A Soft Spring Color Palette Made for an Ethereal Wedding at Greengate Ranch & Vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California
Accomplishing an intimate, cozy vibe for a wedding of 200 guests is no easy feat—luckily, Sutton Morey and Nick Kelly were up to the task. Along with their vendor team, these college sweethearts designed an event with all the feel-good features of a holiday gathering. “There's such a fun, loving energy surrounding a wedding and we wanted to build on that,” Sutton explains. “We both come from big families with lots of love, and the times we're all together just hanging out are our favorite.” Marrying that sweet feeling with the light colors of springtime, “the day was perfect, outfitted with good food, cold drinks, live music and lots of disco balls.”
The backdrop of their warm celebration, Greengate Ranch & Vineyard on the central coast of California, features lush rolling hills and acres of rustic charm. When you’re on the property, “you're surrounded by lush greenery, making it a perfect canvas for color,” says the bride. “[Our florist] at Plenty of Petals absolutely killed it, covering the space with a natural, pastel elegance. My favorite was the florals climbing the trees at the [altar].” Guests wandered into the open-air ceremony space and found their seats on light wooden chairs flanked by a variety of trees and a tranquil pond. Arrangements of lavender, blush and coral blossoms lined the aisle, leading to the alfresco altar, nestled between two trees adorned with similar flowers.
The groom took his place at the end of the aisle in a stylish navy getup. “Nick is always cool, calm and collected,” tells Sutton. “He wore a classic blue suit with a fun floral tie, champagne to match the bridesmaids.” Nick’s bride floated down the aisle in a whimsical wedding dress. In contrast to her beloved, “I'm all over the place, and that's probably why I ended up with two wedding dresses,” says Sutton. Her custom ceremony gown by JINZA Couture Bridal “was romantic and ethereal and perfect.”
After the “I dos,” the newlyweds got a very sweet surprise, courtesy of the mother of the bride, for their ceremony recessional. “Love Actually is one of my favorite movies of all time. The film features a wedding, where the best man surprises everyone with a rendition of All You Need Is Love,” Sutton remembers. “So cut back to Nick and me: standing at the end of the aisle, confused why we're not walking back yet, and we start to hear singing. This epic gospel choir was treating us to the same song, it was such a treat.”
The reception space spanned across the lawn and featured long tables—some with flowing white linens, and some without. Each table was ornamented with small vases brimming with the couple’s spring-inspired florals in between tall candles encased in glass. “We had a large wooden frame that was draped with silky fabric and the top was sprinkled with twinkle lights,” the bride recounts. “We had candles everywhere and continued the dusty pastel color palette with the table florals. It felt romantic and intimate.”
Following dinner, the party kicked off inside the venue’s barn. Underneath “an army of disco balls,” as the bride describes it, friends and family danced the night away. Of course, this fun-loving couple had to add one more personalized detail at the end of the night. “Food is one of my & Nick's love languages, so we had to go in on the late-night food. The carne asada tacos (his) & In-N-Out Burger sliders (hers) were divine.”
On her advice to future couples, Sutton first shares some words of wisdom given to her prior to the celebration. “My best friend recommended that we carve out a few minutes to experience the dinner set up just us two, and I'm so glad we did. It was so nice to have a moment to breathe together and take everything in.” Her second piece of advice, however, leans more practical. “Learn from my mistake and make sure you finish your vows before the wedding day,” she laughs.
