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From the Bride…Everyone in Adrian’s family and mine pitched in, anything from hand squeezing limes to hand stamping cocktails napkins…making our wedding absolutely beautiful and memorable. After being together for 8 years Adrian proposed. I had never really thought much about our future wedding but as soon as he proposed I had a clear vision of what I wanted. My three brothers, sister and I grew up on a very rural 80 acre organic farm. To give you an idea of how rural it really was, we had a 2 hour bus ride to school, one way.  We had acres of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. All of my brothers, sister and I were constantly picking, weeding, planting and reluctantly helping out on the farm. For dinner we always had something delicious that we had picked that day in the garden.  I wanted my wedding to remind me of my life growing up on a farm.

Campovida is an all organic farm and winery. Not only was Campovida one of the most beautiful places, it is very environmentally conscious. They use all sustainable and local resources, have a composting and recycling program, solar panels, and they even have there own honeybees they use for honey. After meeting the gracious owners and taking one look at the gardens, I knew Campovida was the perfect place for our wedding. The owners Gary and Anna were so extremely welcoming and accommodating. The ceremony took place in the beautiful gardens. As you walked to the ceremony site, you pass these gorgeous flowers, herbs, vegetables, artichoke plants, and fruit trees. Everything was in bloom and thriving. One of the things my venue had to have was a barn and Campovida had the most beautiful barn,  blend of modern and distressed. I knew the barn would be perfect for the reception. My wedding planner did an amazing job setting up the barn exactly the way I had pictured it.

I wanted my style to be rustic chic. The day after Adrian proposed I started saving every jar and milk jar that we used. I remember as a little girl my mom saving and reusing jars for all different purposes.  For the jars I wrapped them with lace and tied a piece of twine in a bow around the jar. With the milk jars I tied the top with raffia. We used all of the jars for the flower arrangements. I bought 22 yards of burlap and cut them for the table runners. For the table numbers, I bought wooden numbers and stands at a crafts store. I painted them, and then, hand sanded and painted them again with an antiquing paint. They ended up looking old and rustic just the way I envisioned. I set the table numbers on top of old books that I had bought at an antique store.

For the seating cards, I hand stamped shipping tags tied them with raffia. The stamp was a very cute fork, spoon and knife set. I used miniature clothes pins to pin the tags onto old shutters.  I made three different banners that we used for photos and the reception. I cut out squares and triangles of burlap and stenciled them with hand paint. We hung one that said, “Love is Sweet” from the dessert bar.  Mr. & Mrs form the chairs that Adrian and I sat at for dinner.  The last one, “just married” we used for photos. Our gifts for our guests I wanted it to be something homemade. With strawberries being in the peak of their season, I knew strawberry jam would be perfect. With the help from everyone we canned 145 little jars for organic strawberry jam.

Rosso’s Pizzeria was our caterer. We chose them because of their focus on farm to table food. They source all of their produce from local organic farms. They often use vegetables that were picked that morning for serving that evening, just like we did when I was little.  They use a Tuscan wood-burning oven that makes the most delicious crisp Italian style pizzas. We also chose to roast an entire local pig in their brick oven. To go with the pizza we served one of the first wines Joseph Jewell made, a 2006 Pinot Noir.  We also served a 2009 Russian River Valley Apian Way Pinot Noir. I loved that we were able to serve wine that we actually made.

One of the reasons I choose Lauri as our photographer was because of her amazing candid and unique shoots on her website. I would look at her photos over and over because they were so captivating.  As soon as I talked to Lauri I felt like I had known her for years.  Lauri and her assistant Jess had such amazing energy. They made everyone feel so comfortable and relaxed. They were quick, very professional, and very well organized.

