Nick & Nicholle | Chalk Hill Estate Winery | Healdsburg, California

February 17, 2016

"Love at first site". This is a concept we dream of and wonder about often, but for Nick & Nicholle, it was a reality fairytale come true. These two were separately vacationing in the caribbean islands for New Years Eve, when Nicholle accidentally missed her ferry to St. Barth. Stranded on St. Martin, she took shelter in a nearby pub to figure out her next year, where she met her future husband. Later, Nicholle, a Toronto native, was visiting New York and met up with Nick. The two claim the rest was history. Here we are, years later, watching their love story unravel into an elegant formal wedding affair at one of our favorite venues in Wine Country: Chalk Hill Winery Estate.

Chalk Hill Winery Estate is undoubtedly one of the premier wedding venues in Northern California, if not the United States. This comes as no surprise to those who have stepped foot on this property even just once. The "wow" factor of this location is like none other. The spanning rolling hills of the Chalk Hill vineyards seem to transplant you to a place and time like the countryside of Tuscany. You feel miles away from any fuss of the outside world, and the organic beauty of all its spaces are without a doubt some of the best we have seen. The on site chapel is nestled atop a hill in the middle of the property, with vast surrounding vineyard views, a tranquil fountain and courtyard, and an Italian inspired bell tower. The wedding spaces are breathtaking with 360 degree views at almost every location, all with different appealing elements and offerings. Oh, and did we mention the wine is spectacular? A definite perk!

When discussing design, there is something to be said for a property like Chalk Hill. Here you can easily let the property speak for itself aesthetically, or play off the grandiose spaces it provides by incorporating extravagant details. For Nick & Nicholle, they wanted to create a classic, elegant wedding. For them, our design incorporated simple white & cream details throughout; from the gold chiavari chairs, to the simple yet stunning white hydrangea centerpieces, this wedding was fit for a fairytale.

Huge thanks to all our wonderful vendors involved in making Nick & Nicholle's wedding a dream come true for them:

Venue: Chalk Hill

Caterer: John Ash

Photographer: BLR Lifestyle Photography

Officiant: Michael Wright

Music: KJ Allstars

Florist: La Fleuriste

Hair & Makeup: The Powder Room

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals & La Tavola

Printed Materials: Vellum & Vogue

Colleen & Shane | Tra Vigne & Merryvale | St. Helena, California

February 3, 2016

Colleen & Shane's love story seems to be straight out of one of our favorite chick flicks. These two met at a baggage claim carousel in Las Vegas while waiting for their luggage. Shane slyly approached Colleen where they sparked a conversation and quickly learned that they were both originally from the same home town of Saskatoon. Even more, both were currently living in Calgary and knew a lot of the same people, and yet they just had never met. Fate played its lovely role in bringing these two together, and we are still in awe of how romantic their love story truly is.

Intimate weddings always speak to us in an extra special way. There's something to be said about being surrounded by your closest loved ones on your big day and being able to share in all the excitement with all of your guests in such an intimate way. Colleen & Shane chose to go this route, with a cozy guest count of 30. Their romantic dining table set in the cask room at Merryvale was adorned with tall candelabras that created a classic centerpiece of dim candlelight with simple white floral details and glass accents. They wanted to embrace a cozy dinner with their dearest. The intimate dinner setting was the highlight of the entire event with bold rich tones the black chivari chairs and centerpieces to compliment the dark wood accents throughout the barrel room.

A huge thanks to all of our wonderful vendors from this event:

Ceremony Venue: Tra Vigne

Reception Venue: Merryvale

Caterer: Tra Vigne

Photographer: Richard Wood

Ceremony Music: Bella Rosa Strings

Florist: La Fleuriste

Hair & Makeup: Katie Nash

L'Relyea Events Art Deco Inspired Wedding | Dawn & Glenn | Beltane Ranch | Glen Ellen, California

January 7, 2016

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that “life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall” and we perfectly agree. Lucky for us, Anna Kuperberg captured the whimsy of Gatsby, with a refined color palette and a touch of metallic, we get to indulge in a bit of 1920’s in Wine Country. The luxury and general aura of the roaring 20’s often serves as inspiration for many weddings, but this beaming couple did it right. From the couples adorned wedding logo sported throughout the event, to the fedoras and fascinators we provided guests to embrace the festive affair, the attention to detail and personality was thriving at this wedding.

