Some things, like the get-away car, they could chose from a distance. The elected to hire Bow Tie Limousines for a vintage auto, completing the classic and romantic tone of their wedding.

Having chosen to have their wedding at Hans Fahden winery, Marla and Shawn were able to give their guests a taste of their fabulous wedding. A bottle of wine was the perfect remembrance.

And it wouldn’t be a fabulous california wedding without amazing food. What a treat for all of their guests!

As a playful farewell, they chose to exit amidst bubbles and found these adorable champagne bottle bubbles.

One of the most special elements was Marla’s something old. The spoon holding their wedding rings in the photo below, and attached to Marla’s bouquet in the next image, is a family heirloom. It was actually a wedding gift given to her great-grandmother over 100 years ago.

The flower girl dresses were especially cute. Check out the black embroidery at the bottom.

Similar style was brought to the design on the cake.

Another special treat, the guest sign-in book. The guests participated in making this book even more special for Marla and Shawn by including their well wishes for the bride and groom within its pages.

Marla selected black magic roses and wine calla lilies for her bouquet and Shawn’s boutonniere. The merlot color scheme fit perfectly with the setting. She also included pheasant feathers, a reminder of her hometown.

One final detail to celebrate… Marla’s veil. I love the delicacy of it, so very feminine.

Despite the long distance planning, Marla and Shawn were able to put their stamp on their wedding and include so many personal touches.

Special thanks go out to all of the professionals who helped them in their efforts:
Wedding venue: Hans Fahden Vineyards, Calistoga
Caterer and Wedding Cake: Knickerbockers, St. Helena
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, San Francisco
Florist: Claudia K Florist, St. Helena
Officiant: Harry Jackson
Limo: Bow Tie Limousine, Santa Rosa

First stop, Point Bonita Lighthouse- so fun- everyone was cheering and so gracious, allowing the newlyweds to cross the bridge at the head of the line.

When walking back up the hill from the lighthouse, we noticed this little path in the grasses and a fabulous view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We had to stop and enjoy the scenery.

We had parked by this old bunker. It was a great place to play around for a bit. All of the old, rusty metal provided great texture and contrast to Marla’s softness.

We concluded our tour at Rodeo Beach for a little wave action and an opportunity to Trash the Dress.

Yes, they got wet and yes, it was very, very cold. These two were such troopers though. I was amazed!

We really got so lucky with the weather and the day turned out to be perfect. If you want to see more from their TTD session and their wedding, definitely take a look at their slideshow, their sneak preview, and their scoop.

Our bride Shelley wanted to honor the city where she and her husband were getting married, so they incorporated historical Boston images and special locations into their seating arrangements and used this book as their guest sign-in book. Photo taken at the Wang Theatre at the CitiCenter Performing Arts Center in Boston, MA.

This photo seems like it is the beginning of a cinematic short. I have a whole story in my mind about how the rings meet and talk and fall in love. Okay perhaps I am getting carried away. Photo taken at Wine and Roses in Lodi, California.

This image combines the rings with a family heirloom. Love the sentimental connection. Photo taken at destination wedding at Hans Fahden Vineyards in Calistoga, California.

The Russian dolls were the favors at Yelena and Rob’s wedding. They made a great prop for the rings. Photo taken at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, Massachusetts.

More than meets the eye. You know the rest. Photo taken at the Fort Mason Officer’s Club in San Francisco, California.

Many, many thanks to our fabulous couples, our supportive family, and our warm and loving friends. We wish you all a healthy and happy 2010!

Ellen arrived at Hans Fahden ready to go. Her sisters, mom, best friend, and neice got ready alongside her. She put some finishing touches on her make-up, and then put on her dress.

When Ellen and Edwin met each other at the end of the aisle, all of the built up emotions found an outlet- in laughter and in tears of joy.

Edwin’s parents watched on.

Ellen and Edwin sealed their commitment to each other with a kiss.

After the ceremony, we gathered the families together for portraits. Ellen’s sisters and best friend are hilarious. They teased Edwin with a long list of mandate’s regarding how to take care of Ellen. He was a very good sport.

Portraits of Ellen and Edwin in the gardens.

