Sparkliatti Has Moved!!!: Say I Do with Jeanne & Chris

Jeanne & Chris were married on a gorgeous May day in Sonoma, CA. The ceremony was in the Sonoma Mission (Mission San Francisco Solano) which is the very last mission built in California. This has to be one of my very favorite couples of all time. Kind, good to each other and decisive they had a style they wanted to show to their guests and the couple planned this wedding 100% together. They definitely wanted an amazing wedding & experience for their friends and family but they also wanted to infuse some fun into the event.

In order to show respect for her favorite Aunt, Rosemary, we infused it into the groom's boutionierre and later into the dining tables. The bride's dress by Pnina Tornai was GORGEOUS (unfortunately, the bustle stunk, so this dress tore the rump out of the dress when it was stepped on). As a cute alternative to the kissing ball or tossing petals, the three flowergirls carried organza bags with scented gardenia. I adored Jeanne's bouquet, it was light and fresh and perfect for a May wedding and included frilly & beautiful white peonies.

Hoffman1

Guests were transported by motorized trollies to the cocktail party. Moments before the flowergirls walked down the aisle, one of them threw up on the stoop of the Mission...nerves got the best of her. Jeanne & Chris rented a classic car to bring them to the ceremony & reception and I thought it was so cute how Jeanne was checking her face in the back of the car before heading down the aisle with her father.

A clear top tent was the home of the cocktail party high over the Sonoma Valley and surrounded by 2,000 acres of privately owned vineyards. We are always trying to do something a little different with escort cards. Do you like the middle picture? Do you hate carnations? Think again! I think I've said this before, but the hors d'oeuvres are my weakness at a wedding and these are making my mouth salavate right NOW!

Dinner was so much fun to do. Using white chairs against saturated green toned linens with white and yellow flowers looked fresh. Trying to keep the carpet clean during setup (since it was white and had rained the day before) required me to give all the vendors who were doing the setup a few pairs of booties and threaten death if they walked on the white carpet in their muddy boots! Part of the fun was the groom's cake -- a fishing basket with edible fish and a little sign that say "Chris has caught the catch of his life" - there were bait and hooks on the wood board. So crazy, the guests were floored that it was completely edible -- the wedding cake was scrumptious too with fondant and fresh flowers.

For the guests, the couple provided cigars for the boys and pashmina wraps for the girls. They were all gone at the end of the night - there were also flip flops at the lounge in the main tent for dancing.

I love to set things on fire. I've won at least two awards for it and this part was no different. When we found out that there could be rain, the outdoor built in firepit was no longer an option. So what do you do? Make an indoor firebar with s'mores and barstools. Guests came up, make themselves a s'more and hit the dance floor.