I’ve become pretty convinced that Sonoma is the land where weddings have an extra special sparkle and this one right here reinforces that belief even more. Our hearts were fluttering at the many simple yet special details throughout the event: from the reoccurrence of their wedding logo throughout, to the checkered black and white dance floor with a full swing band, and elegant farm-to-table dining with rich Autumn tones, it was all swoon-worthy. This is what tends to happen when elegant details mix and mingle with rustic locales… pure, unadulterated happy. And when that backdrop is the beautiful Beltane Ranch? Well, it is just simply the icing on the cake. Wanting to play up the organic ranch beauty, we incorporated subtle Autumn details such as wooden tables & signage, bistro napkins with bare table tops, and an apple on each table setting. One of our favorite unique elements of this event, was the couples use of escort cards. Each guest received a coin with their name on it, and were asked to drop their coin into their choice of one of three boxes. Each box represented a charity that the couple would then make a donation for each guests coin. What a thoughtful and selfless alternative to the tradition escort cards!

This gorgeous Sonoma Valley wedding combined rustic beauty with 1920's inspired charm, a combination truly representative of the bride and groom. From the flapper fun attire to the art deco decor and details, we loved turning their vision into the perfect wedding day. Lucky for us, the amazing images from Anna Kuperberg Photography captures the day perfectly. Among the many beautiful florals and details of this wedding, the biggest highlight of the event was the plethora of local food vendors. How lucky we are to live in Wine Country, where artisan food vendors are plentiful and local ingredients are the norm. We had Hog Island Oyster Company chucking fresh local oysters on site, Cowgirl Creamery came in and schooled guests on every aspect of their locally cultured cheeses, and an entire pig smoked on site from Smoke.

& of course, special thanks to all the vendors that made this wedding a dream come true for Dawn & Glenn:

Photography: Anna Kuperberg

Planning & Design: Lindsey Relyea at L'Relyea Events

Wedding Venue: Beltane Ranch

Floral Design: Flaxx Floral Design

Cake: Susie Cakes

Food & Beverage: Smoke | Cowgirl Creamery | Hog Island Oyster Company | Tonic | Java Joes

Hair & Makeup: It's A Date at the Powder Room

Band: Stompy Joes

Rentals: One True Love Vintage Rentals | Encore Event Rentals

Bachelorette Party in San Francisco

July 1, 2015

San Francisco is a youthful & hip city full of bars, nightlife, restaurants, shows, shopping and more. Why not take advantage of all that the gorgeous “city by the bay” has to offer and spend a weekend with your ladies for your bachelorette party. It offers all that is Vegas and then some and for those who want to party AND relax or explore, this is the place for you.

Looking for a place to get some nice cocktails and enjoy a view of the city? Here are our top picks!

Sens San Francisco: this Mediterranean restaurant is located across from the Ferry Building and has a lovely patio with a view overlooking the Embarcadero and the Bay.

The View Lounge: Atop the Marriott on Mission Street, the View Lounge is a rooftop cocktail lounge with a 360 degree view of the best sites of the city. For a chic, hip cocktail spot, this is the place to be! Try their Soma Spritzer, it is our favorite for a refreshing evening cool down.

Water Bar: Also located in the Embarcadero, this restaurant and bar has stunning views on the Golden Gate bridge and the water.

Perhaps you are looking for more of a fun night out on the town. From the Castro, to Polk Street and beyond, there are plenty of great choices to entertain you. A few of our favorites include:

Polk Street Bars: Start at Lush and make your way to any of the number of dive bars and cocktail lounges that Polk Street has to offer. The vibe here is lively and youthful, perfect for a bachelorette party.

Ruby Sky: This nightclub would be a perfect spot for you and your ladies to get bottle service and feel like VIP for a night. Get a little more dressed up and dance the night away to live DJ music and good cocktails.