Wedding Photography: Lauri Levenfeld of Zoom Photography / Second Shooter: Jessica Epstein Photography / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair + Make-up: Brush Salon / Wedding Dress: Mon Cherie / Wedding Cake: Sister of the Groom / Other Desserts: Family + Friends / Catering: Rosso Pizzeria / Band: AM Radio Band / Venue: Campovida / Men’s Suits: Tuxedo Gallery / Wedding Planning + Floral Design: Somer Wallan of Wallan Event Designs / Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events / Invitations + Save the Date: DIY by the Bride / Ring: Gold Bloom Jewelry

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Post tags: AM Radio Band, Brush Salon, California Weddings, Campovida, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Farm Weddings, Gold Bloom Jewelry, Hopland, JEssica Epstein, Jimmy Choo, Mon Cherie, Rosso Pizzeria, Tuxedo Gallery, Wallan Event Designs, Wine Country Rentals, Zoom Photography
Post categories: The Blog

Ramin surprised Melissa with a proposal on her 30th birthday.  They had never shopped for rings, and Ramin had always been hesitant about even discussing that “grown-up topic.” With the stresses of serving as the trauma chief resident, Ramin had told Melissa he didn’t know if he’d even be home for a birthday dinner. Well, dinner happened and afterward they went for a walk on the pier at Chrissy Field with the glow of the golden gate bridge and San Francisco City skyline. Melissa was visibly shocked when Ramin lowered to his knee to propose.  First words out of her mouth:  “Seriously? For real? You want to marry me?”  After Ramin reminded her that she still did not answer his question, she replied with “YES!”

We both love the outdoors and while we love the mountains more than the city we felt San Francisco was special to us, the city where we met and started to build a life together.  We knew we were moving for Ramin’s job end of June 2010 and wanted to get married before we moved.   We also knew we wanted an outdoor wedding since that really reflects who we are.  The weather in San Francisco during June can be so unpredictable and cold so we had to look for venues outside of the Bay Area.

The Central Valley is where Ramin was raised and it is a side of California we both love but that most people don’t know or get to see.  At first viewing, Melissa knew it was the perfect venue: beautiful, natural, predictable weather, and convenient for all the out of town guests.  We wanted an intimate, relaxed, fun, festive feel to the wedding and loved the idea of a summer fair.

Instead of traditional place cards we decided to get creative and asked our guests to send us a photo with their response card.  We used the photos as their place cards at a hanging escort card display.  Table numbers at this display were accompanied by one picture each of Melissa and Ramin at those respective years (Table 1 = 1 year old, Table 2 = 2 years old, etc).  Melissa’s sister helped us put these together in the days before the wedding. On the day of the wedding guests were able to walk up to the display during cocktail hour and retrieve their place card as well as see all the fun photos that the other guests had submitted.  This was also a way for all guests to get to know each other.

Though both of us were raised in the states, Melissa is half Colombian and Ramin is Persian. We don’t care too much for convention, so we designed our own hybrid ceremony. In Persian tradition, we sat facing a symbolic “sofreh aghd.”  The Colombian/Christian elements included a small wedding party and inspirational readings by family (Bible and poetry of Hafez).  We held the ceremony in the lavender field facing our guests. Dr. Mehri Pirooz officiated in both English and Farsi. The “toor” that was held over us during the ceremony was loaned by very close family friends of 40 years. It was silken & crocheted, and  their 3 children were married under it as well.

We had a ferris wheel to go with the summer fair theme, we thought it would not only make a great backdrop for photos but would also be a fun treat for all of our guests.  A way to bring out the inner child in all of us!

Photography: Lauri Levenfeld, Zoom Photography, Second shooter Jessica Epstein / Location: Bear Flag Farm / Catering: Alex’s Catering / Floral Design: Sillapere Eco Events / Rentals: Hartmann Studios / Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens / Lighting & Power: Monkeyglue Lighting / Band: Wall Street Notable Talent Agency /Event Planning & Design:  Tina Reikes for Bear Flag Farm / Dress: Vera Wang, “Rita” from Glamour Closet

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Post tags: Alex's Catering, Bear Flag Farm, Bikes, California, Casual Elegance, Color Palette Purple, Ferris Wheel, Glamour Closet, Hartmann Studios, JEssica Epstein, La Tavola Fine Linens, Lavender, Lavender Fields, Mason Jars, Monkeyglue Lighting, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Weddings, Silhouettes, Sillapere Eco Events, Tented Reception, The Central Valley, Traditional Elegance, Vera Wang, Wall Street Notable Talent Agency, Zoom Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

