A Dreamy, Twinkle Light-Filled Wedding at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley, California

On October 4, 2019, Daniel Clark and Alexis Brown tied the knot surrounded by friends, family, and olive trees at the Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley California. Neutral color tones, floating candles, and twinkle lights created a magical, whimsical setting for the day.

“I can honestly say my wedding was Pinterest Goals! My vision was an outdoor intimate celebration of love with only our closest family and friends," says the bride.

From a ceremony aisle lined with fresh flowers and live acoustic musicians to the twinkle-light canopy over the entire reception area, every detail of Alexis and Daniel's wedding was "everything they have ever wanted and more." To catch a glimpse into this intimate, outdoor wedding planned by Tessa Lyn Events and captured by Briana Mary, read on. 

"My Berta dress was to-die-for," says the bride. "It was so elegantly made, and every little detail of the dress was perfection." As a special touch, Alexis had her grandparent's initials stiched on the inside of her wedding dress with blue thread.

However perfect the first gown, Alexis actually wore two wedding dresses! She had one, an elegantly detailed dress by Berta, for the ceremony, and a second—the "Paloma" by Grace Loves Lace—for the light-filled reception. "I had been following both designers for a while, and I knew the moment I got engaged that I had to try on both their gowns”, she said. “Although extremely different from each other, I was obsessed with both.”

The wedding flowers, including the bride's exquisite bouquet, were created by the amazing designers at Best Day Ever Floral Design. Her bouquet was complete with calla lilies, orchids, and dusty roses reflecting the neutral color palette of the big day. “All my florals were insane," admits the bride.

Simple, classic, and timeless, the bridesmaids wore form-fitting, floor-length dresses by Katie May. Dainty gold bracelets, a "thank you" gift from the bride, completed their look.

Also keeping things simple, the groomsmen were styled in suits from The Black Tux. Their ensembles featured white button-ups and black skinny ties. “We wanted everything to be timeless and simple—to us, that looks most beautiful," Alexis adds.

"We wrote our own vows and exchanged them privately during our first look," recalls the bride. "We also decided to have our officiant recite and paraphrase a few words from our vows during the ceremony."

Alexis and Daniel's advice to couples planning? "Enjoy the night! Look around and take it all in!" they say. "It comes and goes by way too fast, and then it is gone!"

As mentioned, Alexis and Daniel were consistent in directing their squad's looks. "We wanted everything to be timeless and simple—to us, that looks most beautiful," she explains.

The couple says they "always knew" they wanted an outdoor wedding and after a long search, they decided that Hummingbird Nest Ranch was the clear winner. “This property is nothing short of amazing”, said Alexis. “It has a gorgeous array of outdoor spaces and was perfect for what we wanted. It’s truly one-of-a-kind.”

"Our ceremony was also outdoors and was under gorgeous olive trees," Alexis recalls. "We had a beautiful rustic wooden aisle built out that we walked down with dreamy whimsical white florals bordering each side of the aisle. It was a real-life fairytale."

Alexis walked down the aisle arm-in-arm with her parents. "The live acoustic music playing while walking down this insanely beautiful aisle with my parents, surrounded by my favorite people, as I was about to marry my best friend…I couldn't think of anything better," she recalls of the memory.

The wedding officiant, who was a long time family friend, recited and paraphrased a few words from the vows during the ceremony. 

"We are both really laid-back, chill people, and we wanted to celebrate with only our closest loved ones," Alexis says. "Our wedding was extremely intimate, beautiful, and a good time. Anyone who knows us said everything about that day was so fitting for who we are as a couple."

A live musician played throughout, which Alexis says was "something that made the ceremony so special to me."

"Planning was so much fun! I truly enjoyed most of the planning process," Alexis admits. "Tessa made everything so much easier than I thought it would be and helped me make every decision I couldn't make on my own. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, and Tessa made sure everything was spot on."

Alexis says the hardest part of planning a wedding was doing it all while finishing law school—and the seating arrangements, of course! On the big day, guests' assignments were displayed on a stunning mirror adorned with white script.

The reception venue was a “dream come true” for Alexis. "We had an amazing twinkle canopy over the entire cobblestone area, with long farm tables mixed with centerpieces, linens, and candles," she describes.

Alexis says the floral design was one of her favorite parts of the wedding. “Annie is a floral genius, and I had known long before I even was engaged that I had to use her whenever that day did come," she admits. "She and her team really used florals and created magic. From my bouquet to the ceremony and the reception, there was not one detail that was missed. The vibe was dreamy and romantic, yet effortless with a touch of boho-chic. It was honestly goals.” 

Alexis and Daniel’s first dance song was “Unconditional” by Freya Ridings.

Alexis counts being surrounded by their "most favorite people" as a highlight of the night. "It was also extremely special because we share almost all the same friends, as we have all grown up together," she says. "Because of this, many of the people there we have known throughout all stages of our lives. So for us to be able to celebrate with family and friends who have been by our side forever was extremely special."

Alexis and her father danced to “Walk with Me” by Edwin McCain, and Daniel and his mother swayed to “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. All of the music featured was provided by Unite Entertainment. 

The wedding cake was a gorgeous half-naked masterpiece featuring strawberries and creme. It, along with the meal, was catered by Command Performance. 

Once dancing began, Alexis slipped into her second "reception" gown. "It was made completely out of a special lace that had just enough stretch to the material, making it beyond comfortable to party in," she adds.

Incorporating a "double-double" of SoCal style, the reception featured an In-n-Out truck and a Mir Mir photo booth.  

“Our wedding was the best, most gorgeous day of my life, and I wish I could relive it again and again because pictures don't do it justice," Alexis says. "If I can give one piece of wisdom, it would be to take a moment to look around at all your family and friends that came together to celebrate your love, look at the beautiful event you and your planner took time to create, and enjoy it! It’ll be over quicker than you can imagine!”