Honey Bee Wedding Inspiration at Rancho Valencia
This beautifully sophisticated soirée all started with spark of inspiration from a Honey Bee. Not to be confused with the infamous “Queen B”, though we do get some of those boss vibes too. With a gorgeous and glimmering wedding gown by Marchesa, California wedding vendors created a spectacular styled shoot and we cannot get enough of these sweet-as-honey photos by Cavin Elizabeth Photography.
From the planner, Southern House Events + Design: The stationery designed by Four Things Paper highlighted the environment from which the bee surrounds itself. With delicate mauve flowers, a hand drawn floral/bee vellum overlay — all tied together with twine and sealed with a wild flower wax seal, it exuded a dainty feminine look and feel.
Our bride was Queen Bee for a day and wore a whimsical glitter and feather covered Marchesa gown that captured the light beautifully and provided the perfect amount of movement with even the tiniest of breezes. Her hair, styled by XO Beauty Co., was gathered into a sweeping bees hive up-do with soft curls framing her face and a dewy sun-kissed glow for her makeup. Our groom donned a velvet black tux by The Black Tux paired with a gold and black hexagon wedding band custom designed by Honey Jewelry Co.
The ceremony was simple and understated complimenting the pink hacienda style of Rancho Valencia’s Sunrise Terrace and allowing the tall grid panels with overgrown greenery and soft florals to create the perfect frame for our bride and groom to take center stage. We paired blush velvet chairs and benches as our ceremony seating and lined the aisle with tapered candles in ivory, beeswax and gold bases.
Our escort display consisted of a hand painted textured back drop with soft butter yellow escort cards, hand-calligraphied guest names and copper grid panels which mimicked the pattern found in our Marchesa gown.
For the tabletop Kayla, of Southern House Events + Design, chose an understated swirl patterned linen from BBJ Linens to contrast against TBD Rentals velvet blush chairs and to highlight the overgrown garden arrangements of yellow, mauve and ivory flowers Studio Fleurish created for our centerpieces. Hostess Haven light pink glassware mixed with gold rimmed wine glasses paired beautifully with our stacked plates in white, mustard yellow, and pink glass. The final touch of tapered candles in combinations of ivory and hand-rolled beeswax provided much needed height and texture tying in the hanging lanterns which were inspired by the relationship between bee and bee-catcher, with the bee-catcher hat pattern being replicated in the rattan lanterns overhead.
The bar drew inspiration from the sights and taste a bee sees on a daily basis. Studio Fleurish designed wild overgrown floor arrangements that combined yellow, mauve, and ivory flowers with organic greenery and dried pampas grass. The grid pattern found within the Marchesa gown was recreated, once again, along the bar front using a gold foil hexagon tape. Snake Oil Cocktail and their 3 custom cocktail creations were the focal point as they provided a peek into the sights and taste of a bee by incorporating bee pollen, local honey, and wildflower garnishes… and to top it off, Cocktail Graffiti even provided custom designed toppers for the cocktails of wild flower fields and active bee hives.
We love all of the gorgeous colors that spring brings (thank you for pollination, bees!) so we are over the moon in love with this colorful wedding inspiration!
Wedding Vendors:
Photography: Cavin Elizabeth Photography
Design + Planning: Southern House Events + Design
Florals: Studio Fleurish
Venue: Rancho Valencia
Hair + Makeup: XO Beauty Co
Gown: Marchesa
Stationery/Calligraphy: Four Things Paper
Furnishing Rentals: TBD Rentals
Linens: BBJ Linen
Tabletop Rentals: Hostess Haven
Bar Services: Snake Oil Cocktail
Cocktail Toppers: Cocktail Graffiti
Pink Dessert: Plates Anthropologie
Tux: The Black Tux
Jewelry: Honey Jewelry Co.
Hand Dyed Ribbon: Bellame Ribbon
Models: Willow Model Management