Tiki Lounge: For a more casual, fun experience, go to the Tiki Lounge and share a Volcano beverage and enjoy the live entertainment. You will feel like you are in the heart of Fiji!

Maybe you are ready to wind down and enjoy a relaxing day with your ladies. Here a few things we love to do to enjoy some r&r in the bay area:

Sailing in the bay: Enjoy a day on the water, sipping on champagne with your ladies and enjoying the fresh ocean air as you take in the stunning city views. If you are able to, sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz. There are plenty of charters that you can hire to take you sailing from Fisherman’s Wharf if you or your guests are unable to source this on your own.

Sausolito: This quaint town on the water is north of the Golden Gate Bridge and full of character and charm. With lots of local shops and restaurants, you can enjoy a full day exploring the many house boats that line the city and enjoy some Northern California local flavor.

There are also plenty of fun things to explore and do during the day! Here are a few fun ideas:

Giants Game: With AT&T Park located at the end of the Embarcadero and situated right on the bay, this view and the experience is one not to miss. Sometimes you just need some peanuts and beer with your girls!

Bike the bridge: The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most iconic locations in the world, and on a sunny day what better way to experience its beauty than with a bike ride across the bridge! It will take you around 40 minutes and offers incredible city, ocean and Alcatraz views. Plenty of photography spots on either end of the bridge for you to relax after your bike ride and enjoy the view.

Cable Cars: The cable cars are an easy and fun way to see some of the best and most well known spots in the city. The open air transportation allows for people to take pictures along the way and enjoy all that is the city while seeing some of the top tourist destinations! Hint: Look in the window of the cable cars to see which city or country they are gifted from.

And of course, this city is full of incredible eateries and restaurants to satisfy any taste bud. Here are a few of our top picks for the best girls dinners:

Flour & Water: This hip, new age spot in the Mission is famous for their handmade and house made pastas. I promise you, this is the best pasta dishes you will ever have in your life. You can share a bunch of different styles because they offer half orders and their staff is some of the best we have experienced.

Cotogna: This Italian restaurant in downtown SF offers some of the tastiest pizzas and Italian dishes we have ever tried. The location is ideal and the ambiance is fun and vibrant.

Gary Danko:For a more upscale dinner, we recommend Gary Danko. World renound, this restuarnt offers some of the best steaks and American style cuisine. Located in the heart of one of San Francisco’s most desirable residential neighborhoods, this is an experience sure to please all your guests.

No matter what you are looking for, San Francisco has it all. From relaxing days by the bay, to exciting nights in the city, there is something for everyone. Your ladies are sure to have a blast, but make sure you don’t forget to enjoy a bacon wrapped hotdog before you leave, a SF specialty!

Erin + Victor

January 26, 2015

We are loving the bold purple hues that were set into this classic white toned wedding! The lovely couple celebrated their special day at Trentadue Winery in Geyserville, Ca, surrounded by lush vineyards, giant oaks and fresh summer air. They used rustic wine barrels and iron candelabras to embrace their Spanish-infused Wine Country wedding.

Planner: l’Relyea Events | Lindsey Relyea
Venue: Trentadue Winery
Caterer: Park Avenue Catering
Ceremony Officiant: Brian Plaugher
Photographer: Jennifer Bagwell
Ceremony/Reception Music: AMS
Cocktail Music: Jay Alverez, Guitarrist
Florist: Fleurs de France
Wedding Cake: Cousteaux
Transportation: California Wine Tours
Rentals: Wine Country Party
Rentals Video: Uforia Films

Stephanie & Alex

January 22, 2015

Nothing is more appealing than a fun, relaxed wedding at a family property that holds so many valued memories. We were thrilled to hear that Stephanie wanted to get married at her parents estate property, and over the several months leading up to her wedding we transformed their family abode to a wedding destination to host 250 of their nearest and dearest. Set in Healdsburg, Ca. this country estate wedding encompasses family, friends and new memories making this day one to remember. Truly a labor of love, everything from the floral design, handmade wooden signage, to the desserts were made by family and friends. It is easy to see how much thought and love went into each little detail and that is what makes this wedding even more special.

