Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Elle of A Bride’s Best Friend… When I first met Kurt and Erika, they described a casually elegant celebration in the wine country that would showcase their love of the outdoors, tasty food and good wine.  They picked their wedding date specifically to coincide with pre-harvest in August when the grapes hang full on the vine and the days are long.

Erika’s love of birds was our starting point for our design.  She’s always had birds at home, and currently has a pet cockatoo, Humphrey.  Humphrey is yellow and grey, and we used him as the color inspiration for our design. The aviaries nestled within Healdsburg Country Gardens were perfect for Erika and Kurt.  We continued the lovebird theme by encasing some of the centerpieces in bird cages, adorning our escort card table with bird sculptures and creating a backdrop for their cake with a yellow songbird linen.  A thoughtful, handmade gift of yellow fabric birds from the groom’s sister-in-law sat beside the cake, while another handmade ornament made of hand-typed paper and fabric sewn together sat atop the cake.  The paper heart reads: “Erika loves Kurt, Kurt loves Erika.”  We also wove special words into the celebration by choosing meaningful quotes and having them written on fabric streamers that framed the canopied entry way to the ceremony. With the help of Claire from Poppystone, we sourced fabrics in different yellow and grey patterns.  Instead of numbers, each table had a different fabric pattern tied to the bird cage, and used to back our escort cards.  Once guests found their tables, they searched for their names, handwritten on glassine bags that encased their wedding favor: French macaroons from nearby acclaimed Bouchon Bakery.

Guests were welcomed with glasses of refreshing raspberry pomegranate lemonade, and after exchanging vows on the Vineyard Bluff, Kurt and Erika’s guests ate a family-style meal at long tables before heading into the 100 year old Barn for dancing.  At the end of the night, the bride and groom were picked up in a restored 1970 Chevy Chevelle convertible and shuttled to their after-party in town.

Wedding Photography: Kate Harrison Photography / Wedding Planning + Design: Elisheva Basseri of A Bride’s Best Friend / Flowers: Claire Sanz of Poppystone Designs / Caterer: Elaine Bell / Invitation Design + Printing: Robyn Platoni of Chick Invitations / Wedding Venue: Healdsburg Country Gardens / Getting Ready Location: The Hotel Healdsburg / Ceremony & Cocktail Music: The Ed Neff & Friends Band / Rentals: La Tavola Linens + Classic Party Rentals + Wine Country Linens / Cake: Patisserie Angelica / Transportation: Wine Country Hot Rod Tours / DJ: Sir Edgar / Favors: French Macaroons from Bouchon / Wedding Gown: Judd Waddell via Marina Morrison / Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale / Cake Topper + Birds: Melanie Dunn

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: A Bride's Best Friend, Amsale, Bouchon, California, Claire Sanz, Classic Party Rentals, Elaine Bell, Elisheva Basseri, Healdsburg, Healdsburg Country Gardens, Judd Waddell, Kate Harrison Photography, La Tavola Linens, Marina Morrison, Melanie Dunn, Patisserie Angelica, Poppystone Design, Robyn Platoni Chick Invitations, Sir Edgar, The Ed Neff & Friends Band, The Hotel Healdsburg, Wine Country Hot Rod Tours, Wine Country Linens, Wine Country Wedding
Post categories: California Weddings, Casual Elegance, Napa Valley Weddings

Click here to see the FULL wedding!

From the bride…After tossing around 3 totally different locales (a wedding in central Ohio; Charleston, South Carolina; or Rutherford, California) we settled on California.  We had 2 trusted reviews of Auberge du Soleil (both of our parents dined there during visits to Napa) so we knew the food was fantastic and after viewing pictures, we knew the view from the terrace was unbeatable! Matt and I met at Miami University (couples who meet at Miami and marry are referred to as a “Miami Mergers” for the non-Miami alums.)  As a “merger” with a quarter of our guest list being Miami graduates, I knew I wanted to subtly incorporate this connection on our wedding day.  I collected vintage Miami postcards (and vintage postage for our invitations) on eBay for months leading up to the wedding.  The postcards served as table numbers on our wedding day and now they’re framed and hanging in our home, minus the numbers.  I selected a vintage replica map of California for our “guestbook.”  I had a feeling a book would just collect dust in a cabinet after the wedding, but our map is hanging in our entryway and serves as a daily reminder of our wonderful day.

I hand selected every vase, votive, and table number stand that was used (shipping them to California prior to the wedding.)  Our florist, Asako Han, was absolutely wonderful and did a fabulous job of accommodating my ever-evolving vision.  My bouquet of peonies and garden roses was made even more special by the beaded lace that was wrapped delicately around the stem (a snippet from my Mother’s wedding dress.) One element of wedding planning I was unwilling to forgo just because we were having a destination wedding was cake tasting!  Patisserie Angelica overnighted a tasting to Ohio and I knew upon my first nibble that they had to make our cake.  It wasn’t easy, but we settled on 3 flavors: roasted banana with vanilla scented cream cheese frosting, chocolate beet cake with vanilla scented cream cheese frosting, and Tahitian vanilla with white chocolate butter cream.  Yum.  Needless to say, Patisserie Angelica will be receiving an annual order so we can indulge in their delicious cake on our anniversary.  In addition to the cake, Patisserie Angelica prepared 2 mini-macaroons to serve as our favors (raspberry rose and salted caramel.)  I decided to make special favors for all the children in attendance (cellophane bags filled with fake mustaches, glasses, mini Uno decks, slap bracelets, and various other trinkets.)  These favors were well received by children and parents alike.

Another important element to our wedding was recognizing our families: we collected pictures of our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents to display on our cake table.  I held a snippet of my Mother’s wedding dress, tucked my Nana’s hanky in my dress, and wore my Mother-in-law’s garter and other Nana’s bracelet… Wearing those items made me feel connected to some of the most important women in my life. Our ceremony was one of the most memorable moments of the day.  My uncle served as the officiant and our siblings (and my beautiful niece) comprised our wedding party.  We wrote our own vows which made the personal ceremony that much more special.

Venue + Catering: Auberge du Soleil / Photographer: Zach Anderson / Second Shooter: Scott Andrew / Hair + Makeup: Sherrie Long / Cake: Patisserie Angelica / Wedding Coordinator: Brittany Payton of Auberge du Soleil / Ceremony Music: Eloquence Strings / Band: Ever Music Group / Flowers: Asako Hana / Groom’s Attire: Armani / Matron of Honor’s Attire: J.Crew / Officiant: Uncle of the Bride / Invitations: Crane / Day-of-Wedding Stationery: Baumbirdy

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Armani, Asako Hana, Auberge du Soleil, Baumbirdy, Brittany Payton, California, Crane, Eloquence Strings, Ever Music Group, J. Crew, Napa Valley, Patisserie Angelica, Scott Andrew, Sherrie Long, Zach Anderson Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance

From Hohn Events … Pauline wanted sofas and casual seating as opposed to traditional ceremony seating.  She wanted soft accents to line the aisle in shades of purple.  We built the color palette from her request of purple and silver tones.  When we added Julie Stevens Floral Design to the mix, we built, what I feel, is a mix of Midwest and Napa Valley style.  The city-elegance of Chicago (where Pauline and Christopher live) combined with a touch of rustic wine country.  The Carneros Inn was the perfect backdrop for such sophistication.

When the rain came into the forecast, we had to change things up for the ceremony.  We set up a clear tent near the dining room that ultimately added an incredible atmosphere to the wedding.  Guests experienced the romance of a Napa rainshower and everything smelled fresh and amazing.

The Chicago/Napa Valley style was seen in the dining room by using ivory dupionique linens with hints of purple and silver and the natural greens, candle light, and soft amber uplighting around the room.  The lounge pieces were also purple and silver and there was a strong dose of candlelight.

Photography:  Rebecca and Gennia for Docuvitae / Event Planning & Design: Jenne Hohn Events / Flowers:  Julie Stevens Design / Wedding Gown Designer: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Sash: Handmade from Impressions Bridal Boutique / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Amsale / Cake & Desserts:  Patisserie Angelica / DJ: David Carvalho / Hair & Makeup: Sherrie Long / Venue: The Carneros Inn

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Amsale, California, Chicago, Color Palette purple Silver, David Carvalho, Docuvitae, Hohn Events, Impressions Bridal Boutique, Julie Stevens Designs, Monique Lhuillier, Napa, Napa Valley, Patisserie Angelica, Rain, Sherrie Long, The Carneros Inn, Traditional Elegance
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

The sensational images courtesy of lead photographer Larry Sengbush Photography with second-shooter Damian Hamilton Photography

see the rest of these California nuptials here!

