Picture of the Day - Nocturnal Wedding Carriage

Today into tonight I worked an almost 9-hour shift at a barn wedding at Santa Margarita Ranch. The concluding events of the night were rather picturesque and this iPhone-4 image captures it at least partially. The young newlyweds left the property in this carriage which was a sweet touch. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Cow Parade Finale

Today from 1:30-7:30 p.m. I worked parking and security at the San Luis Obispo County Cow Parade. This two-part artistic and fund-raising event started last year at Madonna Inn which I also worked and shared HERE. Today's finale was held at Oyster Ridge Barn in the Ancient Peaks Winery section of the historic Santa Margarita Ranch.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Ghostly Fog Envelops SMR

Tonight I worked the last wedding of 2016 at Santa Margarita Ranch. It was predictably cold given it is now the dead of winter but before the cold set in after the sun set it rained which combined with the subsequent cold caused radiation fog to form on the ranch which moved through the venue in a fashion reminiscent of a horror movie. Below are the atmospheric highlights of what I witnessed.

This is obviously an indoor shot sans fog but it, too, has some ghostly features such as the glow sticks held by Janet and the dancing flame heaters and the stringed lights and the blue deejay light appearing behind Janet's head as if coming out of her head. There was even a white barn owl out of the image up under the crown of the roof perched all night. All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved). 

Picture of the Day - Wedding Barn After Dark

The wedding barn at Santa Margarita Ranch tonight where I worked. The Santa Maria Elks cooked the meal and for the first time in my life I experienced Santa Maria-style BBQ sans tri-tip but instead proudly utilizing top sirloin. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Picture of the Day - Valentine's Sunset

This was the sunset scene from Santa Margarita Ranch tonight at the wedding I worked.
Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Santa Margarita Ranch Big Barn

Yesterday afternoon into last night I worked a wedding at Santa Margarita Ranch. I spent a couple of hours after it ended in the big barn in back helping with breaking it down and cleaning up where the dinner and dance occurred. I had an opportunity to capture these images which I feel capture the atmosphere of the historic structure. To me this is one of the most amazing spaces found anywhere in which to hold a wedding. It is also a very moody place possessing a much different feel in the dark in the middle of the night alone.

Post-cleanup view of the barn space.

The masonry component of this structure is reputed to be the oldest extant masonry structure in California.

Do you see what I see in this image?
All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Santa Margarita Ranch Photo Tour I

Yesterday afternoon right after my final Cuesta College Spring 2014 semester final I drove directly to my security job working a wedding at Santa Margarita Ranch from 3 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. Needless to say, it was a productive but exhausting day. I had a spare half hour before work and elected to get on-site and be in position to work before something could go wrong like car trouble or other such. I decided to spend that time taking these images after I had checked in with ranch staff and was debriefed on the day's duties. Below is what I captured of the Main House structure and grounds as well as of the Big Barn In Back where the wedding dinners are served. The grassy grounds adjacent to the Main House which are not fully pictured here are where the ceremony was held as they usually are.

*Note: this locality (both Main House and Big Barn In Back are both reputed to be haunted). During the day these two structures are innocuous-looking enough but in the middle of the night (I have spent four overnight periods with them in the past) they have a very different vibe that I have not experienced anywhere else on Earth at night.

Main House and front lawn.

Rustic, old Main House has a very different mood in the middle of the night.

East entrance to front porch of Main House.

Some interesting stones line this path to the right and left.

West-looking view of front porch of Main House.

View north from the front porch of Main House with view of front yard and Wedding Green beyond where wedding ceremonies are held (note white fold-up chairs at right).

Eastward view of front yard of Main House.

Main House viewed from northwest corner.

Eastward of front porch of Main House.

Caddywhompus Window internal view.

Earthquake bracing for failing wall in room of south wing of Main House.

Imprints of straw and such in the adobe bricks of a wall in a room in south wing of Main House.

Water tower

Northwestward-looking view of Main House and south wing.

South wing of Main House.

Caddywhompus Window external view.

Fountain at northwest corner of Main House.

Windmill adjacent to the Wedding Green.

Westward view of the Big Barn In Back.

Big Barn's south side room with stalls view looking west.

Classic old carriage.

Big Barn's south side room with stalls view looking east.
All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Santa Margarita Ranch Wedding Steam Train

Yesterday afternoon into last evening I worked parking and security at Santa Margarita Ranch for a wedding. For this event the steam train and two of the original six Disneyland train cars ( two more are stored here in reserve) were ordered by the bridal party. Below are a few glimpses of what I saw of the wedding train this time. I say this time because there are various packages at different wedding price points ranging from $6,000-$95,000 at this venue and the train in various formulations and various numbers of train runs around the circuit are available as are more than one train configurations as there is a non-stem "tug" engine which used to be at a munitions factory in the Mid-West years ago being a less expensive alternative to the steam engine offering.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Santa Margarita Ranch Wedding Train

Today I worked a wedding at Santa Margarita Ranch. The wedding party ordered up the ranch's train and crew for the festivities. Although this was not my first wedding there it was my first wedding there wherein the train was part of the package deal. Many people do not realize that the original Disneyland train had six cars and four of those original cars are to be found at Santa Margarita Ranch and two of them were used in today's train ride. The engine pulling this train came from a munitions plant somewhere in the Mid-West many years ago. 

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).