Lakeside Ceremony + Forest Wedding Reception

Enjoy the details of this lakeside ceremony and forest wedding reception in Northern California all during a world-altering chain of events.

Today’s an exciting day as I have the pleasure of sharing a personal story with you!  Our wedding day, with the lakeside ceremony and forest wedding reception, was one of the most wonderful days I have ever experienced.  And my goodness did the day fly by!  They say that can happen when you are having fun.

The first time I saw the meadow near Lake Almanor, I thought “This place is so beautiful! What a perfect place for a wedding.”  Fast forward 20 years and here we are! 

To have my dream wedding come true is such a blessing.  Not everyone has been thinking about their wedding day from a young age, but when you are a born planner like moí it’s a regular thing.  And to see that vision unfold, after years of daydreaming, is surreal. 

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Highlights: Lakeside Ceremony + Forest Wedding Reception

Now, I’ve gotten a little ahead of myself.  Let’s go back to the most important part: the ceremony. 

Lakeside Ceremony

Within Lake Almanor West lies a park at the lake’s edge with a large grassy area surrounded by tall sugar pines.  We made an arbor with blue oak trees cut from my parents home, rented bench seating for immediate family and offered plenty of standing room for others.  “I Get To Love You” by Ruelle played softly from a Bluetooth speaker while I walked down the aisle towards my future husband. 

Our siblings were our Maid of Honor and Best Man, and my close cousin honored us as our officiant.  We did not read aloud personalized vows, but instead deferred to the traditional repeat-after-me style.  Our first kiss after being pronounced “husband and wife” was like a breath of fresh air.  We did it! 

After our ceremony, which we kept to a modest 15 minutes, it was time for our guests to move locations from the park to the meadow. While our guests enjoyed a Cocktail Reception with light bites, Erik and I took some time with our photographer to capture our first moments as a new couple.

Forest Wedding Reception

Photos complete, we joined our guests at the meadow with a grand entrance followed immediately by our first dance.  Kane Brown sang out “What’s Mine Is Yours” from the DJ booth and it was perfect for swinging around the dance floor as Mr and Mrs. 

The meadow is completely enclosed by conifers and shrubs.  To maximize the view of this beautiful surround, we rented a clear tent from which hung chandeliers and party lights.  We had farm tables around a wooden dance floor and lounge seating outside the tent near the corn hole games.

Small Details: It’s the little things

I absolutely loved playing with the design for the tables scapes. Eventually I landed on black salad and dinner plates, gold flatware tied with a green velvet ribbon, and glass water goblets with a gold rim. Recycled amber kombucha bottles with flower buds adorned each table as our centerpieces. We had a few gold votive candles on each table, along with DIY Table Numbers of stained wood with white numbers. Wooden cross back chairs with white pads welcomed guests to their seats in groups of eight.

I wanted to have a denim jacket on over my wedding dress for a “second look” throughout the evening. Levi’s was the obvious choice, but I wanted to make it my own. Tyler Rich, a country artist from Northern California, has a song called “Leave Her Wild”. It’s all about not trying to change someone, but loving them as they are. I had this embroidered on the back of my jacket. We also had a neon sign made to match the jacket’s personalized touch.

More in depth details below, but it was a wonderful evening with lots of dancing, cold drinks, good food, and great company. 

Planning + Logistics: Lakeside Ceremony + Forest Wedding Reception

Every wedding comes with lots of planning and logistics to suss out, and ours was no exception to that rule. 

COVID-19 Shutdown

Originally we were not going to include the meadow in our wedding day plans.  What?!  But when COVID-19 exploded and caused the shutdown, for health and safety protocols we had to pivot. (Ross’s voice from ‘Friends’ always pops in my head when I hear that word!)

It was simplest to have everything at one location, especially when planning for 200+ guests.  Both the ceremony and reception were going to be at the park within Lake Almanor West. It was going to be very nice and Pinterest worthy. 

Once it became obvious the shutdown restrictions were not going to lift in time for our wedding day, we had to change many details.  We mailed letters to the majority of our guests explaining the situation and hoped we could celebrate with them at a later date. 

Due to gathering restrictions, Lake Almanor West could no longer reserve the lakeside park for our gathering and recommended we find another location.  

We decided to risk the “first come first serve” policy at the park for the ceremony and setup at the meadow for the wedding reception. 

Securing the Forest Wedding Reception Venue

After the ceremony, we packed up with arbor and rental benches and retreated to the meadow. I loved the solution of moving the wedding reception to the meadow. Although the meadow required a few more hoops to jump through, the results were wonderful. This was the wedding location I had dreamed about!  