I felt an instant connection when I met Megan and her aunts, Marynell and Elise. They were absolutely wonderful from day one. What was even more exciting was that, as we started planning, I found that Megan and Kevin’s tastes were very similar to my own – I finally had a chance to “play in my own garden.” We wanted a very modern and textural feel using royal purple and gold tones. We knew that the perfect floral designer was Linnae at Asiel – we never looked anywhere else. The wedding weekend kicked off on Thursday at Silverado Brewing Company in Calistoga for a fun and casual gathering. The rehearsal dinner took place at Clos Pegase Winery in Calistoga. We didn’t want the rehearsal dinner to compete with the wedding reception so we muted the décor and let the food and the winery – with it’s world-renowned artwork, be the show stoppers. Chef Bruce Riezenmann from Park Avenue Catering surprised Kevin with a sabered champagne toast, tailored especially for the couple. Kevin’s mom created a special slide show for the couple, another surprise for the lovely bride and groom. Sharla Flock did the gorgeous floral décor while La Tavola provided the linens – hand–selected by Kevin. Mark Taylor provided flamenco guitar during the reception and dinner.

The wedding itself took place on a spectacular November afternoon. Linnae created a gorgeous visual spectacle using rose petals – custom artwork for the aisle. She created custom branch pieces with yellow orchids that were placed on the chairs on the inner aisle. A “tree” of escort cards was another show-stopper. Each guest’s name was printed and placed on a beautiful copper leaf, printed by Bloom 415.

Bloom 415 created special paper goods for the table names as well. Each table was named after a place special to the couple with an accompanying description of the place’s importance – great conversation pieces. We selected a unique serving piece from Classic Party Rentals for each of the courses. Linnae topped each charger with an beautiful orchid. We used La Tavola linens in mink and light mink in a multitude of textures from crinkle to windsor. Linnae created branch centerpieces with hanging orchids and votive holders. The effect was pure magic and romance. Got Light? draped the entire ballroom with sheer white fabric. We changed the lighting with each course. There were a number of show-stoppers in the ballroom – Asiel Design’s 6′ branch chandelier created especially for the couple with dangling yellow orchids. Linnae designed incredible décor for the cake tables and the head table in addition to the takeaway gifts (chocolates from Cocoa Bella).

Outdoors, Got Light? created mason jar lanterns just for Kevin. The surrounding landscape was uplit with amber lighting and we projected a “wave-like” blue shimmer on the grass. Lounge pieces from CORT were embellished with more fun décor from Linnae. Guests had a blast with the photo booth from Denon & Doyle. The couple had a “mini-moon” at Post Ranch Inn. Guests sent them off with love and affection. I made sure that the couple’s favorite breakfast foods were on board their getaway limo. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with this incredibly loving and gracious family.

Event Planning: Jenne Hohn Events / Photography (lead): Larry Sengbush Photography / Photography (second-shooter): Damion Hamilton Photography / Wedding Gown: Badgley Mischka / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Venue and Catering: Solage Calistoga / Officiant: Reverend Peadar Dalton of Your Ceremony Matters / Transportation: Pure Luxury / Table linens, napkins, and cushions: La Tavola Linen / Napkins and Party Rentals: Classic Party Rentals /Hair and Makeup: Get Your Do Up / Film: Thomas Hughes Films / Lighting and Stage: Got Light? / Dance Floor: Zephyr Tents / Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music: Bella Rosa String Quartet and Travis Andrews Guitar / Florals: Asiel Design / Cakes: Patisserie Angelica / Lounge Furniture: CORT Event Furnishings / Photo Booth: Denon & Doyle / Paper Goods: Bloom 415

Damion Hamilton and

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Asiel Design, Badgley Mischka, Bella Rose String Quartet, Bloom 415, Classic Party Rentals, CORT Event Furnishings, Damion Hamilton Photography, Denon & Doyle, Get Your Do Up, Got Light, Jenne Hohn Events, La Tavola Linens, Larry Sengbush Photography, Patisserie Angelica, Pure Luxury, Solage Calistoga, Thomas Hughes Films, Zephyr Tents
Post categories: California Weddings, Little Black Book Blog, Napa Valley Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Planners & Designers

click here for the full wedding gallery!

Sebastopol, California is truly a magical place and Lynne and I feel lucky to have landed here five years ago.  We’re surrounded by natural beauty, incredible artisan food and amazing wine and we wanted our guests to have a taste of the life we’ve built together… so our celebration lasted for days and included a reception hosted by our friends at Domaine Carneros, a behind the scenes tour of Quivira Vineyards  – thanks to Nancy Bailey and an incredible rehearsal dinner prepared by Sondra Bernstein and team at Estate, in Sonoma.  Our wedding day ended with a beautiful evening at Bistro des Copains. Lynne and I held our wedding at our home near Sebastopol and the day could not have been more perfect. Our families traveled from East Coast and Deep South to support us and our commitment, so surrounded by those we love the most, we tied the knot as tightly as California will allow.

