A Romantic, Rustic Wedding at a Winery in California

Updated on September 20, 2018

Lauren and Conor

It wasn't until 13 years after Lauren and Conor met as sixth-graders, when both had finished college and returned to the Bay area, that their friendship turned romantic. Conor proposed on a vacation in 2010, and the two waited a while to get married, choosing a date when their favorite wedding band was available. After deciding on Annadel Estate Winery in the Sonoma Valley, they planned an outdoor celebration filled with delicious food, lush tabletops, and plenty of dancing.

Lauren, who paired her Rivini gown with her mother's vintage pearls, and her groom, in Canali, were all smiles with their attendants pre-ceremony.

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Garden Fresh Bouquets

Bridesmaids toted roses from the winery's garden.

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Big Day 'Do

Lauren "unveiled" after the ceremony, showing off two perfectly placed freesia blossoms.

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Family Affair

Lauren's sister (here with her family) served as a bridesmaid, while her 3-year-old niece took on flower-girl duties.

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Mobile Charm

The bride's 3-year-old niece pulled a flower-and-fruit-filled wagon down the aisle. When she finally reached the altar, everyone cheered.

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The Vows

Canopies shaded the 130 guests, while a picturesque oak had the couple covered.

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Cocktail Hour

While a bluegrass band played, waiters passed hors d'oeuvres, including crab cakes with herb aioli.

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Handmade Signs

Lauren and her dad made "L" and "C" initials using stakes from an old fence.

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Seating Display

Wire letters were nailed to repurposed wooden gate doors. "We assigned tables, but let people sit in any seat they wanted," says Lauren.

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The Setting

Guests dined alfresco at rustic farm tables under sun-shielding umbrellas. The dinner scene included a mix of seating, alternating long, wooden farm tables with linen-covered spaces for four, and canopies shielded guests from the California sun.

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Trailing Tabletops

Overflowing urns of English roses and trailing blackberry and clematis vines helped set the scene, and persimmons anchored napkins and menus to chargers.

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On the Menu

A single persimmon sat atop each menu. The meal was served family-style, with passed platters of roasted pork loin, fresh shell-bean gratins, plates of roasted peppers of all types, and "bowls of herbaceous salsa verde to slather all over everything," says Lauren. "It was everything I love—people sitting around big tables with wine and food laughing and talking."

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