At once modern and rugged, elegant and understated, this intimate Amangiri elopement is proof that creating beautiful designs in the most remote places is always well worth it.
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The Sea Ranch Lodge, Sonoma County, California
AN INTIMATE WEDDING AT SEA RANCH LODGE
Nestled in the stunning meadows and cliffs of the northern California coast, The Sea Ranch Lodge is the ultimate destination for a luxury Sonoma County wedding.
There’s always been a timeless draw to the Sonoma Coast, and Sea Ranch is no exception. Our team was enamored by the simplicity and beauty of this place, and we knew that designing a wedding at Sea Ranch Lodge was our kind of party - one that took all the right kinds of risks while honoring the inherent beauty of the space.
Set on 53 acres of dramatic Northern California coastline, the original Sea Ranch buildings were built in the 1960s as an architectural study exploring how to live in harmony with the natural surroundings. Classically understated and carefully preserved, every detail of the Sea Ranch Lodge proves that this coastal enclave is the ultimate expression of luxury. With a focus on architecture, design and ecology, the Sea Ranch Lodge inspired us to create a wedding that feels untraditional in the most brilliant way.
Pulling inspiration from the coastal landscape, we pulled in natural earth brown colors to echo the surrounding cliffs, soft grays to mirror the coastal fog and elegant ivories to contrast the warm wood of the Sea Ranch Lodge. We designed this celebration to honor the harmony between land and sea, drawing on dirt, stone and silk textures to create a modern, timeless wedding design at this historic venue.
For our wedding ceremony design, we worked with Unwritten Florals to create a textural floral aisle built into the organic wood beams of the lodge’s Ocean Deck. Balancing subtlety and complexity, single seats lined each side of the aisle, broken apart by dramatic floral installations with grass and wildflowers - integrating the textures and materials from the surrounding cliffside meadows into the built environment with elegance and ease.
For the reception, I've been saying round tables are making a comeback since 2022... I just didn't say how. But when I saw the hard lines of the mid-century architecture at Sea Ranch Lodge, I knew the contrast of round tables would juxtapose this luxury Northern California hotel property perfectly.
We designed the reception within the Open Meadow - one of Sea Ranch’s most unique celebration spaces. With panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean stretching as far as the eye can see, we knew this natural landscape would provide unparalleled contrast for our luxury reception design. Combining silk, muslin, grasses, silver, thin-lined glass, stoneware, artichokes and florals, we designed this modern tablescape to be a textural masterpiece. We let luxury silk cascade organically into the earth, elevating the dynamic round tablescape design. And thoughtful details like garlic scapes and artichokes gave an artful nod to the lush produce and regional bounty that inspires the culinary offerings at Sea Ranch Lodge.
For this warm spring afternoon wedding on the Northern California coast, we wanted every detail to feel modern and minimal. Time slows down at Sea Ranch, and as our couple enjoyed the plein air reception set in the midst of coastal meadows above the soaring cliffs, we knew we created something special. This luxury Sea Ranch Lodge destination wedding blended natural beauty with coastal elegance through bold choices in texture and design - an absolute dream for us.
Photo: Anni GrahamDesign, styling and planning: Mae&Co CreativeFlorals: Unwritten FloralsVENUE: Sea Ranch LodgeHair and Makeup: Margaret SniderLet us plan your dream day
The Madrona Hotel, Sonoma, California
Healdsburg wedding in sonoma county
The Madrona Hotel, a true hidden gem tucked away in wine country in Northern California, is a destination wedding venue in a league of its own.
Last fall, our team traveled to Healdsburg to design at this dream venue, an estate hotel that blends unique history, an idyllic location and luxury experiences that reflect Napa and Sonoma’s unparalleled hospitality. Built in 1881, the Madrona Hotel features timeless interior and exterior spaces – from buttery vintage wallpaper to emerald-green gardens, every corner of this historic estate inspired our 1940’s old world design for this event.
Pulling inspiration from this luxury wine country venue, we knew we wanted to curate a timeless, French-inspired, old money feel that blended seamlessly with the space. Throughout both the ceremony and reception designs, we leaned into quiet luxury, finding ways to pull inspiration from whipped butter and vintage velvet to put an extravagant twist on the everyday.
For our ceremony design at The Madrona Hotel, we worked to create contrast within cohesiveness. The ceremony space featured the quintessential rolling greens of Sonoma wine country, so we worked with Noble Floral Co. to build dimension through luxe, monochromatic and monobloom florals. Light wood chairs and linen umbrellas lined the aisles, with dramatic florals contrasting the soft ivory seating and shade. The scalloped umbrellas created a unique flair, adding a St. Tropez-inspired touch that brought a modern twist to this Victorian, old money setting.
For the reception, we leaned into the growing trend to feature experiences over details. As we head into 2025 and beyond, more and more couples are prioritizing the food and experience for their guests, and we wanted this Madrona wedding reception to feel elemental and experiential, swapping big floral arrangements for dirty martinis and whipped butter.
With elevated caviar and cocktail pairings, we mirrored the epicurean delights with a lived-in luxury tablescape design. Inspired by the Madrona’s Victorian sensibilities, we layered a lavish patterned linens with rich velvet napkins, vintage silverware, scalloped plates and modern stoneware to create a multi-dimensional design. Artful details, like heads of garlic and monobloom florals added subtle depth the design, and Italian calligraphy and slingback chairs balanced traditional elements with modern trends.
Inspired by lived-in luxury and the storied details of the Madrona Hotel, this is one of our favorite designs to date. Leaning into the muted brick, blush and ivory tones of this luxury Healdsburg wedding venue – incorporating lush florals, iconic buildings, stunning style, warm bread and favorite cocktails – this Madrona Hotel wedding was an absolute dream for us.
Photo: Anni GrahamDesign, styling and planning: Mae&Co CreativeFlorals: Noble Floral CoVIDEO: EMMA K
VENUE: The Madrona HotelRentals: Nuage Designs, Casa de Perrin, Bright Event RentalsPaper goods and signage: Creative Line & CO.