A Shabby-Chic Wedding With a Rustic Spin at Rancho Soquel in Santa Cruz, California

Rancho Soquel in Santa Cruz, California, had a landscape that provided the perfect combination between an overflowing English garden and ranch-styled elements—exactly what Sophie Westbrook (31 and a marketing program manager) and Ryan Aull (37 and a product manager) wanted for their shabby-chic wedding at Rancho Soquel in Santa Cruz, California. “I knew it was the right place, with lush overgrown gardens filled with hydrangeas and succulents, oak trees and a barn,” Sophie says. “The venue was so beautiful that very little was needed in terms of decorations.” Ryan’s love for sailing combined with Sophie’s attraction to a classic look created the navy and coral color palette with hints of gold, captured on camera by Heather Scharf Photography. Sophie and Ryan had their ceremony outside on the open green lawn and were married at the archway topped with a lush garland and a hanging white chandelier, organized with the help of the Wedding Connection. At the reception, guests found their dining table assignments on the seating charts posted on a large wooden board, hanging by clothespins clipped onto wires. Lush centerpieces of dahlias, roses, alliums, chrysanthemums and a range of greenery added pops of color to the plain wooden dining tables, with paper menus and seating cards folded inside navy napkins and placed on white plates. A nice added touch were the gold pieces at each setting, depicting a carrot, sand dollar or pig, to represent the guests' meal choice. As much as we loved all the decor at this shabby-chic occasion, Sophie's V-neck ivory wedding dress entirely covered in lace is what really caught our attention, with a gorgeous keyhole-back opening and an elegant line of beading around the waistline. "I have a classic style in general when it comes to my clothes, so I wanted my dress to be equally as classic," Sophie says.