Kristen and Kurt bonded over their shared passions for animal welfare, the outdoors, and music, so when planning their Napa Valley nuptials with the help of Erica Rose Design, they knew they wanted each of these to play a role. A donation to the San Francisco SPCA in lieu of favors, the gorgeous lawn of the SSS Ranch, and carefully curated music by Dart Collective meaningfully incorporated the couple’s passions into their darling day, which was photographed by This Rad Love – take a peak, below.
From the Bride… San Francisco has long been a big part of our relationship. When we met, Kurt was living in the Marina District, and I was in the Mission. Despite coming from opposite sides of the city, we quickly bonded over a good cup of coffee and found that we had shared passions for animal welfare, the outdoors, and music. It was these themes that we wanted to incorporate into our fall wedding at the rustic SSS Ranch in Napa.
We knew that we wanted an intimate outdoor ceremony, and the serene setting at SSS Ranch Napa was the perfect fit for us. We chose to exchange our vows under a gorgeous walnut tree that had been decorated with draped fabric and an antique chandelier on the lower lawn of the property. The mature tree set the perfect atmosphere as it shaded each of our 120 guests under its leafy green canopy. We added very little to the already idyllic scenery, however the bridal party and I carried gorgeous bouquets with deep burgundy and pops of pink, which beautifully complemented the surrounding greenery. Kurt handpicked lyrics from songs that represented our relationship history— including melodies from Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn – and we DIYed the lyrics onto wooden boards and had them hung to line the aisle.
In the reception space, our love for animals was reflected in table-assignment cards that displayed vintage animal pictorials in place of numbers. In lieu of gifts for the guests, a donation was made to the San Francisco SPCA, where Kurt and I adopted our first pet. A family style dinner, showcasing seasonal California produce, was enjoyed in the antique barn. Guests danced the night away to more of our handpicked music favorites.The evening’s end was made sweet with It’s-It ice cream sandwiches, a legendary San Francisco treat.
Photography: This Rad Love | Event Planning: Lorelle Events | Floral + Event Design: Erica Rose Design | Wedding Dress: Amy Kuschel | Invitations: Minted | Ceremony Venue: Triple S Ranch | Catering: Sage Catering | Hair + Makeup: King Cardoza | DJ: Dart DJ | Rentals: Encore Events Rentals | Vintage Rentals: The Antique Owl