From the moment you meet Andrew and Olivia you can tell that they are deeply loved by everyone they encounter. If you remember from their engagement blog post, they love to spend time with their amazing friends, especially when it comes to hosting at their home! They like to jokingly refers to themselves as “The Gatsby’s.” Needless to say, they lived up to their nicknames on their amazing wedding day!

Andrew & Olivia chose the Klentner Ranch for their wedding venue and it was unbelievable! The property was surrounded by olive trees, the pool overlooked the ocean, and horses grazed on the hills below us. It was a photographer’s dream! There was even a grand staircase which made us feel like royalty each time we descended it. The first look took place on the epic stone staircase. It was such a beautiful moment. Andrew waited at the bottom of the stairs while OIivia walked down to him and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around and saw his bride, his face lit up with every emotion you would hope to see in that moment.

The guests arrived to the ceremony in the Santa Barbara trolley. It was such a great choice in transportation for the guests and so fun to watch the trolleys pull up on the polo fields. As the guests poured out of the trolleys, they were dressed in style and came ready to celebrate this lovely couple. One of our favorite moments during the ceremony was when everyone surprised the couple and sang the Beatles song: “With a Little Help From My Friend.” After the ceremony, Andrew and Olivia ascended the stairs to cocktail hour where Olivia had a big surprise for Andrew. She had hired a mariachi band to start playing as soon as they walked up the stairs! The funny thing is, we didn’t even know it was happening, so it was a total surprise to us as well! The look on his face was PRICELESS when he saw the band. He had said that he wanted a mariachi band during the early stages of the planning process and she had talked him out of it. Later on, her dad helped her come up with the idea to hire them without telling him and it made for the perfect surprise! The band played throughout the cocktail hour while the guests enjoyed delicious food, margaritas, wine, and beer. Some guests even slipped their shoes off and dipped their feet into the pool to cool down and relax!

Since Andrew and Olivia did their first look and all of their portraits beforehand, they were able to enjoy cocktails with their guests and actually mix and mingle with everybody who came to celebrate them. The more we see this, the more excited we get, because the guests make such an investment and effort to be there so we love when our couples get to spend as much time with them as possible. Hive Events did an amazing job creating the schedule and it ended up allowing for down time while still keeping everything ahead of schedule or right on time the whole day!

Another highlight from the day was finding out that Andrew and Olivia love teenage shows like 90210, so they had the bridal party entrance into the reception to the tune of the 90210 soundtrack! How fun is that!? The reception took place on the lower polo field overlooking the ocean. Cafe lights were strung above and they created the dance floor in the middle. They truly transformed the space! They even had Bella Vista Designs put  pipe and drape around the kitchen and bathroom to make it look more elegant! They served a delicious alfresco dinner by Lorainne Lim Catering that suited the atmosphere of the event perfectly. There was even a donut bar for dessert! Talk about goals! Wouldn’t you rather have a donut cake?! DJ Zeke kept the dance floor packed all night and we were so thankful to photograph and be a part of such a beautiful celebration!

 

Location: Klentner Ranch
Coordination: Hive Events
MUAH: Tayler Rad & Beauty By Lean Rose
Florist: Topa Flora
Lighting: Bella Vista Designs
Dress: The Dress Bride
DJ: DJ Zeke
Catering: Lorraine Lim Catering
Rental: Ventura Rental