Megan & Clinton | Classic Wedding at Beaulieu Garden

Two of our incredible Select vendors at one of Northern California’s most elegant venues, all together in one  beautiful wedding! MAP Events brought a classic style to Megan and Clinton’s wine country nuptials, and Meg Smith captured it all with her timeless photography…

Says Megan, “I wore my grandmother’s garter belt from her wedding (after some fixing up). Conveniently, it was blue so the garter represented both my ‘something old’ and ‘something blue’ from the traditional four ‘somethings.’”

The couple made their way from the ceremony to the reception in a vintage checker cab.

Says Melissa from MAP Events, “Megan had a very specific design idea in mind with farm tables, lace runners, and white antique lounge furniture. Kate Stanley designed the space with a mix of linen covered tables to balance out space, and used romantic white flowers.”

Escort cards with calligraphy by Tara Jones were displayed under sheer white ribbons.

Says Megan of the choice to hold the reception at Beaulieu Garden: “We chose Beaulieu because the venue was the perfect canvas to create the casual black-tie atmosphere we were looking for. The location’s versatile layout gave us the ability to host fountain-side cocktails in the front garden area, while taking wedding photos in the picturesque backyard landscape. From there, we were able to nicely transition to dinner under the arbor and dancing under the stars.”

Perfect Endings created a gorgeous four-tiered cake covered with textured white chocolate and their signature sugar flowers. Each tier was a different flavor: double chocolate with raspberry, pound cake with raspberry, red velvet, and banana cake.

And of course there’s nothing quite like a Magnolia Photo Booth to add to the wedding festivities!

Wedding film by one of our all-time favorites, Sandbox Love!

SEE THE FULL GALLERY FOR MORE IMAGES FROM THIS CLASSIC WINE COUNTRY WEDDING AT BEAULIEU GARDEN.

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  We are both from northern California and consume more wine than we’d like to admit, so Napa was a natural fit. Since we had many guests traveling in from out of town, we also felt that Napa would be a nice vacation-y spot for our family and friends over the Memorial Day weekend.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  The country vineyards of Napa combined with the venue’s manicured garden served as inspiration. When we visited Beaulieu Gardens, the French Chateau oasis in Napa fit the country chic vision perfectly.

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?  The experience in its entirety blends into one surreal moment, but if we had to choose a single favorite moment, it would have to be the first look.

Please tell us about any special details from your wedding.  The groom’s cake was a fun detail as it represented the progression of Clinton’s interests from when we started dating in college to our final years in New York before moving back to California. Clinton played football in school so the cake was shaped into a football helmet that was half his high school helmet and half his college helmet. Right next to the helmet was a mini fondant sculpture of our dog, Ryley, who we raised in New York.

What was the best advice you received as a bride?  The best advice came from my bridesmaids who told me to focus on choosing the venue first and let the details and inspiration follow from there.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Don’t stress over things out of your control – like the weather. Channel that energy into things you can control. Also, another piece of advice is don’t feel pressure to rush into a wedding after getting engaged. We had an 18-month engagement and although at times we just wanted to get on with the big day, we also couldn’t imagine rushing to plan such an important weekend.

Menu
First Course: Peppery Greens with Oven Cured Tomatoes / Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, Honey-Lemon-Lavender Vinaigrette, House Made Grissini, Herb Blossoms // Main Course: Filet of Beef Tenderloin with Merlot Demi Glace, Leek and Thyme Rösti Potato and Assorted Beets or Fennel, Coriander and Chile Crusted Bass served with Wilted Spinach, Potato-Fennel Purée and a Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, Micro Greens or Red Quinoa Wrapped with Savoy with Mushroom Demi Glace, Leek and Thyme Rösti Potato and Assorted Beets