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Leo Carillo Ranch wedding: Mike + Silvia

May 11, 2012

Yesterday The Why We Love shared Mike + Silvia’s sweet California lovin’ engagement sesh – today, we sneak a peek at their wedding, held at the oh so charming, Leo Carrillo Ranch. Silvia described the ranch as something out of a dream – the colors of the adobe against the terra-cotta tile, antique windmills, the succulent gardens surrounding every inch of the property, the peacocks that roamed about… it exuded romance. With the abundance of charm already there, it allowed them to scale back on their decor costs and stay within their 15k budget. Let’s take a look! 

Leo Carillo Ranch wedding Leo Carillo Ranch wedding succulent boutonnières aqua bridesmaid dress

All of the little details seemed to be falling into place for our wedding, except I didn’t have my dress. I had searched high and low with one style of dress  I had in mind and never quite found it. It was a Nicole Miller dress I had seen my best friend wear for a dinner party. When talking with her about where to find similar dress she stopped for a second and said, “What if you just wore my dress?”.  I hadn’t even thought of that but…why not?  My best friend who would of been in the wedding couldn’t actually make it to the wedding so the thought of wearing the dress didn’t seem like such a bad idea after all. In fact it now carried a bit of sentiment. I tried on the champagne silk gown and knew… that was the dress.  

succulent bouquet succulent bouquet here comes the bride sign

Such an adorable entrance for Silvia’s daughter!

Leo Carillo Ranch wedding

Some music from the wedding: I walked down the aisle as our friend played Tyrone Wells, Happy as the Sun. We exited the ceremony to  It’s Beautiful Day by U2 and were introduced at the reception to Is This Love by Bob Marley! I loved the laid back acoustic vibe during the first part of our reception. Our First Dance was also by Tyrone Wells, Seabrezze. My husband and daughter danced to Rascal Flatts, My Wish, and I danced with my Dad to Richie Valens’ Sleepwalker…. I’ve always love that song.     

Leo Carillo Ranch wedding Leo Carillo Ranch wedding

We kinda want to live here, now.

Leo Carillo Ranch wedding simple white cake Leo Carillo Ranch wedding

Check out their 8mm moving picture also shot by The Why We Love:

Silvia explains why they chose to have their wedding here instead of on the beach. Good tips if you’re thinking about a beach wedding!

Originally my husband and I wanted to get married on the beach in Laguna, Corona Del Mar or Huntington but we realized that we weren’t up for jumping through hoops, paperwork, additional costs for bringing outside vendors in, and the list goes on. Leo Carrillo was perfect for so many reasons. First and foremost it was very important that my grandparents be able to attend, and Leo Carrillo is handicap accessible, a beach not so much. I wanted to keep the reception on site for the ease of being. I wanted enough space for all the kids in attendance to have space to run and explore and have fun. My friend Skye brought in hula hoops, jump ropes,  Twister, yo yo’s and games for the kids enjoy, if that wasn’t enough they were able to chase peacocks and play in the sand, which the site calls the beach along the reflection pool. What a fun day. They have a cantina worn and rugged at is, that we used for our bar area. Did I mention this site allows you to bring in outside caterers and alcohol at no additional price?

Congratulations Mike + Silvia!!

Photography + videography: The Why We Love / Venue: Leo Carrillo Ranch Florist: Natalee Schoettler / Sweets: Elizabeth Desserts / Brides dress: Nicole Miller / Groom’s suit: Marc Jacobs / Tie: JZ Collection / Flower girl dress: Catering: 220 Catering / Guitarist: Eric Berdon / Party rentals: Anar Party Rental / DJ: Premier Entertainment / Hair & makeup: Fuse Hair & Beauty (Chelsea B.)