A passion for golf brought these two lovebirds together, so it only seems fitting that the beautiful Morgan Creek Gold Club played host to their big day – a day that was not only drop-dead gorgeous, but rich in Winter-inspired details, from the dreamy blue hues to the comfy bridesmaids’ shawls to the yummy hot chocolate bar. (LOVE.)  Planned to perfection by AlphaLee Events and captured in breathtaking images by Anita Martin Photography, this, my friends, is one for the history books.  See it all right here.

 

From the Bride… Chris and I share a passion for golf. We met on a golf course, we came to know one another and fall in love through the game and business of golf. We wanted our wedding to reflect our passion for the game and our passion for the people in our lives. With a winter setting, we added elements of class and warm fuzzies. For example, we offered a dessert table full of homemade desserts (even golf ball cake pops!) from family and friends instead of a cake, and a hot chocolate bar with personalized favor mugs for all to take home. We put our efforts into making sure our guests felt honored, welcome, and ready to have a good time. The day was about us, yes, but the truth is, we would not have been there on that day if it weren’t for each and every one of those people that had formed, touched, encouraged and shaped us along our journey in life. We made sure that was clear and set the tone of the evening.

As the bride, I had an eclectic taste I wanted to bring together… monochromatic, clean lines, vintage touches and a wintery ambiance. I made sure my color palate was complimentary without matching too loudly. I searched countless antique stores and thrift shops to find what I was looking for. My uncle cut down an aspen tree in Colorado so we could utilize slices of it in the centerpieces. My father-in-law handmade the vintage gate that acted as our seating chart. It was these (and many more) personal efforts the helped make my seemingly overzealous vision a reality. All of these hopes came together more perfectly than I could have ever imagined, and I could not have done it without all my incredibly talented and generous vendors who were willing to see my vision with me and make it a vivid reality.

Most of all, I wanted a welcoming and celebratory environment. We had the time of our lives, and everyone celebrated with us in that!

From Anita Martin Photography… Anne and Chris both eat, sleep, and breathe golf, so their Golf Club wedding fit them perfectly.  They were surrounded by their family and friends, who laughed and cried with them all day.  I was swept up in the simple elegance of their wedding, and loved how they incorporated personal touches to make their guests feel at home. The perk of their delicious desert table was a hot chocolate bar, where guests could enjoy the cool winter evening with something warm and sweet.  

This couple has a deep and tender love for each other, evidence by the way they were able to be in the moment throughout their day.  Anne proclaimed she was not nervous, only excited to be married.  After watching Anne with all of her bridesmaids, I told Anne’s mother you can tell a lot about a person by the quality of their friends and that her daughter really was such an amazing woman. To be surrounded by people that love you so unconditionally is very special. Anne and Chris radiate love and happiness, and their relationship is both refreshing and inspiring. It was truly an honor to be present during their wedding day.

Wedding Photography: Anita Martin Photography | Wedding Venue + Catering: Morgan Creek Gold Club in Roseville, California | Event Planning: Kim Lantz from AlphaLee Events | Wedding Cinematography: Christian DaCosta | Floral Design: Rodarte Floral Design | Wedding Cake: Sweet Stuff Cakery | DJ: Desi Productions | Wedding Dress: Galina Signature Gown via David’s Bridal | Bride’s Shoes: Nine West | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bloomingdale’s | Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

There are garden parties, and then there are garden parties hosted by Julia Lake Parties, who just so also happens to be the floral-crowned Bride gracing the gorgeous images of Lauren Ross in this I can’t believe it’s real, wedding. Because this garden party brings such fêtes to an entirely new detail-filled level. With a all white dress code for their guests, handmade floral crowns for all the ladies and guests that dined under twinkling lights on the family heirloom china – it’s safe to say, this wedding is a stunner. See it all here.

 

From the Bride… Because I throw parties as a profession, my wedding day was like my tour de force. People always tell you not to get lost in the details but I ignored them and put all my focus into the details.

I wanted the day to feel sacred & intimate so I asked guests to wear all white, head to toe. Even I didn’t realize how ethereal it would look and it really set the tone so that the overall vibe was untouchable. It was as if we were all part of the ceremony. The actual ceremony took place in a circle made up of guests sitting on hay bales arranged in a circle with old linens thrown over them. It was incredibly intimate.

