Alison & Josh

September 18

Lake Chelan, Washington

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What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

The view from the venue is breathtaking!  I will go out on a limb and say its the best in the Lake Chelan area! I knew right away when I started planning our wedding, that I wanted a place that had amazing natural beauty, ambiance and a romantic feeling. I looked at indoor venues, and some outdoor before finding Benson Vineyards, but, none could compare to the feeling I got when we were there. It felt like ‘us’.

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

I put a lot of thought into my guest tables and centerpieces. I figured that while I didn’t want huge, expensive centerpieces, I wanted them to be memorable. I had seen an idea online to cut the bottoms off of wine bottles, and put candles in them. My dad cut all the bottles for me and we learned pretty early in that real candles were not going to work, so, flameless ones were used.  I love the way candlelight, even outdoors, creates such a romantic ambiance.  Each place setting was saved with a menu and a wine charm attached that I had hand beaded, with the guest’s name on it.

Another detail very special to me was our wine box.  We wanted to do something unique and personal during our ceremony. Our officiant, pastor Craig, suggested a wonderful idea. A box that would hold a bottle of wine, two glasses, and two letters written each by the bride and groom to each other. We would lock the box together during the ceremony, and open it together on our 5th anniversary. How perfect for a winery wedding! Our moms held the letters we had written to each other, and gave them to us, along with a hug, and we locked the box together.

One of the most important parts of the day for me, was the memory of my friend, Heidi.  She was one of my best friends since college, and had tragically passed away a few years ago. I wanted her to be part of my day though.  I had saved a bridesmaid spot for her, which made our numbers uneven, but, I couldn’t fill it with anyone else.

Emily & Ryan

November 19

Veritas Vineyard & Winery, Afton, Virginia

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From our Q&A with the Bride:

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites!

1. My bridesmaids and their dresses. I thought they looked so gorgeous.

2. Lights and candles during the ceremony – the ambiance.

3. The flowers! I tried to just let the florist do her thing and it really paid off.

If you could offer one piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding, what would it be?

Just to breathe and not sweat the small stuff. It will all get done eventually, mainly because it has to! And then it is all over and it seems silly that you stressed so much.

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

This one is really hard because I can’t stop thinking about the whole day! But probably the first time I finally got to see Ryan the day of.

Kate & Phillip

May 20

Trentadue Winery, Geyserville, California

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From our Q&A with the Bride:

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

It was really hard for us to choose just three details, but we agreed on (1) the solar eclipse, (2) the ceremony, and (3) keepsakes from the day.  When we first got engaged, we weren’t quite sure how to go about choosing a date.  Phil started scouring the Internet for significant dates in 2012, and he found a solar eclipse on May 20, which happened to be a Sunday.  We had met under a full moon, so it seemed fitting that we’d be married under a solar eclipse.  We didn’t think about it much more after that until about a month out from the wedding.  In lieu of favors, we ordered enough eclipse glasses for everyone, and crossed our fingers that we would have a clear day.  The weather and timing were perfect…not a cloud in the sky, and the eclipse happened in the middle of the cocktail hour.  We’ll never forget the image of all of our guests, dressed up for a garden party, scattered around the lawn with funny white glasses on, wine glasses in hand, looking and pointing up at the sun.

Our second favorite detail was our ceremony, particularly our officiants.  Neither one of us is particularly religious, so we decided to have a primarily secular ceremony, and the thought of interviewing officiants didn’t really sit well with either of us.  We knew we wanted to be married by someone who knew us well.  So we turned to two of our best friends, Zak and Lea (married in 2009), who actually set us up on our first date.  When Zak and Lea got married, Phil and I were part of the wedding party, and their ceremony was so beautiful.  Thinking back, we knew they would do an amazing job with ours, and they did.  Our ceremony was fairly short and sweet, we had three readings from my father, one of my bridesmaids, and Phil’s godmother.  We also had a beautiful Anglican blessing from Phil’s great uncle.  We did a wine ceremony in which we placed a bottle of Trentadue wine along with love letters to each other into a box, which we locked and will open on our fifth wedding anniversary.  We also wrote our own vows, and a series of promises which Zak and Lea read and we affirmed.  I maintain that our first-look session was the only thing that kept me from devolving into a sobbing mess during the ceremony.

Our third favorite detail from the day is the keepsakes it involved.  First, handkerchiefs were really special for our wedding.  I had two embroidered for my mother and father as gifts.  Phil’s mother also brought handkerchiefs for the ladies in the family.  And my “borrowed” was a vintage handkerchief that belonged to my godmother’s late mother Mary.  It was embroidered in blush pink (one of our wedding colors) with an M, for Mary, and in this case, also Mariner, my new name.  Phil got each of his groomsmen a skeleton pocket watch and I got each of my girls a unique vintage pink perfume bottle and a little chrysanthemum ring in her favorite color.

Carrie & Mike

August 20

St. Helena, California

From the Planner: “Carrie and Mike came out from Ohio to Sonoma, CA as a referral from another of my brides. The wanted to create an excursion for their guests and we gave them a fantastic wine country experience and showcased both the Napa and Sonoma valleys in all their beauty over four amazing days. On day one, we started out on the Sonoma side touring fabulous wineries including BR Cohn, Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family vineyards. On day two, we experienced the Napa side at Alpha Omega, Flora Springs and White Hall Lane, followed by a delicious rehearsal dinner at Hurley’s in Yountville. Day three – wedding day was at the Harvest Inn in St. Helena….one of the most romantic places in the valley. The bride was gifted by her parents, her grandmother’s diamond bracelet and a beautiful Tiffany’s pearl necklace from her loving groom and a note that left us all in tears. Unfortunately months prior to the wedding, the bride faced some health challenges and his letter not only professed his love for her, but that no matter what, he would be there for her till his last breath. Our final day of this wine country wedding was capped off with a ride on the Wine Train, complete with a gourmet dinner and wines from all of the wineries we visited. The perfect way for guests to relax and unwind before heading back home.”

Meghan & Bennan

Murphy’s California

Ironstone Vineyards

From the Photographer: “A lovely fall wedding … including vineyards, pumpkins and Manolo Blahniks. Set in hills of Murphy, Ca. Meghan and Bennan’s wedding took place at the lovely Ironstone vineyard. Bridesmaids in jewel tones. Meghan wearing a lovely birdcage veil. An underground wine cave was the perfect backdrop for photos.” -Jessica Giblin Photography

Photographer: Jessica Giblin Photography | Floral Designer: Jackie’s Flowers | Reception Venue: Ironstone vineyards | DJ: Fretty’s Dj service | Jewelry: Rodgers Jewelers | Tuxedo and Mens Attire: De La Rosa Bridal | Photo Booth Equipment: Wildrose photobooth | Bakery: Lilah and Sage