DREAM TUSCAN WEDDING IN SONOMA, CALIFORNIA

THE VENUE

ANNADEL ESTATE WINERY

Set in the heart of Sonoma County, Annadel Estate Winery served up an utterly enchanting setting for our wedding that looked more like Tuscany than California. Our dinner reception took place in the crown jewel of the winery, a courtyard within the 1886 stone ruins where 12-foot walls sit covered in lush curtains of green ivy and flowers. We squeezed 144 guests across three long family-style dinner tables inside the ruins for a bustling familial atmosphere.

All other wedding activities unfolded just outside the ruins, with every event only steps away from the next. Because the winery lacks on-site guest parking, shuttles transported guests down a long gravel drive cutting through the epic vineyards, where guests were welcomed with sparkling wine and strawberry sodas. The ceremony took place beneath a towering oak tree on a wide lawn, followed by cocktail hour beside a flowing Italian fountain outside the ruins with a live string quartet. After dinner, the party moved to an adjacent area overlooking the lawn – a space that effortlessly fit the dance floor, a gelato cart, bar and photo booth. Ultimately, the wedding flowed across four distinct settings, yet everything remained seamlessly connected and just a short stroll apart.

The dinner reception took place inside the ivy-covered stone ruins of the winery with floral arrangements that completely elevated the space.

THE FLORIST

BLÜMHAUS FLORAL CO.

The selection of our florist was another critical choice, and Napa/Sonoma-based Blümhaus Floral Co. delivered beyond expectations. Lead designer Cecelia Carsillo took my vision – complete with image inspo, color palettes, Pinterest boards and strict preferences on what to avoid – and created tailored design concepts for every area of the venue including the ceremony, cocktail hour, bars and dinner reception. Her arrangements elevated the entire space, seamlessly adding a touch of Tuscany to our Sonoma setting. Key floral details:

• RECEPTION TABLE GARLANDS – California grown silver dollar eucalyptus, rosemary sprigs, Sonoma grown olive, stock and imported “playa blanca” roses
• BOUQUETS – California grown dahlias, amaranthus, stock, larkspur, yarrow, Sonoma County grown garden roses, lisianthus, phlox, scabiosa, honeysuckle vine, imported calla lily, wax flower, ranunculus
• CEREMONY NEST & ACCENT PIECES – California grown dahlias, silver dollar eucalyptus, stock, larkspur, tulips, yarrow, rosemary, Sonoma County grown garden roses, lisianthus, scabiosa, campanula, imported hydrangea, calla lily, wax flower, bells of Ireland, butterfly ranunculus, snapdragons, huckleberry, lemon leaf

The table garlands were my favorite floral piece at the wedding.

I used Encore for all my rentals – tables, chairs, linens, the bar, platters, plates, flatware, etc.

THE FAVORS

LA DOLCE VITA LUGGAGE TAGS

We wanted to offer a wedding favor our guests would actually use. Since we both love to travel, these “La Dolce Vita” luggage tags were the perfect fit. To keep them stylish and practical for future trips, we deliberately avoided putting any wedding branding on the tags themselves. Instead, we paired them with custom olive branch favor cards from Minted, featuring our initials.

THE VIBE

Every detail of the wedding was designed to make our guests feel like they had been transported to Italy. The centerpiece of the evening – a dinner reception set within ivy-covered 19th-century ruins delivered that Tuscan dream. We wanted an atmosphere brimming with good energy, where every space was lively, welcoming and echoing with laughter.

We wanted long, family-style tables so everyone felt completely surrounded by friends and family. The communal feel was one of my favorite aspects of the wedding.

THE GELATO CART

SF GELATERIA

After the venue, the gelato cart was the first vendor I booked for the wedding, and it was an absolute hit. SF Gelateria, a Redwood City-based business, offers a traveling Italian gelato cart for events. For our reception, we selected six flavors from their menu including Matcha, Guava Passion Fruit, Lychee, Pistachio, Salted Caramel and Stracciatella.

THE FOOD

LA SAISON

Catering was one of our biggest decisions 10 months out. We’ve all been to weddings with bland, forgettable food, and we were determined to serve a meal our guests would genuinely rave about. And while wine country had plenty of catering options, none felt quite right until our planner introduced us to La Saison. Founded by Chef Natalie Niksa – a Culinary Institute of America graduate who apprenticed at The French Laundry in Yountville – La Saison specializes in seasonal, hand-crafted menus for intimate gatherings and large celebrations alike. We also used La Saison for drinks and bartenders.

Here’s how we brought our menu to life:

The Vision: We collaborated directly with Chef Natalie to design a seasonal menu packed with dishes we personally loved.

The Tasting: We visited La Saison’s Napa space beforehand for a private tasting to fine-tune every detail.

Cocktail Hour: Waiters circulated with passed antipasti while guests mingled and enjoyed wine and cocktails from the bar.

Dinner: We served the main meal family-style to keep the vibe warm, relaxed and interactive.

The Menu:

• English Pea & Pecorino Crostini (antipasti)
• Marinated Mozzarella Caprese (antipasti)
• Cherry Tomato Bruschetta (antipasti)
• Mini Dungeness Crab Rolls (antipasti)
• Morel Mushroom Arancini (antipasti)
• Grilled Little Gem Cesar (primi)
• Herb-Roasted Mary’s Organic Chicken (secondi)
• Olive Oil Poached Halibut (secondi)
• Hand Rolled Basil Pesto Ravioli (secondi)
• Blistered Romano Beans (contorni)
• Herb Roasted Harvest Moon Potatoes (contorni)
• Grilled Baby Broccoli (contorni)
• Pistacio Biscotti (dessert)
• Balsamic Macerated Strawberries w/Marscarpone (dessert)
• Brown Butter Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies (dessert)
• Tiramisu (dessert)

THE PHOTO BOOTH

HOLLYWOOD PHOTO BOOTH

The setup from Hollywood Photo Booth was simple, modern and stylish. They offer standard white backdrops, but we chose to set up right next to the dance floor and use our venue’s beautiful ivy stone walls as the backdrop instead. Prior to the big day, the company made the planning process easy by mocking up sample photo strips customized with our selected dimensions, layout, font and text.

On the wedding day, everything ran seamlessly. Guests were constantly taking photos with the props, loving the fact that instant prints were available right on the spot. After the wedding, Hollywood Photo Booth sent us digital copies of every single photo, making it effortless to relive all the fun memories.

THE PLANNER

CHELSEA TUCKER

My planner was Chelsea Tucker, an absolute rockstar based in Napa. Over the course of a year, we planned every detail of the big day together through site visits, video calls, and rental sessions. She was fabulous to work with, and I was sad post wedding because I knew we would no longer be working together. Chelsea was fabulous.

THE DETAILS

SIGNAGE

We found all our customizable signage and menu options through Etsy and Zazzle including menus, name cards, seating charts, the linen welcome sign, large linen bar menu, small bar menu, guest book signage and table numbers (I named each table after a town in Tuscany).

MUSIC

CEREMONY

We hired a string quartet through Boutique DJ, a popular company for wine country weddings, for live string music during guest arrivals, the ceremony and cocktail hour.

THE INVITATIONS

MINTED

Minted was a clear winner for our wedding invitations – lots of beautiful options that fit our Tuscan vibe. We stuck to a crisp green-and-white palette and chose a stunning olive design with foil press details. Simple, elegant, and perfectly set the tone for our day.

THE DRESSES

My wedding dress was the fifth one I tried on at the first shop I visited, Blue Sky Bridal in San Francisco. The bridesmaids had several dress options to choose from in terracotta from Birdie Grey.