A wedding that includes a couple riding on a Ferris wheel is a great one in my book. And a couple that took their unfussy, low-maintenance lifestyle and transformed it into a wedding day both simple and insanely beautiful is also a great celebration in my book. This wedding reflects not only the couple but also the beautiful surroundings of Bear Flag Farm. It’s love, Ferris wheels and pretty blooms all captured by Zoom Photography and you can see even more right here.
From the Bride…Our engagement story is an amusing one. We enjoy spending weekends in Napa, drinking wine, eating great food and getting massages. So when Jay suggested a restful weekend in Napa, I didn’t think twice about it. He wanted to try out a new hotel we’d never been to, Auberge du soliel. He made us massage appointments which couldn’t be at the same time, so mine started shortly after his. My therapist started the massage on my back, which was a little suspect, but I didn’t think much of it. Near the end of my massage, she opened the door to the room. I thought it was odd because it opened up into a public courtyard. The next thing I felt was a tugging below my face. I looked down and I saw jay’s sunglasses looking up at me through the face rest. I was appalled that the therapist had let him in my room! He was laughing because I asked what the heck are you doing in my room?! He then put the ring through the hole in the face rest and asked me if I would marry him. It was a very original and thoughtful proposal, definitely a jay idea. The day was a beautiful cool fall day in November; the colors in Napa at that time were gold, red and green. It was the perfect day that I’ll never forget. We drank champagne in a hot tub looking out over the beautiful scene.
Jay and I are both simple and low maintenance people. This was very much reflected in our planning for our marriage and reception. We wanted something simple and beautiful. We decided to have a small city hall ceremony with our parents and grandparents. After which we planned to have a large reception party with all our closest friends and our families. After doing some research on CA Weddings, and visiting locations throughout Napa and Sonoma, we found this fabulous farm in Winters, CA. Once we stepped onto the farm we were enraptured by the beauty and simplicity of it. The farm offered an unconventional atmosphere for a wedding party. After seeing the space and meeting the farm owner, Tina Reikes, the decision was easy. Tina and her team, coupled with great weather and a group of our closest family and friends, turned out a gorgeous party that was far beyond my expectations.
The best moment of our wedding day was seeing each other for the first time once we arrived at city hall. There was multitude of feelings in that moment; the anticipation of our ceremony, love for our parents and grandparents and the pride they had for us and the day, and knowing that we would leave there husband and wife. Jay and I fell for each other for a simple reason we both feel, it’s incredibly easy for us to be a couple. We get along very well, we talk though disagreements and we respect each other.
We chose Zoom Photography after a lot of online research and multiple phone conversations. Lauri Levenfeld, the owner of Zoom, is pleasant, upbeat, professional and genuinely excited to be a part of our special day. She and her team were amazing the day of our party. They were efficient, respectful of us and our guests, while being playful and fun at the same time. As a bride, you realize that the people you choose as vendors are inherently a part of your memories of that day. It was important to jay and I to surround ourselves with people we genuinely got along with. It made everything run more smoothly and resulted in a wonderful experience.
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Photography: Zoom Photography | Second Shooter: Jessica Epstein | Wedding Coordinator: Tina Reikes of Bear Flag Farm | Venue, Event + Floral Design: Bear Flag Farm | Caterer: Grace Lee Events | Tents: Zephyr Tents | Hair: Marie Crist, Vis a V Salon | Makeup: Lenore Harrington