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Must-Haves from California Wedding Day Magazineโ€™s Winter Solstice Party

December 2nd, 2025, from 4pm-7pm

The established publication California Wedding Day welcomed leading Los Angeles wedding professionals and ticket holders to the iconic Hummingbird Nest Ranch for a celebration debuting the new Spring/Summer 2026 issue of their wedding magazine. The event featured a luxe Winter Solstice theme, transforming the venue with rich seasonal details and immersive styling everywhere you looked.

After being awarded Best Caterer in Los Angeles 2025 from California Wedding Day following multiple rounds of voting earlier this year, we were honored when the California Wedding Day events team reached out to us to cater their Winter Solstice Magazine Release Party!

Guests embraced the chic red-hued cocktail attire dress code, while channeling Old-Hollywood glamour inspired by Selena Gomez and Benny Blancoโ€™s much-talked-about wedding aesthetic earlier this year. The bold, romantic deep red & gold color palette paired seamlessly with the Hummingbird Nest Ranchโ€™s European-inspired architecture and its picturesque garden courtyards in Santa Susana, CA.

At the venue, Premiere Party Rents built out a temporary kitchen for Made by Meg Cateringโ€™s culinary team to prepare and cook the food fresh on-site. Made by Meg Cateringโ€™s team of professional servers tray-passed appetizers to attendees in both the Sitting Bull cobblestone reception area and by the outdoor pool of the private estate event venue, along with their bartenders and two different themed bars for guests to enjoy. 

Handheld Party
Hors d’oeuvres

For tray passed hors d’oeuvres for the cocktail-style reception, a curated menu of fan-favorite savory bites for chillier nights was selected, ensuring all major allergy and dietary restriction groups were catered towards. When youโ€™re hosting an event, you want to guarantee all of your guests are able to find something to eat that theyโ€™ll genuinely enjoy. 

  • Spicy Tuna & Sweet Miso on Crispy Rice 
  • Mini Sirloin Sliders on Brioche
  • Brie & Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandy
  • Buffalo Cauliflower with Ranch
  • Waldorf Flatbreads
  • Brie, Cranberry & White Chocolate Pillows 

Spicy Tuna with Sweet Miso Sauce on Crispy Rice (Pescetarian, Gluten Free)
Golden crisp sushi rice bites topped with spicy tuna, sweet miso sauce, garnished with sliced green onion.

Mini Sirloin Sliders on Brioche (Carnivore)
Juicy sirloin sliders with aged white cheddar cheese, caramelized onion, and garlic aioli spread on golden brioche buns.

Brie & Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandy (Vegetarian)
Mini sweet & savory grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread with brie cheese and house-made brown sugar blackberry compote, garnished with a fresh blackberry skewer.

Buffalo Cauliflower with Ranch (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Crispy buffalo cauliflower bites with house-made vegan ranch cream cheese and buffalo sauce drizzled on top, along with celery sticks & microgreens served in bamboo cones.

Waldorf Flatbreads (Vegetarian)
Fresh faked flatbread brushed with garlic oil, topped with red grapes, creamy gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts and baby arugula, and Maldon salt.

Brie, Cranberry & White Chocolate Pillows (Vegetarian) 
Chef Megโ€™s famous sweet-and-savory pastry; round flaky golden puff pastry bites filled with creamy brie cheese, cranberry chutney, and a kiss of white chocolate, finished with an egg wash for color. 

Festive Drink Ideas

When your goal is delicious drinks to serve at outdoor events for chilly fall and winter nights, you bring in the experts. We leaned into themes that make you feel cozy with a touch of childhood nostalgia and whimsy, incorporating ingredients such as real apple cider (not to be confused with apple juice) and marshmallow. To further tie in the seasonal fall and winter colors of both red and gold, we opted for drinks that could be a statement and a piece of the color themed decor. 

  • Santaโ€™s Best Helper (Red Cocktail): Vodka, Strawberry Puree, Cranberry Juice, and MBM Vanilla Syrup, Fresh Cranberries, Rosemary, and Marshmallow 
  • The Winter Solstice (Golden Mocktail): Apple Cider, MBM Cinnamon Syrup, Fresh Lemon Juice, and Ginger Ale, Garnished with Dehydrated Apple Slice
  • Red Wine: Ancient Peaks Renegade Red Blend 
  • Rosรฉ Wine: One Stone Cellars Rosรฉ of Pinot Noir
  • Cider: Golden State Hard Cider Brut 
  • Beer: Modelo Especial
  • Soft Bar: Coca Cola, Sprite, Diet Coke, and Sparkling Water
  • Refreshing Beverages: Infused Lemon Mint Water and Bottled Water

Inspirational Winter Soirรฉe Details

Bar Signage: Our favorite local acrylic sign creator (Kimi from The Kimi Collective in Torrance, who happens to be a phenomenal dancer) created the red themed bar menus for both of our bar areas. We love the trend of customized signage to match event themes, as this extra thoughtfulness and attention to detail adds another beautiful touch of an eventโ€™s theme.

Welcome Rosรฉ: Upon entering the courtyard, guests were greeted by Made by Meg Catering servers with hand-passed Premiere Rents coup glasses filled with One Stone Cellars Rosรฉ, also displayed on golden bookshelves.

Candles: Sand and glass candles by Luxury Candles California lined the entryway and were spread out among the different areas for guests to enjoy, adding a romantic vibe to the event space. They offer both elevated electric LED candles and real flame sustainable plant-based wax candles based on the venue flame requirements.

Tower of Berries: In addition to Sugar Lab Bake Shopโ€™s treats on the dessert table, the star was the silver coup tower of fresh berries created by the Events by Fran team, a sweet twist on the trend of champagne towers. This provided a fresh, easy-to-enjoy, gluten-free option for guests, while incorporating another touch of red. 

Cobblestone Courtyard Table Decor: Tying into the theme, the table settings included wireless gold table lights, gold accented plates, red velvet ribbons, acrylic menus by The Kimi Collective on each place setting, and simple elegant red florals in glass vases.

Outdoor Pool Area Decor: To ensure the venue had a different feel for golden hour, lighter florals and rentals were incorporated for the outdoor pool cocktail hour reception.

Activity: As a personalized activation for guests to take home, Shescloudy Calligraphy created custom gold leaf calligraphy luggage tags, with some guests opting for their names with others choosing inspirational words such as Adventure.

Timeless Meets Modern: For a planner’s prescriptive, Events By Fran envisioned a glamorous, fun vibe, blending timeless Old Hollywood elegance with a modern flair for an unforgettable, sophisticated event. By focusing on dramatic decor, such as the main entrance walkway with sand candles, plush fabrics velvet and satin, modern lighting, and texture signages (red acrylic bar sign, dinner menus, place cards), along with modern jazz music, classic cocktails, and iconic fashion (pearls, gowns, tailored looks), these touches were able to create an cinematic experience that felt both luxurious and fresh.  

โ€œI wanted to elevate this evening to be an unforgettable and sophisticated event, focusing on the beautiful venue and ambience of Hummingbird Nest Ranch. By incorporating different types of lighting and shades of red, black, ivory, and glass textures.โ€ – Planner Fran Steiner

California Wedding Day Winter Solstice Magazine Release Party
December 2nd, 2025, from 4pm-7pm   

So Cal Wedding Vendor Team: