Chris and Dena’s gorgeous fall handmade ranch wedding at the rustic and remote Ahmanson Ranch was filled with special artistic and designer touches. Almost every element of their wedding was handmade by Dena and her mother, Carol, or other artists. Dena’s amazing dress was custom designed by a talented friend in L.A., and those killer shoes are none other than Christian Louboutin. To round out the “designer” theme, Dena also included the first sketch of her corset dress as well as a small dressmaker’s mannequin. Dena even got each of her bridesmaids a custom made, personalized clutch! I, for one, am in love with all the personal details, beautifully photographed by The Youngrens.
A detailed handmade ranch wedding in Calabasas, CA
The peacock feather details in the boutonnieres were a recurring motif, and the customized umbrellas are just so clever! Dena and her mom decked out the sweetheart table with a handmade Mr. and Mrs. sign. My favorite element of Chris and Dena’s wedding, by far, are the “Muglies.” The couple spent their engagement collecting tacky, kitschy, ugly and weird mugs from thrift shops, etc., and each guest got to choose one from the “Muglies” table to use for the rest of the night for drinks and cocktails. Don’t worry, they got to take home their mugs as a favor! Chris and Dena’s mugs doubled as their own toasting glasses. Those yummy brownies were also made by Dena’s mom, and Porto’s Bakery provided the cake. Dessert also included cookies from Dena’s favorite Mexican restaurant (Sharky’s) and fortune cookies with special messages tucked away inside. The brownie stand was made to look like a spool of thread, and the topper features a firefighter in honor of Chris’ profession.
Artists
- Photographer: The Youngrens
- Venue: Ahmanson Ranch
- Cake and Fortune Cookies: Porto’s Bakery
- Bridal Bouquet, Clutches, Corsages, Flower Girl Decorations and Boutonnieres: Cute and Unique
Originally published on November 28, 2010