Chad C.
Yelp
If I could pick my own "Groundhog Day", it would be our wedding day at Ru's Farm. I never expected how wonderful that day was going to be.
We had planned for years to get married in our back yard, which has incredible sweeping views of Alexander Valley, and then meet our guests at a venue afterward for dinner and dancing. When we first visited ru's farm as the possible dinner venue, we immediately decided to perform the ceremony there too.
The beautiful back drop rivaled our own backyard view, and the convenience of doing the whole evening in one place made it a no-brainer. The property is not only breathtaking, but perfectly laid out with defined cocktail, ceremony, dinner and dancing areas, while still feeling like one space where we could be all together the whole evening. The charm of the barn, the convenience of the cottage, and the many photo ops around just added to a long list of amenities at our fingertips while planning our day.
We started the day with our wedding party, in the cottage, toasting with bubbles to wash away the jitters, while peeking out the window watching our guests arrive, walking down the olive tree path with huge smiles as they explored the venue. We then took our vows under the cork tree, with the vineyard as a backdrop. It felt surprisingly intimate, even with 142 guests witnessing, and showering us with love and support. We returned to the cottage to freshen up immediately after the ceremony, as the guests were ushered to the cocktail area for refreshments. There was plenty of room for all of them to mingle, with a full bar and band to entertain them. As they celebrated in the cocktail area, and we freshened in the cottage, the staff was easily able to break down the ceremony chairs and replace them with comfortable lounge areas on the lawn. I had requested that swap, so that the beautiful view of the vineyards was available to everyone for the rest of the night.
When we returned to greet our guests, and receive an overwhelming flood of love and congratulations, we had a wonderful dinner on finely set tables under the sycamore trees. The contrast of the rustic farm outdoor setting, and the elegantly set dinner tables was striking. After toasts and cutting of the cake, we disappeared for a few minutes, until our band leader commanded the crowds attention to announce us. The barn doors, which had been closed up until that point, opened to us already in the midst of our first dance. A few minutes later we waved our guests into the barn to dance the rest of the evening away. The barn experience was an unexpected "cherry on the top" for all of our guests. The evening was perfect.
We were on a high for weeks afterward, but we had decided we would not become "those obnoxious newlywed" who were always working their wedding into the conversation (even though we really wanted to). Well, we didn't have to. Every time we see friends since (it's been over 3 months) THEY bring it up for us, and walk to talk through all of the details. We've heard more than a dozen times "Don't tell my wife (husband) this, but that was the best wedding I've every been to."
My only wish is that we get a chance to experience the property as a guest sometime soon, so we can take in all it has to offer without the responsibility of being the center of attention.