Blush hues get me every time. There is something so romantic, so appealing to the eyes about the pretty pink-ish palette that my heart is held hostage every time I see a fête draped in the lovely color. So this detail-filled beauty, designed to perfection by Custom Event Group, sent me in a blush-loving tizzy. It's the perfect way to start the week, and you can see even more pretty in the full gallery of images!
Napa Valley Wedding at Black Swan Lake by Custom Event Group
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From Rebecca of Custom Event Group... I first met with Kristin, Nick and Kristin’s family on a cold January evening around a cracking fire at the iconic Meadowood Napa Valley. I knew from those first handshakes and smiles that this was a special family. Over the next 10 months, they flew up many times from their homes in Southern California to find just the right fit and look. My first leap was to find a reception venue. Kristin and Nick wanted to exchange their vows in downtown St. Helena’s historic Catholic Church. Just a few minutes up the road through the winding highway of grapevines we found a picturesque, private estate, Black Swan Lake, which caught their hearts and their imagination. It had it all — a private lake with weeping willows, olive trees, meandering garden paths, abundant cabernet vineyards and a darling grove of sycamores.
Finally, Kristin and Nick’s wedding day came. St. Helena Catholic Church was enhanced with abundant aisle bouquets, a nubby silk runner and stunning, creamy white altar arrangements. After the traditional Catholic Mass, guests were shuttled to Black Swan Lake and greeted with French champagne and trays of savory hors d’oeuvres. A musical ensemble from the Los Angeles band Black List played jazzy variations of standard top hits. Children were a welcome and joyful part of this wedding, like a breath of fresh air — they jumped off shuttles, exuberantly ran through the property and found darling tents set especially for them. In one of the guesthouses, the bridal party changed from their formal dresses from the ceremony into dusty pink dresses and strappy gold shoes. Everything was perfectly polished, labeled and hung for them, just waiting for the rush of dressing.
The guests could meander all around the escort card table to find their name calligraphed by Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls. Running down the center of the escort table was a personal collection of antique metal containers. No detail was overlooked. We custom built a floor over the bocce court with caramel colored carpeting, which became a stunning platform under the blooming wisteria for the bar and escort table. This was later in the evening transformed into a soft, pearl-colored, glowing lounge and dessert buffet. As the sun began to set over the hills and the amber light of sunset took over, the guests were invited through the champagne satin draped entrance into the reception tent, where Black List wasted no time filling the dance floor! The party started before the first course came out. As the evening moved on, the tempo picked up and the dance floor became more and more alive. There was so much to do, from the soft candlelit lounge on the bocce court and dessert buffet, to the chandelier-lit bar, to dancing under the champagne-colored satin tent.
After lots of kisses and waves, the evening wrapped up with the newlyweds driving off in a 1940 white Packard convertible. We tucked them under a soft lap blanket and handed them a basket filled with savory goodies and wedding cake to enjoy later that night in their room. The weekend concluded on Sunday, with a late morning croquet mimosa brunch at Meadowood Napa Valley. It was so pretty to see all the teams dressed in white on the perfectly mowed croquet glen – a picturesque and perfect conclusion to a magical one of a kind weekend in the Napa Valley Wine Country.
Wedding Photography: Sterling Tyler Photography / Detail Photography: Kristen Loken Photography / Ceremony: St. Helena Catholic Church in St. Helena, California (707-963-1228) / Reception: Black Swan Lake, A Private Estate in Napa, California / Wedding Design + Planning: Rebecca Feeney of Custom Event Group / Floral Design: Kathy Hoffman + MaryAnn Souza of Kathy Hoffman Flowers / Wedding Stationery: Victoria Heifner of Milkfed Press / Calligraphy: Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls of May + Bell Calligraphy and Design / Catering: Paula Le Duc Fine Catering / Wedding Cake: Sam Godfrey of Perfect Endings / Ceremony Music: Eloquence String Quartet / Reception Band: Black List / Tenting: Classic Party Rentals + Raj Tents / Dance Floor: Barker Décor Service / Couches + Ottomans: Blueprint Studios (415-922-9004) / Tables, Chairs + Cafe Tables: Classic Party Rentals / Linens: Wildflower Linens, La Tavola + Napa Valley Linens / Lighting, Chandeliers + Specialty Fixtures: Jeff Mills of Twilight Design / Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride & Family Hair + Makeup: Daniel Combs of Syndicate Salon / Bridal Party Hair + Makeup: Ramee Hurwitz of Winc Studio / Lodging + Croquet Brunch: Meadowood Napa Valley