Butterflies are swimming in my stomach over this wedding by Julie Mikos. Each photo brings an “ooh” and “aaah” as it unveils delightful details from the specialty sips to original quotes on the menus. I love how the couple used the serene setting of Napa Valley combined with, what the bride has coined, ”rustic-chic” details in their decor. Rustic-chic indeed! Click here for the full barrel of photos.
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride… We live in Manhattan and while we adore the Big Apple, we wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. After Billy proposed at a winery in South Hampton, New York, we immediately knew a small and intimate destination wedding in Napa Valley would be perfect. We took a trip out West to visit many locations and as soon as we entered The Carneros Inn, we knew it was the place to share our love story with our friends and family. Billy and I are self-proclaimed foodies, so having amazing food and wine was a must. The Carneros Inn had the perfect mix of modern décor, gorgeous views and delicious fresh, farm-to-table food. Our vision was to create a fun, modern, intimate wedding that I like to refer to as rustic-chic. I created a photo tree of images of Billy and I when we were young, as well as with our parents and loved ones we’ve lost. We also had specialty drinks – the Blushing Bride Bellini and Billy’s Pimm’s Cup – in which we had framed signs on the bar with the worlds “Salute,” “Cheers” and “Opa,” a nod to our Italian and Greek heritages. On the back of our chairs, I had signs created that read “I’m her Mr.” and “I’m his Mrs.” And on our menus, we incorporated six different wine quotes on each menu, a nod to wine country. Every guest had a different quote as topic of conversation at their table.
Wedding Photography: Julie Mikos — Photographer / Wedding Venue, Planning + Catering: The Carneros Inn in Napa, California / Floral Design: Julie Stevens Design / Wedding Cake: Fleur de Lisa / Wedding Invitations: Paper + Pinafore / Ceremony Music: Lawrence String Group / Wedding Dress + Veil: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Gucci / Hair + Makeup: Sherrie Long / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed)
You California brides really do enjoy the best of the best. Take for example, The Kirstie Kelly Showroom. Not only is it nestled next to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, it houses some of the most gorgeous gowns we’ve ever seen here at SMP. The atmosphere is intimate and elegant yet high end and relaxed all at once. We’re talking wedding dress shopping heaven ladies. You’ll be welcomed by some seriously experienced Bridal and Eveningwear stylists who will guide you as you find the perfect gown or dress. Kirstie herself is often on hand for many of the fittings and even hand drapes to your body ensuring the perfect fit.
The Showroom houses all of Kirstie Kelly’s collections–Bridal, Bridesmaids, Flower Girls, Eveningwear, Essentials and Accessories–that reflect the designer’s desire to bring high fashion, classic styles and beautiful accessories to every woman. They even have an Atelier onsite so your dress can be customized to maximize your shape and represent your true, personal style.
If you’re outside of the Los Angeles area, make sure to check out their Borrow Me program and they’ll ship you dresses to try on right in your very own home! Talk about a great service! And if you mention that you saw this ad on SMP they’ll give you 10% off your first purchase! Offer is valid until December 31, 2012. Happy dress shopping! xoxo
I’m a chatty gal – and when it comes to weddings, I could talk all.day.long. But, when I laid my eyes on this stunning Sonoma affair captured ever-so-brilliantly by Flory Photo and Nirav Photography, well… I lost the ability to speak. The intimate garden setting, the sophisticated florals by Natalie Bowen Designs, that amazingly gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown… I have never (and I mean NEVER) been more in love. All planned and designed by Alison Events and boasting some of the most heart-warming moments you will ever see, trust me, you’re in for a day of nothing but pure lovely. See it all here.
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride… We kept our September wedding very intimate with our nine immediate family members. The ceremony took place at the Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma, and the reception was at Cyrus in Healdsburg. We wanted the wedding to feel very intimate and personal and to reflect our style and interests — we focused mainly on creating a classic yet vintage setting with great food and wine. We wanted to enhance the natural beauty of the setting with flowers, linens and candles. I loved looking at Style Me Pretty and Martha Stewart Weddings for inspiration, and while we’re not so crafty, a family friend did a beautiful job creating our invitations.
Our first viewing was, hands down, our favorite moment of the day. It was a very special moment between the two of us and completely eliminated all nerves. It also allowed us to be very present during the ceremony because we had already had a chance to talk and react to everything going on around us.
My best advice is that great vendors are the greatest investment. We found Flory Photo over a year before our wedding and, since we were planning a destination wedding on the other side of the continent (we’re from Ontario, Canada), Joel was instrumental in referring us to our vendors, especially Alyssa from Alison Events. Since we were in such great hands, the only thing we had to worry about was showing up and the entire wedding day was completely stress-free — I think this comes across in the photos. Since our wedding was so small, Joel, Alyssa, Nirav and Susie felt like part of the party. Our first reaction when we saw Joel and Nirav’s work was how amazingly accurately they depicted the day. The entire collection of photos captures the intimate details, emotions and nuances of our relationship and our relationship with our family members. Joel and Nirav were an absolute pleasure to work with. In addition to being amazingly creative, talented and kind, Joel was a dream to work with every step of the way and full of good advice and creative ideas and solutions.
Wedding Photography: Flory Photo + Nirav Photography / Ceremony + Cocktail Party: Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma, California / Reception: Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, California / Wedding Planning + Design: Alyssa Brown of Alison Events / Floral Design: Natalie Bowen Designs / Wedding Invitations: A Family Friend / Wedding Cake: Perfect Endings / Rentals: La Tavola / Harp: Bertina Mitchell / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Headpiece: Sara Jane / Groom’s Suit: Custom
About
Press
Advertise
Submit A Wedding
Contact
Terms Of Use
