WEDDING BLOG

The beautiful Napa Valley was the location for this spectacular fall real wedding of Traci and Ryan, as it’s the place that they are thrilled to call home. Coordinated by Dee Merz and photographed by the talented Junebug member photographer Jennifer Bowen, we just can’t get enough of these rich autumnal images!

The Goals: Bringing together family was the number one goal for Traci and Ryan as they planned their big day, so they came up with meaningful ways to incorporate their loved ones into the ceremony and festivities. “Ryans father and grandfather served as his groomsmen and we decorated our cake table with photos from family members cutting the cake at their own wedding.”

The Design: The beautiful grounds at Beaulieu Gardens offered an elegant yet intimate space for Traci and Ryan’s wedding, and decor was chosen to highlight the location’s natural beauty. A color palette of deep fall colors was used in the flowers by Grant & Co., as well as the tabletops and decor extras, with white and green as the base colors tying everything together. Their beautiful cake from Perfect Endings was decorated with hunter green ribbon and vibrant red and orange flowers, and as an additional dessert they served mini chocolate, vanilla and sorbet ice cream cones presented in bowls of brown sugar, prepared by caterer Paula LeDuc.

For wedding favors, the couple chose to give donations to the HALO Foundation, a group dedicated to enhancing living conditions and providing art therapy for orphans worldwide, whose founder is a close friend of Ryan’s.

The Look: Traci wanted a classic bridal look that fit with the garden setting and wasn’t too over-the-top. She chose a lightly lacy dress by Liancarlo from Marina Morrison, and her bridesmaids wore full length navy blue dresses from Priscilla of Boston. Beautiful! I love how simple and clean Traci’s look is, with a bare neckline, delicate earrings and low chignon hairstyle.

The Moments: Friends and family stayed in town at local B&Bs and Traci and Ryan loved having them so close by. The wedding went on into the wee hours of the morning while guests let loose on the dance floor. Afterward they continued the party at one of their favorite local restaurants in Yountville where guests munched on French fries and chocolate chip cookies. Fun!

The Pros: To see all of the amazing wedding professionals who worked their magic on this wedding day, be sure to visit our Real Wedding Library!

Thank you so much for sharing your wedding and wedding photos with us Traci and Ryan!

To plan your own Southern California or Seattle area wedding, check out our Plan Your Wedding Hotlists, and to find a dream wedding photographer for your wedding anywhere in the world, don’t miss our World’s Best Wedding Photographers Hotlist!