Country Chic Ranch Wedding in California | Katherine and Andrew

bride and groom pet a brown dog in front of their ceremonial arch on their wedding day

Katherine and Andrew had a country chic wedding out of a magazine starting at Bar SZ Ranch and ending at their family ranch, LP Ranch in California. LP Ranch is where Andrew grew up and is owned by his family, so it was full of personal touches. After days of torrential downpours in the state, the hills were alive with flowers of all kinds! I’ve been photographing the Pelligrini family on their ranch for several years, so it was great to work with these two again. 

Katherine and Andrew met at work in 2015. The sparks really started flying when Katherine drew Andrew’s name for the office Secret Santa. After she made him a board game, the flirtations continued and he asked her out on a date. They moved in together in 2020 and Andrew proposed while they were on a hike in June 2021.  

The Unforgettable Wedding Morning: Creek Crossings and ATV Adventures

The morning started how a typical wedding morning does….with a creek crossing in an all-terrain vehicle! Katherine and Andrew both love the countryside, so this was just a regular day for these two. With the recent rain in California, water was flowing freely. This meant we had to be extra careful when crossing the creeks between Bar SZ Ranch where the bride got ready, and LP Ranch where the rest of the day was held!

Katherine had her makeup done by Monina from Moderne Beauty at Bar SZ, donning cowboy boots and custom horseshoe jewelry by Wonder & Wander. Katherine’s mom and cousin helped her get dressed into her plunging v-neck gown with a floral overlay from Janene’s Bridal Boutique. Katherine wanted her wedding day finery to be simple yet functional, so she had her dress hemmed to not have a long train. But she did have a beautiful, flowing veil. 

Andrew got ready at the LP Ranch in one of the cabins. Each cabin has the first initial of one of the Pelligrini siblings and cousins, so he got ready in his personal cabin. Family dog Ruger was along for the ride, with the family helping him get dressed in his own wedding attire. 

After Katherine’s First Look with her dad, and bridal party photos with her girls, we were off to the ceremony at LP Ranch!

The Perfect Outdoor Ceremony at LP Ranch

The ceremony was held in a grass field with the yellow flowering hills behind. Guests sat on wooden benches and the archway at the end was made of wood and covered in flowers. The wedding parties rode to the venue in Jeeps. The ring bearer, Andrew’s nephew Waylon, rode over in his own mini Jeep operated by his Dad.

The wedding party walked down the aisle in denim looks. The groomsmen wore blue jeans and dark gray and blue suit jackets, and the bridesmaids wore dresses in different shades of blue. Waylon zipped down the aisle in his mini white Jeep to deliver the rings, which of course was a huge hit with the crowd!

After “I Do,” the guests headed off to cocktail hour and I brought the wedding party into the grassy field to take group photos in the golden sunlight. I got some adorable photos of the couple with Ruger and the beautiful hills behind. The family swore it was the most flowers they’d seen on the hills in years!

Katherine and Andrew said they were most looking forward to having a “day with family and friends—also the open bar :)” so we everyone was keen to get the celebration started!

Dancing, Fireworks, and Fun With DJ Justin Warwick

The reception had the same country chic theme. Tablecloths were dusty blue and decorated with deer antlers found around the property. The couple said they wanted their wedding to be “Natural, wildflower themed,” and “more on the rustic side,” which matched their upbringings and personalities.  

For the reception, Mansmith BBQ served some delicious food, which was followed by a private cake cutting for the couple and cookies from Crumbl Cookies for the guests. 

DJ Justin Warwick paired with drinks from A Twist of Lime kept everyone on their feet all night! Between fireworks and the great tunes, the guests were busy! The final song, Country Roads Take Me Home, had everyone swaying and singing together. 

