I am a lover of love and a great love story like this gets me each and every time. Antoinette, the gorgeous Bride and owner of PAPERISTA, kicked cancer in the booty which is reason enough to celebrate but her and her husband also happen to be madly in love and decided this was cause for celebration of the vow renewal kind. They grabbed their closest friends and family (and one insanely adorable pup) and headed to Sonoma for the prettiest outdoor fête captured by Erica Loeks Photography. Get your fix of Wine Country fabulousness with the FULL pretty party in the gallery.
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Five years after being diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, I received the thrilling news I was officially in remission. Immediately I called my husband and asked if he would marry me again on our 2nd wedding anniversary. I felt like it would be the perfect way for us to celebrate the abundance of life and more specifically, our undying love for one another. Of course he said, “YES!” so we quickly set out to coordinate a vow renewal in three weeks!
Lance and I met and married in San Francisco, but currently reside in Minneapolis where I have established PAPERISTA, a luxury stationery boutique and design company. We knew we had to go back to the Bay Area for this momentous occasion and so for our venue, we chose the oldest winery in California, Buena Vista Winery, located in Sonoma. We often frequented Buena Vista during date trips to wine country and knew how lovely the outdoor ambience would be. The setting was so lush and green, a perfect fit for a stately English garden feel that I wanted to create with decor and paper designs. The affair was set with lunch and a private wine tasting in their terraced garden area. Wine Country Party & Events provided all the elegant furniture and decor pieces. My bouquet, boutonnieres and the arrangement in the wine tasting lounge area were created by the lovely Nancy Liu Chin and accented the bright pinks and orange flowers on the table with hues of blue, white, and purple. I designed all the paper pieces and through my company, PAPERISTA, had everything Letterpress printed in blue with the faintest pink details. Minneapolis-based calligrapher, Rosann Konieczny, did the place cards and our marriage confirmation contract in her wonderfully written style. The styling and remaining floral we did with the help of our Minneapolis-based photographer and close friend, Erica Loeks (Erica Loeks Photography). The absolutely gorgeous white tiered cake was provided by Fleur de Lisa Cakes and was the most sumptuous carrot cake any of us had ever tasted.
I kept my look simple, wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier sun dress and my wedding shoes from Nina Ricci. My pink Mui Mui ballet flats were a must in the heat of the afternoon. Also in attendance were our moms and two of our closest friends who were also our best man and a bridesmaid from our wedding. The vow ceremony was beautifully said and heartfelt from my mother who held our original wedding program and an engagement photo in hand. Personal touches were immenient and created a simple event to celebrate our love and commitment for years to come.
The following is the last bit of text from our marriage confirmation contract which we signed and now have framed in our home:
On our wedding day we pledged love and commitment. since that day we have created a home and a life together with promise for the future. Today we joyfully reaffirm our vows and once again promise to love, honor and respect one another through good times and in bad as long as we both shall live.
Wedding Photography: Erica Loeks Photography / Wedding Invitations: PAPERISTA / Floral Design: Nancy Liu Chin / Wedding Cake: Fleur de Lisa Wedding Cakes / Event Rentals: Bright Event Rentals / Event Design: PAPERISTA / Wedding Location & Catering: Buena Vista Winery / Calligraphy: Rosann Konieczny / Bride’s Shoes: Nina Ricci + Miu Miu / Wedding Dress: Jean Paul Gaultier (Originally Worn During Couple’s Honeymoon) / Limo Service: Prestige Limo / Additional Florals: Spruce