As a California native, there is not much more that makes my heart skip a beat than an elegant vineyard wedding. I mean, with gorgeous golden sunlight beaming down, and HammerSky Vineyards‘ rolling hills serving as the most idyllic setting, can it really get any more magical than this?! Want more? Danielle Poff captured this golden hour affair to utter perfection in the gallery here!
From The Bride…Choosing my color palette was easy with the amazing help of my florist, April. Florals were definitely one of the most exciting aspects of planning for me. I had always imagined a wedding with mostly Ivory and neutral florals/decor, but to ensure everything didn’t appear washed out, we decided to add a bit of peaches and blushes; we then tied everything together with gold accents. I also knew that despite wanting everything to be mostly neutral, I always wanted a pop of color- that’s where the bridesmaid dresses came in. I started noticing in magazines and blogs that although the neutral color dresses are “in,” I couldn’t get over how distinguished the bride and groom looked in photos next to a palette of actual bold color. I chose cobalt blue because it seems to be a classic color that will never go out of style- even multiple wedding guests wore the color out of coincidence! I decided on long dresses to stick with my vision of keeping the night classy and elegant. Plus, spring weather can sometimes be unpredictable and longer dresses add a hint of warmth! Most of all, I wanted my girls to be comfortable so I let them choose their dresses! I was lucky that everyone came to a unanimous decision on the Watters line and each girl found a style they were comfortable in. We all shopped together which made for great memories.
My gown was actually originally made as a typical sweetheart strapless style, but I had the same designer who made my mom’s wedding dress order extra lace from the bottom scallop of my gown and add sleeves. This allowed them to dramatically open up the back which I absolutely loved. They actually worked on my dress for 6 months and I had 5 fittings. Although it was somewhat nerve wracking not having seen the full product of my dress until approximately 10 days before the big day, I loved that in the end, I had a somewhat custom made dress- at a more affordable cost. I would totally recommend this option to future brides who are looking to stand out.
My husband and I stumbled upon HammerSky after a long day of looking at almost 10 venues. It was on our list of venues to see, however we almost skipped HammerSky out of exhaustion and having thought we found a place; I insisted we check it out to be sure. I remember us both walking on the grounds for the first time immediately saying outloud how perfect it was. We felt it was exactly what we were looking for- a winery that was not only rustic, but classy. We loved how quiet and off the beaten path it was compared to other vineyards in the area. The privacy was special.
All in all my biggest recommendation for future brides would be to make sure to take a moment with your new husband during your reception to break away for 5 minutes and escape to a spot that allows you to watch your guests and take in all that is going on. Take a moment to realize how much love you have around you and between you that evening. For us, our spot was the balcony of the farmhouse at our venue where we were able to overlook the entire reception. It was a special moment!
Photography: Danielle Poff Photography | Videography: Fig Leaf Video | Coordination: Amanda Landon | Floral Design: April Flowers | Wedding Dress: Mira Couture | Cake: Cake Cathedral | Invitations: Out Of The Envelope | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Watters | Catering: Roberts Restaurant | Hair & Makeup: Sammy Williams | Entertainment: Lance Robinson | DJ: Kramer Entertainment | Groomsmen's Attire: Vera Wang | Ceremony & Reception Venue: HammerSky Vineyards & Inn | Film Lab: PhotoVision Prints | Signage: Rosey Calligraphy