Waterfall Lodge | Camille & Ryan

There is something about the redwoods that changes a wedding. Standing under trees that have been growing for a thousand years, everything feels quieter, bigger, more sacred. Camille and Ryan chose to marry right there in the forest at Waterfall Lodge, and the whole day had that hushed, magical, fairytale feeling from start to finish.

Waterfall Lodge sits on eighty acres tucked into the Santa Cruz Mountains, home to towering thousand-year-old redwoods, a-frame cabins, a reclaimed barn, and its own namesake waterfall. The ceremony takes place in a spot they call the Redwoods Cathedral, an outdoor clearing ringed by the giants, and honestly no chandelier on earth competes with light filtering down through those trees. It felt intimate because the forest wraps around you like that, even with all their friends and family there.

Their palette leaned into the setting, deep emerald and teal with soft blush, and wildflower-style florals in warm oranges and creams that popped against all that green.

With their wedding party gathered in the trees, Camille and Ryan said their vows beneath a simple wooden arch in the Redwoods Cathedral, surrounded by the people who love them most.

And then the forest turned into a party. As the string lights flickered on in the barn, everyone came together for dinner, toasts, and a whole lot of dancing. This was a crowd that knew how to have fun, and they did not stop.

Camille and Ryan, thank you for inviting me into the redwoods with you. It was intimate and joyful and so full of love, exactly the kind of day you will be telling stories about for years.

The Dream Team

• Venue: Waterfall Lodge & Retreat
• Planning & Coordination: Event by Dawn
• Photography: De Joy Photography
• Florals: Wild Iris Floral
• Catering: Five Star Catering
• DJ & Entertainment: DJ Trev Williams
• Videography: Rust and Honey
• Desserts: Always Crumbs Bakehouse
• Hair: Blush Hair and Makeup Design
• Makeup: Tanika