Jeff and Julia Woods have shared many of their gorgeous weddings with us, and today we’re seriously delighted to show you this dreamy engagement shoot! Jeff wanted to be sure that all of you are aware of this relatively new spot ~ Solage Calistoga. The Solage website refers to it as a refreshing twist to the Napa lifestyle … loft-inspired, green by design, rustic roots with a nod to urban sophistication. Sounds like the kind of place pretty much anyone would love!
Corinne, the bride-to-be, confessed to being an avid SMP fan. Yay! We asked her to share a little bit about Chuck’s proposal. So, here’s their story …
Chuck and I met in 2005 in Orlando on a semi-blind date. Once we met, we started our “whirl-wind” romance. I call it whirlwind since we have since moved all over the place for Chuck’s career! First from Orlando, FL to Hickory, NC, then to Charlotte, NC, then to the San Francisco Bay Area, and most recently to Birmingham, Alabama! We have been all over the place and have truly created the strongest relationship and friendship because of it. Since we move so often, We have had trouble cultivating new friendships and it’s been tough being so far from our families. During these past 4 years we’ve definitely become each others best friend.
Last Christmas, Chuck and I flew to the Carolinas (where both of our families spend the holidays) and decided to just do Christmas stockings in order to “cut back”. Chuck gave me new PJs, perfume, a pair of earrings, and finally a stack of papers that read “New Years Eve”. Hmmm… As I opened it, I realized he was taking me on a drool-worthy trip to Napa Valley for our New Year’s celebration. [Just a quick note … we had been ring shopping for the past year, so almost every day for the past 6 months, I was sure he was going to propose.]
We flew back to Cali, hopped in the car and headed to Napa. I’ve always loved wine, as my parents are both enthusiasts and my family owns 2 restaurants with extensive wine lists, so I was VERY excited! We spent the day enjoying tastings at several vineyards and even picked up a couple bottles of wine and champagne to enjoy in our hotel suite (we stayed at the Solage in Calistoga – AMAZING).
When we headed back to the resort to get ready for dinner, I thought “This is it- it has to be it” But no, we went to dinner, had an amazing meal, MORE cocktails, and finally went back to the resort. At this point the wind was let out of my sails. I thought “Well, its not happening now. If he was going to do it this weekend, it would have already happened,” so I proceeded to pout …
Ha. Ha- is right, because at this point, Chuck was laughing hysterically at me. He told me to sit in the chair beside him. Being the loving girlfriend that I am, I responded with “NO”, which made him laugh even harder! Finally he finagled me into the chair, me with my pouty lip and all, and he proceeded to get down on one knee. I, of course, said yes and screamed and cried and jumped on the bed! It was amazing, and I will never forget it! Happy New Year was right!!
Julia and Jeffrey Woods are masters at their trade … they are ever-so-passionate about their work and each and every image they send us is solid gold. If you watch the complete slideshow from Corrine & Chuck’s engagement shoot at Solage, there’s no doubt in our mind that you will absolutely see what we mean … Corrine & Chuck’s Slideshow.
Another of our fantastic LBB members, Bliss Weddings & Events is assisting Corrine & Chuck ~ with a long-distance wedding, Corrine said, “Renny is my lifesaver since I live in Alabama and am getting married in Chicago!”
The wedding date? “Our wedding is May 22, 2010 in Chicago at the Chicago Illuminating Company. We are having both our ceremony and reception in this event space. It is such a great space – espresso hard wood floors, white walls, beautiful artwork and mirrors… Our wedding style is clean, crisp, and modern. Colors are all white flowers (peonies, ranunculus, roses, etc) with 2 colors for linens and accents: graphite and cornflower blue. We are using square tables with white Chivari chairs.
Congratulations Corrine & Chuck … we can’t wait to see the wedding!!