Highschool sweethearts Brittany and Nico dreamt of crafting a laid-back, woodland wedding that was a simple yet stunning celebration of their 7 year journey together. Pulling inspiration from the private, intimate setting of the enchanting Redwoods in Northern California, their wedding a modern fairytale that was all about celebrating fun and friendship, and creating genuine forever-lasting memories with the people who matter the most.

The stunning, one of a kind setting of Nestldown was the perfect backdrop for tying the knot among towering trees and an eruption of fall-colored flowers and leaves, in one of Northern California’s most secluded, fantasy-like venues. From glittery custom details that had the couple’s vibrant personalities shining all-day long, to a dreamy outdoor reception dinner to rival A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Brittany and Nico’s wedding day was filled with uniquely beautiful memories that make this wedding one of the most unforgettable I’ve ever shot.

Keep reading to be inspired by the story of how they turned their dream of an intimate, Redwood forest wedding at Nestldown LLC into a gorgeous reality.

Nestldown LLC: The perfect location for a romantic, outdoor woodland wedding in North California

Brittany and Nico chose Nestldown LLC as the perfect location to host their one-of-a-kind, intimate woodland wedding. I love Nestldown LLC because it’s so accessible: Only a 20 minute scenic drive from Silicon Valley in the heart of Santa Cruz, that somehow feels like you’re hundreds of miles away from reality, hidden away from the world under a canopy of trees deep in the Redwoods. Nestldown LLC boasts 36 acres of woodlands for you to privately explore on your wedding day, so it’s one of the best venues in California you can choose for a private, intimate wedding to escape the crowds.

A venue famous for it’s unique fairytale aesthetic, Nestldown is one of the most popular wedding venues in Northern California for brides planning a fall wedding for good reason. The ‘Chapel’ is a beautiful, natural amphitheater surrounded by redwoods and overlooking a large pond that is home to birds and woodland animals (if you’re a Disney lover, this would be the perfect location for you to live out your Snow White or Cinderella fantasy!) where bougainvilleas and hydrangeas melt into the colors of autumn as the trees turn with the cooler weather. Speakers are concealed high up in the trees, which create a beautifully atmospheric and cinematic surround sound experience unlike any other venue in California.

Brittany and Nico chose the Chapel as the perfect space to say “I do”, with a rustic dinner on the main lawn after the ceremony and a glamorous reception in the Barn so they could dance and party all night long! They chose to keep decorations simple yet chic, with pure white roses crafted by With Flourish, personalized signage and custom photo block prints created using photographs from our engagement session (This is one of the main reasons why every bride needs an engagement session, as there’s nothing more perfect than personalizing your wedding venue with professional photographs of the two of you!). It was the most perfect venue they could have chosen for their unique, intimate celebration.

Breaking Traditions: Emotional First Looks and Intimate Memories

Brittany and Nico decided to follow a wedding timeline which included a ‘first look’ in Nestldown LLC‘s jawdropping Foxglove meadow (which is where the bride and groom go against tradition and see eachother privately before the ceremony) which felt so perfect for them, as it was another beautiful, intimate memory for them to share just between the two of them which was their biggest goal for their wedding day. Brittany also chose to share a first look moment with her father, which was also a beautiful moment to witness! Although 5 years ago first looks were much more unconventional, in recent times they have become a much more popular option for modern brides and grooms and I see this continuining throughout 2024.

Both Nico and Brittany’s Father’s faces lit up with smiles when they saw her glowing to perfection, with hair and makeup by two of Northen California’s best bridal stylists Yudi Barron & Kat Paule, in her classic wedding gown: an understated yet intentional princess gown with a scoop back and floor length veil, which paired perfectly with her floral bouquet of cut white roses tied with a red ribbon that matched the stunning red velvet bridesmaid dresses she’d chosen for her wedding party. It was the perfect contrast against the emerald backdrop of the evergreen Redwoods that made her shine like a real-life princess!

A Stunning, Intimate Ceremony in the Heart of the Redwoods: Saying ‘I do’ in an Outdoor Chapel

Brittany an Nico’s serene, picturesque ceremony took place under the spacious woodland canopy of Nestldown LLC‘s outdoor Chapel amphitheater. They chose to have an ‘unplugged ceremony’ (which means no phones allowed!) so that their guests could be fully immersed in the moment to experience its beauty. This is a trend growing increasingly popular in modern wedding ceremonies that I can truly get behind, because it means your guests will be grounded, focused on you and cherishing the time and energy you put into crafting your once-in-a-lifetime day. More unplugged ceremonies in 2025, please!

The wide-open amphitheater was perfect for capturing the couple say ‘I do’ from every angle with the help of my second shooter! A second shooter package is an amazing option that allows you to capture every minute of your day deeply and professionally, and my hand-picked second shooters and associate photographers are the best of the best in Northern California and always do the most amazing job. (If you’re interested in booking multiple photographers to cover your day, you can explore my packages here!)

Creative & Breathtaking Golden-Hour Bridal Portraits to Cherish Forever

The 36 acres owned by Nestldown LLC that couples have full-access to during their wedding day means that it’s the perfect location to sneak off for an hour and take breathtaking, outdoor bridal portraits that you can cherish and look back on for a lifetime!

Brittany and Nico chose to make full use of the expansive gardens and woodlands for their golden hour portrait session in Persimmon Orchard Swing, where we captured intimate couples photographs with a laidback feel in total privacy. The sunset peeked through the leaves of the trees as the sunlight sparkled, which created beautiful wedding photography that serves as a reminder of how incredible they looked and in-love they felt on their wedding day forever. This was one of my favorite parts of the day, because golden hour at Nestldown LLC is a sight almost too beautiful to be believed, and I loved connecting with Brittany and Nico to create extra special memories.

A Fairytale Ending: A Rustic, Outdoor Sunset Banquet and Unforgettable Party in the Private grounds of Nestldown LLC

Brittany and Nico’s dinner and reception felt like a dream-like illustration from a storybook: a rustic yet luxurious outdoor dinner party with long wooden tables adorned with more white roses, burgundy serviettes and gold-rimmed plates supplied by Danny Thomas Party Rentals that captured the essence of golden hour, and tree trunks wrapped with thousands of mesmerizing golden fairylights that made the woodland glow. Their delicious wedding dinner and drinks menu was crafted and cooked to perfection by Le Papillon, whilst champagne and personalized whiskey and vodka cocktails flowed all night long.

As the sun melted away guests joined the couple for a party (complete with mouth-watering cupcake bar for dessert!) in Nestldown‘s lavish barn, which was followed by a traditional first-dance and cake-cutting ceremony. For an extra special personalized touch, the two hired a vintage camper van photobooth by The Booth Bus so that their guests could take away photograph reminders of their incredibly fun and thoughtful day. Everything about their wedding day was all that they invisioned and more: a truly breathtaking, intimate celebration that created unforgettable memories that their friends and family will remember for decades to come.

To book Marisa Ruth for your 2024 or 2025 Northern California wedding click here, and follow @marisaruthphotography on Pinterest and Instagram for more luxury wedding and elopement inspiration.

Vendors:

Venue: Nestldown LLC

Photographer: Marisa Ruth
Videographer: Grover Films
Florist: With Flourish
Officiant: Noah Camerino
Photobooth: The Booth Bus
Cake & Dessert: Bride’s family

Tabletop Rental Co: Danny Thomas Party Rentals
Catering, beverages and liquor: Le Papillon
DJ: Los Gatos DJ

Hair & Makeup: Yudi Barron & Kat Paule at Bfab