From the darling photographer, Stella…Okay, so this is a special one, Lynne is my sister, so please excuse my overwhelming enthusiasm and excitement. That’s me, the maid of honor with the ridiculous grin. This was a wedding weekend. Welcome dinner on Friday and the wedding ceremony and reception on Saturday. The Welcome dinner took place at The Estate restaurant. The brides hired a bus to take us all around, first to a vineyard for a wine tasting and then to The Estate for dinner. The florist, for both days, was Jessica Switala of Fleurs de France. As you can see she did an amazing job, especially I thought on the room we had dinner in this first night. The apples were the perfect touch, being that the orchards we passed as we drove around were full with trees hanging with fruit. I thought Lynne and Tammy looked great in black and with all the red in the room, it was intimate, elegant and sensual. The wedding ceremony took place in the garden of Lynne and Tammy’s home in Sebastopol. Lynne is a Landscaper and created the garden herself. Many of the details photos included here came from the garden and their property. Such a beautiful landscape with towering trees, and distant mountains, fruit trees and vegetables gardens verdant and plentiful. Again the florist did a beautiful job with the chuppah and bouquets and the girls looked beautiful in their wedding gowns. We referred to them as the Queen and the Princess. (I have to say it was super fun having two brides). After the ceremony and a little dancing we moved onto dinner at Les Bistro des Copains in Occidental. So yummy. I finally had the chance to make the wedding toast that I had been planning for over a year. Not much is better than attending your sisters wedding, I am so happy for them both and was even happier that they could share their love with all of us.

Photography: stella alesi photography / Flowers: Jessica Switala of Fleurs de France / Event Planning: Pilar Mustafa / Cake: Patisserie Angelica / Ceremony location: Home of the brides / Reception Location: Bistro des Copains / Rehearsal Location: The Estate / Dresses: Starlet Bridal

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bistro des Copains, California Weddings, Fleurs de France, Patisserie Angelica, Pilar Mustafa, Sebastopol, Starlet Bridal, Stella Alesi Photography, The Estate
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

Click here to see the full wedding gallery!

From the Bride…When trapped in city traffic or walking past a fast-food joint, my husband (!!!) Ryan is known to exclaim that he wishes he were born a bee-keeping country farmer in the ‘40s. That – coupled with my own affection for clanking typewriters, Billie Holiday blues, and old, rusty things in general – made it easy to choose the simple and sweet vintage theme for the biggest party of our lives. Ryan and I picked the old-timey gray and pink pallet together, knowing that we didn’t need much color against the gorgeous apple orchards at Vine Hill House. Being enthusiastic (and, in this case, masochistic) DIY-ers, my mom, mother-in-law to-be and I feverishly rummaged every thrift store in California for varnished birdcages, Quaker–lace tablecloths and Fostoria vases to paint the scene nostalgia.

What Ryan and I wanted most was for our day to feel casual and relaxed, so the backyard feel of the venue was perfect. We brought in a firepit so that the guests could make smores when the sun went down (our favorite camping pastime), and my mom made her own special sangria from a family recipe that shows up at every summertime party. Instead of a guestbook, we brought in a Polaroid camera so our friends and family could create an instant scrapbook, and we had my Nana’s antique typewriter so that they could also leave some “words of advice” for the new couple. For favors, we gave homemade CDs with some of our favorite songs for the drive back to San Francisco. One of my favorite details was the chandelier we hung above some old wooden adirondacks from my parent’s backyard to create a cozy outdoor living room. What Ryan and I remember most about the day by far was all the laughing – the whole-hearted, big bellyache laughing. The moments we were unprepared for were certainly the best – like when the pastor accidentally interrupted my personal vows with an “Amen!”, when a wedding cake food-fight broke out during the reception, or when my brother, the ”male-of-honor,” ended his toast with a 5 minute performance from The Hangover. All these little details, both planned and unplanned, helped to make our wedding an incredibly joyous and love-filled celebration.

Our day was made perfect, really, by our amazing vendors! Every single one of ‘em dealt with our bridezilla and groomsmanic moments with absolute charm and respect for our vision: Dan and Jan at Vine Hill House moved our ceremony site six times ‘til we got it right – back in the very first spot we tried; Susan and her staff at Trends Catering maintained open minds (and huge smiles!!) as we designed a menu of our favorite family dishes; Bob Moffitt, our unbelievably talented musician, learned a whopping EIGHT new songs for the music obsessed bride; Maria Philbin at Philbin Floral designed incredible wildflower arrangements for 36 mismatched antique vases, 12 mason jars and 1 homemade chuppah; Tony at Nor Cal Pro…what can I say…anyone who can mix Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with Ini Kamoze is a genius in my book; the oh-so-sweet bridal entourage, Chandry MacDiarmid and Bara Krejcikova, drove all the way up from SF to make me look and feel like absolutely beautiful in my perfectly comfy, perfectly perfect Amy Kuschel dress; and of course Jesse Leake and Suzy, who managed to capture every single moment of the better-than-best day EVER!

Photography: Jesse Leake Photography / Venue: Vine Hill House, Sebastopol, California / Catering: Trends Catering / Flowers: Maria Philbin / Cake: Patisserie Angelica / DJ: Nor Cal Productions / Ceremony and Reception Musician: Bob Moffitt / Hair: Chandry MacDiarmid / Makeup: Bara Krejcikova / Bride’s Dress: Amy Kuschel / Bridesmaid and Flowergirl Dresses: J Crew / Boy’s Suits and Ties: Macys

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Amy Kuschel, Bara Krejcikova, Bob Moffitt, California Weddings, Chandry MacDiarmid, J. Crew, Jesse Leake, Macy's, Maria Philbin, Nor Cal Productions, Patisserie Angelica, Sebastopol, Trends Catering, Vine Hill House
Post categories: California Weddings, Casual Elegance, Real Weddings, The Blog

One of our newest Little Black Book photographers, Wayne Yuan sent us Susan and Erich’s beautiful spring wedding.  Enjoy!

From Wayne …

Susan and Erich’s wedding was not too big, not too small, and absolutely fabulous! With 80 of their closest family and friends, they celebrated their wedding during Memorial Day Weekend in the beautiful Napa Valley. Guests all stayed in various villas and quaint bed and breakfasts around the area, welcomed by friendly hosts and bottles of wine. The Bride and Groom rented a huge villa at the top of a mountain overlooking all of Napa Valley. The views were breathtaking—we were 1500 feet above ground and we could see miles and miles across the vineyards. Most of the wedding party and close friends stayed there with them.

The wedding day began at 5am for the ladies. They got ready at the Bride’s family villa (that had its own tiny vineyard in front!) with makeup artist Aimee Lam. Susan’s dress was a gorgeous ivory Vera Wang gown, feminine puff sleeves and layers of tulle gathered at the bottom for a tulip feel. Her birdcage veil and pearl drop earrings added a stylish touch to the ensemble. Her hair was left down in light waves, but pinned back slightly.

The day before the wedding, guests were invited to a wine tasting reception at the Villagio Inn & Spa where they enjoyed whites, reds, and a good reunion with old friends. One of Susan’s close friends even made decadent sugar cookies for the occasion, flown in all the way from London! The rehearsal dinner followed at the Uva Trattoria where we were serenaded by a live jazz band and listened to heartfelt words from the father of the groom.

The ceremony was held at one of the most popular locations for weddings in Napa Valley—simply because the ceremony site is on an outdoor patio overlooking all of Napa, one of the most beautiful views in the area Auberge du Soleil . Lush baby-pink peonies and blue ribbons graced the aisles leading to the patio where the bride and groom would recite their vows. Susan and Erich first saw one another during a “first-look” session before the ceremony. His first remark was “That dress is so you!”

As Susan and the bridesmaids headed back inside to freshen up for the ceremony, a flute and classical guitar welcomed the wedding guests, and then the wedding party as they came down the aisle. One of the favorite moments was the ring bearer, in his adorable tuxedo shorts, running towards his father for his sweet reward (a lollipop was awarded if he walked down the aisle properly). With “ooh”s and “ahh”s, Susan met her groom at the patio edge, and with tears and laughter, they became mister and misses.

The fabulous Nancy Liu Chin designed the stunning floral decor. And don’t you just LOVE the way the soft folds of the cake by Patisserie Angelica mimic the design of the Susan’s gown (and bouquet)!

I really can’t tell you how much I LOVE her dress!!

A BEAUTIFUL parting shot …

Congratulations to Susan and Erich … and a huge thank-you to Wayne for sending their wedding our way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 37 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Aimee Lam, Auberge du Soleil, Birdcage Veil, California Weddings, Nancy Liu Chin, Napa, Patisserie Angelica, Rutherford, Uva Trattoria, Vera Wang, Villagio Inn & Spa, Wayne Yuan
Post categories: Bouquets, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

I mean, come on! How beautiful is all of this? From that insanely perfect cake, which was crafted by Patisserie Angelica to the rather unbelievably beautiful centerpieces by Julie’s Flowers, I am basically in heaven. The affair is totally girly, but in such a chic way that your fiance might actually love it too…with every detail being so thoughtfully designed and executed. Thanks to planner Hope Garbo, the event is flawless!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: California Weddings, Hope Garbo, Julie's Flowers, Lisa Lefkowitz, Patisserie Angelica, St. Helena
Post categories: Traditional Elegance