Truth be told, I completely instagram stalk the husband and wife duo behind Erin Hearts Court. They’re totally the cutest and their little girl Avi is enough to send my baby obsession into overdrive. But on top of all that real life greatness, they also capture some of the most gorgeous weddings we come across. Weddings like this pastel perfection designed by Downey Street Events + A.Hana Designs. And there’s so much more to be pored over right here in the full gallery.
From the Bride…My fiancé Ben and I met during freshman year of college. After nine years straight of “going steady,” we were engaged on a surprise weekend jaunt to Paris, and a few months later, wedding planning was underway! Seeing the Thomas Fogarty Winery for the first time gave me my inspiration – the country lodge, perched atop a sprawling bounty of grape vines rolling gently down the Santa Cruz mountains until the hills meet the sparkling San Francisco Bay, was truly the perfect place for our big day: breathtaking yet intimate and comfortable, a blank slate for design. Remembering the romance of our engagement, I wanted to bring the airy, whimsical and undeniably enchanting feel of the French countryside to this beautiful Woodside enclave, filled with light and air.
I stubbornly chose a pink, gold and cream theme despite the fact that our wedding was in August. The late-summer timing just meant a warmer, peachish glow to the florals. Juliet and secret garden roses were a lovely proxy for peonies, while gold accents brought in a bit of a modern and luxe counterpoint. I purchased a few French script and broad-striped pillows to add a touch of La Ville-Lumière. My mother, on weekends, picked a few DIY projects, hand-wrapping gold lace around floating candle holders for the reception, designing a few burlap frames for our seating cards, and crafting a set of adorable Totoro cake-toppers that sat atop a custom-baked cake courtesy of one of my extraordinarily talented college roommates. Realizing that we would be blessed and burdened by a brilliantly sunny and sweat-inducingly hot day, I chose a very light organza Romona Keveza gown that still had a bit of volume and bounce. My fiancé and groomsmen chose tuxedos made of light-wool, and my wonderful bridesmaids wore similarly airy chiffon.
The secret to not being overwhelmed by your own wedding seems to be in selecting just a few fun and important areas to focus on. My fiancé and I were so grateful to the hundred and twenty guests who flew in from all over the world to spend this precious day with us, and wanted to try our best to create an intimate and personal celebration. A few details turned out to be great bang-for-the-buck hits: a Polaroid photo table and guestbook for guests to snap-and-sign, home-baked cupcakes and candy bar with take-home grosgrain ribbon bags to satisfy the inner sweet tooth, and baskets of dark and light pink flipflops for lady guests to ditch their fancy heels and dance the night away.
Brides-to-be, my only word of advice is to stop planning a few days in advance, and make sure to fully relax and enjoy your special day! The evening before our wedding, we gave our cell phones to our life-saving planner Lauren and became guests at our own wedding, spending the next day soaking in the sunlight, lovely and intimate ceremony, and listening to hilarious and heartwarming speeches by my father, maid-of-honor and best man, both of whom have known us since the beginning of our decade-long relationship. As the sun set over the winery and the lodge was lit up with lights, my now-husband and I took a moment to take a breather and listen to the sound of bubbling champagne and the magical combination of conversation and laughter. Our wedding was exactly what we imagined in the important way – surrounded by our loving family and cherished friends.
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Photographer: Erin Hearts Court | Venue: Thomas Fogarty Winery | Event Planning: Lauren Geissler of Downey Street Events | Floral Design: A.Hana Designs | Catering: Thomas John Events | Officiant: Minister Maggie Beretz | Cinematographer: Rainbowfish Cinema | Makeup: Mimi & Taylor | Band: Poprocks | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Table Numbers: Z Create Design | Cake: Friend of the bride | Afterparty: Four Seasons Silicon Valley | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza | Shoes: Vera Wang Lavender | Veil: Custom-Made