An Al Fresco Wedding "Under the Tuscan Sun"
Mark and Natasha love three things – wine, music, and Italy – so Lorimar Winery with its view of the mountains and rolling vineyard was the perfect backdrop for their wedding day. Leilani Weddings and Pursue Love Design Co. helped create that "under the Tuscan sun" feeling the couple wanted their guests to experience while at the same time incorporating the Bride's Chinese heritage in the al fresco reception. Aga Jones Photography captured this perfect blend of old and new, which you can see more of in the gallery.
From the Bride... Mark and I love three things: good wine, good music, and Italy. After a few months of dating, Mark took me to Lorimar Winery on my birthday and asked me to be his girlfriend. Ever since then, we visit the vineyard on my birthday to celebrate our beginning. When it was time to choose a wedding venue, we knew that this Tuscan villa style winery with the Temecula mountains and vineyards in the background would make the perfect setting for our wedding.
The inspiration behind our wedding was to create an elegant, organic, and ethereal aesthetic that was not only romantic, but that also complemented Lorimar Winery’s old world, Italian-inspired architecture. The talented teams from Leilani Weddings and Pursue Love Design Co. brought our vision to life and translated the experience we wanted our guests to enjoy – the feeling of dining al fresco, under the stars in Tuscany.
No details were overlooked for the wedding. A family friend, Danica Nicole Designs, created a beautiful watercolor invitation and custom crest to set the tone for our Tuscan-inspired wedding. Mirrored signs with gold calligraphy with our crest were displayed throughout the vineyard. She also created a sign, “Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars,” to match the words of our first dance song. The escort table cards were written on textured, organic paper in gold calligraphy, placed on top of taupe, chiffon backing inside a gold metal frame. A large and whimsical banner draped with an eucalyptus and olive leaf garland was the backdrop to our sweetheart table. Finally, a watercolor canvas of our venue, designed by our talented calligrapher, served as our guest book.
For the ceremony, guests were greeted with champagne under a pagoda of natural foliage as they entered into an ethereal ceremony site draped with flowing chiffon and climbing greenery that framed the scenic vineyards and mountains.
For cocktail hour, guests were welcomed to the vineyard's lawn where they could enjoy signature cocktails on tall tables covered with blush pink chiffon and tied with foliage. Guests sipped their wine "under the Tuscan sun" as they lounged on old, European vintage pieces from Etablir and played lawn games.
Leilani Weddings and Pursue Love Design Co. incorporated my Chinese heritage into the tablescape by blending traditional round tables with lazy susans on top and long rows of wooden farm tables featuring table numbers hand calligraphed on organic pressed paper. A blending of old and new traditions had never been done before in my family, and I was the first to attempt this! They not only paid homage to my culture, which my family appreciated, but they also created an intimate, al fresco dining experience reminiscent of Tuscany. A canopy of string lights covered the vineyard lawn and allowed guests to feel like they were dining under the stars. Organic linens paired with lush pastel florals, fresh greenery, delicate gold place settings, and soft candlelight created a romantic and soft tablescape. Each place setting was thoughtfully created with the help of beautiful china and glassware from Abby and Stephanie’s linens. As a take away, a little jar of rosemary-infused olive oil tied with fresh rosemary was placed on each guest’s place setting so that they could take home a little of Tuscany with them. A gorgeous cake adorned with pastel florals that sat on a golden bar cart draped with greenery completed the reception.
From Leilani Weddings... From the moment we first sat down with Natasha and Mark to discuss their wedding day vision, we knew they were all about the details and about creating a one-of-a-kind experience for their guests – many of whome had never experienced a very stylized, al fresco, entertainment-laden wedding ever before. Lorimar Winery was the perfect backdrop to create their stunning Tuscan Villa inspired October wedding and reception, planned and designed by us with the help of Caroline from Pursue Love Design Co. With over 20 creative partners on board, including everything from a custom calligrapher to dueling pianists, we were able to truly create a fairytale for Natasha and Mark.
The inspiration behind our wedding was to create an elegant, organic, and ethereal aesthetic that was not only romantic, but that also complemented Lorimar Winery’s old world, Italian-inspired architecture. The talented teams from Leilani Weddings and Pursue Love Design Co. brought our vision to life and translated the experience we wanted our guests to enjoy – the feeling of dining al fresco, under the stars in Tuscany.
No details were overlooked for the wedding. A family friend, Danica Nicole Designs, created a beautiful watercolor invitation and custom crest to set the tone for our Tuscan-inspired wedding. Mirrored signs with gold calligraphy with our crest were displayed throughout the vineyard. She also created a sign, “Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars,” to match the words of our first dance song. The escort table cards were written on textured, organic paper in gold calligraphy, placed on top of taupe, chiffon backing inside a gold metal frame. A large and whimsical banner draped with an eucalyptus and olive leaf garland was the backdrop to our sweetheart table. Finally, a watercolor canvas of our venue, designed by our talented calligrapher, served as our guest book.
For the ceremony, guests were greeted with champagne under a pagoda of natural foliage as they entered into an ethereal ceremony site draped with flowing chiffon and climbing greenery that framed the scenic vineyards and mountains.
For cocktail hour, guests were welcomed to the vineyard's lawn where they could enjoy signature cocktails on tall tables covered with blush pink chiffon and tied with foliage. Guests sipped their wine "under the Tuscan sun" as they lounged on old, European vintage pieces from Etablir and played lawn games.
Leilani Weddings and Pursue Love Design Co. incorporated my Chinese heritage into the tablescape by blending traditional round tables with lazy susans on top and long rows of wooden farm tables featuring table numbers hand calligraphed on organic pressed paper. A blending of old and new traditions had never been done before in my family, and I was the first to attempt this! They not only paid homage to my culture, which my family appreciated, but they also created an intimate, al fresco dining experience reminiscent of Tuscany. A canopy of string lights covered the vineyard lawn and allowed guests to feel like they were dining under the stars. Organic linens paired with lush pastel florals, fresh greenery, delicate gold place settings, and soft candlelight created a romantic and soft tablescape. Each place setting was thoughtfully created with the help of beautiful china and glassware from Abby and Stephanie’s linens. As a take away, a little jar of rosemary-infused olive oil tied with fresh rosemary was placed on each guest’s place setting so that they could take home a little of Tuscany with them. A gorgeous cake adorned with pastel florals that sat on a golden bar cart draped with greenery completed the reception.
From Leilani Weddings... From the moment we first sat down with Natasha and Mark to discuss their wedding day vision, we knew they were all about the details and about creating a one-of-a-kind experience for their guests – many of whome had never experienced a very stylized, al fresco, entertainment-laden wedding ever before. Lorimar Winery was the perfect backdrop to create their stunning Tuscan Villa inspired October wedding and reception, planned and designed by us with the help of Caroline from Pursue Love Design Co. With over 20 creative partners on board, including everything from a custom calligrapher to dueling pianists, we were able to truly create a fairytale for Natasha and Mark.