Meet Mr. and Mrs. Greene! This wedding is high on my list of all-time faves — not just because I know and love them, but because their details were heartfelt and so personalized, so nostalgic.
The Barn by Leal Vineyards is a rustic yet chic venue that is rather new to the Leal Vineyards venue family. It is tucked right into the border of Hollister and Tres Pinos in California. The town boasts vineyards and wine tastings that are hard to beat.
Stacy and Chris came together as a second chance family, each with two children of their own. They decided to honor this new “merger” by focusing on their children as the primary wedding party. This was able to be seen, and felt, throughout their getting ready moments.
For starters, Stacy’s dress had just enough bling — “gee ga” as she and her late mother, Lil, would always say. Her shoes made that bling pop. These Badgley Mischka shoes were divine!One of the great qualities that everyone sees in Chris is his romantic gestures. Although Stacy and a treasured friend had lovingly sought out, rolled and offered unique hankies for each guest’s “happy tears”, Chris wanted Stacy to have one of her own.
Stacy’s ring was a nod to her love of florals, with the setting around her center stone coming together to form the petals of a flower.
The “almost” first look
Moving to The Barn venue, there were more getting ready suites just inside of where their newly restored, vintage trailer — “The Honeymoon Suite” was parked outside for touring. As the sun rose and became stronger, this turned out to be a nice place to chill for Chris, the kids and the arriving guests.
The florals were nothing short of amazing. Three words? Vintage, romantic, subtle. They served as beautiful backdrops to feature those beautiful rings.
That was not all. There WAS one surprise. Stacy’s best woman, Shauna, who was her right hand woman in sourcing out and executing the details of this amazing wedding, had lovingly tucked a photo of Stacy’s deceased Mom and Grandma into her bouquet. Oh, how they would have loved this day!Stacy and Chris designed and worked on so many wonderful pieces for this wedding. The vintage doors were a stunning way to feature the custom floral heart to frame the altar.Stacy’s son, Carson, readied her for the walk down the aisle. Stacy and Chris chose not to see one another before the ceremony. Why? So that they could have THIS moment. Ah-mazing!
The ceremony was intimate and personalized, the tributes to each other’s children heart warming.
As the guests mingled for cocktail hour, we slipped the new Mr. and Mrs. away for a few family and then a lot of couple’s portraits.
The light was divine!
That light began to change throughout the next five or six hours. Because they had carefully selected their venue, the coordinators were able to open and close large barn doors in the venue.
As their engagement AND wedding photographer, I gasped when I saw the result of our partnership. Mike and the team at Bay Photo had assisted us with blowing up textured prints and mounting them on special boards. Stacy and Chris then slipped them into the vintage windows that they had been treasuring for this moment. Those windows were then mounted on the custom easels that Chris built and painted for the event. LOVE!
The sweetheart table.The mixed light sources were such a beautiful contribution to the warmth that emanated throughout the reception.Once again, the florals were each unique in their composition, mounted in unique teapots and vases. No two florals were the same. King Arthur-style seating, with a center aisle for walking and interaction, was selected so that guests could all be part of the same atmosphere.Tea cups had been purchased and saved for many moons. Stacy and her best woman, Shauna, hand poured wax to make tea cup candles. They provided beautiful light throughout the reception.Each corner of the room displayed beautiful details that were specific to Stacy and Chris. These details closely resemble their home environment.In loving memory of Mom and Grandma.Vintage tea cups were also made into candles and matches to compliment the hankies that guests were given as wedding favors.In lieu of a wedding sign-in book, guests inked messages on a vintage door that featured one of Stacy and Chris’s engagement photos.
Guests were able to sign the door as beautiful moments — like the first dance — took place nearby.
Stacy lovingly planned each moment of the event — except one — her surprise. Chris memorized — and spoke to music — the entirety of a favorite of Stacy’s — Brad Paisley’s “Then”.Guests dined on — once again — unique and individual china that had been purchased by the bride and groom during the wedding planning phase. Guests enjoyed comparing their place settings as they admired the long, vintage lace table runners with scalloped edges.The bride and groom were presented with the most ah-mazing gift — Stacy’s best woman, Shauna, had created a custom globe, complete with one of their engagement photos and even a little bling on Stacy’s finger!
That light began to change throughout the next five or six hours. Because they had carefully selected their venue, the coordinators were able to open and close large barn doors in the venue. We also snuck out for a few photos as the daylight came to an end.
Special thanks to the amazing Sunder Morgan for his assistance at this event. I wouldn’t have wanted to do it without you, my love!
