bride and groom portrait at sunset under a wedding veil

Outdoor Rancho De Las Palmas Wedding and Reception

Nestled in the picturesque hills of Moorpark, California, this Rancho De Las Palmas wedding was as vibrant and heartfelt as the happy couple themselves. This beautiful venue, with its lush greenery and charming outdoor garden ambiance, hosted the couple’s loved ones as they celebrated a day filled with cherished cultural traditions.

THEIR ENGAGEMENT: M & L’s beautiful summer engagement photos were taken at Quail Hill in Irvine.

I photographed this wedding with a mix of digital and film, using vintage Contax 645 camera and Pentax K1000 cameras and Portra film. There’s a timeliess charm to film that digital just can’t replicate—the soft grain, the way the colors feel a bit more organic, and the sense of nostalgia that comes with each carefully composed frame. Shooting with film encourages a photographer to take a slower, more intentional approach, which as a photographer gives me a renewed sense of purpose and creativity. When woven into a wedding gallery, those film shots bring a dreamy, romantic layer of storytelling.

☼

Rancho De Las Palmas Wedding | Details and Getting Ready Photos

The wedding day began with infectious energy and excitement, as M & L—surrounded by their friends, who made up a large and playful wedding party—got ready, the bride in a beautiful gown from Lili Bridals and the groom in a suit from Suit Shop.

drone photo of the outdoor ceremony space at rancho de las palmas

flat lay of wedding details with pink and red Bougainvillea flowers

flat lay of groom details with a palm frond

white wedding dress hanging on a garden archway

bride's wedding dress being buttoned up by her mother

portrait of a bride under Bougainvillea taken with a pentax 645 camera

portrait of a bride standing under a Bougainvillea tree

bride's bouquet of pink and white flowers

a groom getting ready for his wedding day

best man helping groom get ready for his wedding at rancho de las palmas

portrait of a groom on the morning of his wedding day

groom and groomsmen drinking whiskey together

Bride and Groom’s Private First Look

Before their guests arrived, the couple met on a bridge by the pond at the center of Rancho De Las Palmas, where—under breezy palm trees and bright SoCal sunlight—they shared a private first look and read their vows to each other.

After their first look, the couple took the opportunity to take photos with their families and wedding party, freeing them to enjoy their cocktail hour later in the day.

bride approaching groom for the first look

bride reading vows to her groom on a bridge by a lake

groom reading vows to his bride on a bridge by a lake

portrait of a bride and groom on their wedding day

bride and groom taking portraits under a Bougainvillea tree

bride and groom taking portraits with their dog under a Bougainvillea tree

wedding party portraits at rancho de las palmas

Sunlight-Filled Garden Wedding Ceremony

The outdoor garden-style wedding ceremony was decorated beautifully with flowers from local florist Flower House, which perfectly accented the verdant Rancho De Las Palmas venue. The couple thoughtfully placed Filipino-style palm fans on each seat, the perfect guest favors on a warm Southern California wedding day.

welcome sign at a wedding at rancho de las palmas

welcome table and mirrored seating chart

rancho de las palmas wedding ceremony venue

groom walking down the aisle with his mother and father

bride walking down the aisle with her parents at the rancho de las palmas wedding venue

bride and groom tying the knot at their rancho de las palmas wedding

bride and groom's first kiss at their rancho de las palmas wedding ceremony

bride and groom's dip kiss while walking down the aisle

bride and groom walking down the aisle together

Outdoor Cocktail Hour and Garden Reception Decoration

After the emotional highs of their wedding ceremony, the couple joined their family and friends for a fun cocktail hour, exploring the lake and gardens of Rancho De Las Palmas. Before the reception opened, M and L enjoyed a private reception reveal (which is when a couple gets the chance to see their reception decor and details all come together before their guests enter the space).

bride and groom enjoying cocktail hour with their guests

group photo at a rancho de las palmas wedding cocktail hour

drone photo of rancho de las palma's wedding reception space

rancho de las palmas wedding reception decorations

wedding cake with pink and white flowers

bride and groom walking into their outdoor wedding reception

bride and groom kissing at their outdoor wedding reception

Sunset Portraits of the Bride and Groom | Rancho De Las Palmas Wedding Photographer

Toward the end of cocktail hour, as the sun began to dip over the horizon, we left the party for a few minutes to take portraits along the tree-lined entrance to Rancho De Las Palmas.

bride and groom taking sunset portraits at their rancho de las palmas wedding

Wedding Reception Under the Stars at Rancho De Las Palmas in Moorpark

As the golden hour light dipped into twilight, the party got started, with delicious catering from DJ's California Catering and the DJ/MC duo from The Uplifters keeping everyone on the dance floor for hours of fun. The wedding reception celebration was enriched by traditions from the couple’s Filipino heritage, such as the money dance during the reception, a custom that invites guests to pin money on the newlyweds as a gesture of support and wishing them good fortune. And at the very end of the night, the happy newlyweds shared a private last dance and then ran off into their future through a sparkler exit, cheered on by their wedding guests.