Diablo Weddings - Winter/Spring 2015

WEDDINGS LOVE STORIES SIX REAL-LIFE DREAM WEDDINGS

STYLE GUIDE

53 WAYS TO DESIGN YOUR SPECIAL DAY

EXPERT ADVICE INSIDER SECRETS TO PLANNING

WINTER/SPRING 2015

$5.99

DISPLAY MARCH 31, 2015 1 D I A BUNTIL L O A RT S

Here at La Soie Bridal, we welcome each bride to our salon to make memories that will last a lifetime.

1413 CYPRESS STREET WALNUT CREEK P: (925) 933-9988 F: (925) 933-9987 WALNUTCREEK@LASOIEBRIDAL.COM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LASOIEBRIDALSALON

WALNUT CREEK’S

Best Kept

Secret

JASMINE LEE PHOTOGRAPHY

JASMINE LEE PHOTOGRAPHY

KAT MA PHOTOGRAPHY

3800 Valley Vista Rd, Walnut Creek 925.934.3600 Ext. 21 bdutler@playboundaryoak.com

®, and The Diamond. The Promise.™ are Trade Marks used under license from The De Beers Group of Companies. © Forevermark 2014. Forevermark®,

A TRUE PROMISE WILL NEVER BE BROKEN Less than one percent of the world’s diamonds can carry the Forevermark® inscription - a promise that each is beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced.

JEWELER

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GORGEOUS VIEWS

*

A HISTORIC SETTING

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CUSTOMIZABLE WEDDING PACKAGES

Celebrate your most important moment at The Claremont Hotel Club & Spa and create an unforgettable wedding for you and your guests, all in one spectacular location.

With fitness at The Club, relaxation at the Spa, stellar dining at Paragon and Meritage, and activities overlooking gorgeous views at every turn, the possibilities are yours to cherish.

Speak to a Wedding Planner 800-551-7266 or catering@claremont-hotel.com

W W W. C L A R E M O N T- H O T E L . C O M

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4 1 T U N N E L ROA D , B E R K E L EY, C A 9 4 7 0 5

CONTENTS VOLUM E ONE

FEATURES

36

LOVE STOR IES

From an elopement in the woods to country-club class, here’s how six couples with East Bay ties tied the knot.

46 ARROWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

STYLE GU ID E

Cakes, invitations, venues, and that extra touch: How to achieve the wedding look you want.

D I A B L O A RT S 5 DIABLO WEDDINGS 5

CONTENTS VOLUM E ONE

11

GET T I NG R EA DY

What to pop after the question is popped; splurge-worthy ways to spoil the bride-to-be; little touches to delight your guests, from paper cranes to poetry; enhancing your wedding with tech; Bay Area bridal fair inspiration; and a local way to register for gifts.

21

ADVI CE / WEDDI N G G U R U

“OMG! I’m engaged!”

Chill out: Joyce Scardina Becker is here to help.

25

FLOWERS/ BRI DAL BOU QU ETS

We break down a bride's most delicate accessory with help from local florists.

56

RES OUR C E G U IDE

BEST W ISH ES

On the Cover Photography: Colson Griffith.

Dress: Tulle New York, available at Kinsley James in Walnut Creek.

Belt: Angels Petals.

Model: Missy Olivares.

6 DIABLO W A RT E DSD I N G S

ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT

80

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA PINO/STYLED BY ADREA CABRERA

Bridal boutiques, caterers, DJs, florists, photographers, venues, wedding planners, and other recommended vendors.

WEDDINGS EDITOR IN CHIEF

Susan Dowdney Safipour Roger Gurbani

ART DIRECTOR

Stacey Kennelly

MANAGING EDITOR, DIABLO WEDDINGS

MANAGING EDITOR, DIABLO

Kristen Haney

SENIOR EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR ART/WEB ASSISTANT

Peter Crooks

Rachelle Cihonski

Samantha Schneider

COPY EDITOR

LeeAnne Jones

GROUP PUBLISHER

Barney Fonzi

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Marilyn Beck Rivera, Toni Tighe, Megan Tuggle ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Nicole Alexander, Chloe Pak MARKETING DIRECTOR

Dave Reik

M A R K E T I N G A N D C I R C U L AT I O N M A N AG E R M A R K E T I N G C O O R D I N AT O R

Melinda Solomon

Amanda Stratmeyer

SALES AND MARKETING INTERN

Elizabeth Searl

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Jose Basulto, Danielle Crider, Alexa Gambero, Erica Gilbert D I R E C T O R O F O P E R AT I O N S

Eileen Cunningham

AD PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION

Jennifer Brazil, Debra Donovan, Ron Henry, Renate Woodbury P R O J E C T M A N AG E R / A D C O O R D I N AT O R

Sarah Schultz

A D M I N I S T R AT I O N CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Brendan N. Casey

STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Sylvia Bajjaliya

A C C O U N T S P AYA B L E

Ana Magaña

A C C O U N T S R E C E I VA B L E / R E C E P T I O N I S T H E L P D E S K A D M I N I S T R AT O R

Cheryl Davis

Nick Rubalcaba

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE PUBLISHER

Jodie Aranda

D I A B L O P U B L I C AT I O N S F O U N D E R A N D P R E S I D E N T

Steven J. Rivera

(925) 943-1111 M A I L I N G A D D R E S S 2520 Camino Diablo, Walnut Creek, CA 94597-3939 B Y F A X (925) 943-1045 B Y E - M A I L d-mail@maildiablo.com O N T H E W E B diabloweddings.com W E B S I T E F O R D I A B L O M A G A Z I N E diablomag.com W E B S I T E F O R D I A B L O C U S T O M P U B L I S H I N G dcpubs.com FA C E B O O K facebook.com/diablomagazine I N S T A G R A M instagram.com/diablomagazine T W I T T E R twitter.com/diablomagazine

H O W TO R E A C H U S F O R A D V E R T I S I N G, S U B S C R I P T I O N, A N D G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N TO COMMENT ON EDITORIAL CONTENT

(925) 943-1111

Diablo Weddings is published by Diablo Country Magazine Inc. All rights to the contents of this magazine are owned in full by Diablo Country Magazine Inc. Diablo Weddings may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or the management of the magazine. Contents © 2015. All rights reserved.

8 DIABLO WEDDINGS

create the wedding of your dreams.

Wine & Roses features several unique wedding venues that provide the setting for a small intimate ceremony or a large reception accommodating up to 350 guests. We offer award-winning creative cuisine, exceptional service, luxurious hotel rooms & suites, full service resort spa with preparatory and bridal services & unique gifts, and a private bride’s changing room.

The Garden Ballroom is a breathtaking setting with an open beam ceiling, fireplace, beverage bar, and its own private garden of white birch trees. The Cellar Room features tall ceilings, a stone fireplace and large french doors that open to a private patio and gardens. Our outdoor settings provide plenty of room for seating surrounded by botanical gardens and deodar trees.

C O N TA C T 2 0 9 . 3 7 1 . 6 1 1 7 O R E M A I L sales@winerose.com W I N E & R O S E S • 2 5 0 5 W. T U R N E R R O A D , L O D I , C A L I F O R N I A 9 5 2 4 2

winerose.com R E S TA U R A N T AT W I N E & R O S E S

GETTING R EADY T I P S / I NS P I RATI ONS / TR E NDS / HAP P E NI NG S

J

Just because you’ll have family flying in from out of town doesn’t mean your sparkling wine has to, also.

Celebrate with flutes of these East Bay sparklers made using the painstaking French méthode champenoise.

Aubin Cellars NV Verve Brut Sparkling: Sourced from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the brut sparkling from Oakland’s Aubin Cellars showcases a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, which gains added complexity from the addition of a barrel-aged sparkling base from the previous vintage. Expect superfine bubbles, plus notes of pear and soft huckleberry. $30, aubincellars.com.

CHEERS TO YOU What to pop after you pop the question.

SHUTTERSTOCK

BY K RI ST EN H ANEY

Crooked Vine Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling Wine 2013: Family owned and operated, Crooked Vine sources the grapes for its sparkling rosé from its estate in the Livermore Valley. The resulting bubbly has notes of strawberry, apple, and vanilla crème, with bright acidity and an even brighter ruby hue.

If your tastes trend more traditional, the family also owns the Stony Ridge Winery label, which makes a sparkling Malvasia Biana in a more expected tint. $28, crookedvine.com.

R&B Cellars Methode Champenoise Chanson des Etoiles: Point Richmond's R&B Cellars produces its award-winning Chansons des Etoiles (“song of the stars”) with pinot noir and chardonnay grapes sourced from the North Coast appellation. The grapes are fermented in separate lots and then blended for a 10-month secondary fermentation. The wine is crisp and bright, with creamy notes and fine bubbles. $30, rbcellars.com.

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 11

GET T IN G R EADY PAM PE R YOU R S E L F

THE VIP TREATMENT Splurge-worthy ways to prep for your special day.

BY STAC EY KE NNE LLY

Book the ultimate dress shopping experience

Do a sexy photo shoot

Taking a risk and bearing it all for boudoir photos might be exactly the boost you need. Jennifer Skog, based in Dublin, will bring out your sensuality in a classy way. For fun, non-intimidating vibes, contact pals and business partners Tiffany and Erica of Benicia-based Adeline and Grace Intimates. If there’s a particular location in which you want to disrobe, Angie Capri will come to you. To get your friends in on the fun, book a shoot at Oakland's DNA Premium Photography, and giggle your way through the experience as a group. (Don’t worry: Each woman does her shoot in private!) jenniferskog.com, adelineandgraceintimates.com, angiecapri.com, dnapremiumphotography.com.

12 DIABLO WEDDINGS

Get spoiled at the spa

Meeting with vendors, signing contracts, writing checks … oh my! Wedding planning can be stressful. To keep your cool, rally your main ladies and schedule a day of pampering.

Plan a day of facials, mani-pedis, and massages at Changes Salon and Day Spa in Walnut Creek. Manager Cristiana Andersson suggests the exclusive Amazon Rain Experience, which combines lymphatic massage and a full-body clay mask, followed by a rinse-off in the Vichy shower. You can add a catered lunch and gift bags, too. 1475 N. Broadway St., Walnut Creek, (925) 947-1814, changessalon.com.

To imbibe and unwind, head to Walnut Creek’s Beauty Lounge. The salon offers cocktails, champagne, and other beverages, so you and the girls can kick back with a drink while receiving treatments. Chocolate-covered strawberries or a cheese tray are available upon request. For brides, owner Noemi Woods suggests the organic detox pedicure. For the bridal party, she suggests a mini-facial. (Just make sure it’s a few days before the wedding to avoid rosy complexions.) 1512 Palos Verdes Mall, Walnut Creek, (925) 954-8421, beauty lounge925.com.

For a laid-back, DIY affair, book an afternoon at Le Jardin at the Spa in Pleasant Hill. The outdoor garden area is available to use with the purchase of five regularly priced spa services, including aromatherapy massage, vitamin C facials, and foot treatments with reflexology.

Pack a picnic or grab your favorite takeout for the group on the way. As a bonus, each guest who receives a treatment will take home a cleanser for her skin type. 1603 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, (925) 935-4247, lejardin03.wix. com/html_le-jardin-at.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: COURTNEY YEE (2); SHUTTERSTOCK; ADELINE AND GRACE INTIMATES; COURTNEY YEE (2)

For big city treatment without leaving the burbs, schedule the VIP bridal experience at Kinsley James, a couture bridal shop in Walnut Creek. This new service includes two hours of private shopping time in the boutique, plus flowers, specialty food, mimosas, desserts in your wedding colors, and more.

You can also add a limousine, photographer, and hair and makeup services to your appointment. If there’s a certain designer you’re after, book when the designer is hosting a trunk show, and he or she will personally help you shop. 1623 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek, (925) 330-9228, kinsleyjames.com.

A N A P A V A L L E Y

I C O N

AN UNFORGETTABLE

WEDDING

Napa Valley’s Wine Country infuses every wedding with romance and our wedding services team will turn your dream wedding into an unforgettable experience. As Napa Valley’s premier wedding destination, Silverado Resort and Spa brings all the romance and natural splendor of California Wine Country to your special day.

SilveradoResort.com

|

707 257 5440

G ET T IN G R EADY F IN D I DEAS

THE LITTLE THINGS Creative ways to delight your guests.

BY RACH EL L E CI H O NS K I

2015 WEDDING AND BRIDAL FAIRS Inspiring

At the Bay Area Wedding Fairs, sip and shop your way through hair, makeup, DJ, and florist booths, and more. Concord, Pleasanton, San Francisco, Treasure Island; bayareaweddingfairs.com.

Local

The annual Livermore Valley Wine Country Wedding Soirée at Wente Vineyards is the ultimate showcase of Tri-Valley vendors. Livermore, livermoredowntown.com.

Fashionable

Meet more than 40 vendors and watch professionally produced fashion shows at The Great Bridal Expo fairs. Burlingame, San Francisco; greatbridalexpo.com.

Luxurious

The Luxury Wedding Show features a mock ceremony and reception, plus runway shows, gift bags, wine and cake tastings, live music, and a designer reception table showcase. San Francisco, luxuryweddingshows.com.

Beat the Heat Outdoor summer weddings can be risky when it comes to high temperatures and extended sun exposure. Be prepared with wedding program fans.

The Aerialist Press in Emeryville will print and prop your programs on fan handles for you. theaerialistpress.com.

Bridal Bard Forget a wedding photo booth: opt for a poetry booth instead. Silvi Alcivar, a San Francisco–based poet, uses her red Royal typewriter to create unlimited on-the-spot poetry wedding favors.

Guests can request any subject and 14 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

Hors d’oeuvres, tastings from renowned chefs, a champagne bar, a runway show, and more than 80 exhibitors are a few of the highlights at Modern Luxury Wedding’s event. San Francisco, modernbridal.com. take home their unique poem on beautiful paper customized to match your wedding theme. thepoetrystore.net.

To Have and To Fold An old Japanese legend promises that one thousand origami cranes bring good luck to the folder and recipients.

Hanging cranes in the home are also thought to bring good luck to the house. Nancy McNally in San Francisco folds and sells paper origami cranes through her Etsy shop. The cranes can be used as place card holders that double as decorations and guest favors. etsy.com/shop/localcolorist.

Trendy

At the San Francisco Wedding Fair, enjoy champagne, and sample trendy hors d’oeuvres and wedding cakes. Grooms can drop by the gentlemen’s lounge for sports score updates, snacks, and cold beer. San Francisco, sfweddingfair.com.

Charitable

Ur Local Bride sponsors the A Match Made in Heaven charity wedding gown sale and bridal fair, featuring vendors galore. Lafayette, Redwood City; urlocalbride. com/eastbay/bridal-events. —R. C.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: AMANDA JAFFE; MIA NAKANO; COURTESY OF THE AERIALIST PRESS

Say Cheese Some guests come for the cake, but some—believe it or not—aren’t particularly fond of the traditional dessert. Not to worry: For couples (and attendees) who are more inclined toward savory than sweet, The Cheese School of San Francisco makes cheese cakes: cakes literally made from wheels of cheese.

Order one of their predesigned cakes online, or create your own custom design. thecheeseschool.com.

Gourmet

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SIP SAVOR I DO FIVE GENERATIONS OF WORLD-CLASS HOSPITALITY N ESTLED IN THE ROLLING HILLS AND LUSH VINEYARDS OF L IVERMORE V ALLEY ’ S W INE C OUNTRY , W ENTE V INEYARDS OFFERS WEDDING GUESTS UNPARALLELED VISTAS AND AN APPEALING , NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR A CEREMONY AND RECEPTION . W ITH A REPUTATION FOR FINE FOOD & WINE AND STELLAR SERVICE , W ENTE V INEYARDS HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER VENUES IN THE B AY A REA . T HE FIRST - CLASS CATERING SERVICES WILL CREATE AN EXCEPTIONAL WINE COUNTRY EXPERIENCE FOR YOU AND YOUR GUESTS .

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G ET T IN G R EADY D OW N LOA D T HI S

WIRE YOUR WEDDING Four high-tech tips to enhance your soiree.

BY STAC EY KE NNE LLY

Get clever with cameras

For panoramic shots even the best photographer can’t capture, consider purchasing a drone from Berkeley-based 3D Robotics. The IRIS+, an all-in-one performance drone, functions as an aerial camera crew. Have someone control the drone’s path in real time with GPS via an Android device, or draw a flight path ahead of time. You can even program the drone so it is always centered on the two of you.

3drobotics.com.

To keep with that Silicon Valley vibe, outfit the bride or groom with Google Glass. Place the wearable technology on the bride to record that sentimental but fleeting trip down the aisle, or on the groom to preserve the moment he first laid eyes on his blushing bride. Ask the officiate or a member of the wedding party to sport the specs if you want the couple to look picture perfect. google.com/glass.

Another way to capture the walk down the aisle is to stick a GoPro video camera inside the bride’s bouquet. Just make sure to remove it before she tosses the bouquet into the crowd of single ladies. gopro.com.

Crowdsource photos and videos

Broadcast the big day

Even those who are ill or far away can witness the festivities, thanks to several online services that make it easy to broadcast in real time.

Ustream can live broadcast nuptials via mobile device, camera, or laptop webcam, allowing anyone with Internet access to get in on the action. Specialized sites such as I Do Stream employ professional videographers, who can bring the broadcasting equipment to you. If you want to do it yourself, they’ll provide you with step-by-step setup instructions. I Do Stream also sends an electronic invite to your loved ones so they know when and where to tune in. ustream.tv, idostream.com.

16 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

If there are only a few people who can’t be with you, consider using a familiar free tool such as Skype or Apple FaceTime. skype.com, apple.com.

Create a DIY wedding app

It’s now easier than ever to build apps for special events.

Even technological neophytes can negotiate Yapp to select a theme, upload photos, and create pages including a guestbook. Guests who install your app can then find directions, review the schedule, upload photos to a live feed, and receive last-minute notifications, such as a change in venue due to weather. yapp.us.

If you’re looking for something created specifically for brides and grooms, try Appy Couple. This service lets you tell your love story, highlight your entourage, specify a dress code, highlight hotels for guests, and share other helpful info. The apps you create also function as websites, so even your grandma without a smart phone can get in on the fun. appycouple.com.

ILLUSTRATION BY DELICATESSEN

Disposable cameras are so, well, disposable.

Create a hashtag for your guests to use when uploading photos to social media, or download Eventstagram to see a live feed of your guest’s photos. Or try WedPics, a photo- and videosharing app that compiles shots from your guests into a personalized album for you and your honey to review later. eventstagr.am, wedpics.com.

The Cooperage Located in downtown Lafayette, The Cooperage is the ideal location for bridal showers, engagement parties and rehearsal dinners. Treat your guests to a truly fantastic celebration in a stylish setting. Our event specialists will be your planning partners, offering their expertise to help you make your event an experience to remember with a flexible banquet menu, extensive wine list, award-winning cocktails and food, and personalized and friendly service. We can accommodate parties large or small. In addition to our two separate private dining spaces, communal table and partially enclosed heated patio, the dining room and entire restaurant are available for special events.

For more information: Special Events Direct Line: (925) 457-1680 events@thecooperagelafayette.com www.thecooperagelafayette.com (Private Parties) 32 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette

GET T IN G R EADY H IT T HE S HOPS

THE ULTIMATE WISH LIST Ditch the big-box stores for one of these local registry options.

BY STAC EY KE NNE LLY

Antique Offerings

Elsie Green House and Home

For items with a story, visit Elsie Green House and Home showroom in Concord, the warehouse location for this mostly online business. Laurie and J. P. Furber—both veterans of the corporate design industry—hand-select treasures from France, Morocco, and beyond, including refurbished furniture, authentic farm tables, and vintage flatware. The Furbers will set aside your picks and hold onto guests’ purchases until they can be delivered to you in one fell swoop. 2954 Treat Blvd., Ste. C, Concord, (925) 323-5311, elsiegreen.com.

Luxurious Linens

Misto Lino

SDH European linens and Arte Italica glass and pewter dishware are the draws at this high-end home store with locations in Danville and Lafayette. If you’re not sure where to start, a sales associate with an eye for design will help you pick out anything from a complete holiday table setting to a luxurious bedding set. If you want to shop after hours, schedule a time and the staff will have wine and cheese waiting. 704 Sycamore Valley Rd., Danville, (925) 837-6575; 3585 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, (925) 284-6565, mistolino.com.

Vibrant Tabletops

This home, kitchen, and gift store with locations in Danville and Walnut Creek is a go-to spot for china, table settings, and glassware. Create an account online or visit the store to browse with a sales associate or on your own. Your guests can purchase the gifts online or in-store, making this a good option for weddings with lots of out-of-towners. Registry isn’t yet offered at the new Danville location, but the store is expected to start offering the service in 2015. 700 Sycamore Valley Rd., Danville, (925) 362-0122; 1129 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek, (925) 947-1991, davidmbrian.com.

Whimsical Wares

Maison d’Etre

Step into this romantic home boutique on College Avenue in Rockridge, and owners Fred Womack or Patty Brunn—self-described artists, florists, and ardent cooks—will gladly guide you around the store and photograph the items that strike your fancy. Go for some eco-friendly linens in nature-inspired hues or throw blankets in fun patterns. Womack or Brunn will then personally compile the list for you to share with friends and family. 5640 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 658-2801, maisondetre.com.

18 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: CEDRIC GLASIER; COURTESY OF SDH LINENS (2)

David M. Brian

2355 North Main Street 925.934.2000 | marriott.com/oakwc Our newly renovated California Ballroom will make your special day something to remember for up to 300 guests. Our award winning chef’s will amaze and delight with culinary craftsmanship. The Marriott Walnut Creek features 338 guest rooms, 12 suites, 17,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space, Atrio Restaurant and Marriott Great Room/Lobby with live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

2730 North Main Street 925.932.3332 | hiewalnutcreekhotel.com 164 beautifully renovated guest rooms, complimentary hot breakfast daily, free parking, free Internet access, IHG Reward Points, and an outdoor heated swimming pool and spa in a beautiful courtyard setting. Ask how you can get a free suite for the bride and groom!

Unique Options for the Savvy Bride in

WALNUT CREEK A sophisticated reception in the Marriott Ballroom?

An intimate ceremony outdoors at Boundary Oaks with its spectacular views amidst resplendent oaks?

Or, be surrounded by 1000 exquisite flowering rose bushes at The Gardens at Heather Farm?

From theater and music to a robust nightlife and quality shopping and dining, your guests will thank you as they experience Walnut Creek!

Contact us for recommended venues; amenities; professional services; and overnight guestroom accommodations to begin planning your unforgettable wedding in Walnut Creek.

Check out our special wedding hotel packages!

1.888.934.4692 | www.gowalnutcreek.com

2389 North Main Street 925.935.4010 | motel6.com Fully remodeled, Motel 6 offers the lowest price of any national chain in the area for your family and friends. We are pet-friendly and conveniently located less than a mile from downtown Walnut Creek. Group discounts available.

2079 Mt. Diablo Boulevard 800.353.5059 | diablomountaininn.com Successfully built on friendly service, fantastic value, and a central location, Diablo Mountain Inn is the perfect choice for savvy budget travelers to Walnut Creek, the East Bay and beyond.

Celebrate Your Wedding Day at

Grape Arbor

Ellen Rowe Concannon Victorian

Cask and Barrel Room

Our 30-year-old Grape Arbor is constructed of entwined table grape varieties and uniquely trellised in a high arch that seasonally showcases its gorgeous, hanging grape clusters.

Built in 1895, the Ellen Rowe Concannon Victorian is a breathtaking backdrop for ceremonies. The lawn is bordered with olive trees and grape vines, creating a stunning, natural setting.

The dramatic 50-year-old, French White Oak, upright barrels lining the Cask and Barrel Room create an enticing aroma of aging wines, providing a beautiful atmosphere for your reception.

4590 Tesl a Road, Livermore C A 94550

Š 2014 Concannon Vineyard, Livermore, CA

Nestled in the serene Livermore Wine Country, Concannon Vineyard is the perfect location to celebrate your wedding day. To book, call Samantha Harper at (925) 583-1576 or email Events@ConcannonVineyard.com

ADV IC E AS K TH E EX PE RT

MASTER PLANNER

One of the Bay Area’s top wedding coordinators gives tips on surviving the big day.

TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY OF JOYCE SCARDINA BECKER; LARS WANBERG/WITHERS WANBERG PICTURES (3)

B Y S T A C E Y K E N N E L LY

T

To Joyce Scardina Becker, nothing is greater than a celebrated moment.

“Nothing, nothing, nothing,” she says.

Becker is the author of Countdown to Your Perfect Wedding and owner of the San Francisco–based company Events of Distinction.