We had a few different DIY projects that we did Which Included bundled love letters. I color photocopied some love letters that my husband and I had written to each other in the last 5 years, cut them out in their original shapes & sizes and tied them together with ribbon. Each person had the stack of love letters waiting for them on their pillow when they arrived to read through before bed the night before the wedding. it was incredibly intimate but i thought a nice way of sharing our love with our loved ones.

Flower crowns: The day before the wedding all of the ladies came to my house and sat on blankets on the lawn and weaved flowers crowns together to wear at the wedding- so on the wedding day each woman had a flower crown of her own.

Wedding programs: I made the wedding program cards on the back of vintage wedding photograph postcards and my bridesmaids looked edwardian- even though we found all of their dresses in my mothers closet 2 nights before the wedding in an epic dress up session.

Downton Abbey: Because I wanted to use all of my mother’s passed down family silver, antique china and old european linens, it ended up looking like an outdoor garden party in a scene from downton abbey. In the end I only rented the glassware and tables. I kept the color palate clean and only used white aside from splashes of pink because my dress was made of Czech linen with hand embroidered pink flowers on it so every now and then you’d have an accent of pink.

Wedding Photography: Lauren Ross | Wedding Venue: Family Residence- Esser Vineyards in Napa, California | Wedding Cinematography: Thomas Hughes Films | Event  Planning + Design: Julia Lake Parties | Floral Design: DIY by the Bride via SF Flower Market | Wedding Invitations: The Bride | Wedding Dress: Custom via The Cotton Bride | Bride’s Shoes: Badgely Mishka “Zowie”

California is chock full of gorgeous venues, but after seeing this gorgeous wedding captured by Jessica Burke, the Ramekins Culinary School is moving its way to the top spot on my favorites list. The entire wedding is, actually. With its sweeping vistas, perfectly planned details from A Savvy Event and a gorgeous couple in the center of it all, it’s hard not to love every single image sitting in this gallery. See it all right here.

 

From the Bride… After dating for two amazing years, Brett proposed at our anniversary dinner. It was incredible how quickly we transitioned from celebrating the engagement to wedding planning. Since our target date was late summer, only 10 months later, I started contacting venues almost immediately. I wanted to find a venue that already had its own sense of style and would only require simple decorations to enhance the surroundings. Although we live in San Jose, we fell in love with the rustic, European decor of Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma, California.

Once the venue was booked, I turned my attention to choosing the perfect wedding colors. My first thoughts naturally wandered to my favorite flower, the yellow gerbera daisy, since I felt the bouquet was the most important expression of the color theme. However, I realized that a mixture of yellow flowers and gray foliage would make for more elegant arrangements. I added burlap to the theme for texture and because the yellow and gray needed something else to tie them in with the natural tones of the venue. I custom-ordered several burlap signs from a wonderful company on Etsy called Your Divine Affair. My favorite was the “Here Comes the Bride” sign that my two flower girls carried down the aisle. I continued the burlap theme across the tables by adding the texture to the background of the framed table numbers.

My husband and I spent hours desperately searching for affordable, yet useful, wedding favors for our guests. My father saved us with his suggestion to purchase olive oil from a small, family-owned company based locally in Modesto. Sciabica Family Olive Oil Company sold us 100-milliliter bottles of cold-pressed, basil olive oil with custom labels for $3 each. The favors were such a hit! At the end of the night, many of our guests wanted to take extra favors home with them.

Every couple wants their wedding to be unforgettable, and that desire drove every decision we made, not just for ourselves but for our guests. We insisted on an open bar placed outside so guests could enjoy the beautiful Sonoma weather. Our passed hors d’oeuvres were specifically chosen to be tasty yet filling to ensure that our guests were not hungry during cocktail hour. Since our wedding venue was a culinary school, we selected courses that used locally-sourced ingredients and highlighted the chef’s talents. A dessert bar allowed guests to sample a broad range of culinary creations and ended the evening on a sweet note.

Wedding Photography: Jessica Burke | Wedding Venue: Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma, California | Event Planning: Courtney from A Savvy Event | Floral Design: Fleuressence | DJ: Quantum Music Event Planners | Decor: Your Divine Affair

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