Real Wedding: Tanya + Chris

October 14, 2013

This chic {and ridiculously gorgeous!} couple wanted to offer their guests a wine country experience that captured their NYC lifestyle. After searching high and low they found the perfect setting for their September wedding in Calistoga, Ca. Guests flew in from the East Coast for an early start to their weekend which kicked off with a rehearsal dinner in the wine caves of Clos Pegase Winery and spent the rest of the weekend wine tasting at a few favorite Napa Valley wineries, cruising through the quaint town on their bikes, and basking by the mineral pools in Calistoga. The highlight, of course, was their modern wine country nuptials at Solage Calistoga.

Real Wedding: Lauren + Blaise

September 19, 2013

Lauren and Blaise wanted to create a wedding day that reflected their effortless and sophisticated style. "simple, elegant, chic, stunning and, above all, intimate and personal" is exactly what the bride mentioned to me on our first phone call. With the couple living in Washington DC, they entrusted us and the help of her mother's impeccable style to design the day and plan the details. The couple were married at Lauren's childhood church, Grace Episcopal in Saint Helena, followed by a stunning reception at Solage Calistoga.

Ceremony Venue: Saint Helena Episcopol Church Photographer: Diane Askew Florist: Centerpiece Napa Valley Reception Venue & Catering: Solage Calistoga Planning & Design: L'Relyea Events Cake: Penelope Jane Dress: Carolina Herrera Shoes: Kate Spade Lighting: Twilight Design Rentals: Classic Party Rentals and La Tavola Hair: Alexis Gularte Makeup: Betton Chaston

Real Wedding: Brooke + Matt

September 11, 2013

They say that rain on your wedding day is good luck, and after being apart of this energetic wedding I can see why! There is something so romantic and impetuous about being caught in the rain with your true love. And when you aren't expecting it, what more could you ask for than to have all of your besties surrounding you to ensure a smile is on your face the whole day! Brooke and Matt had fun playing with the umbrella in the rain, and they were troopers when we made the last minute effort to pull the ceremony indoors. All of their guests cozied up indoors and watched as these two recited their vows with twinkles in their eyes. Personal touches included Brooke's initial-stiched ribbon wrapped around her bouquet, table numbers which declared the couples first date and other fun facts, and their cork-printed invitations to complete their wine country wedding.

Matt & Brooke from Jordan Tabak on Vimeo.

Planning & Design: l'Relyea Events

Real Wedding: Lianna + Justin

July 10, 2013

Hometown harvest wedding? Yes, please! This crafty duo and and their amazing friends hand crafted nearly every detail in their Harvest inspired wedding. With the stunning backdrop of Alexander Valley, it's sure to bring a smile to your face! In addition to all of their art savvy friends who lent a hand in crafting the wedding day, the groom's mother catered a beautiful and delicious meal for wedding with produce from her own backyard.

These beautiful wine-stained paper details were hand-crafted by the bride's mother!

Wishing you two a lifetime of love and laughter!!

A sweet note from the Groom: Lindsey, our wedding was the best we could have hoped for! We have been complimented by almost everyone that our wedding was THE best wedding EVER. THANK YOU for all of your dedication and hard work. REALLY, it was a dream come true.

Check out our feature on Borrowed & Bleu!

Photography: Annika Erickson, AE Productions Florist: Dragonfly Floral Caterer: Mother of the Groom and Star Staffing Music: Nor Cal Pro Sound Wedding Cakes: Downtown Bakery and Costeaux Bakery Rentals: Encore Rentals Lighting: Twilight Design Planning & Design: l'Relyea Events Venue: Alexander Valley Hall

Real Wedding: Lisa + Brian

June 19, 2013

Lisa and Bryan are such a fun couple so it was quite fitting f or all of their friends and family to travel to Calistoga for a fun-filled weekend of celebration. They kicked off their four-day wedding weekend with an intimate rehearsal dinner at Hans Fahden Wine Caves where guests mingled, wined and dined with background music of a piano echoing through the cave and bid a farewell to their guests a few days later with mimosa's and lawn bocce at their farewell brunch.

Une - Lush gardens, tranquil ponds, dark caves and candlight set the mood for a whimsical and romantic rehearsal dinner at Hans Fahden Vineyards.

The Rehearsal

Deux - Picnic tables, yellow sunflowers, lemonade and barbecue with a banjo plucking in the background don't even begin to describe the elements of their rustic and charming welcome party at the Calistoga Inn.

Trios- Beautiful and romantic - you only needed to see the way Lisa and Brian looked at each other to believe in forever. And let's not forget the majestic setting at Solage Calistoga.

The Wedding

Quatre- What more could you ask for than to wind down with a bocce ball in one hand and a mimosa in the other at the post wedding brunch at Solage Calistoga.

Photography: Carmen Alvarez Photography | Planning & Design: l'Relyea Events | Venues: RehearsalHans Fahden Winery, Welcome PartyCalistoga Inn, Wedding & BrunchSolage Calistoga | Floral: Rehearsal & Welcome PartyCenterpiece Floral & Home Napa Valley, Wedding & BrunchLa Fleuriste | Cinema: Weddings on Film | Catering: RehearsalAll Seasons Bistro, Welcome PartyCalistoga InnWedding & BrunchSolage Calistoga | Entertainment: Welcome PartyAssociated Entertainment, WeddingA Frontline Band | Hair and Make-up: It's a Date at the Powder Room | Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events, Transportation: Beau Wine Tours & Limousine Service | PhotoBooth: A Flying Camera - Flipbooks and Photobooths

Christin and Martin's Love Story

April 19, 2013

We first met Christin and Martin during a site visit at a wedding venue; they were looking for their wedding and we were there visiting the property. We had such a great time chatting during our tour of the property that they later contacted us for their wedding planning. Over the next nine months we got to know thisadorable couple and hear all about their unfolding love story, and today I am thrilled to share it with you.

