Did you know that Lisa Lefkowitz was pretty much the very first Little Black Book member we had? Yep. Lisa is and has always been a SMP fan and the feeling is so mutual we can rarely contain our gushing. Lisa photographs every wedding with soul. With texture and style and emotion. You can literally feel the warmth and loveliness built into each and every pictures so when we see her name pop into our inbox, we always do a little happy jig. And this wedding is no exception. It’s beauty defined in a classic but fresh Napa Valley celebration at one of our favorite venues, Beaulieu Garden. And believe it or not, there is SO much more in the galleries right here.
Don’t think we’re letting you get away just yet! And now, it’s our favorite way to end a beautiful wedding. With a clip by Weddings on Film so lovely you will most certainly want to grab the box of tissues before you begin…
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Click here for the FULL wedding!
From Lisa Lefkowitz… Kimberley and Chad were married on October 1, 2011 at Beaulieu Garden, an estate in Rutherford, California. A Silicon Valley couple, Kimberley and Chad “met” online in the fall of 2009. Due to their busy schedules, they did not manage to meet in person until March 2010, when they got together for the first time in person at Cafe de Flore in San Francisco. Kimberley and Chad planned to have drinks at that first date. Unbeknownst to the future bride, Chad had a rule against dinner on the first date, preferring to keep things short and sweet. Yet only a few minutes after Kimberley arrived at the cafe, Chad suggested that they eat dinner that evening. Kimberley agreed and promptly ordered a cheeseburger. Chad was smitten by her culinary choice, and they were soon a couple. The bride, too, had a rule she had vowed never to break. She had long said that she would never marry someone with whom she had not yet taken an international trip. Despite this vow, she gleefully accepted Chad’s proposal a year to the day after their first date, notwithstanding the fact that they had not yet used their passports together. Luckily for the adventure-loving bride, the couple spent a glorious three weeks honeymooning in Amsterdam and Tanzania just after their wedding.
Kimberley and Chad knew that they wanted to get married outdoors in the San Francisco region. When they stumbled upon Beaulieu Garden, a gorgeous, manicured French-style home and garden surrounded by lush California vineyards, they knew they had found the perfect spot. Kimberley has long been a Francophile, so the European-style gardens appealed to her sense of beauty. In addition, her paternal grandmother was raised in Napa, so her family has a deep connection to the region. Over lunch at Bouchon Bakery, the couple decided that Beaulieu Garden was a perfect fit. They let the setting dictate the design of their large, yet warm and intimate, nuptials. Kimberley was inspired to create an elegant French garden feeling in the ceremony, cocktail and dinner decor. Working with planner Kristi Amoroso, she chose garden roses, hydrangeas, and other complementary flowers in fresh whites and creams, accented by vibrant pops of peach and coral, to set the tone. The dinner area, a mix of long wooden kings tables and clothed square tables, had an elegant heirloom feeling. Kimberley asked their gifted florist, Tracy Rade, to create tablescapes inspired by the idea that the couple was throwing an elegant French garden party and that they had gathered all of her grandmother’s containers out of the attic to create the organic arrangements.
The elegant setting and decor were made more accessible by personal touches special to the couple. Their signature drink, the Frederico, was fashioned after the house specialty at the resort in Hawaii where Kimberley has traveled with her family since she was a baby. The couple’s dog, Freddy, is also named after the cocktail. The parting gift for their guests, a chocolate covered angel food cake, is also a family favorite.
Wedding Photography: Lisa Lefkowitz / Wedding Venue: Beaulieu Garden in Napa, California / Wedding Planner: Kristi Amoroso Special Events / Floral Design: Tracy Radeff of Radeff Design Studios / Wedding Cinematography: Weddings on Film / Catering: Paula LeDuc Fine Catering / Wedding Cake: Perfect Endings / Wedding Stationery: Little Miss Press / Ceremony Music: Lawrence Strings Quartet / Band: Napata Mero of Napata & The Kisses / Transportation: Antique Tours and Classic Convertible Wine Tours / Favors: Angel Heart Cakes / Lighting: Got Light / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bride’s Engagement Ring: Blue Nile / Bride’s Wedding Band: Beverly K / Bridal Accommodations: Villagio Inn & Spa / Bridesmaid Dresses: Their Choice / Groom’s Suit: Proper Suit / Groom’s Ring: Oncina