Alex and Ben’s story began in Santa Barbara. From the time they went on their first date, Ben knew Alex was the girl he was going to marry. He had a fast car and untamable attitude and she was a sweet girl who loved to ride horses and have the wind in her face. Throughout the course of eleven years, they went from friends to lovers, adolescence to adulthood, and from high school sweethearts to newlyweds. Through the highs and lows, it’s clear that Alex and Ben have remained the best of friends and adore each other’s company.

The wedding day started at the Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara. We were extra excited to go to the Biltmore because it had just opened after being closed due to the Thomas Fire and the Montecito mudslide. From the second we walked onto the property, we realized it was better than ever before. The rooms and landscape are immaculate! All the staff had smiles on their faces and were so kind and welcoming. The bridal party suite had rose petals in the bedroom and a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. What more do you need?! And if that wasn’t enough, the girls sipped on Veuve mimosas while TEAM hair & M did a fabulous job getting them ready to go.

Once the girls were ready to go, we headed to the venue, Heartstone Ranch, to get ready for the first look. We LOVE Heartstone Ranch. It has a beautiful landscape, the estate is amazing, and there are horses too!! Their first look took place under the oak trees on the backside of the property and it was an absolute fairytale. We love the interactions between Alex and Ben because they know each other so well and have such a deep level of friendship and understanding.

One of the things that stood out to us from the wedding day was how well they honored their guests. They made sure to tell everybody thank you for coming during both the ceremony and reception. The officiant described their gratitude best when he said, “Each guest here has helped form this couple separately to be who they are for each other. “

Since Alex and Ben knew that they wanted to spend the maximum time celebrating with their guests and honoring the guests who flew in from far away, Jill & Co Events created a wonderful timeline where they could be with their guests for cocktail hour. We did all of the formal photos beforehand (first look, bridesmaids, groomsmen, full bridal party, and family) so that after the ceremony they got to go into full party mode! Then we whisked them away for sunset photos with the horses during dinner.

It was an incredible day and we absolutely loved working with an amazing team of vendors! So excited for you to see a few of our favorites!

Getting Ready Location: Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara
Ceremony/Reception Location: Heartstone Ranch
Coordinator: Jill & Co
Florals: Ella & Louie
Catering: Omni Catering
Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair & Makeup 
DJ: Patrick Bulter
Rentals: Bright Event Rentals