A Chinese-Slovenian Wedding in San Luis Obispo

WeddingsFeatured

Jul 16

A Culturally Immersive Wedding Weekend—

We were so excited to be part of Taylor and Daniel’s Flying Caballos Ranch wedding in San Luis Obispo from the moment they inquired, detailing their vision of gathering everyone they love while honoring the cultures they both came from. We loved this unique idea, and began working with them to weave photography into a multi-day, multi event weekend at this iconic venue in Taylor’s native SLO.

The first, and potentially our favorite, event of the weekend was the night before the wedding, a night to honor Daniel’s Chinese heritage. Taylor and Daniel donned custom made, traditional Chinese wedding clothes for their Tea Ceremony, an event so deeply intentional, we are now encouraging other couples to adopt the heart behind it into their own weekends. Taylor and Daniel presented tea to their “elders” (generationally older, close family members), who in turn gave the (almost) newlyweds gifts and shared stories and wisdom. It was so emotional, and a really beautiful way for Taylor and Daniel to connect with those who laid the foundation for their own lives before the excitement of the weekend began. To have this time connecting with each family member is something that was visibly special for the couple! Afterward, a traditional rehearsal dinner with Chinese food was held for family and wedding party!

Then came Taylor and Daniel’s wedding day, a warm and sunny one for early June, with almost no wind (a miracle in SLO). Some highlights from the early part of the day include: lunch made for Taylor and her bridesmaids by Daniel and his groomsmen, handmade leis by a close cousin, a welcome toast for all, with wine sourced by Taylor’s dad, a wedding ceremony overlooking San Luis Obispo’s iconic Islay Hill, officiated by both Taylor and Daniel’s fathers, and some deeply touching personal vows.

The main event of the day truly was Taylor and Daniel’s reception at the Flying Caballos barn. These two wanted to be present and able to fully partake in the party as much as possible, so we got all formal photographs done (including a lot of their bridal portraits!) before the ceremony. Taylor and Daniel made a pact to stay by each other’s side for as much of the evening as possible, and I highly recommend all couples getting married do the same! Don’t get to the end of your wedding day and realize you barely saw your spouse! HANG OUT! You’ll see, you’ll end up with so many photos together too 😉.

Several Slovenian traditions were included in the reception, including a presentation of the red carnation by Taylor’s aunts, and a traditional polka dance perfect for Taylor’s father-daughter dance. Another tradition that became the star was unique to Taylor’s family— a shotski which served as the couple’s guestbook, and then became a focal point of the reception, an opportunity for guests to try Slovenian plum brandy.

Taylor and Daniel were adamant that they wanted to spend as much time dancing as possible (she is truly the dancing queen), so we took many of their couple photos earlier in the day, in case they didn’t feel like leaving their reception for sunset, when we traditionally take couples out. They did, however, decide to head out mid reception too, and we were treated to an iconic golden San Luis Obispo sunset. The evening was filled with dancing, mingling around the family shotski, and even Taylor’s cousin teaching line dancing, a special treat for Daniel’s family who came to the wedding from Taiwan, a little taste of America.

We hope you love Taylor and Daniel’s Flying Caballos Ranch wedding photos as much as we do, and that all those smiles and joy are contagious 💌.

We’re Katie and Joseph, a husband and wife team, and SLO wedding photographers.

We are big fans of documenting wedding days in an unposed, raw, genuine, and honest way that allows our couples to maximize their experience on their day while also receiving a gallery full of stunning images that communicate how it felt to be there.

Though we’re based in San Luis Obispo, we’ll travel anywhere for a good love story (and dance party). We invite you to follow the links below to learn more about us and our services, and to get in contact with us!

Taylor and Daniel’s dream team— the best San Luis Obispo Wedding Vendors!

Venue - Flying Caballos Ranch / Planner - Loven Light Events / Floral Design - Lori Boe / Catering - Testa / Dessert - Seabreeze / Entertainment - Loven Light Entertainment / Rehearsal Dinner - Sichuan Kitchen SLO