Kestrel Park: Boyd & Lauren’s Santa Ynez Valley Marriage Ceremony

Beautiful Kestrel Park in Santa Ynez Valley was a dream come true location for a magical wedding (thank you to LVL Weddings & Events for helping bring out the magic).

“I wanted something that was classic and elegant, that would never be ‘out’ of style with a color palette of white, shades of grey, greenery, and touches of gold. I kept the overall style very simple and timeless, which is how I would describe my personal style as well.” The elegance and timelessness was captured perfectly by the bride’s beautiful strapless Oscar de la Renta gown. Lauren hoped for the ceremony to be real and genuine, and she accomplished that in so many ways.

The couple met in 2011 in San Francisco and started dating in 2012. Their relationship endured a few months of separation as work took Boyd overseas. They reunited when he returned and were married almost exactly six years from their first date!

Lauren explained, “Everything we included in our wedding was a thoughtful decision, was there for a reason.” All of the attention to details made the marriage ceremony intimate and magical.

Lauren’s uncle officiated the wedding and Boyd’s grandmother read words to one of Boyd’s favorite Led Zeppelin songs, “Thank you.” Lauren was escorted by her father to the Beatles tune, “Here Comes The Sun.”

Every detail was accounted for; from the gorgeous, reclaimed Douglas Fir sweetheart and welcome tables, made by Lauren’s father and brother, to the signature cocktails that reminded the couple of their first date and a place that they used to frequent when they lived in San Francisco.

The wedding reception held an unexpected moment of laughter as the groomsmen entered the reception pretending they were dinosaurs in honor of Boyds high school nickname, Dino.

A charming memento each guest was able to enjoy were the mini altoid tins wrapped in paper with their names beautifully inscribed on them. The escort cards were a throwback to the couple’s engagement. Boyd actually carried Lauren’s ring to the proposal in one! The cards were displayed in an antique wooden bookcase. The menu was very important to the couple and the planning was done with help from the brides mother, a chef herself. The delicious meal was served family style, all sourced locally and organically grown. Staying true to themselves, and ice cream being Lauren’s favorite dessert, the couple surprised everyone with an ice cream truck!

One of the couple’s fondest memories was exchanging vows. The couple’s personal vows that they wrote for each other were exchanged in private before the ceremony with more simple vows exchanged during the ceremony. “One of the best pieces of advice I read prior to planning our wedding was, ‘Your wedding guests won’t remember what your wedding looked like, but they will remember how it made them feel.” Lauren and Boyd certainly achieved this with their elegant, classic wedding ceremony.