If I could high five Sara from onelove photography right now, I would. Trust me. She’s the talented photog responsible for the onslaught of rustic wedding goodness I’m about to show you. I think winery weddings are about as classy as they come. Pair them up with some woodsy lavender details and pretty purple bridesmaid dresses and…well…it’s like pairing up a great oaky vintage wine and a deliciously creamy cheese. (For the record I buy $12 wine and consider “fort” cheddar delicious). Back to this crazy-cute San Francisco wedding, Chris and Paige are too amazingly rad people and their playful antics read through in these amazing photos. Yay!
From our lovely bride…
Budget tips:
- DIY!! We did all the centerpieces and accent flowers ourselves. My mom and I researched what we liked and experimented with arrangements before the big day. The day before the wedding she pulled a bunch of her friends together and they sat in the garage and assembled flowers. It was a tedious process, but it saved a lot of money.
-Another tip is to determine what is the most important aspect of the wedding for yourself and spend good money on that. For us, it was music and photography. After we finalized that we worked within our budget for the other things.
- Ask around to friends and friends of friends who may have useful skills or items that would save you having to rent things or rent out jobs. Friends of ours helped assemble center pieces, favors, write cards, Sing during the ceremony, do the videography (family friend trained as a professional cameraman), my mom sewed the ring bearers pillows, used family members type writer to do the escort cards (only cost was $12 for 500 shipping tags), my mom found a lavender farm in Washington where she ordered bulk of lavender for the ceremony chairs and for on the tables at reception (a bunch of 125 stems was $7, and we used 5 bunches), tree stumps were free from my sister-in-laws backyard, my husband made the table numbers (wood he found for free), my dad made the planter boxes that were at the altar for the ceremony and then had a local nursery plant the flowers and water them (only paid $12 for labor and the price of the flowers we picked), borrowed the lights for the reception and my dad hung them up, found the old windows on craigslist for free, and even had a friend willing to drive us away in their classic car.
- There are always ways to save you just have to be creative and willing to budge
Favorite moments:
- The first look. Seeing Chris looking so handsome. This time was special just for us and helped calm both our nerves. I definitely recommend it!
- Getting ready with all my bridesmaids and listening to music being silly.
- The dancing!! All of it. Mark did an amazing job and he kept the dance floor full the entire night. Chris and I were both sweating.
Surprises:
- The mustaches on sticks were left at my parents house mistakenly. But my neighbors volunteered to leave the reception and go get them (a
trip that took an hour). I was so thankful they got them, they were a huge success.
- How great everything turned out and how hot out bridal party looked, we were blessed!
Head Photography: onelove photography | Second photographer: Darcy Rogers | Venue: Martinelli Event Center, Livermore | Florist: Becca Howden | Wedding Dress: Moonlight Bridal from Dana’s Bridal in Livermore, CA | Shoes: Naughty Monkey | Wedding Hair: Caris Noble- Salon Vivace | Wedding Makeup: Kristin Ambrose (friend) | Bridesmaid Dresses: JCrew | Menswear: Groomsmen-Alfani Suits from Macys. Groom- Zara | Caterer: Martinelli Center | Cake/Cupcakes: Emily Gillette | Invitations: Self designed, printed at Periwinkle | DJ/Entertainment: DJs and MCs-Mark Divita
