Walnut Grove Wedding in Moorpark, Ca
Walnut Grove Wedding at Tierra Rejada Farms
Brian and Ellen's wedding day at the Walnut Grove was a dream. I photograph a lot of weddings, but it's rare to come across a wedding day that is so effortlessly beautiful in the way that theirs was. For starters, they hired a dream team of vendors who worked absolute creative magic. Every detail was so romantic and true to who they are as a couple, yet Brian and Ellen never lost sight of what their wedding day was all about. They kept their love at the center of it all.
The wedding was held at the Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Farms in Moorpark, Ca. It was a beautiful sunny day with a warm breeze that whispered through the walnut trees. Like I said before, it was a dream. Brian and Ellen had been waiting for this day for some time and couldn't have been more happy to be surrounded by their closest family and friends for the occasion.
As a Malibu wedding photographer, my favorite moment from Brian and Ellen's Walnut Grove wedding was getting to take photos of the couple in the most beautiful rose garden (Grace Rose Farms) that was next door to the wedding venue. We found out later from the florist, that she had coincidentally sourced the roses to make the bride's bouquet from that very farm! How cool is that?!
How the Bride and Groom met...
From the Bride: "We met on eHarmony right before my membership was about to end. I made the first move, leaving a 'smile' on Brian’s profile. He 'smiled' back, and the onversation began from there. We went to an art museum for our first date and, since things were going well and we didn’t want to say goodbye just yet, we followed it up by grabbing dinner together at a create-your-own pizza place (something we still enjoy doing to this day). Shortly after that first date, my membership expired and Brian noticed that my profile was no longer active – he thought I was so sure about him that I had canceled my membership! Well, I did like him a lot, so it was perfect timing".
How the Groom proposed...
From the Bride: "We were up at my grandparents cabin in Lake Tahoe for New Year’s. Brian was planning to propose sometime over the course of the long weeked, but as soon as we arrived at the cabin he says he was so nervous and stressed that he couldn’t wait any longer. We went outside to explore the snow-covered landscape, and just as the sun was setting and the magic hour hit the mountains, Brian asked if we could go out on the pier. He asked me to come sit beside him and began telling me how special it was being up in Tahoe together, how much he loved being with me, and how wonderful I am. I just thought he was being extra sweet, but then he gave me a hug that lasted way too long and started to shake a little. I said, 'Brian, what’s going on?' and when he said 'Nothing' I got the feeling that he was about to propose. Sure enough, he pulled out a beautiful rose gold diamond ring, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. It was a complete surprise and so much fun to share that moment together, staring out across the lake and just repeating 'Oh my goodness, we’re engaged!'."
Wedding Planning Inspiration...
From the Bride: "Brian and I love the outdoors, so we knew we definitely wanted an outdoor ceremony that felt effortlessly romantic and somewhat rustic (but NOT farm-y!!). We wanted the wedding to feel intimate and easy-going, so we kept our guest list small and only invited our immediate families and closest friends. It was a tough decision, but in the end it really simplified things and made us feel most comfortable on our wedding day (which was overwhelming enough as it is!). As far as the feel, we wanted an effortlessly romantic style and Brian built our ceremony arch so that it could be just what we wanted."
How did you choose your wedding venue?
From the Bride: "Brian’s best man and his girlfriend had been to our venue for another friend’s wedding. We were all rock climbing together and I was talking about how we hadn’t found the right fit yet for our venue. We wanted an outdoor location that felt removed from Los Angeles without being an insane drive for all our guests, and a naturally beautiful location that would feel effortlessly romantic without blowing the budget – our friends mentioned they had just been to a wedding at The Walnut Grove and showed us photos. They raved about the catering, the market lights, the landscape and vibe. After touring it ourselves and meeting all the genuine and hard-working staff, we booked it. The Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Farms was the perfect outdoor wedding venue."
Any advice for brides planning their wedding day?
From the Bride: "My advice for brides planning their wedding day is to take it all in stride. As much as you can, be present in every moment and enjoy even the 'annoying' stuff like long car rides to check out venues and late night planning with your fiance. It’s all part of the joy of growing together as a couple: holding hands on those long car rides and taking in the conversation shared during those late nights. And overall, constantly remind the other person to let go and leave it up to fate when details are beyond your control. It’s far better to enjoy the experience for what it is than to miss out on the experience entirely because you’re too busy wishing it was something else. Oh yeah, and everything will be beautiful… just breathe and focus on the amazing person you get to spend the rest of your life with!"
What was your favorite moment of your wedding day?
From the Bride: "My favorite moment was the cake cutting. We ultimately played it sweet, but there was definitely a long pause in there where we locked eyes and were totally trying to figure out if the other person was going to smash cake in our face or not."
Wedding Highlight Video
Check out this amazing highlight video by wedding videographers The Adventures Of. They are so talented!...
All photos were captured by Malibu Wedding Photographer Lovisa Photo. To see more, check out this Colony 29 wedding in Palm Springs or this New Years Eve Elopement in Las Vegas!
Much thanks to these talented Wedding Vendors:
Wedding Venue: The Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Farms
Photography: Lovisa Photo
Planning: Mia Bella Weddings & Events
Florist: Mulberry & Moss
Hair and Makeup: Beauty by Corin
Stationary and Calligraphy: Lazy Creative Designs
DJ: Vox DJs
Videographer: The Adventures Of
Catering: Command Performance Catering
Bar: Liquid Catering
Wedding Cake: Skiff's Cakes
Dress: Aria
Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss
Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie