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Our story is a testament to “third time’s the charm.”  We first met about a decade ago in San Francisco.  We were both out with friends, and ended up striking up a conversation ourselves.  However, the timing proved not quite right. Several years later, our paths crossed again into at a charity benefit and there was a mutual attraction, but the timing still quite wasn’t right. In August 2008, we ran into each other again and this time the timing was great!  We began dating and fell for each other pretty quickly.  We shared lots of great times together and our connection grew to the point where we knew we wanted to spend our lives together.

We were engaged in December at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, right outside of Pescadero.  Steve planned to make his proposal at sunset, and fortunately the weather was calm, not too cold and gorgeous that evening, a rare occurrence at the Lighthouse, as it sits out on a point and is prone to fog and high winds. After the proposal, we spent the night at Costanoa.  We both loved it so much that we decided to make it our wedding spot. We were married there on two months later.

The few days before our wedding were blustery, cold and rainy.  On our wedding day, the sky literally opened up and the sun came out.  In fact, during our ceremony, there were clouds above, but there was a “ring of blue sky” directly above our heads.  This was especially interesting because both sets of our parents have passed away, but it was almost like the clouds parted that day so they could look down on us.

The most meaningful touch of the day were the four long-stem roses on the four chairs closest to us, to represent our parents.  We also lit three unity candles, one for us, and one for each set of parents. We hired the music teacher from Steve’s School to play music for us, including “Feels Like Home” and “Everlasting Love” as our recessional Song.

For our reception, I hand-stamped and hand wrote each of the name cards for a personal touch.  Instead of traditional wedding favors, I created a “candy bar” with green and purple candies in large glass jars, which was placed on a table covered by a vintage inspired tablecloth.  Each guest could fill their own wax paper bag with their candies of choice and affix a sticker to seal it.

Instead of a traditional guestbook, I created a photo book using photos from our respective childhoods leading up to our dating years.  The final two photos in the book were our parents’ wedding photos.  Guests could sign throughout the book with a message (like you would do with a high school yearbook).  This way, we can display the book in our home to enjoy, instead of just having a book full of signatures.

We chose Zoom Photography because I had seen the amazing photos Lauri had taken at a friend/former client’s wedding about four years prior.  I asked her to be my facebook friend because I knew one day I wanted to ask her to photograph my own wedding. And fortunately  for me, it worked out!

I planned my wedding start-to-finish in seven weeks, so I am sure there are things I would have tweaked if I’d had more time, but overall I was really happy with how it turned out.  I made quick decisions and went with my gut instinct instead of second-guessing or agonizing over everything like so many brides do.  In some ways, planning it in that short amount of time was tough, but I also think in some ways I planned it better because I didn’t have time to over think things.

Ceremony Site: Costanoa Lodge & Resort, Lodge Lawn / Event Coordination: Tricia Rhoades of Costanoa Lodge & Resort / Reception Site: Costanoa Lodge & Resort, The Ranch House / Photographer: Lauri Levenfeld of Zoom Photography, Second Shooter, Jessica Epstein / Officiant: Dave Glass / Hair & Makeup: Allison Sharpe / Ceremony Musicians: Colin Williams / DJ: Joel Domhoff / Flowers: Sheri Hermone / Cake: SusieCakes

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Post tags: Allison Sharpe, Budget Beautiful, Castanoa Lodge & Resort, Casual Elegance, Lighthouse, Neutral Color Palette, Outdoor Ceremony, Sheri Hemone, SusieCakes, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography, Winter Wedding, Zoom Photography
Post categories: Budget Beautiful, Little Black Book Blog

1. Preparing for the big day can be stressful and requires something comfortable but still chic. Try this Haute Hippie caftan from Madam Butterfly and pile on the bangles. Mix chunky with delicate like we did with this 2etn gold picture frame necklace lined in opalescent baubles and some gold and silver delicate chains by KKPW Designs.

