Justin and I are music and food nerds whose idea of a perfect evening involves dinner with good friends at a neighborhood gem, a little 80s karaoke, and some major dancing…so when we stated planning our wedding, we looked away from the formal venues in NYC (our home town) and turned to wine country to get the laid-back, foodie vibe we wanted.
We scheduled our first planning tip to Sonoma in the middle of the NYC winter (a destination wedding bonus!) and hit the ground running. Over the course of four days, we drove over 600 miles and saw many gorgeous spaces, but none felt right until we stepped onto a storied private estate, tucked into the Sonoma hills. Stone ruins, an old barn, and gnarled, mossy oaks charged the air with drama, but felt informal enough to have the kind of rockstar party we wanted. Justin and I high-fived as we left the property, knowing that we’d found the place where we’d marry.
With the help of the immeasurably talented Brandy Cabral at Bliss Event Productions, we designed a wedding filled with details that celebrated our love for each other. Surrounded by 110 of our closest family and friends, Justin and I became husband and wife in a ceremony we had written together. We honored our families by referencing them wherever we could: my grandmother carried my late grandfather’s beloved Red Sox hat with her down the aisle; I wore bracelets that represented each part of my family; we changed into traditional Chinese wedding attire during the reception. We served our favorite foods (pork chops and pie!) and got everyone on their feet during a dance-off/air-guitar battle. Justin took the whole thing next level when he jumped on stage to sing “Sweet Child of Mine” with the band!
Our little wedding-turned-concert was the perfect combination of love, laughter, and fun. We wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without the tremendous efforts of our amazing vendors (huge, ridiculous thank you)! Justin and I feel like the luckiest couple in the world.
Photography: Kate Harrison / Flowers: Flower Wild / Event Planning: Bliss Event Productions / Ceremony Location: Annadell Estate Winery / Reception Location: Annadell Estate Winery / Invitations: Minted / Shoes: Dune & Valentino / American Dress: Richard Tyler /Chinese Dress: Boutique in Chinatown NYC / Bridesmaids: J.Crew / Hair & Makeup: Wedding Hair & Makeup by Julie Morgan / Pies: Sweetie Pies / Catering: Alex's Catering / Band: Notorious / Tents: Zephyr Tents