I get all the vibes when I know I have a wedding at Rimrock Ranch coming up! It’s such a simple yet beautiful location especially for a wedding. As some of you may know, I (Jess) grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles and had never been to Joshua Tree until I started doing weddings with ‘Cause We Can Events. Shocking, I know! It really blows my mind that Joshua Tree was sitting in my backyard this entire time. Now we get to visit quite frequently, thanks to all the rad couples that want to wed or elope in the desert.
Wedding Management Package
I mentioned in a previous blog post (Big Sur Wedding) that it takes a certain kind of person to say they are going to plan their own wedding. We offer two main packages: full planning & wedding management (also known as Month-of Coordination). We know what it takes for a client to be the ideal “wedding management” contender. The Wedding Management package is for the couple who wants to tackle their own planning and design. However, they know they need to hire a professional to bring it all together 6 weeks before the wedding. Etosha, the bride of this blog post, needed just that!
Bringing the Vision Together
Okay, now back to the real story… the wedding details! We met Etosha & Justin for the first time during their walk-through at Rimrock Ranch. While we were discussing the lay of the land, we decided to shake things up a bit! Since we’ve been working at Rimrock Ranch, we tend to stick to the same layout but this time we decided as a team we’d try something new. (UPDATE! Due to noise ordinance of the area there are now approved layouts for the space that are equally as awesome). We made the dance floor the center of attention with the tables on the perimeter and utilized the bistro lighting that Rimrock Ranch already has in place. This allowed the focus of the reception to remain in one place so there was no need to get creative and shift people from dinner to dance party in a hurry.
Best Vendors to hit Joshua Tree
Yes, that’s a bold statement but I will say Etosha had some amazing vendors lined up for her wedding at Rimrock Ranch. It was an eclectic mix of vendors she has met throughout her life and played a special part somewhere at one time. If I had to give only one piece of wedding planning advice I may say, get to know your vendors and connect with them on a level outside of just “someone you’re paying.” It will make the process so enjoyable for you and them! The vendors you choose will add to the experience before, during and after your wedding day.
Tea Ceremony + Cocktail Hour
After the ceremony, guests were invited to cocktail hour that included drinks from an old fashioned trailer and amazing appetizers from Room Forty. Meanwhile, FDK Florals and our team battled the desert winds to get the tables looking just right. During cocktail hour, Etosha & Justin took part in a traditional tea ceremony in the heart of the venue aka under the observation deck at Rimrock Ranch. Their guests could gather around the observation deck to watch the ceremony take place. It was so special to witness!
Dinner + Party Time
I would like to start this section off by saying, a desert wedding would not be complete without a generator debacle of some kind… I will spare you the details but do know that IT ALWAYS COMES UP so be prepared. Now back to the dinner talk, if you have never worked with Room Forty, you’re in for a real treat when you do! You can’t really beat the presentation their catering team delivers during a dinner service. The serving staff walked in plated meals from large planks! It was quite the experience and the guests loved it! From there we moved onto dancing and the rest of the night is history.
DJ Heart of Gold played tunes that everyone could enjoy while Old Fashioned Mobile Bar continued to serve cocktails. As always, we are so lucky to work with couples like Etosha and Justin who bring their fun personality and traditions our way!
Needless to say, this wedding at Rimrock Ranch had to be one of the most creative ones we’ve ever had. When couples are open to having fun with food, drinks and decor it makes wedding planning so much more exciting for our team!
Venue: Rimrock Ranch
Photography: Olivia & Dan
Florals: FDK Florals
Catering: Room Forty
Bar: Old Fashioned Mobile Bar
Rentals: Signature Party Rentals
DJ: Heart of Gold
