A magical weekend and the largest party I have ever pulled off! When we decided to host Milada and Ron’s wedding at the ranch, I had no idea it would take a year to prepare and pay for. The outcome, however, was worth every penny and all the sleepless nights. When you bring together almost 200 people for 4 days you have a lot to worry about. On the other hand, it was so fun, with a lot of hard work, watching the ranch transform itself. We literally had to take a livestock barn where we raised goats, turkeys, pigs, and horses over the years and turn it into an elegant multi-day destination wedding in the heart of the Sierra foothills. Milada and Ron did the scrubbing in the barn, Caleb built his first deck where the wedding ceremony took place, Alina helped with the grounds and hanging lights with the tractor, and I sewed the huge drapes that hung in the entryway to the barn. It was a family affair for sure with it still taking over a year!
Friends and family started arriving mid-week from all over the country, with Lynn from Japan and Karen and Ron from Ottawa. We rented a huge VRBO around the corner from us with a pool that we enjoyed for several days with friends and family. We also used our neighbor’s arena and home to house Ron’s family and friends. We turned our round pen into a campground for some of Milada and Ron’s friends. And of course, the Airstream became the Bridal Suite.