2. Weddings are all about being around those you love and with various events leading up to the big day, the bride must always look her best. This pale yellow chiffon strapless gown from Caren Templet does just that for our gorgeous bride. Because this wedding was anything but traditional, we added some Alexander Wang gray, pony hair fringe sandals and once again, piled on the fine and costume jewelry pieces from 2etn, Hamilton Jewelers, and KKPW Jewelry Designs.

3. Exclusive Caren Templet chiffon white gown with ruffle sash is the perfect wedding gown for the bride that wants something elegant, but versatile enough to wear again. Cinch the dress in a wide cognac belt and add some gold citrine pendants and diamond choker necklaces from Hamilton Jewelers to accentuate its sophistication. A fishtail side braid keeps things sleek and simple. If you want to add some funk to your step, pair the dress with some combat boots or wrap-up sandals in chocolate brown, like the ones we used from Shaw Shoes.

4. White can be a bit too traditional for some brides, which is why this custom made Caren Templet coral gown with a Tiffany blue underskirt offers a bit more style edge and defines all that is haute couture. Wrap your hair up in an elegant headscarf by Diane von Furstenberg and mix a blanket of fine jewelry like diamond choker necklaces, bold topaz cocktail rings and bamboo cuffs etched in gold from Hamilton Jewelers with costume pieces from Madam Butterfly and beaded necklaces from The Bead Fetish in every color of the rainbow. A pair of cobalt blue Yves Saint Laurent booties complete the look.

5. Our groom was dapper in beautiful suiting by Armani and Dolce and Gabbana thanks to Julius Clothing and splashes of purple were added in his collared shirts and ties, custom made by Steve Benson & Co. Bow ties and pocket squares are definitely the name of the game in fashion right now and anything goes with color. Think bright, bold colors that show a youthful, yet sophisticated edge. Change things up with rolled sleeves and popped collars.

6. Children should be dressed in colors that are more organic and wearable and we did just that with their custom pieces from Gracie Mae Designs. We love the cargo shorts and linen vest from Koukla Kids on our young boy and the carefree beauty of our young girl’s bandeau top and floor-length tulle skirt in khaki, also from Koukla Kids. Of course, it wouldn’t be a wedding without a darling fedora hat or a few (okay, a lot) baubles thrown in, all jewelry provided by 2etn and KKPW Designs.

So there it is! A beyond amazing inspiration shoot, and a buying guide to match. Hopefully you can fit a few of these flawless fashion choices into your own wedding – or engagement party – or Tuesday.

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Post tags: 2ETN, African, Alexander Wang, Armani, Buying Guide, Caren Templet, Diane von Furstenberg, Dolce and Gabana, Hamilton Jewelers, Julius Clothing, KKPW Designs, Koukla Kids, Madam Butterfly, Pink Wedding Dress, Shaw Shoes, Sister | Brother Style, Steve Benson & Co, The Bead Fetish, Wedding Inspiration, Yves Saint Laurent, Zoom Photography
Post categories: Buying Guides, Little Black Book Blog

I know you’re itching for more – so check out the film Damon Chamberlain sent our way!

Casper and Themba SMP shoot. from Damon Chamberlain on Vimeo.

When Mary Gonsalves Kinney, Stylist/Editor of Sister|Brother Style and Lauri Levenfeld, Owner/Photographer of Zoom Photography got together they were certain about one thing – bringing together two worlds on opposite sides of the cultural and political spectrum. Mary and Lauri wanted this shoot to be as culturally authentic as possible with high-fashion style and an edge that would inspire people to step outside of their box.

Mary and Lauri had discussed many possibilities, but none seemed more inspiring than the potential love story between an African woman born and raised by the Zulu tribe in the Province of Natal in South Africa and her British fiancée born in Cape town, South Africa. The story is rather contentious as there is a long and torrid history between the Zulu tribe and the British.

This incredibly controversial political relationship framed our Inspiration To Reality story. It is a story about a bride and a groom who work together to overcome the long history of political betrayal and bring two families and cultures together at their wedding. Born in the same country, the bride and groom grew up with totally different cultural traditions and expectations. Even so, they find love and break down those racial barriers that still consume so many South African people. Their story is one of fortitude, passion and color. Fortitude because they remain strong and together through their many trials as a multiracial couple. Passion because it is their love for one another that is so vibrant and so real that nothing can tear them apart. Color because though their own skin color is different and may pose problems between their two families, it only brings them closer together. They learn to appreciate all that defines them and make it imperative that each cultural piece of them properly represented in their wedding.

Authentic pieces were provided during the photo shoot by Sacramento’s Zanzibar Tribal Art store and the Big Bang Events. The set included everything from hand-woven baskets that take years to make and represent each bride’s worth to their tribe, to clay pots used traditionally for drinking beer at Zulu wedding celebrations. Pincushion protea, leucadendron, croton leaves, phalaenopsis orchids and red and orange roses were all exported from South Africa just for this shoot and made into lovely arrangements.

Wooden screens were leaned against barbed wire fences with acres of farmland set behind each vignette so as to show the beauty of the untouched land of Natal. Hanging above, traditional Western elements were displayed through crystal chandeliers and the British-inspired china and silver were carefully selected to coordinate with the colorful African flowers.

The styling wardrobe for this shoot was strongly based on Zulu tradition. The Zulu women of South Africa wear many colors, which are proudly represented in their multicolored beaded necklaces and bracelets. Headscarves, mud cloths and traditional wedding hats are also essential pieces to a Zulu wedding. Because the bride and groom come from different worlds, it was important to blend both African and Western colors and traditions through the custom made gowns, the suiting and the jewelry and accessories. Our bride’s African and Western dresses were custom made for this shoot by the talented, Caren Templet and all shoes and costume jewelry were borrowed from retailers in Northern California. Zulu wedding hats made of real human hair and dignitary straw hats lined with chicken feathers dyed a deep red were used in various shots where the bride was wearing a Western gown so as to show a cultural balance.

The bride’s jewelry was rich in texture and included fine jewelry pieces with diamonds and other gems to add a certain depth along side the beadwork and the copper and silver metals. Jewelry designers made original pieces that represented more traditional looking beaded jewelry just for this shoot. The bride wore a beautiful blue topaz ring as her wedding ring in lieu of a traditional diamond, as a Zulu woman would usually not wear a ring and would never choose to wear a diamond. Her headpieces were created using Zulu scarves and wedding hats and braiding was crucial in providing a more authentic look. The bride’s makeup was also an important piece and transitioned from subtle, Western colors to vibrant Zulu tribal paint.

The groom had traditional suiting for many shots with bow ties, which are British-influenced, but his bowties, pocket squares, shoes (and shoestrings) were bold in color to represent his fiancée’s culture in a subtle way.

Styling & Production: Mary Kinney, Co-Owner, Head Stylist of Sister | Brother Style & Kristi Braflaadt, Assistant / Photography: Lauri Levenfeld of Zoom Photography, second shooter Jessica Epstein / Makeup: Liz Bagatelos & Lea Buehler / Hair: Marci Landgraf of Muse Hair Boutique / Floral & Set Design: Chris Merrick of The Big Bang Event Design & Zanzibar Tribal Art / Stationery: Jen Saltzman of Press Engaged & Marisa Guiterrez of Arte y Mas / Videographer: Damon Chamberlain / Retail Vendors & Designers: Caren Templet,  Julius Clothing, Gracie Mae Kids, Shaw Shoes, Hamilton Jewelers, KKPW Designs, 2ETN, Steve Benson, Koukla Kids, Madam Butterfly / Models: Jadin, JE Model Management & Star Model Management / Calligrapher: Robyn Wylde Calligraphy

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Post tags: 2ETN, African, Arte y Mas, Bold Color Palette, California, Caren Temple, Chandelier, Damon Chamberlain, Gemstone Engagement Ring, Gracie Mae Kids, Hamilton Jewelers, Inspiration Shoot, JE Model Management, Julius Clothing, KKPW Designs, Lea Buehler, Liz Bagatelos, Muse Hair Boutique, Photo Shoot, Pink Wedding Dress, Press Engaged, Robyn Wylde Calligraphy, Shaw Shoes, Sister | Brother Style, Star Model Management, Steve Benson, The Big Bang Event Design, Wedding Inspiration, Zanzibar Tribal Art, Zoom Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Photo Shoot

We knew we wanted a fall wedding in Wine Country centered around the harvest so that we could share this wonderful time of year with our family and friends. Many of our family members had been married in September, so we continued the tradition and selected September 25, 2010.

