Mimi tried to describe her wedding vision to her planner, Joelle of A Charming Occasion, the phrase Paris meets Texas in Santa Barbara was thrown around. She + Alan wanted a day that was romantic, whimsical, chic and timeless – and, well, that’s exactly what they got! Dos Pueblos Ranch in Goleta, California, provided a beautifully rustic blank slate that was practically begging to be decked out with some fab elegant touches like sparkly chandeliers, mirrored tabletops, elegant florals, and more.

From Mimi, The beginning of our design started only with the barn and chandeliers, nothing else. We juxtaposed the natural grounds (representing my southern Texas roots) with glamorous but not over the top décor – from my dress to the guests’ attire to the chandeliers and tablescape, this all felt to me like it represented a black tie gala in New York City. I wanted to keep the colors light. I had found a photo of a Chanel flower cart that inspired the cocktail area to become an outdoor flower mart as if we were strolling through Paris. Joelle had used black and white striped linens in one of her inspiration shoots, which I fell in love with for our Parisian market theme. 

A big thanks to Leo Evidente Photographers for the gorgeous imagery + congratulations to Mimi + Alan!

floral invitation1

bride near the window

groom

carousel first look


Our first look was inspired by my first time in Paris at the Eiffel tower. I have a photo where I’m sitting and watching the carousel go round and round. There’s something magical about a carousel. As if anytime you get up on one, it transforms you into the happiest 8 year old ever. Alan is sweet to know my love for carousels and will make sure we take a ride if we stumble upon one. On our first visit to Santa Barbara to see DP Ranch, we discovered the Chase Park vintage carousel. I made a mental note and when it was time to think of how I wanted our first look, I surprised Alan with that idea.

carousel

bride and groom

bride and groom

anemone bouquet 11

bride and groom

bridesmaids with swing

ceremony

ceremony

ceremony

ceremony

Our Musical Choices

Processional: Bridal Party: Bring Me Close– Mindy Gledhill; Bride: Marry Me – Train (Instrumental)

Recessional: Safe and Sound – Capital Cities

First Dance: Valentine – Kina Granis

ceremony

ceremony

wedding party

bride and groom

wedding party

lavender cocktail

barn reception

barn reception

barn reception

barn reception


The pretty florals were by Twig and Twine + we’re loving the chic textured textiles + adorable “bow-tie” napkins!

bow napkin

barn reception

chandelier

dahlia on cake

dahlia on cake

purple bridesmaid dresses

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

Alan and I love looking back at our wedding and wish even until this day that we could relive that day with our closet friends and family again. There were so many special moments to choose from like seeing our beautiful venue, our first look, reciting our vows, the heart felt speeches, and my father as the star of the dance floor. But if we had to choose one moment to describe how we felt that entire day, it would be when we stood for the final toast. Inside that warmly lit barn, it was magical. We looked out at everyone and took a mental photo of the ear-to-ear smiles and teary-eyed faces looking right back at us. The love and intimacy in that barn was immeasurable. We felt incredibly blessed.

barn light


And don’t miss their sweet wedding film by Max and Molly Films!

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

What I loved about the venue was the ability to play make-believe and dream up what we wanted for our special day—all from scratch. It was completely raw and required a lot of imagination! Every detail was up to us to choose and everything had to be brought in by multiple vendors, even power, restrooms, or the kitchen for the caterers! This didn’t scare me at all, but it is something for other brides to think about if they’re considering DP Ranch. The amount of coordination and organization needed on top of the typical wedding planning checklist was the reason having an amazing full time planner like Joelle was necessary, especially since we lived in New York City! I wanted my planning experience and wedding day to be enjoyable. I knew from talking with other brides about their experience that you could easily forget to “be in the moment” because of stress. I made myself aware throughout the whole process, which kept me relaxed, so much that people around me forgot I was having a wedding that week.

photography: Leo Evidente Photographers // venue name: Dos Pueblos Ranch, Goleta, California // event design: A Charming Occasion // planning: A Charming Occasion // florals: Twig and Twine // bride's shoes: Gianvito Rossi // videography: Max and Molly Films // catering: Pure Joy Catering // linen rentals: La Tavola Linens // music: Dart DJ // lighting: Ambient Lighting // event rentals: Town and Country Event Rentals // stationery: Bride // invitation: Terrapin Stationers // save the date engraving: Terrapin Stationers // groom's tuxedo: Theory // groom's tuxedo shirt: Kooples // groom's tuxedo shoes: Hugo Boss // groom's socks: Polo Ralph Lauren // groom's suspenders: Suspender Store // bride's wedding gown: Amsale // bride's cake cutting dress: Marc Jacobs

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