She’s also director of the wedding planner certificate program at Cal State East Bay, where she uses her 30 years of experience to train others to produce flawless productions.

So what are Becker’s secrets to a no-stress nuptial? We talked to her to find out.

Top: Joyce Scardina Becker; bottom: Airline-themed touches at a wedding planned by Becker.

Q: He proposed. OMG! What do I do first?

A: Well, first you should start with a “yes,” and accept the proposal.

[Laughs] Then there should be some private moments between the couple: It’s almost like taking a deep breath. I would keep it private for a couple of days or a couple of weeks—whatever time you need to savor the moment. Because the moment that you announce it to the world, your situation will change tremendously.

Q: Then what?

A: If you are going to work with a planner, it’s time to contact them. A planner is an advocate and someone that can help you every step of the way. So if you’re going to hire a planner, let them do their job: There’s no need to look online, no need to start thinking about venues.

If you’re not going to hire a planner, you need to do some homework before you randomly start going out and looking for venues. You need to prepare some type of binder for yourself with tabs.

You can certainly do this on your computer, but sometimes it’s nice to have something tangible.

Then, sit down with your fiancé and go through a written exercise. The bride and groom should separately take notes on what their wedding should look like or be like. If you need visuals, then at that point go online or start a little Pinterest board.

Q: What happens after you write that stuff down?

A: Come together over a bottle of wine or dinner, and start sharing.

It’s really important not to shut the other person down: The rule is, you can’t say whether you like or dislike something until the other person is done talking.

After you go through this experience of sharing, you should come to the beginning of compromising together. This is going to be a life lesson: Not only are you going to have to compromise on the wedding, you’re going to have to compromise as a married couple.

The next exercise—and people are very shortsighted about doing this—is writing down your guest list. Some couples say, “Oh, we’ll have 200 people” or “We’ll have 300 people.” But you need to write D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 21

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. r e t f A r e v E y l i p p a H

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Becker creates a dream Italian wedding with custom food stations for a couple that loves purple and green.

down everyone’s correct name and address because only then can you guesstimate how many guests are going to be invited versus how many guests are really coming.

Once you have a pulse on your guest count—there’s usually a 20 percent decline on a wedding that’s local, and 30 percent if it’s a destination—you can go to the next step.

What time of year do you want this wedding, and what are some dates that you want to consider?

From there, you can start thinking about a site.

ARROWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

Q: What questions do you hear most often?

A: Budget is a real big concern.

Sometimes, the first words out of their mouths are, “How much is this going to cost?”

But if the couple goes through that exercise to understand what they want first, it’s really not about how much: It’s about prioritizing what they value most. They’ll make better decisions if they understand the value of what they’re getting for their money.

Q: What is the biggest mistake couples make?

A: Not understanding contracts. I’ve had very intelligent clients—some even attorneys themselves—who made very unintelligent decisions when it comes to contracts.

I recently had a destination bride who was getting married in Lake Tahoe. She signed a contract for a minimum of $30,000 plus tax and gratuity for 150 guests. A month before the wedding, she did not have 150 guests—she had 100—and there was no way her 100 guests were going to meet the minimum.

She hired me after she signed it, and I saved the day. The venue

agreed to do a brunch the following day to meet that $30,000 food-anddrink minimum. But it could have been a big problem.

Q: What should a couple never cut corners on?

A: Here is the phrase I use: “Consider the needs of your guests.”

A wedding is no different than company coming to your home.

When people come to your home, you want to make it easy on parking.

You don’t charge for beverages. You greet them lovingly. You accept their coats. You offer them a beverage and hors d’oeuvres. You have a lovely dinner and don’t short-change food.

Also, don’t short-change staffing.

I often look at the food and it’s reasonable, but what they’re missing is the right number of staff. It should be one person per table if you have fine dining.

Q: How have sites such as Pinterest and The Knot changed the role of the wedding planner? Have they made your job easier or harder?

A: It’s bittersweet. Brides sometimes think they know everything.

Q: Any awesome trends you’ve been seeing lately?

A: Details, details, details.

Signage is just taking over. And I’m not talking about blackboard signs. We’re sick of those. We do the most darling, hand-painted signs that are very dramatic.

We recently did an airline theme for a couple that met on a Southwest flight. We had signs for the “nuptial terminal” when guests arrived.

Where gifts were accepted was called “baggage claim.” And the dinner area was the “boarding zone.”

We have also been doing a lot of custom design for food stations or

hors d’oeuvres or desserts that fit a theme. We keep taking it up a notch.

We’re building things. A florist is no longer just a florist: If my florist can’t build me a setting to execute a thematic design, then that’s not the florist for me.

And getaways [dramatic exits for the bride and groom] are coming back. We just did a wedding at the St. Francis Yacht Club [in San Francisco] where the bride and groom got on the groom’s sailboat and sailed away. We did another getaway for a couple that wanted to make a fabulous impact but also get to the airport on time for an overnight flight to Hawaii. So we had a helicopter pick them up on the golf course. The groom’s family paid for that. [Laughs] Q: How important is a theme?

A: I think it’s very personal, and I think that guests really enjoy it. Do you have to have a theme? No. But you do want to make it personal.

Otherwise, it’s generic.

But there is a major difference between themes and styles. A style is how you furnish something. Vintage is not a theme; vintage is a style.

Contemporary is a style. Traditional is a style.

Themes can be anything. We’ve done a spice theme—“the spice of life”—for a couple that loved to cook.

We’ve done “climbing pinnacles” for a couple that liked to hike and ski.

Q: Let’s talk about the big day.

What do you see couples, especially brides, getting most hung up on?

How can that drama be avoided?

A: To be honest with you, it’s the uncontrolled parts—a groomsman who goes down to the hotel coffee shop when he’s supposed to be at the pre-ceremony photos—that

cause problems. It’s not the bride and groom; it’s the other people you’re relying on, and it’s usually your immediate family or your bridal party.

Q: How can a difficult bridal party be avoided?

A: Pick and choose carefully people that are incredibly near or dear to your heart—people that are mature and that you can count on, people that can afford it. If you know your girlfriend is high maintenance, then maybe that’s not the person to be in your bridal party on that day. Give her a different role.

Q: What do you love most about this business?

A: You think about life when you’re old, and you’re going to want to remember the good times. You’ll remember your wedding, your birthday parties, anniversaries, the birth of your child.

It’s a life moment, and nothing could be better than that. eventsof distinction.com. ■

JOYCE’S TIPS Stay Organized “When someone is unorganized— whether they’re planning a wedding or heading out to a job interview— the panic starts.”

Avoid Trends “Trends have nothing to do with a bride and groom’s personality. It’s really about understanding the colors and other things that [they] love.”

Pick Your Wedding Party Wisely “Go small and careful. There are some darling brides who have 12 bridesmaids.

By that point I call it a conga line.”

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 23

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FLOWER S B R IDAL BOU QU ETS

HAND CANDY

Six East Bay florists take on the ultimate bridal accessory.

BY RACH EL L E CI HONSKI AND STAC EY KE NNE LLY P H OTO G RAPH Y BY ERI KA P I NO / STYLE D BY ADR EA CAB R E R A

1

S H APE

Pointy Veronica breaks up the bouquet so it’s not too round.

2

SOFT AND ROMANTIC

SWAP

Old-fashioned David Austin Juliet roses are a good alternative to peonies, which brides love but can be hard to find.

Katherine Bergman Floral Designs

PLANTS USED : David Austin Juliet rose / Dianthus / Geranium foliage / Hydrangea / Rice flower / Spray rose / Tweedia / Veronica

“This bouquet is for the traditional bride and would be elegant in a rustic wedding with a cottage or vintage feel.

All of the materials go together like an English garden bouquet—like you’d picked them out of a garden.

I was going for something timeless.” —KATHER I NE BER GMAN

BY APPOIN TM E N T ON LY, WALNUT CR EEK , (925 ) 210-04 87, FLOR ALD ESI GNER .COM D I A B L O A RT S 25 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 25

1

COLOR

Quicksand roses in soft colors look beautiful with ivory and blush bridal gowns.

3

MO OD

Little pink grass flowers grown in Half Moon Bay add a natural feel.

2

SHAP E

Velvety Dusty miller leaves make the bouquet less structured.

N A T U R A L LY TEXTURED PLANTS USED : Dusty miller / Orchid / Quicksand rose / Succulent / Wild grass

“I started with roses that were softer and girlier and added textural elements from there, including the succulents.

If you notice, there’s a slight pink edge to the succulent tips, like they’re kissed. They’re from my garden: I like to buy the whole plant and use the flowers, then replant and reuse the plant again.” —MEGAN HANEY

BY A P P O I N TM E N T ON LY, 1537 N. MA IN ST., ST E. R , WALNUT CR EEK , (925 ) 962-1119, MEGANHANEYD ESI GNS.COM 26 D I A B L O W A RT E DSD I N G S

ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT

Megan Haney Designs

Celebrate your wedding in the splendor of Sonoma County.

We’ve got the perfect setting for the day you’ll never forget.

From small, intimate gatherings to large open-air celebrations; from the wine country elegance of Cline’s gardens and barrel room, to the Tuscan grandeur of Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.

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Come see what we’re talking about.

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1

T EXTU RE Yellow cockscomb adds unexpected variation.

2

COLOR

Ranunculus is prolific and comes in a variety of colors.

C H E E RY AND BRIGHT

PLANTS USED : Calla lily / Cockscomb / Poppy / Ranunculus / Rose / Tulip

“I wanted fun flowers that were different and had lots of texture—something you don’t always see. I would make this for a bride who is bright and cheerful, and really likes a lot of color.” —SAR AH V ELEN 9 1 5 MAIN ST., ST E . D, PLEASANTON, (925 ) 931-1290, BLO OMI ESO NMAI NCA .COM 28 D I A B L O W A RT E DSD I N G S

ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT

Bloomies On Main

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1

MO O D

Carnations—which have an old school, vintage feel—are making a comeback.

2

HI G HLI G HT

Red peonies are a focal flower on which to build the bouquet.

THE OMBRÉ EFFECT

PLANTS USED : Anemone / Carnation / Chocolate Cosmos / Garden rose / Peony / Scabiosa / Sweet pea

“I started with the dark red side and worked my way across to the light pink side for that ombré effect: The bouquet gets wispier as it goes. It’s more for a whimsical, outdoor wedding.” —DARWI N HAR R I SO N 2 345 BOU LEVA RD C IR ., WALNUT CR EEK , (925 ) 934 -6877, FLO R ALI .COM 30 DIABLO W A RT E DSD I N G S

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Florali

FOR THE

NAPA VALLEY WEDDING

of your dreams I T C O U L D O N LY B E

2000 MAIN STREET, ST HELENA, CA | 866-708-9463 | WWW.BERINGER.COM

1

2

SHA P E

MOOD

Delicate orchids are supported by stronger, surrounding flowers.

Scabiosa gives an additional touch of feminine color.

3

OPEN AND A I RY

TEXTURE

Wax flowers create a loose, just-picked feel.

PLANTS USED : Butterfly Blue scabiosa / Hydrangea / Phalaenopsis orchid / Spray rose / Wax flower

“This bouquet could be used for both a very formal wedding—black tie—or an outdoor wedding for a bride that loves a formal flower such as the orchid. I think that the contrast of formal in the blossoms used and the more relaxed, just-picked structure is a unique combination.” —CONSTANCE SHR ECENGOST

BY APPOIN TM E N T ON LY, MARTI NEZ, (925 ) 228-6123, SUNSHI NEFLOWER S.COM 32 D I A B L O W A RT E DSD I N G S

ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT

Sunshine Flowers Wedding and Event Design

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1

2

SHAP E

Calla lilies add volume.

MOOD

Veronica gives the bouquet movement— like that of a wildflower field—and a little bit of surprise.

DEEP AND DRAMATIC

3

TEXTUR E

PLANTS USED : Anemone / Captain Paris calla lily / Peony / Privet berry / Veronica

“I could definitely see this bouquet in a winter wedding. The richness of the jewel tones and the drama of the peonies and callas would be so beautiful on a chilly December night. Add some candlelight, and it would be so pretty.” —EMI LY COURT Z 358 1 MT. DIA BLO BLVD., ST E . C , LAFAYETTE, (925 ) 310- 4 5 4 6, FLO R ETLAFAYETTE.COM 34 DIABLO W A RT E DSD I N G S

ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT ARTIST CREDIT

Privet berries are unusual and provide contrast.

Floret

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REAL WEDDINGS Meet six happy couples who recently said “I do.”

36 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

TARA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 37

PEO PLE R EAL W ED D I N G S

➻ Elopement in the woods.

L A U R A L AW S O N and NICK VISCONTI R AT T L ES NAK E RI D G E, CAS CAD ES, WASHI NGTON

Professional snowboarder Nick Visconti first met Laura Lawson at The Vine at Bridges in Danville. The year was 2010, and there was a thunderbolt.

“It hit me like a brick over the head,” says Nick, who is from San Ramon. “When I saw Laura, something in my heart aligned. Our spirits were connected.”

Laura was also smitten, but she was hesitant to hand her heart to a snowboarding stud who spent most of his time on the road and had an avalanche of admirers in his wake. “I was fearful,” says the artist, who grew up in Dublin. “Nick was gone so much, it was hard to keep track of him. I didn’t feel like I fit in with his lifestyle.”

Dress: freepeople.com | Flowers: Ballard Blossom, Seattle | Officiant: Joel Parker (friend) | Photographer: Benj Haisch, Seattle/Tacoma | Videographer: Janssen Powers Media, Seattle

38 DIABLO WEDDINGS

BENJ HAISCH

P

At the time, Laura was newly diagnosed with an eye disease that will eventually steal her sight. “I was in a stagnant place emotionally,” she says. “But being with Nick was very healing. He is an adrenaline junkie and lives as much life as possible every day. I needed that.”

Three years later, Nick and Laura were planning a weddinga big one. But as the guest list mushroomed to 400, it became overwhelming. “We just didn’t want our wedding to be all about decor and invitations,” says Laura.

“We wanted it to be about us.”

So Nick and Laura changed their minds, and on a Thursday afternoon in May, they eloped.

Laura walked deep into the woods to meet Nick at the foot of their favorite hiking trail, Rattlesnake Ridge in the Washington Cascades. With towering conifers as their witnesses, a close friend married the two before they hiked two miles upward. At the very moment they reached the top, a storm broke out.

“It felt like the whole world was applauding us,” says Laura, who now lives in Portland, Oregon, with Nick. “We looked out across valleys and mountains, saw lightning, heard thunder, and felt rain.

It felt beautiful, intimate, and kind of dangerous. “[It was] the most incredible moment of my life.”

—Hannah Craddick

XXXXXXXXXXXX

PEO PLE R EAL W ED D I N G S

➻ A family affair.

LISA BARNARD and TREVOR STOCK PALM EV ENT CENT ER , PLEASANTON

L

Bridal Gown: Bridal Galleria, San Francisco | Cake: Katrina Rozelle Pastries and Dessert, Alamo | Caterer: Palm Event Center, Pleasanton | Entertainment/Lighting: Fantasy Sound Event Services, Livermore | Flowers: The Flower House, Livermore | Hair/Makeup: Bellezza Cristali’s Hair Salon, Danville | Invitations: Paper Source, Walnut Creek | Music: Krista Strader (harpist) | Photographer: Tara Marie Photography, San Francisco | Transportation: Black Tie Transportation, Pleasanton

40 DIABLO WEDDINGS

TARA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

Lisa Barnard and Trevor Stock’s love story unfolded at a Walnut Creek bar in the wee hours of a spring morning in 2010. Trevor walked in, and Lisa, instantly taken, was too shy to talk to him.

After hours of stealing glances, Trevor’s brother Todd approached Lisa and told her there was someone he wanted to introduce her to.

Lisa and Trevor spent the next several hours talking at Hubcaps diner around the corner, and she learned that he grew up in Walnut Creek, was living in Los Angeles, and had been in two movies, Rumor Has It and You, Me, and Dupree.

Trevor realized Lisa was the one a few months later when he drove home to L.A., only to turn around and drive back to see her again the next day.

Their fall wedding at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton was a group effort, with plenty of help from Lisa’s mom, Arlette, and her sister, Danielle.

Lisa and Trevor’s guests of honor were their sons, Quinn and Peyton. And saying “I do” in Lisa’s hometown made the day that much more special. —Gina Gotsill

➻ Vineyard vows.

M E G A N M C I L H A R G EY a n d DA L L A S S A R T Z

NIGHTINGALE PHOTOGRAPHY

W ENT E V I NEYARDS, LI VE R MOR E

M

Megan McIlhargey and Dallas Sartz are proof that Cupid is a very patient guy. Megan, a former runway model, and Dallas, a former NFL linebacker, grew up near each other in Granite Bay but never met.

Their careers took them across the country, and they both returned to Northern California at around the same time. Megan took a job at the Beach Hut Deli near Folsom Lake, and one day Dallas stopped in for lunch with friends.

Dallas was drawn to Megan’s blue eyes, and he soon became a regular at the deli, driving 40 miles from Davis to Granite Bay every few days to see her. He finally asked her out.

The couple had an intimate ceremony in June 2012 and hosted a big wedding the next summer at Wente Vineyards. Megan, whose parents are from San Ramon, made a statement in her blushtone Monique Lhuillier gown, and Dallas looked sharp in Hugo Boss and Burberry.

The couple’s eight-month-old daughter, Monroe, served as a bridesmaid, and provided a favorite wedding moment when she burst into applause at the conclusion of the ceremony. Cupid surely agreed.

—G.G.

Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier, Los Angeles | Cake/Caterer: Wente Vineyards, Livermore | Entertainment/Lighting: Fantasy Sound Event Services, Livermore | Flowers: The Flower House, Livermore | Hair/Makeup: Jessica Mishler and Thu Lippy, AJF Salon, Sacramento | Invitations: minted.com and freelance calligrapher | Photographer: Nightingale Photography, Oakland

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 41

PEO PLE R EAL W ED D I N G S

➻ A dream come true.

VINCE OLSON and R O N R I P L EY B ENT LY RES ERV E, SAN FR ANC I SCO

R

Vince Olson and Ron Ripley met in 1999 at Club 1220 in Walnut Creek.

At first, Ron found Vince to be a little “aloof,” but as the night unfolded, they began to click. Soon, the two were dating. One night, while coming home from a friend’s rehearsal dinner in San Francisco, Vince unexpectedly pulled off at the Orinda exit and found a spot on the side of the road. He said to Ron, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

When their relationship survived and thrived through a trip to New Orleans—and when Vince bought Ron a road bike so he could do the AIDS LifeCycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles—the couple bonded completely.

After a year and a half, they bought a house in Martinez, and found their dream home in Walnut Creek a couple of years later. In 2009, Vince and Ron adopted Shasta, a black Lab pup, and the family was settled.

Proposition 8 was struck down in 2013, and the couple had already planned a European vacation, with two nights in Paris. Ron made a reservation at Lapérouse for a salon privé, a single-table dining room with a velvet couch. After dinner, Vince was served a ruby confection with spun sugar, a ring, and the question “Will you marry me?” in French. He said yes.

Their relaxed September wedding in the round at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco included a photo booth, where Vince and Ron were captured planting kisses on Ron’s 92-year-old grandmother’s cheeks. —Nicholas Boer

Caterer: Le Méridien, San Francisco | Dessert: Kara’s Cupcakes, Walnut Creek and melindasmarvels.com | Entertainment: Big Fun Disc Jockeys, Cupertino | Flowers: Church Street Flowers, San Francisco | Invitations: echoletterpress.com | Lighting: Got Light, San Francisco | Linens: La Tavola, San Francisco | Photo Booth: Say Ya Photobooth, San Francisco Photographer: Sherman Chu, Danville | Planner: Dreams on a Dime, San Francisco | Rentals: Hartmann Studios, Richmond | Wedding Logo: chykalophia.com

42 DIABLO WEDDINGS

SHERMAN CHU

DIABLO WEDDINGS 43

PEO PLE R EAL W ED D I N G S

➻ Storybook bliss.

and

V I D YA PA I H A R S H I T H AV U L A CASA REAL AT RU BY H I L L W I N E RY, P LEASANTON

I

Bridal Gown: Ordered through Sari Palace, Berkeley | Cake: Cake Creations by Bev, Livermore | Caterer: Turmeric Restaurant, Sunnyvale | Entertainment: Envy Soundz, Fremont Flowers: Victoria’s Florals and Event Design, San Francisco | Hair/Makeup: Christal Caladiao, Fremont | Henna: Ravie Kattaura, Fremont | Invitations: weddingpaperdivas.com Photographer/Videographer: Wedding Documentary, Los Gatos | White Horse: Vintage Carriage Company, Lincoln

44 DIABLO WEDDINGS

WEDDING DOCUMENTARY

It doesn’t get much more storybook than a groom arriving on a noble white horse, and a bride adorned in magnificent silks in rich colors, jeweled embroidery, and roses.

That dream came true for Vidya Pai and Harshith (Hershey) Avula, who wed in a traditional Indian-Hindu ceremony under a gold and silver mandap overseen

by Agni, the Hindu god of fire.

Every exquisite detail was in place, down to the lavish mehndi, henna lacework tattoos on the bride’s hands and feet that took more than four hours to craft.

Vidya was born and raised in Walnut Creek, while Hershey called Fresno home. The two met in 2009 at medical school at the UC San Diego, when they were introduced at the birthday party of a mutual friend.

For their wedding and dancefilled reception at Pleasanton’s Casa Real four years later, they looked to their South Indian culture, and then enlisted Vidya’s mother to pull the joyous event together. —Carey Sweet

➻ Country club classic.

AMY HOTALING and JIM KEHRIG D I AB LO CO UNT RY CLUB, DI AB LO

A

JAMES BRIAN STUDIOS

Amy Hotaling knew by their second date that Jim Kehrig was the one. The two watched a movie at his place—Cool Runnings, his favorite—and after he dropped her off, he sent her a text telling her what a great time he had.

“It was a gut feeling: I could tell he liked me, too,” says Amy, the daughter of the owners of Christe James Fine Jewelry Works in downtown Danville. “He was a major gentleman. And I thought, ‘Oh, he’s done for.’ ” Jim—who works in his family’s Danville real estate business— proposed on Christmas morning a year and a half later, in a characteristically goofy stunt that required Amy to dig through the pockets of a pair of his corduroy pants that she couldn’t stand.

Their search for a wedding venue took them around the Bay Area—from Livermore wine country to Napa—but they felt most at home at the Diablo Country Club, where they were drawn to the estate’s old-world charm.

Amy and Jim married there in May, at the fifth hole, with 160 friends and family at their sides— including many of the pals who were with them at McGah’s Pub and Pianos in Danville on the night they met.

Amy says the day went by in a flash, but she can sum it up in one word: happy. —Stacey Kennelly ■

Entertainment: Brian Fitzsimmons, 21st Century Sounds, Alamo | Flowers: Delford West Flowers, Livermore | Hair: Taylor Cercone, Lafayette | Makeup: Tylar Leonard and Kathryn Horen, Pleasanton | Minister: Reverend Tim Mills, Pinole | Photographer: James Brian Studios, Walnut Creek | Rentals: Gagnon’s Party Rentals, Danville | Transportation: Black Tie Transportation, Pleasanton | Photo Booth: Photobooth Royale, Emeryville | Planner: Lindsay Lauren Events, Danville

DIABLO WEDDINGS 45

YOUR WEDDING DAY, Tips for styling your East Bay celebration. B Y

LINDA LENHOFF

YOUR WAY

46 DIABLO WEDDINGS

OPPOSITE PAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK; THIS PAGE: RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY

FROM SAVE-THE-DATES TO THE CAKE, WE’VE SCOURED THE EAST BAY FOR THE BEST WEDDING INSPIRATION BY STYLE. WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A VINEYARD VIBE OR SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE OFFBEAT, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED. D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 47

THE

R USTI C WEDDING Just add burlap.

48 DIABLO WEDDINGS

OPPOSITE PAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK; THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK; COURTESY OF THE WEDDING PARTY; ONELOVE PHOTOGRAPHY; STACEY PENTLAND PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF SWEET ADELINE; COURTESY OF LUSCIOUS VERDE; STACEY PENTLAND PHOTOGRAPHY

VIBE/ THIS UNDERSTATED STYLE DRAWS INSPIRATION VENUE

FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE BY INCORPORATING EVERYTHING FROM COWBOY BOOTS AND RAFFIA TO CANDLELIGHT AND PICTURE-PERFECT BARN DOORS.

DRESS Go for form-fitting lace dresses with delicate straps, birdcage and lightweight veils, and romantic ruffles.

Berkeley’s The Wedding Party offers vintage-inspired dresses you won’t find everywhere else. thewed dingpartyonline.com.

Get ready in the stunning mansion at Elliston Vineyards in Sunol (below), and then take photos in the 2,000-square-foot Terrace Room, Victorian gazebo, and hillside gardens.

Set your ceremony outside in the fragrant garden. “It’s secluded, and you feel like you’re far away from everything,” says Elliston’s Madeline Simmons. elliston.com.

Surround yourself with wooden wine barrels and twinkle lights at Murrieta’s Well in Livermore, which offers a 100-year-old winery building, terracotta tile stairway, and the Barrel Room, where rustic meets glamour. murrietaswell.com.

Also in Livermore, experience farmyard bliss at BoaVentura de Caires Winery, which boasts a beautiful barn, lawn and garden areas, backdrops of pastoral views, a century-old farmhouse, and rolling vineyards. boaven turavineyard.com.

CAKE

Consider a pastel-colored cake with horizontal stucco frosting, a method that involves running a spatula around the cake to make patterns. Adorn with branches and succulents, or real flowers cascading down the side. For an extra down-home feel, order mini pies from Berkeley’s Sweet Adeline Bakeshop. sweetadelinebakeshop.com.

Invites

Mix a variety of organic materials, but keep the design refined and a little bit highbrow. Good materials include repurposed and etched wood, paper bags, and natural linens. For an extra personal touch, enlist help from Susan Gildea Personalized Printing in Berkeley. susangildea.com.

DECOR Natural elements that are pretty—but not over-the-top girly—are key. Start with wood tables, and then add a burlap or white linen runner, lace, and mismatched silver, as well as simple blooms or grape leaves and eucalyptus. Browse Etsy for artists who specialize in hand-calligraphed wooden signs, including Martinez’s HeartcraftedCo. etsy.com/ shop/heartcraftedco.

Extra Touch

Break the ice for your guests by providing a bourbon bar. These crowd-pleasing, barrel-aged libations will get your friends and family mingling. Stop by Alameda-based St. George Spirits, and take your pick. stgeorgespirits.com.

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 49

THE

NAUTI CAL WEDDING

Make the most of the Bay. 50 DIABLO WEDDINGS

VIBE/ REMINISCENT OF MISTY CAPE COD’S SOARING

OPPOSITE PAGE: RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY; THIS PAGE: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY; ALLYSON WILEY; RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY (2); COURTESY OF CAKE DELIGHT; SUZIE MCKIG; RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY

GULLS AND PICTURESQUE LIGHTHOUSES, WATERFRONT WEDDINGS ARE A GREAT WAY TO SHOW OFF OUR REGION’S BREEZY, BEAUTIFUL WATERWAYS.

DRESS

Stay comfortable in a crisp white dress from J’aime Bridal in Pleasanton that will wear well in the wind, and choose vibrant accessories such as bright blue heels. Bridesmaids will appreciate a flattering navy blue dress from one of the many lines the store carries, or something in pale blue, which looks stunning in photos taken near the water. jaimebridal.com.

VENUE

Have your ceremony at The Lighthouse at Glen Cove Marina in Vallejo (below), with sailboats bobbing in the water and the 1910 white Victorian as your backdrop.

Then, dance the night away on the lawn, and stay at the Lighthouse Inn upstairs. thelighthousegcm.com.

For another boutique accommodation, choose Joie de Vivre’s Waterfront Hotel in Oakland, on the boardwalk at Jack London Square.

Marina and Bay views and yachtlike details such as wood finishing and portholes make this unstuffy spot a charming place to celebrate. jdvhotels.com.

Or, also in Oakland, choose between an indoor reception or one outside on the pier at Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill on Lake Merritt.

If you’re really daring, arrive or depart from the ceremony via a rowboat or kayak (after March 2015), or a sleek Venetian gondola from nearby Gondola Servizio. thelakechalet.com, gondolaservizio.com.

CAKE Cake Delight in Livermore can craft you a cake with fondant waves in blue ombré. Top it off with a figurine of the happy couple setting sail in a toy boat. For something more neutral, choose seashell-inspired tones. cakedelight.com.

Extra Touch

Invites

Enlist help from the designers at Berkeley’s Twig and Fig, who can customize stationery with octopuses, nautical stripes and maps, and anything else you can dream up together. twigandfig.com.

DECOR Keep it classic with navy

Work with your caterer to set up an oyster and champagne bar, complete with baby bottles of Tabasco sauce.

Or order shiny blue chocolate anchors from Gourmet Works in Pleasanton, which are unexpected and provide a little cachet. gourmet works-pleasanton.com.

blue and white, and add boats and anchor details. Or select tones that are more neutral and pair them with plenty of white, suggests Lindsay Noonan of Lindsay Lauren Events in Danville. lindsaylaurenevents.com.

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 51

THE

BOHO WEDDING Break the rules.

52 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF DAUGHTERS OF SIMONE; THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF DAUGHTES OF SIMONE; ERIC SAHLIN; COLSON GRIFFITH PHOTOGRAPHY; MARCELLA TYLER; LISA LEFKOWITZ; RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY

VIBE/ UNCONVENTIONAL AT HEART, ANYTHING GOES VENUE

AT A BOHO WEDDING. KICK OFF YOUR SHOES AND GRAB YOUR FLOWER CROWN: TRADITION TAKES A BACKSEAT AT THIS TYPE OF AFFAIR.

DRESS

Skip the traditional bridal shop and find a dress at Loho Bride in San Francisco, which specializes in vintage bridal dresses from S.F.–based Daughters of Simone. Or choose something from Grandma’s closet or a consignment store: A secondhand dress with lace, pearls, or embroidery can be reborn with alterations. daughtersofsimone.com.

UC Botanical Garden’s 34-acre site in Berkeley overlooks the Bay and may be the ideal place for a natureloving boho couple, with its twinkling outdoor patio, scented garden, peaceful redwood grove, and woodsy amphitheater seating. botanical garden.berkeley.edu.

Perhaps the granddaddy of Berkeley venues, the Brazilian Room (below) at Tilden Park stands tall with its floor-to-ceiling leaded glass windows and handsome wooden interior. Enjoy its lovely garden of foxglove, lavender, and a cherry tree that blooms pink in April, as well as a flagstone patio, views for miles, and outdoorsy, national park feel. brazilianroom.org.

If you’re looking for more than a hint of cool, consider the Oakland Museum of California, which provides an artful and historic setting.

Dine in the gardens, on the rooftop terraces with views of the rising moon and Lake Merritt, or in the indoor dining area that overlooks a koi pond. museumca.org.

CAKE Opt for a naked cake, which forgoes frosting on the sides and isn’t supersweet. Cake Lafayette tops it off with blooms. cakelafayette.com.

Extra Touch

Invites

Personalize invites with hand lettering or your own artwork. If you’re not artistically inclined, see Etsy for handmade pop-up, scratch-off, and laser-printed cards.

Or hire a stationer who specializes in natural materials and textures, such as Good on Paper in Berkeley. goodon paperdesign.com.

DECOR Scour the monthly Alameda

Angels Petals’ flower veils are handcrafted in Martinez and will leave your guests mesmerized. Or make your own with flowers, craft tools, and instructions from YouTube. angels petals1.blogspot.com.

Point Antiques Faire for trays, vintage linens, and mismatched dishes. Create arrangements with different bottles filled with long-stem flowers. Say “I do” under an arch crafted from recycled wood. alamedapoint antiquesfaire.com.

DIABLO WEDDINGS 53

THE

G LAM WEDDING

Shimmer and shine.

54 DIABLO WEDDINGS

VIBE/ YOUR SOMEDAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED, AND

OPPOSITE PAGE: BRIAN MACSTAY PHOTOGRAPHY; THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ANHTUAN HONG; BRIAN MACSTAY PHOTOGRAPHY; DANNY DONG PHOTOGRAPHY; SHUTTERSTOCK; ANHTUAN HONG; RACHEL CAPIL PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF RUBY HILL GOLF CLUB

YOU WANT TO THROW A SOPHISTICATED SOIREE WITH A DECIDEDLY UPSCALE FEEL. BALL GOWNS, BLING, BEDAZZLED FONDANT CAKES—NOTHING IS TOO OVER THE TOP FOR YOU.

DRESS

Big is back: Pick out a voluminous ball gown or A-line dress from La Soie Bridal in Walnut Creek, and put the guys in traditional black tuxedos.

And glam is all about the accessories: Add a rhinestone belt, white gloves, a long veil, and brilliant jewelry. To give yourself a polished, 1920s Hollywood look, add a birdcage veil and bold red lipstick. lasoiebridal.com.

VENUE

Pleasanton’s Ruby Hill Golf Club (below) provides a romance-packed wow factor, with its breathtaking main dining room (really, more of a ballroom), 40-foot ceilings, glass windows, chandelier, and Florentinemotif carpet. After the ceremony, make your big entrance as a couple down the club’s impressive grand staircase. rubyhill.com.

The Claremont Hotel Club and Spa in Berkeley has myriad indoor venues, from ballrooms to swanky lounges to rooms overlooking the San Francisco Bay. If you want, stay a few days before or after the wedding to be spoiled by spa treatments and relaxation. claremontresort.com.

Also contemplate Casa Real at Ruby Hill Winery’s 20,000-squarefoot Mediterranean villa, which features an elegant grand salon, limestone accents, hand-carved doors, and tables to accommodate up to 600 guests. Opt to rent dramatic chandeliers and colored up-lighting. casarealevents.com.

CAKE Back in are multilayer cakes with elaborate fountains, lighting features, and cute toppers. Go square, and order one with smooth fondant, sparkly ribbon, and cascading flowers from Alamo’s Katrina Rozelle. katrinarozelle.com.

Extra Touch

Invites

Glamorous invitations call for something flourished that you might not use every day, as well as formal wording. Concord’s Creative Designs

by Mimi can add crystal adornments, buckles, and sashes in silver and white, or black and gold. creativemimi.com.

DECOR Opulent ballrooms, chan-

Another way to add sparkle, literally: Venues where it’s legal allow guests to line up holding lit sparklers and salute the bride and groom, as they make their showstopping exit.

deliers, and bold colors with glittering accents make a statement. Add moody up-lighting and go-go lights. Put together your tabletop settings starting with luxurious rentals from Napa Valley Linens in Emeryville. nvlinens.com.

DIABLO WEDDINGS 55

RESOURCE GUIDE BR IDAL B O UT I Q U ES / CAK ES / CATE R E R S / E NTE RTAI NM E NT / FLOR I STS / I NV I T ES / P H OTO G RAPHE R S / VE NUES / W E DDI NG P LANNE R S

BRIDAL BOUTIQUES Blossom's Bridal and Formal 6700 Amador Plaza Rd., Dublin (925) 560-0402, blossomsdress.com Bridal Galleria 3 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco (415) 362-2277, bridalgalleria.com Bride's Corral 150 N. L St., Livermore (925) 455-1244, thebridescorral.com Flares Bridal and Formal 1700 N. Broadway St., Ste. 100, Walnut Creek (925) 939-3306, flaresbridal.com J’aime Bridal 719 Main St., Pleasanton (925) 846-8459, jaimebridal.com Kinsley James 1623 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek (925) 330-9228, kinsleyjames.com La Soie Bridal 1413 Cypress St., Walnut Creek (925) 933-9988, lasoiebridal.com Loho Bride (Daughters of Simone) 550 15th St., Studio 19, San Francisco (347) 562-7407, lohobride.com Sari Palace 1000 University Ave., Berkeley (510) 841-7274 The Wedding Party 2612 Alcatraz Ave., Ste. 3, Berkeley (510) 420-1338, theweddingpartyonline.com

56 DIABLO WEDDINGS

CAKES Café Attila 2211 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Ste. B, San Ramon (925) 837-2886, cafeattila.com Serves Tri-Valley Cake 35 Lafayette Cir., Lafayette (925) 385-0202, cakelafayette.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Cake Creations by Bev Livermore (925) 216-0482, cakecreationsbybev.com Serves Tri-Valley Cake Delight 147 N. Livermore Ave., Livermore (925) 373-7786, cakedelight.com Serves Tri-Valley Carolyn Wong Cakes Berkeley (510) 717-0798, carolynwongcakes.com Serves Northern California The Cheese School of San Francisco 2124 Folsom St., San Francisco (415) 346-7530, thecheeseschool.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Filigree 1987 Santa Rita Rd., Ste. B, Pleasanton (925) 484-0400, purefiligree.com Serves East Bay Area Fox and Fawn Bakehouse Benicia (707) 280-0667, foxandfawn.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Gala Bakery 1432 Vía Lacqua, San Lorenzo (510) 278-8004, galabakery.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Primrose Bakery 350 Main St., Pleasanton (925) 249-1261, primrosebakery.com Serves East Bay Area

Glass Slipper Gourmet Concord (925) 685-9042, glassslippergourmet.com Serves Northern California

Sugar Mill Cake Co. Oakland (510) 610-8616, sugarmillcakes.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Have Your Cake San Francisco (650) 873-8488, haveyourcake.org Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Sweet Adeline Bakeshop 3350 Adeline St., Berkeley (510) 985-7381, sweetadelinebakeshop.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Indie Cakes and Pastries 2530 10th St., Ste. 3, Berkeley (510) 220-3057, indiecakes.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Kara’s Cupcakes 1388 N. Main St., Walnut Creek (925) 933-2222, karascupcakes.com Serves East Bay Area Katrina Rozelle Pastries and Desserts 215 Alamo Plaza, Ste. B, Alamo (925) 837-6337; 5931 College Ave., Oakland (510) 655-3209, katrinarozelle.com Serves East Bay Area, Wine Country

Le Gateau Elegant 1479 Newell Ave., Walnut Creek (925) 937-2253, legateauelegant.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Solano County, Wine Country Montclair Baking 2220 Mountain Blvd., Oakland (510) 530-8052, montclairbaking.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Noland’s Cake Shop 205 Main St., Pleasanton (925) 462-3333, nolandscakes.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley

TLCakes 647 First St., Brentwood (925) 513-3688, tlcakes.com Serves East Bay Area, Wine Country Torino Baking 2316 Haste St., Berkeley (510) 548-2900, torinobaking.com Serves Northern California True Confections Berkeley (510) 665-9836, trueconfectionscakes.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area The Whole Cake Berkeley (415) 828-7464, thewholecake.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

CATERERS Absolute Celebrations 2603 Camino Ramon, Ste. 200, San Ramon (925) 858-1049, sfbayareacaterer.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 57

R ESO U R C E G UID E CAT E R E R S

Alex’s Catering 300 Virginia St., Vallejo (707) 643-1711, alexscatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

The Arlington 269 Arlington Ave., Kensington (510) 525-2757, 269thearlington.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Aurora Catering Castro Valley (510) 582-9529, auroracateringbayarea.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Barbara Llewellyn Catering and Event Planning 434 25th St., Oakland (510) 832-1967, barbarallewellyn.com Serves Northern California Blue Heron Catering Oakland (510) 533-0781, blueheroncatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Bon Vivant Catering and Event Productions Livermore (925) 606-5535, bonvivantcatering.net Serves San Francisco Bay Area Carrie Dove Catering 1552 Beach St., Emeryville (415) 460-9995, carriedovecatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area The Carvery Redwood City (650) 366-3765, thecarverycatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Checkers Livermore (925) 968-1121, checkerscatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Componere Fine Catering 5836 San Pablo Ave., Emeryville (510) 420-0900, componerefinecatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

58 DIABLO WEDDINGS

Culinary Excellence 8210 Capwell Dr., Oakland (510) 644-0612, culinaryexcellence.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Elegant Occasions Martinez (925) 372-6660, elegantoccasionscatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Englund’s Cafe and Catering 4061 Port Chicago Hwy., Concord (925) 609-5989, englundscatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Fraiche Catering Danville/San Francisco (925) 683-2800, fraichecater.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Grace Street Catering 4629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland (510) 523-1600, gracestreetcatering.com Serves Northern California La Bocca Fina Fine Catering Hayward (510) 264-0276, laboccafina.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Lantern Catering 1941 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill (925) 322-8414, lanterncatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country La Tapatia Mexican Cuisine 1802 Willow Pass Rd., Concord (925) 685-1985; 536 Main St., Martinez (925) 229-3866, latapatia.net Serves San Francisco Bay Area Le’s Kitchen Catering San Francisco leskitchen.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Miraglia Catering San Leandro (510) 483-5210, cateringandmore.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

On the Vine Catering Livermore (925) 518-7244, onthevinecatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme San Jose (800) 798-8388, psrt.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Paula LeDuc Fine Catering 1350 Park Ave., Emeryville (510) 547-7825, paulaleduc.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Ralph’s Catering Brentwood (925) 625-2307, cateringbyralph.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Royal Raspberry Catering Oakland (510) 538-8162, royalraspberry.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Serves You Right Catering Berkeley (510) 527-8809, servesyourightcatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Simply Catered Brentwood (925) 684-7274, simplycateredforyou.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Small Thyme Catering Concord (925) 437-3327, smallthymecatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Sunrise Bistro and Catering 1559 Botelho Dr., Walnut Creek (925) 930-6232, sunrisebistrocatering.com Serves East Bay Area

Susan Foord Catering and Cafe 965 Mountain View Dr., Lafayette (925) 299-7616, susanfoordcatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Taste Catering 3450 3rd St., San Francisco (415) 550-6464, tastecatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Willowstone Catering Concord (925) 969-9826, willowstonecatering.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Wilma Lott Catering Martinez (925) 372-8612, wilmalottcatering.com Serves East Bay Area

ENTERTAINMENT DJS

Amos Productions 5715 Southfront Rd., Ste. C1, Livermore (925) 449-3847, amospro.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Big Fun Disc Jockeys Cupertino (800) 924-4386, bigfundj.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Brad Kinney Productions 1262 Quarry Ln., Pleasanton (800) 734-1372, bradkinney.com Serves Northern California Daley Entertainment Agency (D.E.A.) Brentwood (925) 766-8677, dea4fun.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Denon and Doyle 2245 Morello Ave., Pleasant Hill (925) 944-5021, djay.com Serves Northern California Eastwood Entertainment 14850 Hwy. 4, Discovery Bay (800) 788-4235, eastwoodentertainment.com Serves Northern California Entire Productions (Plus musicians and performers) 425 Bush St., Ste. 405, San Francisco (415) 291-9191, entireproductions.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

“Tailoring has been in the family business for decades!”

Creative Alterations OVER 20 YEARS OF ENSURING BEAUTIFUL RESULTS

HOVSEP JAMKOCHIAN, OWNER

Complicated wedding gown tailoring and dress making Basic alterations for the entire wedding party 1048 BROWN AVENUE, LAFAYETTE (925) 284-5636 WWW.CREATIVEALTERATION.WEBS.COM

Custom veils Wedding gown preservation

Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa Four-star cuisine and personalized service, along with amenities such as The Spa and luxurious guestrooms.

Celebrate with us!

3287 Mt. Diablo Boulevard Lafayette, CA 94549 www.lafayetteparkhotel.com weddings@lafayetteparkhotel.com

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 59

R ESO U R C E G UID E EN T E RTA I N M E N T

Envy Soundz San Jose (408) 234-6709, djsalim.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Fantasy Sound Event Services 345 Stealth Ct., Livermore (925) 373-1934, fantasysound.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Gatsby Entertainment (Plus musicians) San Francisco (415) 497-3989, gatsbyentgroup.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Perry’s Mobile Disc Jockey 65 Mosswood Ct., Livermore (925) 606-1732, perrysmobiledj.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Quantam Music Event Planners 111 Center Ave., Martinez (925) 586-8316, quantummusic.net Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Busta Groove (Band) Hayward (408) 981-6451, busta-groove.com Serves Northern California, destinations Exeter String Quartet Oakland (510) 839-3828, exeterquartet.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Ron Grandia Campbell (408) 376-4001, bceventmedia.com Krista Strader Serves Northern California, (Harpist) destinations Pleasant Hill

(877) 415-4277, kristastrader.com In the Mix Productions The Rudolfi Music Agency Serves San Francisco Bay Area 30450 Ryan Rd., Hayward (Plus musicians and performers) (510) 214-3701, itmp.com Musical Heart Strings San Francisco Serves Northern California (Classical) (415) 550-1872, rudolfiartists.com Martinez Serves San Francisco Bay Area Love in the Mix (925) 603-3002,

Berkeley musicalheartstrings.net San Francisco Booking Agency (415) 689-0471, loveinthemix.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area (Plus musicians and performers) Serves San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco

Prime Time Entertainment (650) 548-0450, sfbooking.com Magic Entertainment (Plus performers) Serves United States Clayton 2430 Research Dr., Livermore (925) 628-5801, djmagicent.com (925) 449-1724, Sutherland Entertainment Serves San Francisco Bay Area primetimeentertainment.com 165 Oddstad Dr., Vallejo

Serves United States (415) 309-4126, Mark Davis Mobile DJ Service

sutherlandentertainment.com Livermore The Turnaround Jazz Ensemble Serves San Francisco Bay Area (866) 874-8253, trivaldj.com Oakland Serves San Francisco Bay Area Thump Sound (510) 387-8096, turnaroundjazz.com

4283 Clarinbridge Cir., Dublin Serves Northern California Mark Welch Entertainment (510) 331-1746, thumpsound.net

Martinez P E R FOR M E R S Serves San Francisco Bay Area (925) 228-6275, Celebrity Gems Entertainment markwelchentertainment.com (Various entertainers) 21st Century Sounds Serves San Francisco Bay Area 4061 E. Castro Valley Blvd., 3195 Danville Blvd., Ste. 7, Alamo

Castro Valley (925) 938-2858, Mixwell Entertainment (510) 581-5964, celebritygems.com 21stcenturysounds.com San Francisco Serves California Serves Northern California, (408) 891-8032, destinations mixwellentertainment.com Silvi Alcivar

Serves Northern California MUS I CI ANS (Poet) An Elegant Touch of Strings San Francisco Moments to Memories (Classical) (415) 494-7638, thepoetrystore.net Northern California Oakley Serves San Francisco Bay Area, (800) 670-1565, (925) 625-4363, baysbest.com destinations momentstomemoriesdj.com Serves Northern California

Serves Northern California Pacific Entertainment (Plus musicians) 125 Sunset Cir., Ste. 48, Benicia (707) 642-4390, pacificentertainment.biz Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

60 DIABLO WEDDINGS

Bennetta Heaton (Harpist) Danville (925) 820-1169 Serves San Francisco Bay Area

FLORISTS A Love’s in Bloom Martinez (925) 408-6702, alovesinbloom.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Angels Petals Martinez (925) 951-8046, angelspetals1.blogspot.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Anne Mendenhall Flowers Walnut Creek (925) 287-8142, annemendenhallflowers.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Awesome Blossoms Tracy (209) 830-8660, awesomeblossomsonline.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Belle-Flower 5745 Horton St., Ste. B, Emeryville (510) 284-7081, belle-flower.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Bloomies on Main 915 Main St., Pleasanton (925) 931-1290, bloomiesonmainca.com Serves Tri-Valley Bouquetière Floral Designs Berkeley (925) 209-6812, bouquetiere.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Cattails Florist 9000 Crow Canyon Rd., Danville (925) 736-9494, cattailsflorist.com Serves Central Contra Costa Church Street Flowers 212 Church St., San Francisco (415) 553-7762 Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Delford West Flowers Livermore (925) 606-8818, delfordwestflowers.com Serves Livermore Wine Country East Bay Flower Company 206 Sycamore Valley Rd. W., Danville (925) 837-3418, eastbayflowercompany.com Serves Tri-Valley

Morrison’s Family Owned Since 1923



Make us your family jeweler for decades to come...