Because it holds a special place in our hearts, there was no question that Wine Country would be the setting of our wedding. When selecting a venue, we wanted somewhere we could have our reception dinner and as much of the wedding outside as possible to enjoy the beautiful fall weather in Wine Country. And because of Walter’s food background, the most important aspect in selecting a venue was the food and wine served.

Solage Calistoga is an environmentally-friendly resort with a rustic and yet sophisticated vibe. At the restaurant, SolBar, which also handles event catering, they work with local farmers to showcase the farm to table philosophy. We decided to have a four course dinner paired with wines selected from some of our favorite wineries. The best way to have everyone together for dinner as a group was to have our guests seated at a long king’s table.

To incorporate our love for the classic jazz standards, we had a jazz quartet play during the ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner. For the ceremony, the quartet played “The Best Is Yet to Come” while Walter walked down the aisle, “Let There Be Love” while I walked down the aisle, and “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” as we exited the ceremony.

After dinner, the sliding doors opened to reveal a 10-piece Motown band and the lounge we had created inside. We wanted to separate the dinner area from the dancing area to create a fun vibe and keep people dancing! We also took dance lessons to polish our first dance to Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”

Photography: Lauri Levenfeld & Jessica Epstein for Zoom Photography / Flowers: Atelier Joya / Invitations: Ceci of New York / Wedding Coordination: Jennie Janzen of MAP Events / Lighting: reFRACTion / Band: Keith Johnson All Stars / Venue: Solage Calistoga

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Post tags: Atelier Joya, California, Ceci New York, Keith Johnson All Stars, MAP Events, refraction, Solage Calistoga, Wine Country, Wine Country Wedding, Zoom Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers

Being that Jillian and Sean are both Irish, and after hearing Jillian’s cute story about her connection to the Left Bank…we decided to create our love story around everything Ireland..stormy weather, Guiness beer, rainboots and umbrellas, and Jillian’s beautiful claddagh ring. And last, I suggested my favorite location at Sutro Beach as I always find it wildly romantic and it has the perfect European flaire. After a SF morning of hail, rain, and thunder…the day cleared away and we had the most amazing and perfectly dramatic sky for our backdrop. {See the whole shoot here!}

More of this amazing shoot in the SMP Photo Gallery!

Jillian and Sean’s story …

My older brother is Sean’s best friend. I was visiting my brother in Arizona one summer when Sean and I met. We decided to do a long distance relationship. I was in school at Indiana University. The first year of our courtship was spent on the phone and flying back and forth from Arizona and Indiana about every 4-6 weeks. On our one-year anniversary I transferred from Indiana University to Arizona State to be closer to Sean.

On our two year anniversary, Sean asked me to marry him. We spent our anniversary at a romantic hotel in Scottsdale. He led me to the rooftop over looking all of Phoenix/Scottsdale and the city lights. When I opened my eyes there were twinkle lights everywhere, rose petals sprinkled along the floor, my favorite champagne and Sean down on his knee. I of course said yes!

We are getting married May 7, 2011 in St. Helena, California. Sean and I both came from big Irish Catholic families. Both of our mothers are children of 10. We wanted to have a theme to our wedding that represented us. My Grandfather passed away in the spring of 2008. His funeral reception was at the Irish Bank in San Francisco. He would go there everyday and sit at the bar and order a whiskey. Everyone knew him by name. It was his favorite hang out spot. He would have been happy to know Sean and I had our engagement shot there.

