Elevated Elegance At Auberge du Soleil In Napa

Melissa Hammam
April 11, 2022
Categories: Fall, Real Weddings, Romantic, Seasonal Wedding Trend, The Blog

The heart of wine country provides the perfect backdrop for this beautiful wedding day. Filled with a classic color palette of crisp green and white, Parker Nichols Events and Design brought this couple’s wedding vision to life in the most wonderful of ways. Floral design by Nancy Liu Chin is as stunning as the scenery, and the love and joy of the day shine in the imagery captured by Anya Kernes Photography. You can visit the full gallery for a closer look at all the lovely.

From the bride… Tobi and I were so excited to plan our wedding, but we also knew that we did not have the time to plan a wedding that met both of our standards. So from the beginning of the planning process, we knew we would need a wedding planner. Tobi and I work in consulting/client service roles, and we are perfectionists. We knew that we wanted to have a smaller destination wedding, and we both agreed Napa was the perfect place! Napa was special to us because we went through a rough period while dating, and we took a trip to Napa to get back on the same page and focus on our relationship. It was the best trip we had as a couple before the wedding. We selected Auberge du Soleil because of the class, reputation, and breathtaking view. Frances’s statement to describe her personality is “overstated but understated,” and that is how we wanted the wedding to be—overstated in that it had a wow factor and understated in the classiness and simplicity of the decor. Auberge du Soleil had it all. An effortless breathtaking view and an exclusive romantic venue that we could design with a classic, feminine affair that was lux and romantic. We wanted things to feel sophisticated and effortlessly breathtaking.

On the wedding day, everything turned out better than we could imagine. We wanted a quality wedding, and we feel that everyone that knows us knows everything we do is well thought out and quality. Christina Nichols from Parker Nichols Events and Design helped us execute that vision, and I genuinely felt that the quality of the wedding reflected us as a couple. “The real deal,” no shortcuts. Christina Nichols went above and beyond to design a creative venue that exceeded our expectations. One of our favorite additions was the circular arch at the end of the aisle with a white floral installation. On the wedding day, Frances wore a satin, classic simple “understated” dress with a large bow at the back to give it that “overstated” look. Timeless, with straight cuts. Effortless, designed by Pnina Tornai. Frances paired her dress with a pair of crystal-studded Jimmy Choo sandals. Tobi wore a white satin Tom Ford tuxedo jacket paired with a bow tie, classic tuxedo pants, and black patent leather lace-up oxford shoes by Ermenegildo Zegna. The bridesmaids wore a blush dress with an elegant, classy, and effortless feel. The groomsmen wore a classic black tuxedo to align with the overall theme of the wedding (i.e., classic and sophisticated feel). One thing Tobi and I decided not to do was have a “first look.” We wanted the photos to catch our raw emotions when we walked down the aisle.

We wrote our vows which were so special. We went for original, sentimental, and funny vows. The best part of our wedding, outside of the emotions we felt when we walked down the aisle, were the speeches! The speeches by family and friends during the wedding reception were heartfelt, unique, and both tear-jerking and hilarious at the same time. An unforgettable special moment. We felt so loved during our speeches, and members of the staff even said that they see weddings every weekend, but there was truly something special about our wedding, which meant a lot to us! Additionally, the joy and energy in the room were incredible. Watching everyone genuinely have a great time is all a bride and groom wants for their wedding day! Our wedding day was the best day of our lives so far! The advice we have for couples currently planning a wedding is to hire a wedding planner (Christina is great), leave a cushion in your budget, and be sure to enjoy your wedding day and take it all in. It is truly a special time to have all of your close friends in one room, celebrating your love!