We’ve already covered the fact that the wedding dress and the fabulous shoes in today’s featured affair are both enough to make me cry but what we haven’t covered is that the wedding style…from the flowers that Sharla Flock crafted, to the details that Jenne Hohn infused and the INSANELY gorgeous photographs that Rebecca at Docuvitae captured…are enough to make me cry, laugh and squeal with uncontrollable glee. All at the same time. This is a dream wedding and one that is absolutely, unequivocally going down in the SMP hall of fame. Bar none.
{click here to see the full wedding}
Marc and I met at UC Berkeley, so our natural instinct was to tie the knot in Northern California (we live in LA). The Carneros Inn was a perfect setting for not only the wedding, but the week-long leadup. It was like an absolute dream. The architecture and all around design of the property is contemporary but warm. Elegant, but totally incorporated into the environment and topography. Our ceremony was in the Apple Orchard, and the Cocktails and Reception was in The Hilltop Dining Room, which has french doors on all sides, leading out to an outdoor fireplace and wood deck.
The absolute BEST decision we made was hiring Rebecca and working with Docuvitae. She was a rock star. She brought about 5 cameras and shot with them all, everything from digital to vintage film cameras. We wanted a journalistic style of photography without any staged feeling. Every photograph is a sort of ‘in between’ moment that actually captures the essence of what it was like to be there. The memories of the day totally parallel the photographic documentation of it, and that is remarkable
Sharla Flock is also awesome to work with, and we definitely clicked when we met. I used to work in a flower shop so I knew what I wanted. After going back and forth about the color palette, one day I was at a local flower shop and saw a couple bunches of ranuculus ranging in color from ivory to corals to persimmon and pink. I knew then that i wanted a sort of tonal, ombre look. The ceremony would include more whites and ivorys, and the reception would bring in pops of color. All tied together with the greens, including sage, pods, and dusty miller. I bought the mauve lace table runners in China during a work trip, and the iron candlestick holders are from Anthropologie.
Baumbirdy (on etsy) designed our gorgeous wood invites, table #’s, and place cards. Marc, my husband, designed our Save the Dates, menu, escort cards, and Ketubah which featured photographs of family members from 3 generations. As an avid food and wine lover, this was a very important part of the planning process. Luckily Marc and I had the pleasure of eating at the restaurants at the hotel prior to getting engaged, so we knew we were going to be getting top knotch F&B service. Wine pairing was a must, and being in Napa, we had endless possibilities. No one could stop talking about the Herb Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter. Yum! Dessert was mini cheesecake bites and mini eclairs. An extravagant cake was last on our list of priorities. It was nice for people to have their choice of treats at their leisure, as well.
In conclusion, I couldn’t have imagined the day being any different. It was magical, playful, easy, and so full of love. I am a people pleaser, and knew I needed to let go of trying to make sure everyone was happy at every moment. It’s impossible. And, many times, ineffective. My parents are divorced and honestly, even under the extreme emotional climate, everyone present came together like a huge family. It was unreal.
Photography: Rebecca of Docuvitae Photography / Flowers: Sharla Flock of Sharla Flock Designs / Event Design: Jenne Hohn of Hohn Events / Site Coordinator & Food/Beverage Director: Brooke Baglietto / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Carneros Inn, Napa Valley, CA / Invitations: Baumbirdy, etsy / Shoes: designed and manufactured by bride / Dress: Monique Lhullier