I had heard about Rancho Las Lomas in Silverado, CA for years. I knew that it was way out of my budget when I got married four years ago. I heard that it was absolutely beautiful. And I learned that they, unlike many other venues happy to get free exposure, do not offer their facilities for photo shoots. So I guess you could say that it held a certain mystique for me.
When our friends Vinny and Candice announced that their July, 2011 wedding would be at Rancho Las Lomas, I was excited to finally get a glimpse inside. I was even more excited when they asked me to make their cake.
We arrived at Rancho Las Lomas early to deliver the cake, and asked the first person we could find where the cake drop off was. She told us to turn around and “make a left at the lions.” We followed her instructions, both of us expecting to see two lions statues at either side of the road. Instead, we were greeted by real life lions at the head of the road, and I was beginning to see just what makes this place so amazing. You can read more about their zoo and gardens on their website.
My husband and Vinny have been poker buddies for years, and Vinny and Candice are great because:
1. They’re two of the most generous people I’ve ever met.
2. They have great parties with all this great food, all prepared by Vinny.
3. Their wedding vows consisted of lyrics from the Family Ties and Golden Girls theme songs, delivered with complete sincerity and without a hint of irony: And if I had a party, and invited everyone I knew, you would see the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say “Thank you for being a friend”.
For the cake, Candice wanted peacock colors with hints of gold. The LOVE cake topper was Candice’s. I used teardrop cutters in various sizes and overlaid some of the cutouts on top of each other. (For a professional look, be sure to roll your fondant as thin as possible.)
Special thanks to Jeff Shipleywho beautifully captured all the vibrant colors and thoughtful details that made Vinny and Candice’s wedding so unique.
love the cake… as usual…
Simply beautiful!! Oh yes and the location is to die for.