* Nicolle, Program Manager & Paulie, Network Engineer * Photographer: Emily Takes Photos (APW Sponsor) * Soundtrack for reading: “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz *
One sentence sum up of the wedding vibe: The most amazing, loving, laughter-filled, close-knit, uniquely special weekend ever!
The Info—Photography: Emily Takes Photos (APW Sponsor) / Venue: Rancho Wikiup, Santa Rosa, CA / Caterer: Melissa Axelrod, California Table / Nicolle’s Dress: Wai-Ching / Paulie’s Suit: Paul Smith / Flowers: The only flowers we added to the venue were the bouquets and boutonnières, which my best friend and I made the morning of the wedding
Other cool stuff we should know about: We really wanted to have a small, intimate, comfortable, and incredibly fun wedding with lots of delicious food, amazing wine, and lots and lots of laughter. Since we had the venue (which is a vacation rental) for the whole weekend we decided to have a bunch of events so that people could get to know one and other and make real connections throughout the weekend. We started with a parents/siblings dinner on Thursday night, then took all the guests wine tasting in Sonoma on Friday and finished out Friday with a BBQ and a big screen showing of the movie Roman Holiday. By the time the wedding rolled around on Saturday, all the guests were like old friends!
Favorite thing about the wedding: During the ceremony, we passed a wine glass around and every guest gave us a short blessing, then we drank from the glass. Being able to have that specific and unique connection with every single person that was there loving and supporting us was magical.
This post includes Sponsors, who are a key part of supporting APW. For more information, see our Directory page for Emily Takes Photos.
This wedding makes my heart sing. I am bookmarking it asap.
When my bf and I start talking about making it official, this will be the first thing I show him (he’s afraid of weddings…not marriage, just weddings) and the tradition, love, laughter, joy, and lack of pretense that come zooming off the screen are things that will touch him (and have touched me) and will put him in a more positive mindset about weddings.
(and can we talk about the DRESS and your weekend events and the family-style table?! Or really just all of it…I’m a little in love right now)
August 29, 2012 9:55 am
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So beautiful! I love the dress – and the big grin in the third photo!
August 29, 2012 10:02 am
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I think that is the most amazing dress I have ever seen for any occasion ever. Anywhere.
The woodwork, the colors, this is an aesthetically beautiful wedding and right up my alley.
But the JOY! It’s remarkable.
August 29, 2012 10:10 am
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I saw your dress, and my entire reaction was “It’s gorgeous… Wait, is that a Wai Ching dress? Of course it’s gorgeous!” Which is to say, I love your dress! And your groom’s ponytail. And most of all, how happy everyone looks!
August 29, 2012 10:36 am
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LOVE YOUR DRESS! :D
August 29, 2012 10:50 am
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One day I want a Wai-Ching to wear while I do laundry or go to the grocery store or something. I’d feel like a million bucks while doing domestic chores. Mmmhmm.
This wedding is gorgeous. Loooove.
August 29, 2012 11:38 am
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YES! I hope you do it. I hope we all do one day!
That dress is like a work of art. And I love that it’s not white — very refreshing.
Also, the love and humor and fun of the couple and their celebration really shine through. Mazel Tov!
August 30, 2012 9:56 pm
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Omg. The rabbi has a magic wand in his breast picket and star antennas on his yarmulke…. I have to know more!
August 29, 2012 11:47 am
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Those were props from the photobooth that I never got back. :P
August 29, 2012 3:50 pm
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What a perfect picture! He just exudes glee and delight!
August 29, 2012 6:06 pm
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Ahhh, tears welled up at the wine glass part at the end. BEAUTIFUL.
August 29, 2012 1:10 pm
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Absolute magic. It looks like you guys had such a joyful day.
And I love love love the photo of the happy couple through the window in the French door. That is beyond perfect.
August 29, 2012 2:19 pm
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Love the picture of that dress hanging in the window. Looks like stained glass! Beautiful, beautiful
August 29, 2012 3:09 pm
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I was crying by the time I saw you in your dress and waving my arms around by the time I saw the look on his face when he first saw you. This is amazing. I love that you didn’t wear white. Bucking that tradition is a hard one for me to wrap my head around, but you pulled it off wonderfully without looking like you’re heading to prom.
August 29, 2012 3:11 pm
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Yippeee! BEAUTIFUL dress :)
August 29, 2012 3:11 pm
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O.
M.
G.
so rad!! and I ADORE her dress!!
August 29, 2012 4:45 pm
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Love the picture of that dress.
August 29, 2012 8:31 pm
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Awesome! and of course, the dress ::swoon::.
August 30, 2012 7:28 am
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Congratulations!! I love the photobooth. :D
August 30, 2012 8:30 am
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A lovely joyful wedding to smile over!
I wore green to my wedding this summer and it never felt at all strange to me. I wanted to feel entirely myself, not in part a representation to anything else, any social construct or archtype. For me, that meant not wearing white. It totally works for others who can rock a white dress out, but not me. For the most part, friends and fam seemed completely unfazed, although some reactions were funny. “How will people know you’re the bride?” was my favourite. There is so much attached to a white dress.
Meg et al., perhaps someone could write about the experience of alternative wedding attire? Or is that already in the archives that I’ve missed?
August 31, 2012 6:31 pm
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I am really late to this, missed it in my RSS feed but I am here to give a high five for the Wai-Ching. I can’t wait to wear mine on Saturday, it is so beautiful. She really does create art.
September 17, 2012 1:57 pm
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