Two of my favorite kinds of weddings are those of high school sweethearts (sweet for a reason) and those in the hills of Napa. So weave the two together and you’ve got a wedding I have not stopped talking about. Adeline and Grace Photography captured the love between these sweeties on the vineyards of Napa and filled a gallery with gorgeous. Click here to see it!
From the gorgeous bride … Mike and I met almost nine years ago in high school the last day of the school year. I immediately felt at ease, as if I had known him forever. We spent every single day together that summer and said “I love you” after only being together for two weeks. Even though we were so young I knew we would end up together.
Fast forward to seven years later, and he finally proposed in our shared studio apartment with a slideshow of pictures of us throughout the years playing in the background. It was the most perfect intimate and private moment. After many excited phone calls and text messages, we immediately set out planning the wedding we had been waiting for forever. We knew we wanted it to be held in our hometown of Napa, and that we wanted it to take place in the fall when the vineyards take on the most gorgeous shades of reds, oranges, and yellows.
The difficult part was finding a venue that fit our most important criteria: that our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception be held at the same venue. After touring several venues we decided that the Meritage in Napa would best accommodate our needs.
Finding vendors turned out to be the easiest part. We chose our local vendors based not only upon their excellent work, but the great connections we felt with all of them. My husband left all of the planning to me, with the exception of all of the tastings which he tackled with special gusto. I had so many ideas for our big day, and all of the vendors really helped bring all of them together cohesively. My taste is classic with a touch of glam. I have a love of all things that sparkle, and a special fondness for bows. Crystals and bow accents were prominent throughout the festivities. My Monique Lhuillier gown was the most perfect combination of glamour and sparkle. It’s extremely cliché to say, but I really felt like a princess. Gorgeous long, grey Monique Lhuillier bridesmaid dresses were the perfect complement to my gown, and the men looked so handsome in their dapper attire. My favorite accents of the evening’s décor included the beautiful arbor dripping in crystals with tea lights, and the gorgeous Versailles chandelier taking center stage in the reception.
The day went off without a hitch. The weather was crisp, clear and perfect, despite it taking place in November. We couldn’t believe our luck! We were so initially set on the tradition of not seeing each other until the ceremony, but changed our minds at the last minute and decided to have an impromptu first look photo session. With it being an evening wedding, we wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather for photos in the vineyards before the ceremony. The ceremony was kept short and sweet. We wanted the focus of the evening to be celebrating with family and friends, so most of the time was allotted for cocktail hour and the reception. We noshed on delicious entrees and dessert, and danced well into the evening with our loved ones. Everyone had an incredible time, and I finally got to marry my best friend. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding.
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Photography: Adeline and Grace Photography | Flowers: Valley Flora | Event Planning: Events by Ann Marie | Venue: Meritage Resort and Spa | Lighting & Full Produtcion: The Lux Productions