We asked Lauri Levenfeld to be our photographer, because she combines artsy with traditional. She made us feel very comfortable right away. She is perfect for us. She really loves what she does and cares about her clients and telling their story.

Our congrats and best wishes to Jillian & Sean … and a Happy Birthday to Lauri! (just a wee bit late)

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Post tags: Lauri Levenfeld, Zoom Photography
Post categories: engagement session, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

see the rest of this Sausalito beauty here!

We worked together for 18 months at Applied Biosystems in Foster City before we began dating. Our relationship changed when we embarked on a business trip together to Flagstaff, AZ that included a five-hour car ride from the Phoenix airport to Flagstaff. It was during that car ride that we both shared very intimate details of our lives. I’m not sure what compelled us to both be so open, but that ability to speak openly would later become the foundation for our relationship – honest communication. During our one-year anniversary, Chris was on a month-long business trip in Europe and invited me to join him in Paris for a long weekend. Although both of us had traveled to Paris previously, the city felt even more romantic and special as we explored it together. We spent our four days wandering the neighborhoods and gardens and indulging in French cuisine. One of our afternoons led us to Jardin du Luxembourg where we took a photo from a park bench that would become our holiday card to family and friends that year. Three years later on a gastronomic vacation to Lyon and Paris, and on our fourth anniversary together, Chris insisted that we visit the garden again. Locating the same exact park bench, Chris surprised me and proposed while on bended knee. I happily said yes. We took another photo for our holiday card and included our save-the-date.

The minute we returned to our hotel room at L’Empire Paris that evening, we contacted Cavallo Point Lodge to inquire about holding our wedding there. We knew we wanted to get married there although we had never discussed it openly with one another. We had visited Cavallo Point several times to have lunch or cocktails on the deck outside of the restaurant, Murray Circle, following hikes in Marin. Cavallo appealed to us because it’s an eco-resort that provided luxury accommodations but focused on sustainability. We were especially drawn to the food which is locally produced, organic and sustainable as well as the setting with stunning views of the city and beautiful surroundings that were both historic and modern.

By being just minutes away from San Francisco yet excluded enough among the trees and Marin headlands, Cavallo provided the perfect destination without leaving the convenience of San Francisco. Many of our friends also have children and would not have been able to travel to a remote destination. We wanted to create a sense of community by having all of our friends join us for the entire weekend in order to spend as much time as possible together and allowing everyone to get to know each other. Cavallo is a great destination for kids – tons of activities: the Bay Area Discovery Museum, beachcombing, hiking. Also dog-friendly – we had some guests from Los Angeles bring their dog and they said Sandro was treated like a king. They also provide babysitting services through Aunt Ann’s agency in San Francisco – our reception for an adult affair so the kids were in good hands with the babysitters nearby.

We loved Lauri because she was interested as were we of capturing the emotion of the wedding and the people in the beautiful surroundings. We wanted to capture the essence of the wedding – not with staged shots but through the natural interaction of the people. Her energy is amazing as is her ability to keep things moving without disrupting the natural flow of the day. Map Events – Melissa Panico, as we neared the wedding we understood that we needed help with the day of logistics and timeline. Her attention to detail, professionalism, and relationships with the other vendors were invaluable. Our wedding could have not gone more smoothly.

Photography: Lauri Levenfeld of Zoom Photography with Second Shooter, Jessica Epstein / Venue and Catering: Cavallo Point, Sausalito, California / Event Planning; Melissa Panico of MAP Events / Florist: Cherries Flowers / DJ: Chris Fox / Lighting: Creative Lighting / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Hair and Makeup: Kathleena Gorga Makeup & Hair Design / Invites: Wedding Paper Divas

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Post tags: California Weddings, Cavallo Point, Cherries Flowers, Chris Fox, Classic Party Rentals, Creative Lighting, Kathleena Gorga Makeup and Hair Design, MAP Events, Sausalito, Wedding Paper Divas, Zoom Photography
Post categories: California Weddings, Little Black Book Blog, San Francisco Weddings, Traditional Elegance