Darren & Leiha
North Coast Redwoods Wedding
Darren & Leiah’s wedding was a completely unique experience for me. Their special North Coast Redwoods Wedding in Mendocino was a full weekend of love and community.
Scroll down to view these beautiful spirits, or read their full story below.
Special Souls
This summer I had the immense and unique honor of experiencing Darren & Leiah’s wedding. I usually talk about my weddings and couples with fond and friendly terms of “shooting” or “documenting “. For this, I must use the word “experience” because I felt as much surrounded by love and acceptance as any of the guests or the couple themselves. It was a true community experience of love and I’m so happy to have been a part of it.
Darren and Leiah are two special souls who celebrated their marriage in one of the most unique places I’ve ever been. The place itself was magical, but their whole weekend with friends and family just transpired love and happiness. This union is even more sacred, knowing that they are soon expecting their first child together. So much love to share!
North Coast Redwoods wedding and Hot Springs
They chose to celebrate their union among the tall woods of the Northern California Coast in Mendocino. The whole weekend was spent in community, surrounded by friends and family and love.
Their home base for their event was Orr Hot Springs, a 27-acre hot spring resort tucked into a wooded canyon outside Ukiah. The rustic cabins and cottages, natural hot spring baths and garden settings were some of the most calming and romantic I’ve seen in NorCal. I highly recommend it for a unique weekend getaway!
For the ceremony, they chose the nearby Montgomery Woods State Reserve, in the heart of the coast range. They celebrated their love in the magnificent redwood grove and fern forest. I wish I could do it justice by describing it here, but you just have to see it to believe how beautiful it actually was.
Love and community
The mix of Jewish traditions, Hawaiian culture, and connection with their loved ones – past and present – was so touching. The weekend started by relaxing in the hot springs together, and then breaking bread for Shabbat on Friday night. We all enjoyed a delicious vegetarian feast made with locally sourced living foods, and the evening culminated with an eclectic talent show put on by their artistically inclined guests.
Their ceremony on Saturday in the woods, complete with ceremonial arrival, blessings and music with their loved ones, gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. We all returned to the Hot Springs in the afternoon for continued festivities including an 80’s disco themed dance night! It was just so unique and perfect for these two.
Thank you Darren and Leiah, for letting me share in the beautiful celebration of your union. I really felt like one of the family, and can’t explain how touched I was by it all.
Planning a wedding on the North Coast or in the redwoods? Hit me up and let’s make it happen!
Sebastien Bicard is a wedding and portrait photographer based in California. He specializes in international travel and intimate weddings worldwide.
Photographer: Sebastien Bicard
Location: Orr Springs, CA
