I’ve always loved the idea of using peacock feathers as a kicking off point for wedding inspiration but after hearing what this lovely bride found in her research about what the peacock symbolizes – eternal love – I am now a die-hard fan for life. The ranch wedding she created with her beloved using the peacock feather inspiration for her jewel-toned color palette, corsages and centerpieces brings a vibrant elegance that complements the beautiful rustic backdrop perfectly. Sophie Murdoch of The Collective Photographers exquisitely captured each stunning detail. See each one in the full gallery!
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And check out the entire day in this sweet film by Selah Video Production!
From the Bride… My parents suggested I use peacock feathers as the theme and floral design — they had already collected almost 200 feathers from their neighbors who owned about a dozen of these beautiful birds. I decided to research what the peacock symbolizes and found the meaning to be so fitting to what marriage meant to us that we incorporated this message into our vows:”The peacock is a possessor of some of the most admired human characteristics, and is a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors. Since peacocks are pure at heart, loyal and faithful to their partners, they also symbolize eternal love. The male peacock goes to great lengths to attract his heart’s desire. A peacock symbolizes fidelity in your relationship, encouraging a lasting and loving partnership.”
Both my husband and I share a love for wine, as I manage a winery tasting room in San Luis Obispo and Bo’s grandfather has a vineyard in St. Helena. We decided to write letters to each other and place them in a wooden box with a bottle of wine from his grandpa’s vineyard and nail the box shut during our ceremony. On the joyous occasion of each anniversary, we will open the box, read the letters, drink wine, and add new love letters to the box each year. It was important to us to not see each other prior to the ceremony. We still wanted to take pictures, so we met at the corner of the bridal suite and held hands for pre-ceremony photos without seeing the other and spoiling our first site of each other as I walked down the aisle. Our floral designer, Katie Noonan of Noonan’s Wine Country Designs, used peacock feathers in all centerpieces, bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres and suggested I go with a deep purple as an accent color to complement the blue bridesmaids dresses from Jenny Yoo and tie in the jewel toned colors in the peacock feathers. She had the idea of using bleached feathers for my bouquet, bridal table and hairpiece.
Having champagne dreams on a beer budget, we tried to use all the resources possible to cut corners on cost and took on many DIY projects. My husband and his dad have a porcelain sink factory and produce custom bathroom sinks. They made 250 porcelain charger plates from scratch with peacock feather decals for each place setting, and guests took them home as favors. Two bridesmaids created burlap decorations and a garter, and another bridesmaid and her winemaker husband made red and white wine for the reception. I summoned friends and co-workers helped with set-up and clean-up. My dad had the brilliant idea of renting a moving truck to transport and store all personal decorations. Most venues require all belongings be cleared out by a certain time, and this made clean-up a piece of cake. My husband has four sisters who also lent a helping hand: One sister-in-law has her own event planning business and was our day-of coordinator, one designed the kids’ table with crafts and special snacks, and the other two, professional hairstylists, styled all our hair. Bo and I are not big fans of cake, but found we really enjoyed the cakes from Madonna Inn and had our favorite toffee crunch cake served at the wedding. We displayed three different sizes on cake stands I had found at a discount store and sprayed gold. We took a moment that night and stepped outside to view the pink sky and thunder and lightning show while listening to all our nearest and dearest celebrate. It was a great day indeed.
Wedding Photography: Sophie Murdoch of The Collective Photographers / Wedding Venue: Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, California / Floral Design: Katie Noonan of Noonan’s Wine Country Designs / Event Design + Planning: The Bride / Day-of Coordination: Emily Gladnick of Urban Garden Floral and Event Design / Wedding Cinematography: Graeme Johnson of Selah Video Production / Wedding Cakes: Madonna Inn / Wedding Invitations: BRIDES® Ivory Premium Invitations DIY Kit / Ceremony Door: Luna Rustica / Porcelain Chargers: DIY by the Groom + His Father / Signage, Menus, Chalkboards: DIY by the Bride / Burlap Decor + Garter: DIY by Bridesmaids / Wine: DIY by a Bridesmaid + Her Husband / Wine Labels, Programs + Table Numbers: Designed by the Bride’s Mother / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston “Kyle” (Now Closed) / Shoes: Badgley Mischka “Randall” / Earrings: Nadri via Nordstrom / Hairpieces: Joy Honey of Honey Pieces Jewelry / Hair: Erin Goodman of Cielo Hair & Skin Salon / Makeup: Reeda Gorham of The Queen’s Bees / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo