An Intimate, Italian-Inspired Backyard Wedding in Sonoma, California

Brooke and James met in 2019 through work; she was leading the implementation of a system upgrade for his team (so technically, he was her client!). They met a few times at team events and saw each other occasionally at a gym close to their office. On James' last day at the organization, he called her as he was leaving the parking garage and asked her out to a concert. The two hit it off and a year later, James was planning a proposal in Colorado, where both he and Brooke had lived before they crossed paths.

James told Brooke that in lieu of a company holiday party, a few co-workers and friends were planning a ski trip in Breckenridge, Colorado, in December 2020. As they were driving up, they passed the Breckenridge exit, and James confessed to Brooke that they were actually heading to Aspen. "It was the first diversion of the trip," Brooke remembers. But the next morning, when the couple woke up to no heat or hot water due to an issue at the hotel, James' plans were thrown off. So, the couple decided to skip their planned massage and ski session and head up the mountain to meet their friends—that part of the ruse was true. Once they got to the top, James asked Brooke to take a selfie. "While I was taking off my gloves, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him," Brooke says. "It was the perfect day, even if no restaurants were open for dinner to celebrate and we had to wear three sweaters to bed that night."

The couple began planning an Amalfi Coast wedding, but their plans were impacted by the pandemic. They pivoted, deciding to move their wedding to their favorite spot in the states—Napa Valley, California—instead. Brooke scoured VRBO for a location with the aesthetic she was looking for, and when she found it, she called the owners to see if they would be open to allowing a small 12-guest wedding. When they agreed, the couple hired Hilary from Hilary Marie Events to pull together all of the details. "She immediately understood my vision and I felt like we had the exact same style. I trusted her fully," Brooke says.

Brooke and James opted for a classic invitation suite featuring light and airy calligraphy and a custom monogram. The set was finished with watercolor-style floral wraps.

Brooke wore a silk and lace Olia Zavozina wedding dress with a trumpet silhouette, fitted bodice, plunging neckline, lace straps, and embellished train. She found the gown on the last appointment she made, and the designer happened to be there for the session. "I met with her and told her my vision for my dress, so it was a collaboration between my vision and hers that led us down this path," Brooke shares. Here mother worked with a jewelry designer to reconfigure her own wedding ring diamonds into suds with hanging pearl drops; Brooke wore them on the big day and completed her look with lace Bella Belle shoes.

Brooke held a loose organic bouquet of hellebores, scabiosa, roses, astilbe, and honeysuckle vines. The arrangement fit the day's color palette, thanks to its peachy beige, pale pink, taupe, white, and rust hues and was held together with a silk copper ribbon.

James donned a custom suit and black bow tie designed by Commonwealth Proper, which he paired with Louis Vuitton shoes.

Female guests wore different gowns in shades of earth-toned pink in varying styles and textures. "Since we had such a small group, I wanted to make sure all the attendees' dresses would coordinate in color and wouldn't stand out," Brooke says.

After Brooke's mom helped her get ready, the bride shared an emotional first look with her dad. The morning of the wedding was rainy, but the sun made an appearance as soon as Brooke stepped out for the first look. "I am the first of three kids to get married and my dad has such a tough exterior that when he cries, it makes everyone cry, so that was a very emotional moment for us," Brooke says.

The ceremony took place outside; the region's mountain range was within view. Four wooden benches were set up in front of the altar and a lush landscaped vignette.

The pair's arch incorporated copper tree pods, smoke bush, dried grasses, pee gee hydrangea, and pale pink roses.

As a live musician played in the distance, Brooke made her way down the aisle with her dad.

James' brother, Chad, had the special job of officiating the ceremony. The couple's vows, which both mentioned their dog, Ollie, ended up having a similar structure. They included memories of their relationship, their feelings for each other, and promises for the future.

The cocktail hour took place around the pool, which was surrounded with small lounges and tables.

Guests enjoyed passed appetizers like ahi tuna tartare in sesame waffle cones, burrata with peaches on a crostini, and chili-citrus glazed pork belly skewers. The couple didn't serve signature cocktails—instead, they took advantage of having such a small group and asked everyone to order what they wanted.

Their dinner reception was held on a grassy lawn, where guests dined underneath a canopy of string lights. The single long dinner table was paired with vintage cane chairs for texture.

The floral centerpiece spanned the entire length of the table; its blooms appeared to grow out of a bed of moss and foliage. The greenery and flower choices were inspired by the venue's landscaping.

The centerpiece's blooms included white and peach hydrangeas, scabiosa, garden roses, nerine, lisianthus, foxgloves, queen anne's lace, zinnias, and orange echinacea. As for the settings? Taupe-colored plates were paired with gold flatware with white handles; white linen napkins, tied with ribbon, were tagged with attendees' names. "Each guest sitting at the table had a slightly different view with different focal-point flowers," the bride notes.

A live musician played throughout the reception, but when it was time for the pair's first dance, the bride's uncle surprised the couple with a song he wrote just for them.

Their two-tier white wedding cake featured fresh strawberries and fresh florals for decoration; the tiny confection was just enough for the small group.

The newlyweds spent a few nights together at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay before heading home. Later, in October 2021, Brooke and James took their official two-week honeymoon and visited Venice, Barcelona, and Paris.

Overall, Brook and James say their intimate wedding was even more special than any large event they could have imagined. "It was daunting, because it required the same amount of coordination and pageantry, just with less volume of people, but it was so worth it to us."

Photography, Janine Licare Photography
Venue, VRBO
Wedding Planning and Event Design, Hilary Marie Events
Videography, Ryan Noel Films
Flowers, Laura's Floras
Invitations and Paper Products, Kelsey Malie Calligraphy
Bride's Gown and Veil, Olia Zavozina
Bride's Shoes, Bella Belle
Bride's Hair and Makeup, Raven Reed
Groom's Attire, Commonwealth Proper; Louis Vuitton
Music, David Ronconi
Catering and Cake, Pascaline Fine Catering
Rentals, Theoni
Lighting, Got Light