A wedding featuring an 8 feet antipasto table by Good Gracious!? Sign us up! The delicious selection of cheeses, charcuterie, fruit, and spreads is only the beginning of why this Italian-inspired wedding planned by Details Details is making our mouths water. Brandon Kidd Photography photographed every delicious detail, from the romantic setting to the gorgeous couple, and we cannot get enough. Looking for seconds? Hoo Films has you covered – press play below!
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From the bride… Eric and I met around 2008 in the most traditional way – introduced by family and friends. At the time we met, my sister, Nicole, was dating Eric’s best friend and college roommate, Matt. Eric and I met at birthdays, holidays, and other events, often sharing time and chatting, always in the context of mutual friends and group encounters. Although nothing ever transpired, there always seemed to be lots of flirting between me and Eric.
It was at a wedding in 2011 where our romance became something much more special. It wasn’t just any wedding, but my sister’s wedding to Eric’s best friend. I was the maid of honor, and Eric was a groomsman. A night of celebrating and dancing under the stars led to our first kiss. We were both living in San Diego at the time, where we had our first date. One date led to a second, a third, and the rest is history. Six years later, we were married!
Eric and I, having been together for 6 years prior to getting married, have been guests at many weddings. After each wedding, we would discuss our likes and dislikes and always agreed that the most important things to us were that the venue was beautiful, and the party was amazing.
Eric and I (both East Coast transplants) wanted to get married in California. I always knew that my Italian background would have a huge influence on the style of my wedding and definitely wanted our guests to experience the outdoor living that California has to offer. When we saw Sunstone Villa, its beauty immediately struck us. We loved the combination of the European architecture with a backdrop of the California Wine Country landscape. From the first moment we stepped on the property, we knew that Sunstone would be the perfect place for our Italian-style California wedding. The details of how were a bit blurry, but we knew we were going to be married there.
The beauty of Sunstone never ceased to amaze us. I appreciated all that it had to offer, and for that reason felt that the design of the wedding should complement the venue rather than try to transform it. We wanted to stay true to all of the beauty that California has to offer. Most of our flowers were indigenous to California (olive branches, eucalyptus, garden roses), and we used a color palette that felt natural in the space. Our colors were neutrals, whites, greens, and gold, with a pop of a pale blue on our linens and paper goods.
While getting ready, my mom presented me with my grandmother’s heirlooms antique mirror that has been passed down from my grandmother, to my mother, to my sister, and now to me, on each of our wedding days. It is incredibly special to think that someday, I will be able to pass it on to the next woman (my future niece or daughter) in our family on her wedding day. It was special to have a part of my grandmother with me on the day I was married.
My godfather, Uncle Larry, officiated our marriage ceremony. Eric was raised Jewish, and I was raised Catholic. We wanted to have a wedding ceremony that honored traditions from both of our faiths. Uncle Larry spent over 100 hours writing and rehearsing our wedding ceremony, which was extremely personal. It was very meaningful and reflected elements from both of our backgrounds. It was touching to be married by someone who is so dear to both me and Eric.
Growing up Italian, Sundays meant big family dinners and gatherings. My mother is the most incredible hostess and entertainer. No matter what she is making for Sunday suppers, an antipasto platter is a staple. We wanted to incorporate that into the cocktail hour. We had an eight feet antipasto table, accessible from all sides, covered with different cheeses, figs, grapes, spreads, breads, charcuterie, and even had hand carved prosciutto. Our caterer, Good Gracious Events, was amazing at executing this vision. It was not only a beautiful display, but everything was also superbly delicious!
We wanted our guests to feel that the event was elevated, all while being comfortable. We stuck with the theme of “understated elegance” with the goal of achieving an aesthetic that was simply beautiful. Something that would make you stop and say, “Wow!”
Eric and I both agree that the entire wedding day was the best day of our lives. It is so hard to choose one moment in particular, however we were able to narrow it down to two:
Right after we were married, walking back up the aisle, when we turned a corner out of sight from our guests, in between two rows of grape vines. We stopped for a moment, looked at each other in disbelief, and said “We did it!” We both said, “I love you,” and shared the most romantic kiss!
During the reception, while the band was in the middle of a dance set, we took a moment to simply take a step back and watch our guests enjoying the wedding. Everyone was on the dance floor celebrating, and the energy was incredible! It is a moment we will never forget.
Most of the wedding elements, from the menu to the favors, were local to California. Most, if not all of our vendors, own small, independent businesses based in California. We used as many local and in-season ingredients as possible. We had lavender satchel escort cards/favors made from a lavender farm in Solvang. We got our wedding cake from a small bakery in Santa Barbara. We wanted to keep everything as local as possible and support small businesses where we could.
My gown was by Vera Wang. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of wearing a gown by an iconic designer. The entire process from start to finish was amazing. It was incredible to be at the salon, pick out a dress, and work with such an incredible team. The team at Vera Wang, Beverly Hills was so helpful in allowing me to make my gown unique and customized to me. I had a small piece of blue tissue paper that my grandmother’s dress was wrapped in sewn into the lining of my dress. I absolutely loved my veil, which blew in the wind throughout the wedding ceremony.
My sister-in-law gave me the best advice, which I pass on to everyone I know who is getting married: Make a pact with your spouse that at the wedding you will stay together. All of your guests will want to greet you and congratulate you, and it’s easy to get separated. So, if you make a conscious effort to stay together, you will be able to enjoy every moment of the reception together as husband and wife.
If you use a planner, hire someone you can see yourself relating to personally. The relationship I developed with Jeannie throughout the process was beyond that of a bride and her planner. We were so in tune and always seemed to be on the same page. It was easy to see that we became fast friends. You will be spending a lot of time together and working together very closely, so make sure you work with someone who you can see yourself enjoying a glass of wine with! You will both need it by the end!
Photography: Brandon Kidd Photography | Cinematography: Hoo Films | Event Planning: Details Details | Floral Design: Holly Flora | Cake: Enjoy Cupcakes | Invitations: River & Bridge | Shoes: Stuart Weitzmen | Shoes: Gianvito Rossi | Shoes: Alexandre Birman | Rings: Haniken Jewelers | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Fame And Partners | Catering: Good Gracious! | Hair: Allie Marino | Hair + Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup | Calligraphy: Seniman Calligraphy | Lighting: Shine Lighting | Band: West Coast Music | Favors: Clairmont Farms | Groom's Attire: art lewin bespoke | Transportation: Hy's Limousine | Groom's Ring: XIV Karats | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Mother's Dress: Robert Danes | Rentals: The Tent Merchant | Wedding Dress, Veil, Hair Accessory: Vera Wang
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