I think this wedding needs a category all its own. Something like Organic Fabulousness or Wine Country Wonderment. It just has this special kick that speaks to our wedding loving hearts and the purple, tutu-clad flower girls definitely help the cause. Off the Beaten Path Weddings had their hands in just about every aspect of this fete, from the gourmet food to the lovely florals with that fresh from the garden feel and combined with the picture perfect images by onelove photography, this beauty screams favorite me and make loads of scrumptious inspiration boards from my many fabulous details. Right? Right! See the full day here where you can make as many pretty boards as your heart desires.
From the Couple… The two most memorable moments of our day were our “first look” and the Ketubah signing. WIth everything that led up to the wedding, traveling, picking up last minute items, and meeting up with our guests, those moments were the most relaxed and intimate of our entire weekend.
My wife and I wanted our wedding to reflect the things we really enjoy: food, wine, close friends and family. When we thought of the first two, it was a no-brainer that we would get married in Napa Valley. We also wanted an atmosphere where everything could come together in a relaxed way, something that did not seem like a typical wedding. Insert the beautiful outdoor estate here, picturesque views of Napa Valley, and all of the easy natural decorations. With almost all of our guests traveling long distances to come to the wedding, we planned several events to facilitate people enjoying the Napa experience. We also stocked our bar with our favorite Napa wines and local microbrews; as well as plenty of sparkling wine.
We really wanted the gorgeous views that surrounded us to be our main “decoration” so the bare farm tables with just a few seasonal flowers were perfect. We were also very excited about some of the decorations that we could enjoy the wedding day and years to come. One of the coolest aspects was our tree “guest book” that guests left their “leaf” thumb print on. Our chef did an outstanding job of making food that was fresh from local produce and in season. The ultimate food experience had to be the tomato bar. Stocked with in-season fresh tomatoes, flavored salts and spices, oils, and pesto, this kept the guests coming back for different combinations. It also made for great pictures that we plan to frame and hang in our home to remind us of our amazing day.
Knowing our limits and finding Mary Ellen Murphy from Off The Beaten Path Weddings was the best decision we made! Because we were planning a destination wedding while finishing up our degrees in two different states (I was in Florida while Evan was in Texas for the year prior to our wedding) it was very important for us to have a wedding planner/designer who could take care of all the important details and whose personal aesthetic worked with our goals for our wedding. Her easy approach to wine country weddings was a perfect fit and kept the stress to a minimum.
Photography: onelove photography / Cake: Signature dessert bar by Off the Beaten Path Weddings /
Caterer: Off the Beaten Path Weddings, Chef Tim Vallery / Floral: Off the Beaten Path Weddings, team designer, Erica Rose / Officiant: Rabbi Gershon of Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network