This year has brought into the fold some challenges when it comes to weddings and gatherings, but Barbara and Ed were determined to safely move forward with their nuptials. Original plans were for a church ceremony and a reception at Cavallo Point, but just a couple months before their wedding, restrictions in San Francisco and surrounding counties severely limited their options. Mandy Scott, their incredible planner, managed to locate a beautiful new venue and helped Barbara and Ed plan for a safe celebration with thoughtful ideas such as asking guests to pack their own picnic dinner, cluster guests with their own households, and encouraging the use of masks. This was my first wedding during the Covid shutdown and I was somewhat nervous around the health implications. Masked up, with hand sanitizer in my bag, I approached the wedding cautiously, but ultimately in some ways, it felt like some return to normalcy. In any case, here are some of my favorite photos from Barbara and Ed’s La Colina Ranch wedding.

The day started out at Barbara and Ed’s new home, where Barbara and the ladies got ready with hair and makeup. Meanwhile, Ed was hiding out nearby before packing up some wine for the reception in the car.

La Colina Ranch is a lovely property in Petaluma complete with llamas and rolling hills. Barbara and the ladies finished up their prep in the barn before guests started arriving.

After a short cocktail welcome, Ed and his daughter lead the way to the ceremony site: a deck built around a beautiful oak tree with a expansive view of the valley beyond.

Ed, smiling ear to ear, watched as Barbara walked down the aisle with her brother. The ceremony was short and sweet, as nearly newlyweds reminisced over their travels and their relationship.

After the ceremony, guests headed back towards the reception area where the afternoon continued with speeches, a picnic dinner and drinks.

While there was no dancing at Barbara and Ed’s La Colina Ranch wedding, they did share a first dance moment in front of their guests.

After their family and friends finished up their dinner and drinks, they said their farewells and we used the last bit of light for some portraits before packing up and heading out.