Erik & Makena's Terracotta Country Themed Wedding
Country style weddings have stood the test of time. Rustic, vintage, modern, barn, French countryside, Western, Southern, and more. There are many directions you can steer (cattle pun!) a ranch themed wedding.
From your venue to your bridal bouquet, if you want to sprinkle some country charm onto your big day, you’re in the right place. Erik and Makena's Terracotta wedding theme and sunset-tinted ceremony is bursting with country wedding ideas! Get ready to get inspired by all the loving details of Erik and Makena's ranch themed wedding below.
A Ranch Themed Venue with a View
What better backdrop for a country themed wedding than a beautiful venue surrounded by rugged and romantic hills?
Mountains have held a similar association across different cultures throughout history. Constancy, permanence, strength, and reliance are a few words that come to mind when you think of mountains. Reaching a summit is often used as a metaphor for achieving one's highest potential.
At Erik and Makena's mountain view ranch wedding, all eyes were on the couple as they stood at the base of their biggest climb yet: the rest of their lives together.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Man's Best Friend
Dog is man's best friend, as the saying goes. Erik and Makena took this a step further and made their dogs members of the wedding party.
Groomsmen and bridesmaids (both human and canine) walked proudly down the aisle in loving support of the couple. The family dogs looked dapper in their tuxedos and bow ties as they observed the vows with the rest of the wedding party.
A Timeless Lace Wedding Dress
Saying 'yes to the dress' is many things. Emotional, joyful, exciting, iconic- all of those words apply. As long as the bride feels comfortable and confident, those sentiments shine through, and the dress is a success.
When Makena chose her dress, she went for optimal elegance and a timeless, vintage feel to match her country style wedding. The romantic lace dress's open back reached a focal point at the gracefully crisscrossing straps, while the skirt gathered in a delicate pool at her feet.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
In the chilly evening, Makena wore a stylish jean jacket over the show-stopping wedding dress to match the ranch venue and theme. Bridesmaids echoed this sentiment by wearing matching jean jackets at the reception.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Makena's DIY Terracotta Bridal Bouquet
Erik and Makena knew their palette of oranges and reds would absolutely sparkle against the mountains and their rural, ranch style venue.
With this in mind, Makena chose Ling's DIY Flower Box in Terracotta to create the bridal bouquet. Using a mix of Dahlias, Waterlillies, and Roses, Makena modeled her arrangement after the sunset, a collection of burnt oranges and sultry burgundies.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
The vibrant colors of the bouquet set off the bridesmaids' posies and popped against the earthy tones of the mountains in the background.
Fiery Bridesmaid Posies
It's true what you've heard: every country style wedding needs at least a dash of orange. Makena's bridesmaids were the living embodiment of this color, iwith their flowing dresses and fiery bouquets.
In the same way that a few sparks light a flame, Ling's Bridesmaid Bouquets in Sunset Terracotta perfectly complemented the orange bridesmaid gowns. Creamy Roses and Peonies made of silk added a touch of warm neutrality to the vibrant colors of the dresses. Green grass, Holly fruits, and Eucalyptus leaves added other natural elements to the bouquets.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Chair Flowers in Shades of Burnt Orange
Easy to DIY yourself, chair flowers are a great way to reaffirm your color palette or wedding theme and help your ceremony feel that much more special.
Erik and Makena made Ling's Aisle & Chair Decor in Burnt Orange their own by removing the chiffon ribbon. The beautiful orange and nude Roses lined the chairback, playing to the wedding’s country style. Cream filler flowers, delicate gold leaves, and select greenery directed attention to the seats, adding another layer of rustic charm.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Rustic Touches
Speaking of rustic charm: it's a given at any ranch themed wedding.
The adorable 'ceremony, cocktails, reception' sign directed guests and proved that tiny details are the key to pulling together any theme.
The white wood in the sign echoes the wood in the ceremony arch. String lights and handsome lumber pavillions carry this a step further. Even the venue's rich, chocolatey walls play their part in the couple's country themed wedding.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Head Table Garland
One area of the big day always needs a healthy dose of the wedding theme: The head table.
The head table was all crochet and terracotta for Erik and Makena's country-style wedding. Spread luxuriously across the table, Ling's 9ft Flower Garland in Sunset Terracotta reminds us of the couple's fiery love (and color palette!). Roses combined with Eucalyptus, golden leaves, fruits, and silk Freesias form a beautiful blend of blooms and greens. The words 'Mr & Mrs,' spelled out in clean white wood, and a cream-colored crochet table runner adds a neutral warmth glow to the head table.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
A Country Style Wedding Arch
Wood is always a staple in any country themed wedding because of its rural vibe and association with nature.
Traditionally, a wooden wedding arch was said to symbolize the home and foundation the couple will build together. Rectangles are another symbol of stability and strength, just like the rugged mountains that overlook the pair as they say, ' I do.'
Warm and romantic, the colors of the flowers spread across the wedding arch glow against the mountains. Ling's Flower Garland in Sunset Terracotta is sprawled across the white wood of the arch, creating a flame of Dahlias and Roses. Rosebuds, mini Pampas Grass, and Amber Eucalyptus leaves play supporting roles in this garland, allowing the blooms to take the main stage. The couple used the garlands smartly, combining two sets to make the arch appear extra full.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
With so many odes to unity, support, and balance, Erik and Makena's new life together is off to a sturdy start.
A Toast at the Altar
Another unique aspect of Erik and Makena's ceremony that we loved? Their toasts made at the altar.
Makena's side held dainty glasses of champagne, while across the aisle, Erik's group sharedbeers. This fun moment added to the overall rustic vibe of the day and brought genuine smiles to the faces of the wedding party.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
A Breath of Fresh Air: Simple Baby's Breath Centerpieces
A Baby's Breath,represents eternal love, purity, and innocence, making it a popular choice at all weddings. As a farm favorite flower, it also adds a level of 'country' to any ceremony.
However, pollen count was one area where Erik and Makena wanted to deviate from their ranch wedding theme. Did you know that the ever popular Baby's Breath flower is filled with allergy-inducing pollen and is known to be an irritant for those sensitive to flower proteins?
To prevent this problem, the couple used Ling's Faux Baby's Breath. With stems made of iron wire and blooms made of soft plastic, the Faux Baby's Breath was the perfect, pollen-free choice for the table.
Getting creative, Erik and Makena bundled the blooms into simple tin containers, creating the perfect country style centerpiece.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Ranch Style Wedding Reception
Erik and Makena's reception took place in an understated yet beautiful barn space to align with the country style of the wedding.
Romantic string lights glittered overhead as guests boot scootin boogied. Rustic barn chairs and stable-style walls kept it country. Wedding goers partied and paid tribute to the newly married couple under the watch of the stars and mountains at the reception's open indoor/outdoor space.
Photo by @weddingsbycarue
Going Country
So now you're feeling inspired for your ranch themed wedding, and you can't wait to get started planning your special day- we love to hear it! If you found this blog post helpful, inspirational, beautiful, or all of the above, tag us @lingmoment on IG and let us know.