Fantastic Bay Area Farm Wedding at the Reinstein Ranch
Jamie and Niall’s Laid Back Reinstein Ranch Wedding
If you are wondering where to have a wonderful farm wedding in the Bay Area, look no further. Have your wedding at Reinstein Ranch. It is located in Livermore, less than 40 miles from Oakland. There are onsite sleeping accommodations for guests, a gorgeous ceremony site, and a rad barn and outside area for your reception. There is also a sweet Victorian house on the property for getting ready. Reinstein Ranch is a working ranch, so chances are good that you will see folks riding horses in one of the arenas.
Jamie and Niall are wonderful people who hired me in 2019 to shoot their wedding in 2020. Covid hit, they moved out of California and rescheduled their wedding for 2021. I am so thankful that we were able to figure out all the logistics and make this wedding happen. The venue, the people, and the party were all top-notch.
Getting Ready
Arriving on the property, I passed an old truck that was converted into a chicken coop. Several cool old tractors sat resting in barns. Horses waited in pens. Old oak trees are scattered around the grounds. Besides for the solid walled structures for guests to stay in, there are several bell tents set up for guests who don’t mind glamping. Niall and the guys were mostly ready when I arrived, and Jamie and her ladies were finishing hair and makeup. After everyone was dressed and ready, the gentlemen and ladies took a moment to say some kind words to the couple and make a toast to friendship, before Niall and Jamie had their first look.
First Look and Family Portraits
There are so many sweet spots at Reinstein Ranch. We decided to keep the first look simple and Jamie and Niall had that moment on the covered porch in front of the victorian where they both got ready. After the first look, we headed over to the barn for family portraits. We snuck in a few couple pictures after, before guests started arriving for the ceremony. Jamie, who I learned is famous for her heart-felt greeting cards, had placed some of her amazing cards on each table. Her dad brought some of his hand painted set pieces (a huge space ship and a phoenix). Guests grabbed beverages before heading to the back of the barn for the ceremony. I love the pre-ceremony cocktail hour.
Ceremony
The ceremony site at Reinstein Ranch is stunning. The triangular frame and rolling hill make a great backdrop. Niall and Jamie’s good friend conducted the ceremony. One sweet ritual they did was to blend two wines that represented their personalities. Jamie and Niall’s parents shared stories with the guests. I am a sucker for moments like these in wedding ceremonies, and often feel so filled with love and appreciation for the wonderful people I work with.
Cockatail Hour and Couple Portraits
Toward the end of cocktail hour, we took a walk about the ranch. There are no bad places for pictures at this property. We took a nice jaunt, enjoyed the fresh air and quiet, and then headed back to the party before we could be missed.
Dinner and Dancing
Rain was forcasted for the day, and we were ever ready to switch plans and adjust the location of events if it started coming down. Luckily, the rain held off until after dinner. Deserts were done pot luck style. While scoping the deserts after dinner, I spotted a racoon (not the first racoon at a wedding this year) looking to score some pie. Everyone move to the covered area near the barn for dancing before it began to rain. Whitney from Heart of Gold Djs rocked the dance party.
I am so thankful for the rad crew of folks who helped to make this wedding happen. Kirin White from TLC Event Design and Coordination was amazing. She was super chill, funny, and great in all her communications. Emma Ribeira did hair and makeup. Venga Paella put together a beautiful trio of delicious paellas for dinner. Flores Bartending Services ran the bar, and made you smile everytime you went to get a drink.
If you want to check out another venue with a ranch feel, barn, and great vistas, check out Noelle and Fred’s Triple S Ranch wedding.