Julia and Matt are both from the Bay Area and met pretty much at birth! Their parents are close friends, and so the two grew up interacting with frequent family gatherings. Their wedding website has a pretty spectacular photo of the two of them as toddlers, holding hands, both looking a little unsure. But the romance between them blossomed much later in their early twenties. The speeches and stories shared by their families at dinner were pretty magnificent!

The couple, now based in the Santa Cruz mountains, were searching for an all outdoor wedding venue. And they found it nestled in the Carmel Valley. Beauty abounds at every winding pathway and sweeping vista at Holman Ranch. There is a casual and welcoming warmth as you walk the property, and yet it’s rustic with sophistication. Julia and Matt also loved that Holman Ranch is an actual working vineyard, with historic ranch buildings throughout the property, framed by majestic California oaks and lush gardens.

The day started out with a touch of nerves; it was June and there was rain in the forecast! But what we had instead was a deep sky filled with gorgeous textured clouds, a touch of humidity, and only the slightest misting that arrived at dinnertime. Julia and Matt’s day felt airy and light and came together with an amiable ease, with a big thanks to coordination by Duke and Pearl. While Holman Ranch on its own is place that has no bad angles, it was brought to life even more so by the absolutely breathtaking florals from A Bit of Earth flowers.

Julia and her family get ready at the Hacienda Suite.

The finishing touches of getting ready, and the bride’s beautiful bouquet.

The ceremony site overlooking the vineyards and Carmel Valley.

Dyana from A Bit of Earth Flowers said that in her floral planning with the couple that they asked for the look of “Lake Tahoe in the springtime with the yellow fiddlenecks, lupins, and poppies in bloom.” The overall aesthetic goal with the flowers was “natural, organic, and romantic.” All the flowers sourced were California natives as well. Dyana said, we got all her flowers locally. The most lovely ones came from two small farms: Kate from Starlight Farm and Christina from Localife Flowers.”

The bride mentioned to me how much she LOVES film photography, so it was an absolute pleasure to include about a dozen rolls of medium format color film into their day. Also these 35mm point-and-shoot cameras the couple made available to guests yielded some pretty fun photos as a surprise later on!

Guests arriving on the Hacienda lawn at Holman Ranch.

The bride shared that another reason that Holman Ranch was a perfect fit for their wedding was that “it has so many neat little areas for people to congregate, and of course it’s just very naturally beautiful.”

A sweet moment as the bride finishes getting dressed with her mother.

As weddings are often a formal affair, it was a fun surprise when the guests spontaneously began cheering for each and every family member as they took their walk down the aisle. Julia said, “I remember waiting to walk down the aisle and hearing everyone cheering as each family member processed, and just feeling so grateful to have such a wonderful and loving community.”

A beautiful moment as the bride walked herself down the aisle.

The groom’s reaction as the bride walks down the aisle.

The bride reads a quote from The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman.

“Our ceremony was just perfect and after being stressed about the weather, feeling the sun on my face at the altar was so great.”

Julia and Matt asked me that we not spend a super lengthy amount of time taking family photos after the ceremony. They wanted to take just a few photos with their immediate family, and then get on to enjoying cocktail hour! I was happy to oblige. Throughout the day there were so many opportunities to photograph wonderful candid moments with their family; those authentic moments make for the best photos anyways! Later, the bride shared that one of her most special moments of the day was being able to chat with all her guests at cocktail hour. One of the joys of your wedding day is having the time to spend with your guests. Afterall, they are the most important people in your lives. I’m all for making sure my couples get to enjoy their day. More tips on that here!

A peek into the dinner reception on the Rose Patio at Holman Ranch.

The long farm dinner tables were so inviting and did not need any kind of linen or runner. The beauty in their simplicity was the eye popping rustic elegance of the floral team’s creations. I could not get enough of these blush and wild looking flowers!

“I loved our entrance into the dinner area with Fleetwood Mac playing and everyone cheering. All the speeches were wonderful, especially our dads’ and Daniel’s. Really it was all so fun!”

Dinner was served family style, which was a perfect fit for the vibe of the wedding day.

The perfectly summery wedding cake and the getaway car, the groom’s 1969 cherry red Stingray.

A winding walkway past the guesthouses at Holman Ranch.

After dinner and with the sunlight starting to fade, a Holman Ranch team member drove us up in a golf cart to the top of the hill. Here we were treated with an epic old oak tree and a pinky orange sunset. As if that wasn’t enough, that little bit of moisture in the atmosphere created a rainbow!

Time to get to the party! The first dances were held in the carriage house which opens up onto a lounge area and fire pit.

Julia and Matt’s First Dance in the Carriage House.

The groom with his dad and friends, enjoying the fire pit.

Matt’s classic Corvette was the perfect getaway car and made for a pretty dramatic and fun exit for the bride and groom!

VENDOR TEAM:
Venue: Holman Ranch
Coordinator: Duke and Pearl Weddings
Florist: A Bit of Earth Flowers
Rentals: Chic Event Rentals
Dress: Hermione de Paula
Rings: Mercurious Jewelry
Caterer: Paradise Catering
Bar: Bar Cart Cocktail Co
Cake: Freedom Bakery
Makeup & Hair: Bianca from M.U.A.H.
DJ: Belmont Entertainment
Officiant: Daniel, the best man
Photo Assistance: Sarah Rittenour
Film Lab: The Find Lab

Please inquire with Sonya for more info about photography for your wedding at Holman Ranch!

Romantic Holman Ranch Summertime Wedding ~ Carmel Valley