Wedding at Garden Valley Ranch | Petaluma, Ca
I met Briana just over a year ago and we instantly bonded! So I was over the moon when she contacted me for her wedding at Garden Valley Ranch!
First of all, she is a wedding planner, so she knows and works with a lot of photographers. It was a huge honor that she asked me! And after photographing her and Nick's engagement session last year, I knew their day was going to be a blast!
This was my first time shooting at Garden Valley Ranch, and I fell in love immediately!
The gorgeous trees that surrounded the bridal suite, the miles of roses and the greenery- if you are looking to get married in Sonoma County, want an outdoor vibe, but prefer more garden and less vineyard- this venue is for you!
I love that Briana chose a non-traditional wedding dress.
She had told me she wasn't a big poofy dress kinda girl, and she really found the perfect one for her! And her flowers!!! She loves being crafty and made her own!! I was blown away, she did an incredible job!
She did a first look with both her Dad and Nick. It was so sweet- just thinking about her first look with her Dad brought tears to her eyes. I love the special bond they have! We joked that by the time she got to Nick, she was all cried out ;)
Their vows to each other were so sweet! I love when they are a mix of sentimental and funny. You learn a lot about what they put up with in their relationship in those moments!
I loved their outdoor reception! The bride and groom are huge fans of local breweries, and had Henhouse and Russian River on each table! I'm thinking my husband had wished he was on the guest list ;)
And then sunset...well, it's no secret that sunset is most photographers' favorite part of the day.
Everything was so gorgeous! And I enjoyed being able to give Briana and Nick a moment alone to soak in the day, be silly, and enjoy a kiss...heck, even the dogs joined in!
Oh, and that photo with "Fart Machine"? Don't ask- just know that this bride and groom have quite the tribe! We laughed a LOT!!!
And the dancing...the DANCING!! The DJ played some great stuff! I decided recently that I needed to save some of these amazing moments, so go follow me on IG @stephaniehopkinsphotography and look at my dancing highlights! I promise, its so worth it to see in the moment!
I can't wait to photograph another wedding at Garden Valley Ranch!
Planner- Jen Priest
Venue- Garden Valley Ranch
Catering- Lombardi's
Desserts- Harvey's Doughnuts
Makeup- Studio A Beauty
Hair- Prodigy Hairdressing
Rentals- Encore Event Rentals