Planner: Lindsey l’Relyea Events
Venue/Caterer: Jim, Black Bean BBQ
Ceremony Officiant: Sanhya Jea
Photographer: To Amaze
Ceremony Music: Way Out West Band
Reception Music: Verducci Entertainment
Florist: Darla Fairlee, Aunt | Dragonfly Floral
Wedding Cake: The Flour Girl, Cake | Desserts made by the Bridal Party
Transportation: Family Friends | Avis Rentals
Hair & Makeup:Guys & Dolls Salon
Rentals: Encore Rentals and Wine Country Party
Stationary: Handmade by the bride

Brooke + Robert

December 2, 2013

Brooke and Robert are a couple that embodies the unique culture of North Cal. The love birds, who met from a chance encounter at a convenience store in SF, desired a wedding that was “casual, but stylish” with a twist on some of the traditional aspects. Their sweet ceremony took place at the very quaint General Vallejo’s Home, a historical house located just a short walk from Sonoma's town square. After the “I Dos”, the wedding party and guests marched down the street playing instruments as they followed behind the band. They were creating a symphony to announce the joyous harmony of Brooke and Robert’s union. The parade would end at El Dorado Kitchen, where the party would begin. The restaurant itself has a very rustic, yet chic atmosphere. To compliment the organic ambiance, each guest had their own personalized stamped wood coins at their seat; these will make memorable ornaments on their Christmas tree this year. We also enlisted the help of the talented Lidia of La Flueriste to design natural tablescapes of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. The Newly Weds wanted to approach their reception like a “big party” that “not only celebrates the fact that we are getting married, but also a celebration of all the people we love”. With half of their guests from Germany, they wanted to blend the family traditions and help with ice breakers at the dining tables. Each guest was given “fact” cards to match up with other guests at their table. It was really fun to watch everyone bond over dinner. Rather than a traditional guest book, Brooke and Robert decided to have 6 wine bottles labeled for each of their first 6 anniversaries of marriage. Guests were asked to impart words of wisdom or written love notes for the couple to read on each bottles respective anniversary. By the end of the night, it wasn’t hard to see why this couple had fallen in love. Through the laughter, blessed tears, and gleeful merging of families, it was apparent these two would be together for many years longer than their guest book elixir would last them.

Planner: l’Relyea Events
Ceremony Venue: General Vallejo’s Home
Ceremony Officiant: Lili Goodman Freitas
Reception Venue: El Dorado Kitchen & Hotel
Reception Music:  Premier productions
Photographer: Rebecca Gosselin
Florist: Lidia of La Fleuriste
Transportation: Sebastiani Trolly, Vinatge Cab: William Valley
Hair & Makeup: Salon Novo - Hair: Andrea & Makeup: Alan
Rentals: Big 4 Rents

Real Wedding: Tanya + Chris

October 14, 2013

This chic {and ridiculously gorgeous!} couple wanted to offer their guests a wine country experience that captured their NYC lifestyle. After searching high and low they found the perfect setting for their September wedding in Calistoga, Ca. Guests flew in from the East Coast for an early start to their weekend which kicked off with a rehearsal dinner in the wine caves of Clos Pegase Winery and spent the rest of the weekend wine tasting at a few favorite Napa Valley wineries, cruising through the quaint town on their bikes, and basking by the mineral pools in Calistoga. The highlight, of course, was their modern wine country nuptials at Solage Calistoga.

Real Wedding: Lauren + Blaise

September 19, 2013

Lauren and Blaise wanted to create a wedding day that reflected their effortless and sophisticated style. "simple, elegant, chic, stunning and, above all, intimate and personal" is exactly what the bride mentioned to me on our first phone call. With the couple living in Washington DC, they entrusted us and the help of her mother's impeccable style to design the day and plan the details. The couple were married at Lauren's childhood church, Grace Episcopal in Saint Helena, followed by a stunning reception at Solage Calistoga.