A Whimsical Wine Country Wedding That’s Giving Ralph Lauren Style

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

Different elements throughout the day had pops of dusty rose, blush, peach, vibrant orange, and a deep sage green. As an accent, we brought in gold and deep brown.

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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

For Courtney and James, celebrating their love surrounded by their people was the thing they were most excited about for their big day! They dreamed of a whimsical and romantic wine country garden party, surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors. Their venue, a private property by Distinct Locations, brought the most stunning backdrop filled with willow trees overlooking their ceremony pond, rows and rows of olive groves, some furry friends to greet their guests [the cutest little donkeys!] and bright sunshine to celebrate their love all day long. They wanted a colorful and fun design to compliment the natural grounds of the property and welcome everyone into California. We mixed pattern, texture, color and tone to bring everything together in a romantic setting. From the couple : After many scouting visits, we fell in love with the charm and scenery that Petaluma had to offer. The mix of rustic, elegant, wine country and coastal vibes felt like a perfect fit. We knew that May was the best time at the venue – blooming floral, rolling green hills – and we wanted that to shine through in the design and vibe of the day. Our goal was for everyone to feel like the best versions of themselves, creating an environment where our friends and families intermixed, that was laid back, yet elevated, and that put love and fun at the center.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]

From the couple : It started at a wine bar … In true millennial fashion, James and Courtney met on a dating app (yes, a Hinge love story)! Doing some research on her profile, James picked up that Courtney enjoyed wine in her free time and asked her out to a wine bar (robberbaron) in Russian Hill on August 21, 2019. The two hit it off with ease, diving into each other’s family, work and passions. One glass of wine turned into two and then three. The conversation and the wine were flowing. Fast forward to the couple’s first trip together, a friend invited the two to her house in Mendocino for the weekend with a group of friends. It was a weekend full of merriment, memories, and merlot (yes the wine comes into the picture, again). It was also the weekend James told Courtney he loved her. She took a bit longer but was swooning at this point. March 2020 hit and Courtney and James found solace in Tahoe, quarantining and working together in Courtney’s family cabin. They kept their favorite neighborhood Italian wine shop (Biondivino) in business during the time, ordering cases of wine to pair with extravagant cooking expeditions together. Courtney and James celebrated their first anniversary in Hood River, OR and second in Napa, CA – all tasting wine and enjoying each others company. When James proposed to Courtney on August 26, 2022, there had to be a wine moment…James pulled off the most memorable weekend with a proposal in the park where the couple walks together daily and a weekend with their immediate families, capped off with a day trip to Napa. It only made sense to then plan their own wedding in Wine Country, celebrating their love story in one of the most sought-after wine regions of the world!

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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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[board_carousel title=”First Look”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]Courtney went with an elegant and modern gown by Sarah Seven with a beautiful neckline and deep leg slit to add a fun flare.[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]

Bridesmaids wore sleek light sage dresses by Jenny Yoo, and the bride’s two sisters, who were her maid of honors, had specialty floral printed dresses, also by Jenny Yoo, to stand out!

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[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Groomsmen wore shades of Navy to play into the bright and colorful day and compliment the bridesmaids lighter toned dresses.[/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”]

It was important to Courtney and James to blend their lives together, bringing elements from the groom’s New York East Coast roots, mixed with the bride’s California Santa Cruz mountains West Coast upbringing. We found ways to mesh the two and infuse those elements into all of the guest experiences from food and beverage to the live band and the dance party. During cocktail hour, we had Hog Island Oyster Co. shucking oysters for guests to enjoy, which was an incredibly special and sentimental experience for our bride, who has fond memories with her father enjoying Hog Island’s oysters throughout the years. Guests were able to roam amongst the grounds and enjoy some delicious food stations and some of the couples favorite drinks, including extra dirty martinis and a refreshing aperol spritz.

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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Inspired by the natural surroundings, we worked with our florist Fig and Vine to bring a colorful array of flowers to the celebration with beautiful peach peonies and vibrant Spring hues. Our dining tables played off of richer colors with our rentals, like our Forest Green linens, a fun patterned head table linen, and the rich deep brown stoneware charger to bring a nod to the dark, moody vibe of the dinner barn. We then brightened it up with bold florals and deep pink candles.[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

And then for dessert, instead of a traditional cake, the couple enjoyed a special “first scoop” of their favorite ice cream together followed by the crowd-favorite espresso martinis to get the party started.

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]From the couple : The first dance to “Another” by Adam Doleac was one of Courtney & James mutual favorite moments. They’d taken a series of lessons in the months
leading up to the big day. They wanted to have a plan for the dance, while
still feeling like themselves and having fun! We were ecstatic when we
nailed the dance and the final lift. It was a moment we’ll always cherish
and dancing together is something we’re hoping to now keep up.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

Courtney went to college at The University of Oregon, as did one of her sisters who happened to be the “mascot” during her time there. The bride’s family surprised her during the wedding with flying in the actual current Oregon Duck Mascot to join us for the reception. We had the Ben Mallare Band play “Shout” at the exact moment the Oregon Duck came running onto the dance floor – Courtney could not believe her eyes! It set up for the best dance party, and the two of them ended the night in a disco haze locked into one another, getting ready for all that comes next as husband and wife!

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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]

From the couple : An oyster shucking station was a must for Courtney at cocktail hour. Only being a 30-minute drive from Tomales Bay, Hog Island was the perfect fit, offering an interactive experience for the guests, while also serving up the best and most fresh oysters in the Bay Area. Hog Island has been a favorite of Courtney and her Dad over the years, so it was also a special personal touch for the Bride’s family.

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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]

From the couple : We’re so happy that we decided on doing a first look. As everyone says, it was a perfect, intimate, raw, real for the two of us to see each other first and get the jitters out of the way.

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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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