As a wedding photographer, I've witnessed countless celebrations, so when it came time to plan my own, I knew I wanted a stress-free, intimate affair that reflected our love for nature and each other. My partner and I fell in love with the perfect location – a charming farm in Mendocino, surrounded by redwoods and equipped with all the amenities we needed for a weekend of celebration with our nearest and dearest. In this post, I'll share our experience and tips for planning a beautiful, laid-back wedding on the stunning Mendocino coast.

The Importance of a Stress-Free Wedding Day

One of our top priorities was to ensure our wedding day (and entire weekend) was as stress-free as possible. I’ve seen too many couples overwhelmed by last-minute details, tight timelines, and unexpected hiccups. We wanted to be fully present and enjoy every moment of our special day, without worrying about the little things. To achieve this, we wrote out all the things that would help make our day stress-free and focused on:

Keeping our guest list small and intimate
Spending as much one-on-one time together, including the morning of, relaxing and getting ready
Delegating tasks to trusted friends, family, and vendors
Creating a flexible timeline with plenty of breathing room
Not worrying or being in charge of any of the details

Finding the Perfect Venue

Finding the right venue was crucial to setting the tone for our intimate, nature-inspired celebration. Six months prior to our wedding, we stayed on the most magical property in Mendocino. We instantly felt at home in the space and even talked about how the land is similar to what we eventually want to own someday. We took a leap of faith and asked the owners about hosting our wedding weekend and they graciously said yes. It was the perfect backdrop for our ceremony and reception and embodied everything we wanted in a venue. The property featured:

A converted barn and a couple of cute bunkhouses for accommodations
Chickens, goats, and an apple orchard for a rustic, charming vibe (we spent Saturday afternoon apple pressing and making apple cider)
A sauna, outdoor tub, firepit and dome for relaxation and socializing
A stunning backdrop of redwood trees for a nature-inspired celebration

The Importance of a Wedding Planner

As a wedding photographer, I've seen firsthand how valuable a skilled planner can be in creating a smooth, stress-free celebration. Many people think that planners are only needed if you are throwing a huge, extravagant wedding affair but I think planners are crucial for couples who want to be fully present on their wedding day. Hiring a local wedding planner was the best decision we made. With her expertise and knowledge of the area, our planner:

Took on all the logistical details and decision-making process (she made all the decisions about rentals, florals, and decor)
Sent us the best recommendations for local vendors for food, drinks, and desserts
Set up and styled the whole venue, allowing us to be fully present on our day
Adapted to the last-minute rain forecast, rented a tent and moved our ceremony into the glass house on the property (tbh this was the one thing that made me feel a bit stressed before our wedding day, but our planner helped us work through some backup plans and I was confident that she was going to make it all work out in the end no matter what the weather)

Personalizing Your Celebration

One of the joys of planning a small, intimate wedding is the opportunity to infuse every aspect of the day with your unique personality and style. My partner and I talked about the most important aspects of our wedding day and decided to focus on those things. To make our wedding feel uniquely "us," these were our top priorities:

Spending the weekend in nature, both in the trees and on the coast
Inviting a handful of dear friends and family to spend the weekend celebrating with us
Having our bartender create specialty cocktails and drinks that utilized our favorite alcohol and flavors
Hiring a chef to create a seasonal, locally-sourced, family-style meal, and sharing it around one long table
Having a close dear friend officiate and help us craft a personalized ceremony
Curating a playlist of our favorite songs for each part of the day
Gifting our guests with local treats like honey, tea, spices, and salts (some gifts made directly on the farm)
Ending the night with an epic dance party

Creating a Relaxed Wedding Day Timeline

A relaxed, flexible timeline is key to enjoying your wedding day to the fullest. We wanted to savor each moment and have plenty of time to connect with each other and our loved ones. To ensure a laid-back wedding day, we:

Spent the morning together, enjoying breakfast, time alone, and a pampering flower bath
Had my bestie/officiant stay on the property with us so we could relax and spend time together
Got dressed separately for a quiet, intimate first look in the forest
Scheduled plenty of time for photos and socializing before the ceremony

Hiring vendors who understood our vision and vibe

As a wedding photographer, I know how important it is to work with vendors who understand and support your vision for your wedding day. When planning ours, we sought out a team of professionals who not only had the skills and experience to bring our ideas to life but also shared our values and enthusiasm for creating a memorable, personalized celebration.

One of the most important decisions we made was choosing our photography team. I’d always known that I was going to have my photographer friends document my wedding. It was important to me to have people I loved and trusted share in this special day with me. Their familiarity with our story, their artistic vision, and their ability to capture authentic moments allowed us to relax and be fully present, knowing they would make our story come to life.

In addition to our photography team, we selected vendors who understood our desire for a laid-back, nature-inspired celebration. From our local wedding planner to our chef, bartender, and officiant each member of our vendor team brought their unique talents and a shared commitment to creating an unforgettable experience for us and our guests.

OUR FANTASTIC VENDOR TEAM:

Venue: The Farm

Wedding Planner: Madeline with Fern Foot Events

Photographer 1 (digital): Abi with Abi Q Photography

Photographer 2 (film and Super8): Jenna with Jenna Rae Photography

Officiant: Our dear friend Dani Cirignano

Chef: Simone with Simone’s Kitchen

Bartender: Max with Mendocino Outland

Bakery: Franny’s Cup and Saucer

DJ: Tony with Norcal Sounds

Hair and Makeup: Mollie and Olivia with Beauty on Set

Rentals: Matt with Matt Rowland Events

Planning a small, intimate wedding on a farm in Mendocino allowed us to create a stress-free celebration that felt true to us as a couple. By focusing on what mattered most – sharing our love with each other and our nearest and dearest in a beautiful setting – we were able to be fully present and enjoy every moment of our wedding day. If you're dreaming of a laid-back, personal wedding weekend, consider the stunning Mendocino coast and all it has to offer!