I love the way the gaze at each other.

Dinner in the wine cave soon followed. It’s so romantic in there- candles and flowers warm up the space.

As it turns out, Edwin’s friends are also hysterical. His best man gave a truly fabulous speech, which included actual emails Edwin had written during his courtship of Ellen. My favorite quote, "Game on!"

After dinner, Ellen and Edwin cut their cake. I am completely enamored with this colorful cake- actually a perfect representation of the feel of their day- bright, sunny, sweet.

Their first dance, as seen through the eyes of Ellen’s neice.

The father daughter dance. I can totally see where Ellen gets her joie de vivre.

Edwin getting down on the dance floor.

At the very end of our evening, Ellen and Edwin took their turn in the photo booth for a few shots. They have such a great sense of humor- the costumes were perfect and they totally played up the part. This is the very lost shot, as they tell the paparazzi, aka Dave, no more.

Special thanks to all of the professionals who made the day so special:

Andi and the team at Hans Fahden Winery
Sharon Van Geisen from Park Avenue Catering
Mary Ann Parker from Fleur de Lisa for their exquisite cake
Peggy Blatchford for the floral design
DJ Alexander Hansen from AMS Entertainment
Alisa from The Powder Room for her styling of Ellen’s hair
Groom and groomsmen’s attire by Hugo Boss
Margot Piper, Maid of Honor, and talented graphic designer for the printed materials

And to Ellen and Edwin, you are two amazingly adventurous kindred spirits- birds of a feather. It has been such a pleasure getting to know you. We are delighted that we could be a part of your celebration, and we can’t wait to see those photos from Guyana.

Want to see more? Check out their sneak peek on Facebook and their wedding movie.

I will get to a few more with the car later, but first it’s time for dinner. Hans Fahden has it all- those gorgeous gardens for the outdoor ceremony, the airy tea house for cocktails, and the wine cave for an elegant dinner. Marla chose to deck out the space with tall candelabras, tea lights in red glassware, and varied stemware. It looked amazingly elegant.

Before dinner, Marla’s father led a prayer.

Speeches followed soon after. Marla’s maid of honor/sister/the-person-who-introduced-Marla-to-Shawn was quite a hit. She had a list literally a mile long of advice for Shawn. Too funny!

Dinner was thoroughly enjoyed with great food and laughter.

But when the car arrived, we had to take a few photos. Here’s the whole gang…

Shawn’s girls were so cute. They played driver and drivee. They hopped in and out of the front seat and back seat, not once using the doors. It was clearly the best playground ever. Having so much fun, they were plenty happy to pose for a few peaking out the window.

We took Marla and Shawn down to the vineyard for a few portraits alone. On the way down, Dave got to ride with them. On the way back, I got to ride with them. And Dave captured this quintessential image.

We returned to the party for some serious dancing, kicked off by the happy couple’s first dance. What a beautiful embrace!

I just had to share one last image. In the sneak preview, I included the full color version of this moment from the ceremony. But Dave had worked it up with an alternate look as well. We use this technique, which is generally referred to as selective color, only occasionally, but sometimes it makes a real impact in a beautiful way. I love the choice for this image because the moment- a moment of prayer during the ceremony- is larger than life. For me, the variation in tonality gives a Greater Being a truer presence. You feel a difference.

If you want to see more, check out their Sneak Preview and their slideshow. And check back because Marla and Shawn’s Rock the Dress session is on its way.

Really exciting news- Allison and Adam’s wedding was just published in Destination Weddings and Honeymoons magazine. The mag recently hit the stands, and it looks awesome.

You can actually catch a sneak peak here. Our spread is on page 58-59. But here’s what it looks like.

Still, if you actually want to read it and see the pix better, you have to check out the real thing.

And if you want more from Allison and Adam’s wine country wedding, you can check out their wedding slideshow.

Dave and I love long tables. They create a completely different environment at a wedding. Allison and Adam chose to have these tables at their Hans Fahden wedding and the interactions among the guests seemed to volley in all directions around the space. It was so much fun.

Christina included the above image on her blog, but I wanted to share a few more so you could see how the experience was for the guests and how the reception flowed with long tables.