I loved the ranch wedding vibe. After living on a cattle ranch for five years, the setting felt like home to me. With both livestock and wild animals all around, Katherine and Andrew’s rustic wedding felt more like an adventure than your run-of-the-mill wedding!

detail image of a white tent in a field of yellow flowers on a ranch
detail image of a wedding dress hanging from a farmhouse building, with a black and white cat in the foreground
bridal details, including pink cowboy boots, a bracelet, earrings, necklace, and wedding ring
woman in a purple flannel shirt, holds a black and white cat while getting ready on their wedding day
black and white image of a bridesmaid putting on makeup
bride has help putting on her wedding dress from her mother in a blue dress
bride puts on an earring in a white wedding dress, inside a ranch house
bride in a white dress taps her father on the shoulder for their first look
father of the bride turns to see his daughter in her white wedding dress on her wedding day
the bride and her bridal party in blue dresses pose for a laughing portrait while holding florals
a detail photo of ranch property with RV's and campsites
a black suit hangs on a white door on a yellow shed
a detail image of groom details, including a black hat, wedding band, and belt with a California belt buckle
black and white image of wedding guests hanging out with their dogs
groom gets ready with his best man and dad, in front of a yellow shed at his family home
the groom dresses his dog in a best and a blue bowtie on his wedding day
the groom takes a posed photo with his groomsmen in grey suits on his wedding day
detail photo of the rings of the bride and groom, on a cookie with their initials on it
a bridal portrait of a woman in a white dress and pink cowboy boots
a groom portrait of the groom and his dog in a blue bowtie and dog collar suit
wedding ceremony setup with benches and a wooden arch covered in florals
close up of wedding florals on a wooden wedding arch
wedding ceremony arch covered in wildflowers in a field of green
"Choose a Seat Not a SIde" wooden sign surrounded by wooden benches
groomsmen and groom arrive in trucks and jeeps to the wedding ceremony through the field
groom walks down the aisle with his groomsmen following behind, and his dog in rear
a ring bearer in a tiny jeep drives down the aisle holding the ring
flower girl in a blue floral dress and cowboy boots drops petals down the aisle
a yellow lab dog in a grey and blue suit collar sits in the front row of the ceremony
the groom stands at the front of the ceremony waiting for his wife to walk down the aisle
a bride and groom stand at the front of the aisle outside for their ceremony in a ranch field
members of the bridal party in blue dresses cry while the wedding ceremony happens
the bride and groom share their first kiss at their ceremony altar, outside on the ranch property
the bride chugs a bottle of alcohol after her wedding ceremony
bride and groom walk through the field at their ranch wedding
groom in a cowboy hat hugs bride in a white dress holding a bouquet of wedding flowers at sunset
bride and groom walk through the field at sunset with a tree in the background
bridal portrait from behind staring off into the distance
wildflower floral detail being held by a bride in a white dress
groom in a cowboy hat, stares off into the distance while adjusting his cufflinks
wedding reception detail of tables covered in blue tablecloths and florals
wildflowers in a vase, sitting on a stump of wood with a deer antler detail
small chocolate wedding cake, surrounded by pink flowers on a blue case display plate
the bride and groom share a first dance during their wedding reception
wedding guest dances with himself during wedding reception at ranch
the bride and groom dance during their wedding reception
wedding guests dance with a baby during wedding reception
wedding guest dances during wedding reception
wedding guests share a drink during wedding reception
wedding guest dances during wedding reception surrounded by green lights
wedding guests dance during wedding reception
bride and groom dance during wedding reception
the groom of the wedding dances during his wedding reception
wedding guest dances during wedding reception
the bride and groom pose in front of fireworks

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer who doesn’t mind a little mud and overflowing creeks, I would love to hear from you! Get in touch at my Contact page to let me know what kind of party you’re planning- or check out some California weddings below!

Venue : LP Ranch and Bar SZ Ranch
Floral & Coordinator : Forma Weddings
Hair & Jewelry : 2 Wonder & Wander
Make Up : Monina with Moderne Beauty
Bridal Boutique : Janene's Bridal Boutique
Bridal Shoes : Idyllwind
Jewelry : 2 Wonder & Wander
Groom Ring : Gleim Jewelers
Photo Booth : Cloud Nine
Rentals : Chic Event Rentals
Catering : Man Smith Barbeque
Dessert : Crumbl Cookies
Bar : Twist of Lime
Cookies : Mary’s Cookie Art
DJ : Mobile Jockey DJ Enterprises – Justin Warwick
Bathrooms : A&G Plumbing
Morning Brunch : Salt Craft Bakery and Catering
Rehearsal Catering : Thyme Catering
Rehearsal Music : Fulkerson and Clarke

xx,

Jennifer Lourie

WeddingJennifer LourieCalifornia, Backyard