Obtaining permission to use the meadow was a bit of a headache. Half the meadow is owned by a local logging company, while the other half is owned by the US Forest Service.  We contacted both owners requesting permission prior to assuming we could use the space.  

Tip: If you are using a location without utilities (like a meadow), use generators for power (the music to cover the engine noise) and a trailer for restrooms. This worked great for us!

Flow of the Lakeside Ceremony

Erik started our procession accompanying his mother down the aisle.  Erik’s father escorted my mother next, followed by our siblings as Maid of Honor and Best Man.  Our niece served as our flower girl and our baby nephew, carried in by our brother in law, was our honorary ring bearer. 

I was concerned Erik would see me walking from the parking lot to the grassy ceremony site.  So we had the groomsmen hold a sheet in front of me until I was close.  This was very silly and I would recommend doing it the other way. 

Tip: Consider having your partner face away from the aisle until you are close, then have your officiant cue them to turn around. It’s a great photo opportunity and there is no bedding required.  

Timing During Wedding Day Prep

The day began with each side of the bridal party getting ready in their own cabins.  We ladies enjoyed a wonderful graze table and mimosas while waiting our turn for hair with Tiffney and Liz.  My friend Tyler offered to do my makeup as a gift. She also helped the other ladies with their makeup which was incredible.

I did make the mistake of wanting my hair done last, thinking it would have a better chance of keeping “photo worthy” that way.  Unfortunately this decision made me late to the ceremony.  My own fault and no one else’s.  

Tip: My advice to other bride’s is to set an exact time you want your hair started and stick to that time no matter who is “next” in line. 

After some first looks with my parents and bridesmaids, it was off to the ceremony site.  As mentioned above, we were behind schedule so Erik and his crew were already at the site, patiently waiting.

Honest Q+A with the Newlyweds

Q:  What was the most exciting extra part of your wedding day beyond saying “I Do”?

A:  [Erik] I loved watching you walking down the aisle. We should have just had me turn around when you got close instead of having that crazy sheet. All that aside, it was by far my favorite moment outside of actually getting to marry you. [Jenni] We met dancing to country music, and dancing with you as your wife was one of my favorite moments.

Q:  What was the biggest surprise or unexpected event that happened the day of your wedding?

A:  [Jenni] We honestly should have expected it, but I was almost an hour late to the ceremony.  I have a tendency to be late to social events but usually its only a few minutes.  Definitely NOT part of the plan, but should have expected at least a little delay.  [Erik] Her being late was actually a blessing for me as I was a bit hungover that morning and welcomed the extra time.  Since I didn’t have a bachelor party, seeing my closest friends became quite the reunion the night before our wedding day.  

Q:  Was there anything that you thought would be a big deal that turned out to be minimal?

A: [Jenni] Probably the only “blessing” out of being forced into a more intimate gathering was not having to worry about as many people.  Not worrying about where they would stay night of, how they would get there if unable to drive, etc.  Since it was a smaller group of people, most folks stayed in nearby AirBNBs and we only needed a few drivers to cart people to-and-from the tent. [Erik] I was concerned about people moving from venue to venue for the lakeside ceremony and forest wedding reception.  People would get confused and lost, right?  But no.  It was surprisingly easy and smooth. 

Q:  What was the most troublesome part of planning your wedding day?

A:  [Jenni] Getting married towards the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown really threw us a curveball.  We had to send out information to most of our guests saying they would not be able to attend the wedding due to gathering restrictions for their own safety.  [Erik] Yeah, I agree.  Especially in comparison to that, everything else was pretty easy. 

Q:  What advice would you give a new couple approaching their own wedding day?

A:  [Erik] Appreciate each other and give each other grace.  You won’t always agree on everything, but don’t let that keep you apart.  [Jenni] Have fun and continue to date each other!

Quick Facts

• planning & design | jenni @ an exciting day events
• venue | lake almanor west & forest meadow
• photo | nate zoeller
• florals | milwood florist
• catering | bella luna creative catering by julie wann
• cake | upper crust bakery & eatery chico
• donuts | krispy kreme
• dj | a.i.m. productions
• dress | annie by truvelle | a&be’ bridal shop sacramento
• shoes | jeffery campbell
• beauty | tiffney simson (hair) & tyler suttle (makeup) 
• suit | erik is looking up 
• boots | lucchese
• tent + rentals | celebrations party rentals
• signage + paperie | jenni @ an exciting day events
• time of year | summer solstice
• budget range | $$
• colors | rust, emerald green & gold
• style | new age, outdoor, boho

I am looking for couples ready to share their wedding day story. Please nominate someone in the comment section below, or email me at jenni@anexcitingday.com, to be featured in my next REAL WEDDING post!

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