Lovely Rustic Wedding near Mammoth Lakes, CA
I was so excited when I found this delightful wedding shot by Lesley Allen in my inbox. Rainbow Tarns is one of the most popular venues near Mammoth Lakes, and for goo reason. The aspen woods lend the place a sweet intimate feel, while the tarn, or mountain lake, provides a beautiful ceremony backdrop. And i just love Danielle's style! She mixes classic rustic details with more elegant ones to create a fun and sophisticated woodland fete!
Real Hindsight Advice from the Bride
Briefly tell us a bit about your wedding, the planning process, what inspired you
and/or any special elements you incorporated. So my husband and I had a very clear vision of how we wanted our wedding to look. We wanted it outside and to be very elegant and beautiful but natural as well. We really looked long and hard at the location. That really sets the tone for everything. We looked at 4 places and finally decided on Rainbow Tarns Bed and Breakfast. The grounds were amazing so we really didn't need to bring in that much when it came to the decor. The place really spoke for its self. We also were do-it-your-selfers all the way. We made all of the favors and found these really cool old vases to put the flowers in as well as lovely crystals to hang in the trees. We saved a ton of money doing it that way. We hired out all of the major things like chairs, tent, tables…and flowers.
One difficulty was working with the person who owns the grounds. (If you could be discrete about this I would appreciate it). The gentleman who owned the grounds had many weddings there before and they had all been done a certain way..we wanted to do ours a little differently. We had a very clear vision in mind and really did not compromise. We listened and worked with him, but also reminded him that we were paying him to use the grounds, we weren't asking for anything outrageous or anything that would damage the place…so we ended up getting out way and the results were unlike anything he had ever seen before. I think he was really amazed.
Things you're glad you did?
- We are glad that we stuck to our vision no matter what.
- We are glad that the day really spoke to who we were.
- We were glad that we invited the people that we did.
Things you wish you had done?
There is really nothing that comes to mind.
Things you wish you hadn't done?
Honestly there is nothing that I wish we hadn't done.One thing that got kind of goofy was working with the in laws and details that pertained to things like rehearsal dinners..and pre wedding bashes. Make sure you know all the details before you start inviting people…oops!
Things you wish you hadn't worried about?
- I wish that I hadn't worried about everyone in the wedding party getting their hair and makeup done. We went to a local salon and at one point the lady told me that they may not have time for everyone… they did..but I had a mini meltdown. It wasn't that big of a deal…I just freaked out.
What is your very best hindsight advice?
- The very best advice that I can give to any couple getting married is to listen to each others wants. The wedding is about both of you and both of you need to be reflected that day.
- Also, know your vision and stick to it.. you hopefully only get married once, so it is worth it to suck it up and tell someone if they are straying from what you both want.
- Finally, let the unimportant stuff go. People say planning a wedding is very stressful, yet I thought it was the best time ever! I think that's because everyone one knew our direction, I have an amazing mother, and we really were able to just say OKAY! and go with the flow.
Team Wedding
- Photography: Lesley Allen Photo, inc
- Venue: Rainbow Tarns Bed and Breakfast