I slipped away to Santa Barbara for an incredibly beautiful wedding, on many different levels, for a very special friend. The wedding and most of the festivities were held at the SanYsidro Ranch. The unique and special qualities of The Ranch are apparent from the moment you turn into the soft colored lavender and olive tree lined lane. As you continue up the lane you can’t help but to relax as you take in the beautifully landscaped property filled with lush greens, flowers, a citrus grove and a chefs garden filled with organic vegetables and herbs that are used for the amazing meals in the restaurant.
On our first evening there, we were welcomed with a lovely outdoor dinner beneath a rich green canopy of loquat leaves. It was a great time to connect with old friends and meet new friends and family. The setting allowed us to savor the warm weather and maximize this charming indoor~outdoor living space well into the evening.
I gleaned a number of notions on how to enjoy these final days of warm weather to the fullest in this cozy and elegant scene where we dined. I loved all of the rustic wooden benches topped with an eclectic mix of soft pillows.
A casual combination of votive candles and simple bouquets of single species garden flowers made lush looking tablescapes because they were intertwined with bay laurel and eucalyptus leaf garlands. It’s amazing how the use of the garland tied this look all together, don’t you think?
Imagine the setting below without the garland.. the bouquets would have looked awkward, but the garland ties it all together, with ease.
I snapped this pile of garlands when they were breaking down the tables at the end of the night. You could also just use branches of leaves if you didn’t want to make/buy the garlands.
Here they used one of my favorite garden flowers for one of the bouquets, Catmint (nepta), I have these in my courtyard, I love the soft gray~green leaves, the sharp scent and the beautiful blue flowers, and the bees and hummingbirds love them even more. I think the white flowers in the bouquet to the right {and 2nd from the top of this post} is a type of Salvia (lamiaceae).
Snowberries or Coralberries (symphoricarpos) grow wild here in the PNW, they’re so pretty and they also dry well.
OH, You just can’t go wrong when you pair blue with orange in my book.
Spotlights in the overhanging trees were camouflaged with hollowed out gourds.
These roses are quite cultivated,
but a few roses go a long way when combined with greens and garden flowers.
There scent was a thick perfume of spicy vanilla, so dreamy!
Speaking of scents, this orange tree dominates the entrance to the Stonehouse restaurant. The last time I was there it was in full bloom… ethereal.
One of the things I miss most about the Ranch is the constant buzz of the hummingbirds and the delicate passings of the butterflies.
I hope you have a great weekend, the warm weather is back in town for us, and I’m hoping to make the most of it.
This is just beautiful and coupled with the gorgeous weather I know it must have been wonderful. I spent a week at Bacara a couple of years ago and wanted to move to the Pacific Northwest immediately!!
WOW, simply beautiful!! Have a great weekend, K
Wow magnificent doesn't seem to describe it….just dreamy!!! Thanks for sharing…..enjoy your weekend!
Emily… these photos are breathtaking! What a gorgeous place to get married. Have a wonderful weekend!
A gorgeous setting, Emily, and I always love to see how the simplest of natures bounty can make the most beautiful arrangements!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena