We love a good Michael + Anna Costa wedding for so many reasons. But the two that stand out time and again are 1) They’re always filled with the loveliest light and 2) They endlessly pack a good dose of California flavor. Now add the design and styling of Joy de Vivre + Florette Designs and the always beautiful backdrop of Sunstone Winery and I promise you, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Have a look at the full wedding right here.
From the Bride…We wanted our wedding to be a casual but elegant weekend where our guests were well taken care of. With many friends traveling from out of state, and the groom’s family flying in from Wisconsin we wanted to host everyone for a weekend of celebrating and have time to enjoy every minute possible with our guests. We chose Santa Ynez wine country because it is a place special to us and a place we wanted to share with our friends and family. Sunstone Winery is a beautiful family owned winery that we felt combined all the elements we wanted to make for an intimate and relaxed wedding.
We tried to incorporate traditional touches with a modern twist throughout all the planning. I worked closely with Melissa Copeland of franny bee designs who designed our Invitations and most of the day of details including the programs, placecards and menus. We also wanted to mix in fun handmade touches throughout the ceremony and reception to compliment Melissa’s work. Luckily, I had some pretty awesome bridesmaids who helped handwrite table numbers, stuff gift bags and make signs. Our florist, Kelly Kaufman, brought the vision to life with her gorgeous arrangements and beautiful tablescapes filled with lanterns and candles.
The groom is a writer and my father is a judge, so my hubby worked with my dad to write the entire ceremony from scratch with lots of personal touches and special meaning for us. My dad officiated the ceremony and we wrote our own vows which made for an amazing and intimate ceremony. The groom’s sister read the lyrics to Jack Johnson’s “Better Together” as our reading, and the bride’s grandparents read the traditional Irish Blessing. Music is important to us and, so the groom worked with a traditional string quartet to develop a music program full of re-imagined rock ‘n roll songs and unexpected music choices for our ceremony.
We wanted our reception to feel more like a dinner party. We served cocktails in a candlelit wine cave and then escorted our guests outside for a family style dinner under the stars. A touching bridesmaid toast, was followed by one of the best groomsmen speeches I’ve ever heard, and a heartwarming tribute from my father. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. We ended the emotional celebration dancing the night away under a full moon. My only regret is that the night couldn’t last longer……
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Photographer: Michael + Anna Costa Photography | Design + Planning: Joy de Vivre | Floral Design: Florette Designs | Venue: Sunstone Winery | Catering: Duo Events | Rentals: Town and Country | Cinematography: Amari Productions | Officiant: Father of Bride | DJ: Gavin Roy Presents | Ceremony Music: Aurora Ensemble | Cake: Enjoy Cupcakes | Transportation: Santa Barbara Airbus | Limo: Limo Link | Linens: La Tavola | Invitations + Stationary Details: franny bee designs | Hair & Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale | Grooms Suit + Tie: Theory | Groomsmen Suits + Ties: Kenneth Cole