How they Met

Christin and Martin lived only 3 blocks from one another in San Francisco for two years. Every day, they went to the same restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Christin, in fact, walked her puppy Riley by Martin’s apartment every single morning. Their paths, however, never crossed on the streets of San Francisco. In January 2011, Martin and Christin were both spending quality time in Las Vegas, Martin and Christin saw one another for the very first time at a Garth Brooks concert. Martin, being the gentleman that he is, offered to take a group photo of her and her friends. After the successful photo shoot, Martin and Christin quickly got to know one another and could not believe how much they had in common, including almost being neighbors. After the girls went on their way, the two brothers were fortunate enough to score 2 front-row seats to the show. Having these far superior seats is something Martin would never gloat about to this very day. After the show, they made sure to run into each other again. In fact, all of their friends hung out for the rest of the evening and had a blast. That night, these friends saw Martin and Christin dance for the very first time and soon, they will see their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Laufik.

Courtship

Christin and Martin wasted no time in getting to know one another once they returned to San Francisco. On Wednesday of that week, they went on their first date at Solstice, a neighborhood restaurant. As usual, they were both late. The anticipated brief get-together turned into hours of conversation. Needless to say, both were quite smitten. When he got home, Martin immediately texted Christin and thanked her for a wonderful evening. He then stared at his phone, convinced that this bumbling maneuver appeared much too eager. But Christin promptly responded with: “I can’t stop smiling.” And the two have been smiling ever since…

Travels

Their first trip together was on Valentine’s Day to Napa Valley, a place which would have very special meaning in the year to come. At dinner, they enjoyed a wine called “Terra Valentine.” On future trips, they were able to meet one another’s incredible friends and family. They included visits to Seattle, Alaska, Cabo, Washington DC, San Diego, Idaho, Sedona, Belize, the Carribean, Hawaii, and even Thailand. In between, Martin and Christin enjoyed their busy lives in San Francisco. That year, Christin accompanied Martin to multiple soccer games and every Stanford home football game. Now that’s love.

Proposal

In early December, Martin surprised Christin with a weekend trip to Napa – a special place for them ever since Valentine’s Day. On December 3rd 2011, on a beautiful autumn day in Napa, he took her to a winery named Terra Valentine. A view of the Valley and a table with a bottle of “Marriage” wine awaited the couple. Here, with family blessings in hand, Martin got down on one knee, and asked Christin for her hand in marriage. It was the most wonderful Yes he had ever heard.

From the Bride...

I will never forget walking down the aisle, it is the best memory from my wedding day. It was such a poignant moment, filled with so much emotion and excitement! Another memorable moment occurred at the very end of the night as we all danced and sang to the last song of the night, "Sweet Caroline," all of our guests assembled in one large group hug around us. It was so spontaneous and the love in the room was palpable!

There were so many special details that we incorporated to make it unique to our personality. We kicked off our wedding weekend with our rehearsal dinner, held in a 100 year old barn in Saint Helena emulating one of our favorite events during the courtship: a lobster feed! Our cake topper was hand painted by a friend that included our dog, Riley. Our wedding dinner was a romantic candlelight dinner in a wine cave that began with a slideshow made by family. Rather than table numbers we used photos from our favorite places that we've traveled together. Since Martin loves chocolate, and because we aren't huge cake fans our dessert table was replaced with port and chocolates. My Grandma made our sweet ring bearer pillow. Now, we are excited to begin making our own family traditions as newlyweds.

From the couple... Our Favorite part of planning the wedding:

He said--

planning the honeymoon & choosing the venue.

She said--

Pinterest!! Wedding planning is a great excuse to spend a copious amount of time on pinterest. I loved finding creative ways to incorporate details that personalized our wedding.

Photography: Jen Skog, Planning & Design: l'Relyea Events, Venue: Hans Fahden Winery, Floral: FluerEssence, Cinema: Weddings on Film, Lighting: The Lux Productions, Catering: Park Avenue Catering and Best Beverages Catering, DJ: Michael's Music, Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events, Transportation: Pure Luxury, PhotoBooth: A Flying Camera

Real Wedding Liz and Burt: Calistoga Wedding

March 15, 2013

Napa Valley is one of the most sought after wedding destinations, and at the northern tip of the valley sits the quaint town of Calistoga. You may have heard of Solage, the newest posh resort in Calistoga which offers a variety of luxury amenities. With mountain views, lush gardens and barn inspired architecture it's no wonder Solage attracts couples for their wedding. The spring colors, perfect weather, along with their vibrant personalities and sophistication were the perfect combination for this fun wedding.

Liz and Burt met while living on alternate coasts. While Liz was attending Law School in New York and Burt was focusing on his startup company in San Francisco, they met online. After months of phone calls and emails, Liz decided to travel to San Francisco for a weekend and meet Burt. While they weren't immediately smitten, their hearts grew fonder when Liz returned to NY to finish Law School. Once school was complete, Liz moved to California and their love blossomed. After purchasing their first home together, Burt proposed to Liz in the garden of their new home.