Enjoying a quiet picnic for two in between ceremony and reception is probably one of the most genius ideas I’ve ever heard. Perfectly planned by Amore Events By Cody and surrounded by Couture Designs fragrant blooms, the Bride and Groom took quiet moment away to celebrate and Katie Stoops Photography was there to capture every moment in a gallery for us to enjoy!
From the Bride… During private picnic before the reception, we slow danced to our favorite song, The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin. I designed all of the paper products and invitation suite and my dress was custom made by designer, Jill Andrews.
Michael and I both went through great heartache and lonely years before finding each other. We truly feel we are meant to be and share a very deep love based on gratitude, hope and comfort. We had one primary objective in planning the wedding: to honor and celebrate our love the way we felt it deserved. As a result, our wedding day was deeply personal, heartfelt, and in the moment.
The intimacy we felt that day was incredible, including not being able to take our eyes off each other at the altar; listening to the choir perform “Set Me As A Seal” (a song very close to our hearts); exiting the church to the most joyful church bells; enjoying a gorgeous picnic among the mountains for just the two of us before guests arrived for the reception; and not leaving each other’s side all night. However, our greatest and most unexpected memory of the wedding turned out to be our guests’ reactions. All night, our friends and family expressed (and continue to express) how touched they were by our love for each other, how emotional they felt to be a part of it, and how they felt hope at every corner. It was extremely humbling, and also is a good reminder for all engaged couples: You can spend a year planning food, music, decorations and logistics, but the thing that matters most — even to your guests — is your union and commitment to each other.
We chose King Family Vineyards for our reception because the setting is stunning and because it offered unmatched flexibility in designing and executing our dream celebration. Their answer to our proposed ideas always seemed to be “yes!” For example, we always knew we wanted to create a cocktail lounge where we could exhibit large pieces of artwork and funny info graphics about our relationship, and KFV encouraged it. We also were able to create an outside space that allowed guests to soak in the scenery while enjoying a raw bar, fire pit, s’mores and a hot donut truck. We were able to work with our choice of vendors, to bring in Michael’s favorite craft beers, and to rock out to classic rock music during the cocktail hour. And most importantly, the King Family and staff were incredibly kind and welcoming to us and my parents every time we visited. The choice was easy.
Some valuable advice for current or future Bride’s who are planning their wedding is I constantly read while wedding planning that no matter what, something will not go according to plan. “Ours will be different, of course!” the perfectionist in me said. After all, I had picked some of the best vendors in town and spent countless hours caring about logistics and details. But guess what? Some things did not go according to plan. Michael and I both flubbed our personal vows. The caterer was slow with dinner and ran behind schedule. And perhaps the ultimate example: We had given our band a short list of “do not play” songs, which specifically included Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. Not only did the band play it, but they brought us up on stage and had us perform the song with them as a big production. After a split second of mental cringing, we shrugged, laughed and embraced it. We will never forget the feeling and image of our dearest friends and family surrounding the stage and shouting, cheering and singing along with us. The love in the room in that moment was palpable, and it ended up being a highlight of the night. And not one bit of it was “according to plan.”
Photography: Katie Stoops Photography | Event Design: Amore Events by Cody | Floral Design: Couture Designs | Wedding Dress: Jill Andrews Gowns, LLC | Cake: A Pimento Catering | Invitations: RahRah Print | Ceremony Venue: Christ Episcopal Church | Reception Venue: King Family Vineyards | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: A Pimento Catering | Makeup: Jeanne Cusick | Hair: Top Knot Studio | Band: Rollex | Groom's Attire: Alton Lane | Donut Truck: Carpe Donut