Visit us at 35 Moraga Way, across from the Orinda Theater. (925) 253-9227 www.morrisonsjewelry.com

The Terrace Room OAKLAND’S MOST ENCHANTING WEDDING VENUE PANORAMIC VIEWS OF BEAUTIFUL LAKE MERRITT AND OAKLAND HILLS ART DECO BALLROOM EVENTS CAN HOLD UP TO 230 GUESTS VARIETY OF MENUS AVAILABLE 1800 Madison Street Oakland | 510.903.3771 | www.TheTerraceRoom.com D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 61

R ESO U R C E G UID E F LOR I STS

Florali 2345 Boulevard Cir., Walnut Creek (925) 934-6877, florali.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations

Kay Wolff Design 1177 Grizzly Peak Blvd., Berkeley (510) 540-1931, makingarrangements.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Floralisa Hercules/Rodeo (510) 734-4475, floralisa.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Laura Miller Design Oakland (510) 336-9226, lauramillerdesign.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Floret 3581 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Ste. C, Lafayette (925) 310-4546, floretlafayette.com Serves Northern California Flower Bowl Florist 2325 Boulevard Cir., Walnut Creek (925) 935-0800, flowerbowlflorist.com Serves East Bay Area, Wine Country The Flower House 2021 Las Positas Ct., Livermore (925) 960-1375, theflowerhouse.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Flowers by Edgar and Argelia San Jose (408) 836-1605, flowersbyedgar.com Serves Northern California

Good Scents 3513 Main St., Oakley (925) 625-5550, goodscentsflorist.com Serves East Contra Costa Katharina Stuart Floral Art and Design 1230 Contra Costa Dr., El Cerrito (510) 406-3404, katharinastuart.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Katherine Bergman Floral Designs Walnut Creek (925) 210-0487, floraldesigner.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

62 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

Laurel Designs San Francisco (415) 386-8360, flaurel.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Livermore Valley Florist 224 S. J St., Livermore (925) 443-3450, livermorevalleyflorist.com Serves Tri-Valley Megan Haney Designs 1537 N. Main St., Ste. R, Walnut Creek (925) 962-1119, meganhaneydesigns.com Serves California Nicole Ha Designs San Jose (408) 421-0388, nicoleha.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Ornamento 950 Mason St., San Francisco (415) 668-9624, ornamento.com Serves California Pat Gibbons Floral Designs El Cerrito (510) 527-3197, patgibbonsfloral.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Paula’s Family Florist Antioch (925) 756-6000, paulasfamilyflorist.com Serves East Contra Costa The Petal Company Pleasanton (925) 249-0008, thepetalco.com Serves California

The Petal Pusher Pleasanton (925) 846-0415, the-petal-pusher.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Poppy’s Petalworks 2860 Laguna St., San Francisco (415) 806-2950, poppyspetalworks.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Prickly Petal Flower Co. San Jose (408) 320-8241, pricklypetal.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Ribbons and Roses Brentwood (925) 634-3832, ribbonsandrosesflorals.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Sarah’s Garden Danville (415) 699-8206, sarahsgardendesign.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Sunshine Flowers Wedding and Event Design 4911 Milden Rd., Martinez (925) 228-6123, sunshineflowers.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Victoria’s Florals and Event Design Hayward (510) 368-6876, victoriasflorals.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

INVITES The Aerialist Press 1514 Park Ave., Emeryville (510) 520-6749, theaerialistpress.com Serves worldwide Creative Designs by Mimi Concord (925) 787-0665, creativemimi.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Good on Paper Berkeley (510) 501-3337, goodonpaperdesign.com Serves worldwide Inviting Ways 4 Van Cleave Ln., Walnut Creek (925) 256-8410, invitingways.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Linea Carta by Diva Pyari 2904 Mabel St., Berkeley (510) 688-7288, linea-carta.com Serves worldwide Nancy Hess Graphic Designer San Francisco nancyhessdesign.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Papineau Calligraphy 5736 Thornhill Dr. Ste. 103, Oakland (510) 339-2301, papineaucalligraphy.com Serves worldwide

Reb Peters Press Oakland (415) 202-3902, rebpeterspress.com/wordpress Serves worldwide Sleepy Hedgehog Press 840 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell (408) 608-5656, sleephedgehogpress.com Serves worldwide Susan Gildea Personalized Printing 3020 Ashby Ave., Berkeley (510) 883-0890, susangildea.com Serves United States Twig and Fig 2110 Vine St., Berkeley (510) 848-5599, twigandfig.com Serves worldwide

PHOTOGRAPHERS Adeline and Grace Photography Benicia (707) 815-9510, adelineandgrace.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Truly Warm Italian Atmosphere!

Food from Scratch Local Fresh Fish Daily Homemade Pasta, Pizza & Dessert

Private Parties Welcome Banquet Facilities Patio Seating Ample Parking Space

Terra Mia Italian Restaurant & Full Bar 4040 East Avenue (Close to Downtown and LLNL)

Livermore, CA 94550 (925) 456-3333 www.terramialivermore.com

Full Bar & Fine Wine Take-Out Individual & Parties

Dinner Daily 5–9:30pm Lunch 11am–2:30pm Monday to Friday Saturday & Sunday Lunch available for private parties Sunday open 4pm–9pm

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 63

R ESO U R C E G UID E  P H OTOG R A P HE R S

AGB Photographics Oakland (415) 504-7791, agbphotographics.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

Cohn Frankel Photography Berkeley (510) 882-1980, cohnfrankelphotography.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Allyson Wiley Photography 512 Broadway, Ste. B, Sonoma (707) 939-5478, allysonwiley.com Serves California, destinations

Colson Griffith Photography San Francisco (415) 314-6096, colsongriffith.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Amy Carr Photography San Francisco (415) 297-0105, amycarr.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

Connie Leal Photography Brentwood (925) 550-8506, connielealphotography.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Angie Capri Photography 1980 Olivera Rd., Ste. C, Concord (925) 338-1104, angiecapri.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Arrowood Photography 1501 Cortland Ave., Ste. D, San Francisco (415) 596-3646, arrowoodphotography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Brian Gross Photography Danville (925) 895-4321, briangrossphotography.blogspot.com Serves California, destinations

Brian MacStay Photography Concord (925) 348-8856, brianmacstay.com Serves Northern California, destinations Candid Moments Photography Antioch (925) 778-5085, candidmomentsweddings.com Serves California, destinations

Dana Todd Photography Livermore (408) 655-1297, danatoddphotography.com Serves Northern California Danny Dong Photography San Jose (408) 429-0158, dannydong.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Discovery Bay Studios Photography Discovery Bay (925) 216-4454, discoverybaystudios.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Doorstep Photography San Ramon (925) 556-5412, doorstepdigital.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Dubnoff Wedding Photography 1485 Enea Ct., Ste. 1330, Concord (925) 686-4960, dubnoffphoto.com Serves Northern California

Cauchi Photography Dublin (925) 875-1880, cauchi.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Ed Pingol Photography Fairfield (707) 334-1468, edpingolphotography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations

Cazinha Portrait Design 551 Main St., Pleasanton (925) 249-1999, cazinhaportrait.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Eli Photographer 39 California Ave., Pleasanton (510) 429-9525, eliphotographer.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

64 DIABLO WEDDINGS

Elizabeth Hurley Photography San Francisco (707) 367-0896, bethhurley.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

James Everett Photography San Francisco (415) 601-4989, photojames.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Emily Takes Photos Oakland emilytakesphotos.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Jennifer Skog Dublin (925) 828-7467, jenniferskog.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Eric James Photography Walnut Creek (925) 451-5332, ericjamesphoto.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

Jessamyn Photography Pleasant Hill (925) 698-4058, jessamynphotography.com Serves California, destinations

Gabriel Harber Photography Oakland (510) 967-6244, harberphotography.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Julie Cheshire Photography Clayton (925) 798-5804, juliecheshire.com Serves Northern California, destinations

Gina Halferty Photography Pleasanton (925) 231-5495, ginahalfertyphoto.com Serves Northern California, destinations Gustavo FernĂĄndez Pleasant Hill (925) 979-5142, gustavofernandez.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Images By Misti Layne San Francisco (415) 225-1128, mistilayne.com Serves California Indulge Wedding Photography and Cinema Fremont (408) 406-7909, indulgewedding.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Inkspot Photography Concord (925) 788-8820, inkspotphotography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations James Brian Studios 1727 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek (925) 934-4455, jamesbrian.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

Julie Mikos Photography Berkeley (510) 681-7616, juliemikos.com Serves Northern California, Wine Country, destinations Karen Bates Photography Montclair (510) 530-5265, karenbatesphoto.com Serves Northern California

Ken Perkes Photography 1304 Willow Lake Rd., Discovery Bay (925) 513-3649, perkesphoto.zenfolio.com Serves Northern California Lisa Lefkowitz Photography San Francisco (415) 826-9330, lisalefkowitz.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Lori Rittinger Photography 3195 Danville Blvd., Ste. 7, Alamo (925) 934-2103, rittingerphotography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Lynds Photography Lafayette (925) 962-0180, lyndsphoto.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

Whatever your perfect wedding may be—

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PICTILIO

saying your I do's in a secret garden, dancing BETHAINA RASHEED (925) 200-9662

EVENTS@SIMPLYBYBETHAINA.COM WWW.SIMPLYBYBETHAINA.COM

under the stars, a day spent on a winery, or a black tie event overlooking San Francisco— we can do it all.

WEDGEWOOD WEDDING & BANQUET CENTER

F

abulous inclusive wedding packages designed for value, service, and convenience.

Offering services such as music, invitations, floral, wedding cake, food, and beverage. All packages are customizable and a great compliment to the beautiful wedding sites at each picturesque golf course such as San Ramon Golf Club.

(92 5) 82 8-62 5 8 www.wedgewoodbanquet.com

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 65

R ESO U R C E G UID E P H OTOG R A P HE R S

MEF Photography Concord (877) 227-0722, mefphoto.com Serves Central California, San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Modern Love Photography 1035 B St., Hayward (510) 698-1517, modernlovephotography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Nightingale Photography Oakland (510) 338-2997, nightingalephotos.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Onelove Photography Walnut Creek (925) 360-9755, onelove-photo.com Serves California, destinations Peters Photography and Video Napa (800) 365-5414, petersphoto.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Photography by Augie Chang San Francisco (415) 713-6338, augiechang.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Photography by Kelsey Walnut Creek (925) 588-5502, photographybykelsey.net Serves San Francisco Bay Area Rachel Capil Photography 25 Crescent Dr., Pleasant Hill (925) 609-7270, rachelcapilevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Sherman Chu Walnut Creek (925) 831-1600, shermanchu.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

Stacey Pentland Photography Walnut Creek (415) 710-2619, staceypentlandphoto.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Stephanie Secrest Photography Alameda (510) 337-9796, secrestweddings.com Serves California, destinations Tara Marie Photography Pleasanton tara-marie-photography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations Ultra-Spective Photography 4749 Bennett Dr., Livermore (925) 449-9879, ultra-spective.com Serves East Bay Area Wedding Documentary Photo and Cinema Los Gatos (408) 656-1014, weddingdocumentary.com Serves California, destinations W Photography San Francisco (415) 812-6624, wphotography.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations

YJM Photography Oakland (510) 382-0280, yjmphotography.com Serves Northern California

VENUES

EAST COUNTY

Brownstone Gardens 91 Brownstone Rd., Oakley (925) 418-4532, brownstonegardens.com Club Los Maganos 1700 Trilogy Pkwy., Brentwood (925) 809-7202, vineyardsweddings .com/clmweddings La Grande Wedding and Event Center 1799 Carpenter Rd., Oakley (925) 435-4461, thelagrande.com Lone Tree Golf Course and Event Center 4800 Golf Course Rd., Antioch (925) 706-4232, lonetreegolfcourse.com Newberry Estate Vineyards 2525 Sunset Rd., Brentwood (925) 516-3300, newberryestatevineyards.com

LAMOR I NDA

Hacienda de las Flores 2100 Donald Dr., Moraga (925) 888-7045, moragahacienda.com Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa 3287 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette (925) 283-3700, lafayetteparkhotel.com Orinda Country Club Orinda (925) 254-4314, Ext. 277, orindacc.org

TR I -VALLEY

Contra Costa Country Club 801 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant Hill (925) 798-7135, contracostacc.org

Blackhawk Country Club 599 Blackhawk Club Cir., Danville (925) 736-6500, Ext. 557, blackhawkcc.org

The Gardens at Heather Farm 1540 Marchbanks Dr., Walnut Creek (925) 947-1678, gardenshf.org

BoaVentura de Caires Winery 9309 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 606-9672, boaventuravineyard.com

Oakhurst Country Club 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton (925) 672-9737, Ext. 217, oakhurstcc.com

The Bridges Golf Club 9000 S. Gale Ridge Rd., San Ramon (925) 735-4253, thebridgesgolf.com

CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA

Casa Real at Ruby Hill Winery 410 Vineyard Ave., Pleasanton (925) 931-0200, casarealevents.com 66 DIABLO WEDDINGS

Castlewood Country Club 707 Country Club Cir., Pleasanton (925) 485-2237, castlewoodcc.org Crooked Vine Winery 4948 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 449-0458, crookedvine.com Crow Canyon Country Club 711 Silver Lake Dr., Danville (925) 735-5710, clubcorp.com/clubs/ crow-canyon-country-club Diablo Country Club 1700 Club House Rd., Diablo (925) 837-4221, diablocc.org Elliston Vineyards 463 Kilkare Rd., Sunol (925) 862-2377, elliston.com Garré Vineyard and Winery 7986 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 371-8200, garrewinery.com Murrieta’s Well at Wente Vineyards 3005 Mines Rd., Livermore (925) 456-2425, murrietaswell.com Nella Terra Cellars 5005 Sheridan Rd., Sunol (510) 754-9877, nellaterra.com Palm Event Center in the Vineyard 1184 Vineyard Ave., Pleasanton (925) 426-8666, palmeventcenter.com Poppy Ridge Golf Course 4280 Greenville Rd., Livermore (925) 456-8238, poppyridgegolf.com Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort and Spa 4549 Cross Rd., Livermore (925) 606-8855, purpleorchid.com

Ravenswood Historic Site 2647 Arroyo Rd., Livermore (925) 373-5708, larpd.org/rentals/ ravenswood.html Rios-Lovell Estate Winery 6500 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 443-0434, rioslovellwinery.com Ruby Hill Golf Club 3400 W. Ruby Hill Dr., Pleasanton (925) 461-3504, rubyhill.com

Time for a Transformation!