Allison and Adam’s dinner was held in the wine cave at Hans Fahden in Calistoga. The "T" shape of the long tables fits perfectly in this space and the bride and groom sit at the intersection of the T, surrounded by their friends and family.

Here the best man gives his toast to Allison and Adam.

Friends and family enjoy the closeness and camaraderie of sitting side by side.

We have seen this space in its varied arrangements and I can definitely see the benefit of this one.

If you would like to see more from Allison and Adam’s fall wedding in the wine country, check out the sneak preview, the scoop and their slideshow.

Brides.com included one of our images from Brian and Lori’s wedding as well. Check out Brian’s gorgeous boutonniere- I love the way the peach tones blend into the vibrant pinks of the rose; the green berries and grasses are a really nice accent.

Brian and Lori had such an amazing wedding at Hans Fahden Winery, which definitely highlighted the colors of the season. Here’a a few more of my favorites:

For Lori, a white bouquet with touches of green, peach, and yellow. And I love the dark purple in the midst of some of the flowers.

For the flower girl, yellow, peach, and orange.

And Hans Fahden Winery really shone in springtime. The gardens were so lush.

You can read more about Brides.com‘s story on spring flowers here.

Or if you would like to see more images from Lori and Brian’s beautiful spring wine country wedding, check out the sneak preview, the scoop and their slideshow.

Deana selected merlot and lavender as the primary colors for her wedding, perfect choices for the vineyard and autumn.

The guest cards…

Bridesmaids bouquets…

Ceremony flowers blend beautifully with the look of the full gardens on the property.

Some accent flowers with a brighter flare…

Deana also had some custom designed elements that really showed off her sense of style.

The menu and the gift…

A better look inside the box, these are wine flavored gourmet chocolate truffles. So delicious!

The meal was a special treat- surf and turf prepared in California style, with all fresh ingredients.

Finally the cake was an elegant square shape with beautiful gold swirls, surrounded by burgundy rose petals.

A few other special touches…

The wedding invitations.

The super cool stamp.

The fans.

The program.

A really great band.

We had such a lovely time at this wedding and Deana did such a fabulous job creating the special feel of her day. We are so glad we could share all the details.

Deana’s vendors:

Location of ceremony and reception: Hans Fahden, Calistoga
Gown Designer: Amy Kuschel
Bridesmaids Dresses: Aria Bridesmaid Dresses
Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Calvin Klein
Caterer: All Seasons Catering, Mill Valley
Floral Design: Claudia "K" Florist and Gifts, St. Helena
Band: Sidepocket
Harpist: Charlotte Wolter
Invitations and Printed Materials: Wedding Paper Divas
Gifts: Torn Ranch

Photography: Allegro Photography

Want to see more from Deana and Nick’s wedding? Check out their E-session, The Scoop and their Slideshow.

As you may recall, Allison and Adam were married at Hans Fahden Winery in Calistoga, Ca. Wine country weddings offer so much beauty for the couple and the guests to enjoy. We wanted to make sure to capture some of the rustic charm and romance of the vineyard in their portraits.

The elegance of the caves is unmatched. Lit by candles and decorated with flowers, which Allison and Adam had wanted to blend their love of both Alaska and more tropcial locals, the space was stunning. I also loved the long table set-up.

Now let’s get to the reception. When everyone was seated, the toasts began. Adam’s best man gave an absolutely brilliant toast.

And then dinner…. Check this out. Adam is showing off a pic of an astoundingly huge salmon he caught on his fishing trip in Alaska (right) and holding the filet of the same salmon on his plate (left). A true before and after image!

Dinner was followed by the first dance. Allison’s expression is simply dreamy.

And the guests continued to enjoy themselves, kicking back and relaxing throughout the evening.

It is a tradition among Adam’s friends to serenade the bride on her wedding day. Their rendition of "You lost that loving feeling!" had me in fits- what bride wouldn’t enjoy this?!

And then one of her bridesmaids also had an opportunity to take the mic. She has an amazing rich voice and treated us to two beautiful songs.

We are so happy to share these images with Allison and Adam. Welcome back from Bali!

If you want to see more, you can check out the rest of their images or view their sneak preview.