Nicole & Amir’s Garden Valley Ranch Wedding

Nicole & Amir’s Garden Valley Ranch wedding was the first time we visited this hidden gem of a venue, and it couldn’t have been with a more lovely couple! Nicole and Amir are probably our nerdiest bride & groom (and smartest too — but they won’t tell you that!), and we had a blast photographing their wedding. Since their engagement shoot a year ago, we’ve been eagerly awaiting their wedding day, and it finally arrived.

Nicole and Amir had a relaxed, intimate morning getting ready separately with just a few family members present. We grabbed Nicole for a few shots outside (the garden, with its soft pastel colors, is just so pretty!), and meanwhile, Amir and his dad were having their own fun flying their drone around the gardens. After that, we grabbed them for a quick first look out front by the cute garden gazebo before ducking inside to prepare for the ceremony. One thing that really sticks out at Garden Valley Ranch is the long aisle… and I mean looooooooong. Which is great! More opportunities for photos of everyone walking down the aisle, especially Nicole and her dad, which is a moment we really loved. The ceremony consisted of two parts, starting outside the gazebo and ending up inside with the sofreh. (What a dazzling display!) Both were beautiful and touching, and this was a great way to blend cultures and traditions. We had so much fun hearing stories during the ceremony and throughout the wedding day of Amir and Nicole growing up, finding each other, and growing their life together.

When looking through these photos and thinking back on this wedding, the most striking and consistent theme to us is the air of happiness. Just look at everyone’s smiles, especially Nicole and Amir’s! I think literally every photo where you can see anyone’s face shows a laugh or smile — even the crying photos. People like to surround themselves with those like themselves, and it definitely showed in this crowd. And Garden Valley Ranch was a splendid choice of venue. Even though it’s a huge outdoor garden, it has a unique cozy, intimate, and romantic feel that made it the perfect setting for this close gathering. We were really excited to celebrate with Nicole, Amir, and the family, and we’re thrilled to share a few photos here!