Dr. Place offers the latest in minimally invasive procedures as well as body contouring, facial rejuvenation and breast surgery in a fully accredited private surgery center.

She and her team offer a courteous, warm, knowledgeable environment where patients can feel secure in their surgeon, the staff, and their procedure.

Dr. Place is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in: CoolSculpting Non-Invasive Fat Reduction Facelift Tummy Tuck Liposuction Breast Lift Rhinoplasty

Eyelid Surgery Breast Augmentation Botox® Dysport®

Restylane® Juvederm® Sculptra® & other fillers

100 Park Place Suite 240, San Ramon

925 - 837-1347 www.michellejplacemd.com Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

Onsite Skin Care Center Her onsite skin care center offers the latest laser systems to treat sun damaged skin, wrinkles, tattoo removal, and pain free hair reduction.

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 67

R ESO U R C E G UID E  V E N U ES

Sunol Valley Golf Club 6900 Mission Rd., Sunol (925) 862-2408, sunolvalley.com Wente Vineyards 5050 Arroyo Rd., Livermore (925) 456-2425, wentevineyards.com

S OLAN O COU N TY

Hiddenbrooke Golf Club 1095 HIddenbrooke Pkwy., Vallejo (707) 558-1153, hiddenbrookegolf.com

Jefferson Street Mansion 1063 Jefferson St., Benicia (707) 746-0684, jeffersonstreetmansion.com Kenyon Estate 351 Kenyon Way, Vallejo (707) 745-3812, kenyonestate.com The Lighthouse at Glen Cove Marina 2000 Glen Cove Marina Rd., Vallejo (707) 704-9014, thelighthousegcm.com

WEST O F CA LD ECOTT

Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley (510) 280-1532, berkeleycityclub.com The Brazilian Room Tilden Park, Berkeley (510) 544-3164, ebparks.org Claremont Hotel Club and Spa 41 Tunnel Rd., Berkeley (800) 551-7266, claremontresort.com The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate 2960 Peralta Oaks Ct., Oakland (510) 615-5555, dunsmuir-hellman.com Joie de Vivre Waterfront Hotel 10 Washington St., Oakland (510) 836-3800, jdvhotels.com Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill 1520 Lakeside Dr., Oakland (510) 208-5253, thelakechalet.com Oakland Museum of California 1000 Oak St., Oakland (510) 318-8400, museumca.org

68 DIABLO WEDDINGS

The Old Homestead 995 Loring Ave., Crockett (510) 787-2728, theoldhomesteadonline.org Preservation Park 1233 Preservation Park Way, Oakland (510) 874-7580, preservationpark.com Rock Wall Wine Company 2301 Monarch St., Ste. 300, Alameda (510) 522-5700, Ext. 24, rockwallwines.com Sequoyah Country Club 4550 Heafey Rd., Oakland (510) 632-2900, sequoyahcc.com UC Botanical Garden 200 Centennial Dr., Berkeley (510) 642-3352, botanicalgarden. berkeley.edu

WEDDING PLANNERS A Monique Affair 1624 Franklin St., Ste. 500, Oakland (510) 334-3752, amoniqueaffair.com Serves California, destinations Allure (805) 717-2454, allureconsulting.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Bliss Event Productions 612 Stoneman Ct., Benicia (707) 746-6136, blisseventproductions.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Carolyn Wilson Weddings and Events Livermore (925) 315-9589, carolynwilsonevents.com Serves Northern California Celebrations By Cindy Walnut Creek (209) 614-5621, celebrationsbycindy.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country

Celebrations By Heart Palo Alto (650) 996-1658, celebrationsbyheart.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Dream a Little Dream Events 1251 Connecticut St., San Francisco (415) 931-8366, dreamalittledreamevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Dreamcatcher Events 210 Lakewood Rd., Walnut Creek (925) 947-3999, dreamcatcherevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Dreams on a Dime San Francisco (415) 264-2764, dreamsonadime.com Serves California, destinations Erica Events San Francisco (415) 683-0447, ericaevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Eventful Days Castro Valley (510) 206-6474, eventfuldays.net Serves San Francisco Bay Area Eventfully Yours, Event Designs by Rayna Pacheco (925) 330-2371, eventdesignsbyrayna.com Serves Northern California, destinations Events By Wallace Danville (925) 867-1515, eventsbywallace.com Serves California, destinations

Every Elegant Detail San Francisco (925) 330-5193, everyelegantdetail.com Serves Northern California F. Duncan Reyes Events

By Design San Francisco (415) 794-4117, duncanreyesevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations

Lindsay Lauren Events Danville (925) 683-8547, lindsaylaurenevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Lowe House Events Oakland (510) 545-9354, lowehousecreative.com Serves California Make It Happen San Francisco (209) 895-4598, makeithappenweddings.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Morgan Events 2565 3rd St., Ste. 220, San Francisco (415) 728-2840, morgan-events.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area

Sugar Rush Events Walnut Creek (925) 212-6904, sugarrushevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country Tickled Events Alameda (510) 501-8949, tickledevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Tiffany Francies Events Brentwood (707) 718-7355, tiffanyfrancies.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Your Event By Erin Walnut Creek (858) 774-0909, youreventbyerin.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, destinations Your Moments 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Cir., Ste. 100, Danville (925) 322-1138, yourmomentsevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area Weddings by Image Three 45 Quail Ct., Ste. 102, Walnut Creek (925) 935-3845, imagethreeevents.com Serves San Francisco Bay Area, destinations â–

YOUR WEDDING is one of the most important days of your life, and Buon Vino can make it an unparalleled experience for you and all your guests. Bring your wedding planner with you to our shop to plan details of your special day while enjoying some of Napa and Sonoma's best wines that we can then create a custom label for!

PRIVATE PARTIES

CUSTOM WINE LABELS

September 6, 2014

WINE TASTING

Use our private event room for your engagement, bachelor, bachelorette and rehearsal parties. Have the freedom of planning the party just to your style!

BUON VINO 1545 LOCUST ST, WALNUT CREEK (925) 322-8920 BUONVINOINC.COM

TM

Open Set Photo Booths

Instagram Printing

Slow Motion Studio

Flip Books

& More!

The Premier Photo Entertainment Company in the Bay Area!

snapfiesta . com 855.SNAPFIESTA 7 6 2 7 3 4 3

@snapfiesta snapfiesta.com/DiabloWed Exclusive offer for Diablo Wedding Guide

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 69

STUNNING EVENTS

FROM START TO FINISH.

WWW.BARBARALLEWELLYN.COM

AT CROWNE PLAZA, WE HELP DREAMS COME TRUE!

concord walnut creek

The Crowne Plaza Concord/Walnut Creek offers a f inely appointed Grand Ballroom and a beautiful atrium garden setting featuring waterfalls and koi ponds. Whatever the occasion— engagement party, rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception—we have the perfect space for you.

Let our professional staff put you at ease.

We’ll make your wedding celebration extra special and help you on your way to your dream honeymoon! Simply book your wedding at our Crowne Plaza Hotel before December 31, 2015, and you’ll receive a Honeymoon On Us Visa® Prepaid Card to spend anywhere in the world!

45 J O H N G LEN N D RI V E

CO N CO RD, CA 94520

925.825.7700

W W W.C ROW N EP LA Z ACO N CO RD.CO M

DIABLO WEDDINGS 71

With

Photo by Eric Tse

Pleasant Hill

Visit Pleasant Hill’s elegan t New Community Center an d discover where your dreams will beg in.

Beautiful gazebo in park setting ideal for outdoor ceremonies Bright, airy Perera Pavilion with soaring vaulted ceilings & windows perfect for both the ceremony and reception Private entrance for grand arrival and departure Convenient access to hotels, downtown, major freeways & airports.

Weddi ngs C on tact: Photo by AVIAN Films

Ryan Herriman, Facilities Coordinator (925) 676-5200 rherriman@pleasanthillrec.com

PLEASANT HILL RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT | (925) 676-5200

EXPERIENCE YOUR

WEDDING!

2015 NAPA | January 3

Napa Valley Marriott

SACRAMENTO | January 4 Tsakopoulos Library Galleria

Photo by CineCrown Photography + Filmmaking

ORANGE COUNTY | January 18 Westin South Coast Plaza SAN JOSE | January 25

Fairmont San Jose Rotunda & Summit Center

MONTEREY | February 8 Monterey Marriott SAN FRANCISCO | February 22

Sir Francis Drake Hotel

• • •

Couture Fashion Shows Area’s Finest Wedding Professionals Galore of Hors d’oeuvres

• • •

Reception Table Displays Lavish Prize Giveaways Cake Tasting

www.LuxuryWeddingShows.com

• • •

Bouquet Toss Wine Tasting and more!

F

illed with spectacular decor, innovative floral, luxe tabletop designs, and inspiration galore, Modern Luxury Weddings at The Westin St. Francis offers an inspirational setting in which to meet with the Bay Area’s most celebrated and sought-after wedding professionals. Delight your palate with inspiring tastings created by the very best caterers, sip cocktails and enjoy makeovers and treatments from Saks Fifth Avenue, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci. View the most breathtaking bridal gowns, high-fashion runway shows, photography, videography, flowers, unique decor, unforgettable atmospheres, and S P O N S O R E D BY unlimited possibilities for your wedding celebration.

76 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

Sunday, January 18, 2015 WESTIN ST. FRANCIS, SAN FRANCISCO Enjoy 2 Complimentary Tickets, Courtesy of American Express at www.modernbridal.com/amex

www.modernluxuryweddings.com 11:00 to 4:00 | 800.400.2099

Upscale Resale Shop

Large Selection of Vintage Engagement Rings

Pre-Owned Fine Jewelry, Designer Handbags, and Accessories

Open 10–6 Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays, or by appointment

(925) 385-7121 3529 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette, CA 94549

Let us create the

perfect look

for your special day.

Delight your bridal party as you celebrate and relax in Changes’ Bliss Suite.

Contact Changes’ Events Concierge for more information.

Lindsay Noonan

925.683.8547 | www.LindsayLaurenEvents.com FULL PLANNING + DESIGN | PARTIAL PLANNING MONTH-OF COORDINATION | SOCIAL SOIREES

HAIR | NAILS | SKIN | MASSAGE | MEMBERSHIPS | GIFT CARDS 1475 N. BROADWAY | WALNUT CREEK 925-947-1814 | WWW.CHANGESSALON.COM

78 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S

Wedding Cakes Dessert Buffets

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. ELIMINATE

Creating wedding cakes and delectable treats for over 60 years

STUBBORN FAT WITHOUT SURGERY OR DOWNTIME.

Contact us to schedule your wedding dessert consultation today

FEEL AND LOOK GREAT FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY.

221 Hartz Avenue Danville, CA (925) 837-7844 www.danvillebakery.info

IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?

ELIZABETH S. LEE, MD, FACS 970 Dewing Ave., Suite 300 Lafayette, CA 94549 (925) 299-1985 www.ArtfulSurgery.com

YOUR DESIRED COLOR IS WHERE WE TAKE YOU

JENNY SCHNEIDER OWNER

Berkeley City Club Weddings, Events, Hotel & In-House Catering

(925) 451-0645

WWW.APRESSOLEILTANS.COM AIRBRUSH SPRAY TANNING • CUSTOM COLOR CONSULTING

Berkeley, California 510.280.1532 www.berkeleycityclub.com / events@berkeleycityclub.com

D I A B L O W E D D I N G S 79

BEST WISHES

A SPARKLING SEND-OFF

ONELOVE PHOTOGRAPHY

Guests bid farewell to the bride and groom after an evening of romance on the California coast.

80 D I A B L O W E D D I N G S