Yellow Blooms Surrounded These Grooms as They Exchanged Vows at Stanly Ranch

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Snuck away just before the welcome party for a quiet moment to ourselves. One look around and we both knew this was going to be something special.

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Wanted to bring a little bit of our hometown, Atlanta, to our guest bags.

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Watching friends trickle in from all over the country for our Welcome Party was a feeling we’ll never be able to fully put into words. The gang was finally all here.

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Ian with his mother, Lisa.

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Spencer with his mother, Teresa.

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Us with our parents. The grounds at Stanly Ranch made for stunning pre-ceremony photos—turns out, good looks run in the family.

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We have slightly different styles, but we weren’t about to clash on our wedding day. After some careful shopping, we landed on tuxes that matched in color while still reflecting our own personalities. Compromise mastered.

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We walked down the aisle with our moms—dads not far behind, holding it together (barely). Our floral team absolutely delivered, and those yellow boutonnières against the dark brown tuxes? Chef’s kiss.

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Nerves were very much present, but we made a point to pause once we were up there and really take it all in—soaking up every face in the crowd who made the journey to be with us.

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No amount of planning could have prepared us for how breathtaking the flowers would be. We still think about them almost every day.

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Spencer’s nephew served as ring bearer and took his duties very seriously—especially the part where he debuted his brand new white boat shoes.

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We both handwrote our vows in small keepsake books and gifted them to each other after the ceremony.

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Vows exchanged, rings on, and officially, finally, married.

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With our families and friends going absolutely wild, the only thing left to do was get this party started.

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Attempted a mid-aisle twirl…

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Followed immediately by a kiss. (We read the room.)

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And one more for good measure.

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The look on our faces says it all: pure joy, total elation, and a healthy dose of “wait, did that really just happen?”

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Our team completely nailed the brief—the reception felt less like a wedding and more like the world’s best dinner party. Exactly what we wanted.

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The floral theme carried beautifully into the open reception space, with the sunset hitting at just the right moment.

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Beautiful in its simplicity—sometimes less really is more.

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Our cake traveled quite the distance to be there, but it arrived in one piece and looked stunning as the centerpiece.

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We snuck off to take full advantage of Napa’s golden hour on the gorgeous property at Stanly Ranch. Windswept hair: unplanned, but honestly a great look.

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Introducing our assistant photographer for the evening, Spencer’s niece, Nori. Her rates are very reasonable.

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We wanted our first dance song to feel like us—and after a last-minute switch, “II MOST WANTED” by Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus said everything we couldn’t.

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Spencer kicked off the parent dances with his mom, swaying to “Fields of Gold” by Sting—a song that’s meant something special to him since childhood.

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Ian and his mom took the floor to “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen.

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We held it together remarkably well all night—right up until our dads gave their speeches. That was the end of that.

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The pastry team at Stanly Ranch made choosing just one cake flavor completely impossible, so we chose two favorites—and bless them for delivering the leftovers to our room that night.

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Our band and DJ kept the energy exactly where it needed to be all night long. Nobody sat down. Nobody wanted to.

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Getting our closest friends all in the same place at the same time—that alone made the whole weekend. We were overflowing with gratitude the entire time.

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The After Party was just next door—speakeasy-themed, bathed in red neon, and lined with signs featuring some of our favorite song lyrics. The night wasn’t over yet.

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What a night. Surrounded by everyone we love most, in a setting more perfect than we ever could have dreamed. We will never, ever forget it.

Weddings

Yellow Blooms Surrounded These Grooms as They Exchanged Vows at Stanly Ranch

Mia Besl

June 26, 2026

After a dating app connection that didn’t quite land, Ian Rutledge, a director of public affairs for Coca-Cola, and Spencer Hughes, a project manager, connected IRL at a HIIT workout class in D.C. Four years later, the two planned separate proposals. Spencer got down on one knee in Costa Rica, while Ian chose Hyde Park in London as the setting for his big question.

Once engaged, the pair started planning and designing their summer wedding at Stanly Ranch in Napa Valley with Amberly Odom of Wrennwood Events.

With the logistics nailed down, they worked with Saks stylist Adrian McGraw on curating their wedding wardrobes. Their custom Suitsupply ceremony tuxedos reflected a balance of tailored structure and relaxed California ease, thoughtfully coordinated with their overall color palette. And on the day-of, the grooms got ready with Bella Bridal Hair and Makeup, making them feel like the best versions of themselves.

On August 9, 2025, the ceremony was intentionally intimate with no formal wedding party. Synchronicity Strings set the romantic tone. Close friends were woven into the moment through readings, creating a setting that felt both personal and meaningful. The couple stood underneath a floral structure by Amanda Jewel Floral and Design. Captured by photographer Lance Nicoll and filmed by Anh Vo Films, every detail reflected the couple’s vision.

Walking into the ceremony remains one of their most vivid memories. “Seeing the vision become reality as we walked out took our breath away. We could not stop smiling to the point that our faces hurt,” Ian says. “We were so proud and lucky to share it with all of our friends and family.”

The reception carried that same energy into the evening. Designed to feel like an elevated dinner party, the space blended warmth with celebration. The newlyweds cut their Ginger Spice Bakery wedding cake before the night transitioned into dancing, led by City Lights by Dart Collective. “The combination of the entire lively, restaurant-like ambience that the Wrennwood team designed and the band playing banger after banger made the entire reception everything we could have asked for,” Spencer reflects.

Their first dance—set to "II MOST WANTED" by Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus—felt like a natural extension of the night: emotional, modern, and full of personality.

And when the reception ended, the celebration didn’t. Guests moved into a speakeasy-style after-party, where Ballroom Blitz kept the energy going well into the early hours. “The details get a little fuzzy," Ian admits. "But the pictures tell us that fun was had by all.”

From Napa, the couple headed to Mauna Lani in Kona, Hawaii, for a honeymoon that mirrored the tone of their wedding—relaxed, beautiful, and intentional.

Weddings

Yellow Blooms Surrounded These Grooms as They Exchanged Vows at Stanly Ranch

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