Weddings are amazing. That’s a given. But two day weddings? Those are down right mind blowing. Especially when that two days encompasses a Nepalese ceremony full of lovely tradition followed by the prettiest Western celebration in the hills of Healdsburg. It’s one beautiful image after another shot by Jessamyn Harris Photography and you can see it all right here.
From the Bride…We met on New Year’s Eve and after four years of dating, were engaged. The whirlwind of the planning process followed as we decided we would get married six months from then. Throughout our time together, we spent some beautiful moments in California Wine Country, enjoying the beautiful scenery and delicious wines. We really wanted to get married in a vineyard and considered some wine regions in New York, closer to where Ron grew up and where his family lives. Ultimately, the draw of being wed in the same area where we built our relationship was too strong.
We ended up planning not one, but two different ceremonies to celebrate both our cultures. The first ceremony was our Nepalese wedding which took place on a private estate in Cloverdale, Sonoma County, where we stayed with our families for the weekend of our marriage. Because I was born and raised in Nepal, that ceremony was focused on the long but wonderful Hindu rituals that are central to Nepalese weddings. It was a great way for Ron and for his family to get to know my culture.
For the Western wedding, we chose Copain Wine Cellars in Healdsburg, a place that always captivated us with their amazing wines and spectacular views. We focused on a short and sweet ceremony with a lot of time to be enjoyed with our closest friends and family, dining and socializing. Planning the wedding while living apart in two different cities than our wedding destination (Ron in DC due to a job promotion and myself in Reno while finishing up my Ph.D in Psychology) was difficult, and this is where we were so lucky to have had Shannon, our planner. We relied on her for so much and on every shopping trip I took to buy pieces for the wedding, whether it was centerpieces or décor items at vintage stores, Shannon was only a phone call away to give her feedback and keep me on track. As we got closer to the wedding, Ron and I decided our biggest priority was to enjoy this important time and that meant letting go of every urge to continue to plan and obsess over the small details. With Shannon’s help, I have to say we were the most relaxed we have ever been and soaked in every little moment.
Nepalese Wedding: Photography: Jessamyn Harris Photography / Wedding Venue: Private Estate in Cloverdale, Sonoma County, California / Floral Design: Daisy Rose Floral Design / Catering: Punjabi Dhaba / Officiant: Thagendra Khatiwada / Bride + Groom Attire: Custom-made in Nepal / Hair + Makeup: Martha Solorio
Western Wedding: Photography: Jessamyn Harris Photography / Wedding Venue: Copain Wines in Healdsburg, California / Floral Design: Daisy Rose Floral Design / Event Design + Coordination: J. Jasper Events / Catering: Sarah Heller Cooking / Dessert: Patisserie Angelica / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals + Encore Events / Vintage Items: Bride’s collection + Twig by Twig (twigbytwig@comcast.net) / Wedding Dress: Watters / Bride’s Sash: Something Ivory / Bride’s Shoes: Prada / Bride’s Jewelry: (earrings and hairpiece) Nordstrom / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Donna Morgan / Hair: Stella Stevens Hair Design / Makeup: Raina Rombeiro / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss