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.

When Shawn proposed, he pulled all the stops, recreating their first date in style. Marla was truly surprised, but didn’t hesitate. She answered with a resounding, “Absolutely!” You can just imagine the cheers.

Marla and Shawn chose to get married at Hans Fahden, one of our favorite wine country venues. They had the best weather, perfect temps and clear skies with fun streaks of clouds. The kind of clouds you almost never see in California. Plus Hans Fahden was all abloom with pinks and oranges and whites. The setting was idyllic.

Marla prepped in the bridal suite surrounded by her closest friends, her sister, her mother, and her grandmother. There was lots of laughter, and suprisingly very little nervousness. Marla seemed so calm.

Before the ceremony, we took a few portraits in the gardens. Isn’t she stunning? When I captured this, I was completely entranced by her eyes. No wonder Shawn adores her.

Here’s the 3 generations of ladies. You can totally see the family resemblance in their smiles.

Marla hid up in the bridal room while we captured a few of Shawn with his family. These are his two darling little girls. They were so good throughout the day. And you could tell they completely adore both Marla and Shawn.

The ceremony took place overlooking the pond. With under 80 guests, it was truly intimate. Marla’s dad shared a special reading for them. And other family and friends created the music.

I can’t get over how sweet Shawn is. That smile is for his daughter. Melts my heart.

Another important element of the ceremony was their faith. Their connection to each other is enhanced by their religious beliefs. They definitely found ways to make the ceremony reflect their spirituality.

Marla and Shawn not only care about each other, they care for each other. You can see it in every gesture- a deep tenderness, appreciation, and love.

The final element to their ceremony was a special ritual designed to include Shawn’s two girls. Marla and Shawn presented each girl with a special medallion which symbolized their importance in the family. After the ceremony, we asked the girls to show us their necklaces. The necklace is really beautiful, but I think my favorite part of this image is the nail polish. So precious!

And just to give you a sense of what’s to come. One portrait with Marla and Shawn in the Hans Fahden gardens!

I can’t wait to share more. Not only did they have this amazing wedding day, but we got together with them again after their wedding to do a Newlywed/ Rock the Dress session. So there will be lots more amazing photos to see.

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.

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.

Cara and Nate’s wedding was simply so amazing. This is one super glamorous couple. They held their wedding at two beautiful sites (The Sonoma Mission Inn and Sonoma Golf Club). They worked with Emarie of A Savvy Event on their wedding design. Everything and everyone around them was gorgeous. Best of all, they are truly warm and loving and so very much in love.

You are about to be bombarded with images. Again, I apologize. Now, sit back and enjoy!

Before we headed over to the Sonoma Golf Club, we spent some time with Cara at the Sonoma Mission Inn, where she was getting ready.

Just after the girls helped her put on the garters (one for her to keep, one for him to toss). Notice the 49ers spirit.

All of Cara’s bridesmaids were getting ready with her. The room was filled with women; there was a bubbling feeling of comraderie floating about as each of them put on their dresses, did their hair and applied their make-up. They all looked amazing!

While I stayed with the ladies, Dave went over to the Golf Club to take some images of Nate and the boys.

The nuptials began right on cue. Cara didn’t seem a bit nervous; she was all smiles as she took in the scene before her and caught her first sight of Nate on their wedding day.

The ladies’ dresses were cinnamon with a gold sash. It was the perfect combination for a fall wine country wedding. And the flowers complimented them perfectly.

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is how the romance of the day is contagious. Everyone seems to be more in love at a wedding. It just makes me smile.

They had just kissed under the canopy. They walked down the aisle. They couldn’t wait; they had to steal another kiss before heading inside. How sweet is that!

We followed the ceremony with portraits. We took them out back to the golf course lawns for images of them surrounded by the landscaped grounds.

We worked our way to the front of the building to incorporate the Spanish style architecture into some of the shots.

Their reception room had a really cozy feel to it. The candelabras decorated with flowers, wrought iron chandeliers, the toasted orange tablecloths, the dark chairs with golden cushions, and the beautiful vineyard paintings on the walls all contributed to the ambiance.

Cara incorporated grapes into her wedding theme. They were a part of her centerpieces as well as adorning her cake.

I wanted to close with an image from their first dance. They were so lost in each other; I can practically feel their embrace.

Cara and Nate- welcome back. We hope you had a fabulous time in Hawaii and we can’t wait to hear about your trip. Thank you again for including us in your wedding.

Of course there’s still more. You can also check out their slideshow, their sneak peak, and their engagement session.

We had been looking forward to Cara and Nate’s wedding for a while. Cara came to us as a referral from Emily and Mark. We always love referrals because it feels like we are working with people we already know really well, almost like family. And then we shot Cara and Nate’s engagement session which was so much fun. Not only were they gorgeous, they were super hardy, braving San Francisco’s worst weather. And they just seemed so right together, amazing chemistry. On top of all that, we were really excited to work at the Sonoma Mission Inn and the Sonoma Golf Club- two of the valley’s most amazing sites.

We started the day at the Sonoma Mission Inn, where Cara was getting ready. I loved the heels on her Jimmy Choo‘s and wanted to create an image that really showed off their sexiness. And boy were these shoes sexy.

Dave had his own way of capturing the Jimmy Choo’s.

We had some extra time before the girls headed off to the Sonoma Golf Club for the ceremony. Bonus time! Perfect for portraits of everyone in their finery.

I am still blown away by how beautiful Cara looked, Grace Kelly beautiful.

While I was with the ladies, Dave grabbed a few of Nate with his entourage.

Cara’s bridesmaids were great. One of them was always around to help when she needed it.

At the golf club, Cara hid away until it was time to walk down the aisle. And she had plenty of company. These girls enjoyed themselves while awaiting the big moment.

Cara’s dad looked so proud and happy as he walked her down the aisle.

Did I mention how gorgeous the day was? We had been really worried because it rained the evening before and the clouds were slow to clear up. We knew Cara and Nate wanted to have their wedding outside and we were hopeful for them. After all, rain in early October is practically unheard of in Northern California. In the afternoon, the skies finally opened up to blue with puffy white clouds.

Just a taste of what’s to come….

With such an amazing day, there are lots more photos so definitely come back for the full scoop.

We just have to give a shout out to some of the people who made the day so perfect-
A HUGE thank you to Emarie of A Savvy Event; she kept everyone on schedule and made sure that all the details fell into place seamlessly.
Another thank you to all the people from the Fairmont who served up the fabulous food.
And of course, so much gratitude to Cara and Nate for including us in your day. We had an amazing time celebrating with you!

If you just can’t wait for more of Cara and Nate, check out their engagement slideshow.

Allison and Adam selected Hans Fahden Vineyards in Calistoga for their venue. And we were treated to an absolutely gorgeous day- warm with lovely breezes from the coast and blue skies for miles.

Adam knew that he would be in tears when he first saw Allison. He was completely taken aback by how gorgeous she looked and all of the emotions of the day.

And Allison was equally caught up by her groom.

One of my favorite moments…. After the rings were exchanged, the I do’s spoken, and the kiss, Allison couldn’t wait to celebrate. She grabbed her new husband and her brother-in-law (who officiated the ceremony) into a huge hug.

The whole day was relaxed and lovely. During the portrait session, Allison and her ladies enjoyed a good laugh at what else? The gents.

And I just had to share this as our closing image. These succulent salmon steaks were caught by Adam about a week and a half before the wedding. He had been a commercial fisherman when he lived in Alaska (more on Alaska in our next post) so he returned to Kodiak Island to catch these for his wedding dinner. They had them Fed-Ex-ed to the caterer in dry ice packaging and the guests were treated to some of the most amazing salmon ever. What a fabulous personal touch!

A huge thank you to Allison and Adam for including us in your day. We feel so honored that we could photograph your wedding. Hope Bali is treating you well!

We would also like to thank Kit at Hans Fahden for doing such an excellent job with their special day.

More images to come soon….