The next star in today’s amazing wedding line up is this intimate wine country wedding by Cliff Brunk Photography. Loving the sophisticated, romantic vineyard vibe of this elegant Calistoga Ranch affair. The flowers alone could have me staring at my computer screen for hours on end. But there’s SO much more than lots of pretty petals here. Completely adorable couple, beyond amazing venue, exquisite details… I’ve barely scratched the surface of all the gorgeousness for this one… click here for even more.
There’s SO much more where that came from in the gallery.
From Betty Wan, Type A Planning….
Christine and Jeff locked eyes on each other one night at a friend’s gathering. There was instant attraction. It was just one of those moments where you know that something special had happened. They had quite the long distance relationship for some time; Christine was traveling all over Asia and Europe, and Jeff to all parts of the US. It must be that absence makes the heart grow fonder, because Jeff eventually decided to retire his consulting wings and take a more local job that required less frequent travel. This was serious and it was all part of his master plan; to win over Christine’s heart.
The couple got engaged one March afternoon at a downtown LA art gallery where Jeff had commissioned an artist to draw their Chinese zodiac animals. In the middle of the drawing, there was a special question. Of course she said yes, and now there was a wedding to plan! Fast forward to the planning of Christine and Jeff’s wedding at the Calistoga Ranch resort in Calistoga, CA.
The beautiful lawn with the lake backdrop was the perfect opening to a romantic wine country wedding. Follow that up with the reception inside the wine cave to create the intimate feel of this 50 person wedding. It was one of those moments where you knew this was the right place for their wedding. Both Christine and Jeff had the same expression on their face that they had finally found the perfect spot. The Calistoga Ranch setting is rustic and yet still luxurious in its amenities. The mountain and lake view landscape was lush in greenery that we wanted to play off of the nature-y feel. The décor would be simpler and understated so that the background would still be the main focus. This was after all, the reason why they picked this place! Their wedding photos were shot by Cliff Brunk, who took really amazing photos to capture this beautiful day.
The ceremony was decorated very simply with some yellow carnation pomander balls on the aisle chairs, and a heavy petal aisle that led to a circle of petals for the bride and groom. The setting was so intimate and romantic with all the guests close to the couple to hear and see their emotions as they recited their vows to each other. Christine and Jeff had their closest family and friends standing beside them, and a very good friend conducted their wedding ceremony.
During the reception the guests had a chance to sign the huge jeroboam bottle of wine from the Far Niente winery. The couple has a membership to the winery and loves their wine. They plan to open the wine on their 10th anniversary or perhaps save it for even longer.
We have to talk about the beautiful flowers and arrangements. Polly, at Valley Floral, is a local Napa florist. She was a great choice for the couple because on their first meeting, it was clear that the vision was understood. Polly would work with Christine over the next few months to create this beautiful arrangement of soft, creamy, and romantic flowers. Combine with Christine’s love of succulents, moss and textured fruit; and you have yourself a very happy bride. We loved that Polly used some unusual vessels such as small bowls, tiny bud glass vases, Chinese soup spoons, and apothecary jars.
After dinner was over, the party started. Dave Tutton, SF based DJ, kept the party going with some fun music. Even the parents got on the floor to dance! In addition, Christine hired Jon Casey, a digital caricature artist, to do some funny sketches. His table was busy all night!
Vendor Credits: Photography: Cliff Brunk / Flowers: Valley Flora / Event Design: Betty Wan of Type A Planning / Event Planning: Type A Planning / Ceremony Location: Calistoga, CA – Calistoga Ranch / Reception Location: Calistoga, CA – Calistoga Ranch / Shoes: Nina / Digital Caricaturist: Jon Casey