“Casual Elegance” at This Napa Valley Garden Party

Lauren Megerdichian
October 18, 2023
Categories: Real Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance

[section title=”The Planning”]

[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Earth Tones, Browns, Tans, Neutrals, white, green, orange, yellow, blue[/field]

[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]Our overall vibe was “casual elegance” in order to match the Napa aesthetic and the natural beauty of the venue. We used an earth tone color palette to compliment the vineyard, trees and water on the property, with pops of citrus to brighten up the decor. Some other words we threw around were relaxed, romantic and natural, and we turned to ceramics and garden parties for inspiration. We loved the idea of al fresco dining during sunset and a dance floor under the stars so we opted for no tent or covering (thanks to Napa’s 0% chance of rain in June). Bash Please played a huge part in the creative execution of the weekend – they understood our vision and elevated it.[/field]

[field title=”Proposal Story”]After 10 years of dating, Kyle proposed during a sunset walk on the beach at my summer home (At our wedding, we gave out matches that said, “It’s about damn time”). We were enjoying a beer, wearing workout clothes, with no one in sight. Ideal proposal in my book. I had a ring appointment the next morning, so you could say I was not expecting it. The weekend was filled with surprises, from a family lobster dinner to a beach party with friends who flew cross-country. It was such a memorable weekend.[/field]

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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]

[field title=”Wedding Gown”]I found my dress at my first appointment with my mom, MIL and best friend. It had everything I wanted – long sleeves, high neck, lace, buttons and a train. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to remove a layer of tulle to show off more of the lace, so the seamstress suggested we separate the dress in two. She was a miracle worker! For the ceremony, I wore the top layer for a more romantic vibe. For the reception, I removed the tulle which made for a form fitting complete lace look. It was so fun to wear it both ways. Thanks to Vera Wang and L’elite Bridal for my dream dress.[/field]

[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]I love both design and fashion and knew I wanted to have fun with the bridesmaids dresses. I made a mood board of dresses that was in line with our wedding color palette as creative inspo for all the girls, which really seemed to help them during their search. It was really fun to work with each friend to find a dress they loved and felt comfortable in so that they could rewear. After a ton of rejections (sorry, ladies), we finally landed on a collection of oranges, yellows and neutrals that worked SO well together and looked unbelievable with the green backdrop.[/field]

[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]

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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]

[field title=”Food & Drink”]Dinner was extremely important to us because of our love for food and wine. We settled on family style for a more casual vibe, but the meal still felt extremely elevated thanks to Jessica Lasky and her team. We shipped our favorite Italian wine to enjoy alongside a Napa cab. People still talk about the Cacio e pepe a year later.[/field]

[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Words we threw around were relaxed, romantic and natural, and we turned to ceramics and garden parties for inspiration. We loved the idea of al fresco dining during sunset and a dance floor under the stars so we opted for no tent or covering (thanks to Napa’s 0% chance of rain in June)[/field]

[field title=”Wedding Cake”]Kyle’s mom is an incredible baker and is always making cakes for family and friends, so it was a no-brainer to have her make our wedding cake. She baked it in Boston, froze it, carried it on the plane with her and hand-delivered it to our caterer in Calistoga. It was her speciality carrot cake and the talk of the night.[/field]

[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #1″]We surprised our guests at the end of the night with a silent disco to keep the party going past Napa’s noise ordinance. It was our version of an after party, and was such a great way to end the night after an unbelievable performance from Patrick and the LVBs. It was also hilarious removing the headphones to hear everyone’s terrible singing voices. Pro tip: If you aren’t into the traditional jazz wedding band like us, consider searching for “entertainment bands” instead.[/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #2″]Our photographers, Kelsey and Talon, captured our wedding with digital and film photography AND super 8 film. They edited the super 8 film into a 6 minute video that is SO special and unique. If you like the vintage vibe, you should absolutely consider film photography and/or super 8 for your big day.[/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #3″][/field]

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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Weekend Events”]

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