What better way is there to jump into November, than with a truly festive and fun Fall wedding.  Candice and Dan embraced the season fully, with beautiful red, rust and brown flowers by Not Just Flowers, accented with adorable tin pails filled with seasonal bounty like apples, and whole walnuts.  Their wedding cake was accented with fall leaves and tiny pumpkins (actually peppers!) Fall flavors were also incorporated into the day such a their cake which was two flavors- apple with caramel buttercream and pumpkin with creamcheese filling, and a candy station complete with house-made pumpkin seed brittle. What a beautiful way to celebrate their relationship and the season! DJ Jason from Quantum Music kept the party going and  Hewitt Photography captured the day.

Feeling so thrilled at the beautiful blog post on I Do Venues, this week, featuring Cavallo Point’s catering.  I am so proud of the wonderful food I am fortunate enough to represent and thrilled that it is being shared! Thanks to the wonderful ladies at I Do Venues!

Lisa and Mike have an infectious laugh and silliness together that could not be sweeter.  Between that and her almost immediate pronouncement of “I LOVE trees!” I knew that they most definitely needed to get married at Cavallo Point.  They chose the Mission Blue Lawn for their mid summer vows, as they would be flanked by two enormous eucalyptus trees and had their dinner reception in our Verbena A room with an intimate group of 30 guests and simple wild flower arrangements on the single long table.  Following a toast filled dinner, house-made sweets were served on the terrace so guests could enjoy the rocking chairs and beautiful night view of the Golden Gate Bridge.  I love the way Andi Hatch has recorded this beautiful night, their sweet relationship, and Lisa’s beautiful baby bump.

Pat and Lacey are just so darn cute.  Their adoration for eachother is infectious, and it was so fun working with them on plans for their beautiful Fall wedding.  The details of this wedding were so personal, and really made the day special.  The couple made use of all of our in house equipment from linens to tables, and added special touches to their floral design by Kate’s Blossoms such as using (surprisingly) beautiful blue glass telephone pole insulators for LED candle covers as an ode to their meeting at PG&E.  Additionally,  wood slices were incorporated throughout the ballroom and foyer, in honor of Lacey’s grandfather who is a lumberjack,  including the incredible cake stand that he made for them.  I think the most amazing moment of the day, if that is possibly to quantify, was the flash dance that broke out at the end of the ceremony, taking it from not a dry eye to everyone being on their feet and fist pumping.  I am so glad that Andrew Weeks caught that amazing moment, and so glad that this couple chose Cavallo Point for their wedding!

Tera and Tim met at jury duty. That’s right. Jury duty!  I am hoping this will give all of you single ladies trying to avoid jury duty pause next time you get called in!  This adorable couple loves the look of the homes in the Presidio where they rented their first place together, making Cavallo Point seem like the natural choice with its similar Colonial Revival era officers homes.  We planned their intimate wedding for 20 guests in just around 2 months- while Tera was on summer break from school and had some time to put into it.  I think the results were fantastic with soft greens and whites accented by the occasional pop of coral in the flowers (by one of my favorites- Kate’s Blossoms) and the bridesmaids dresses.  Sabine Scherer is nothing less than a magician with a camera.  My favorite shot of the day is that magical portrait in the wooded area, with the light just glowing on Tim and Tera.  Even more amazing is that Sabine showed it to me onsite- meaning that was actually the captured moment, not an effect of post event editing!  Simply Beautiful.

I will beg forgiveness in advance, as I simply could not get enough of the gorgeous photos Sarah Peet took of the children that attended this wedding.  Martha and Jack celebrated their union as a family, and as such it became a family affair.  It is obvious the joy that youth brought to this special day.  From an impromptu baseball game on the parade grounds (in their spiffy suits, no less!), to many a conga line, Martha and Jack’s wedding had no shortage of fun and laughter.  Lisa McNichol of And Something Blue, designed the ballroom in a beautiful combination of rust, chocolate and persimmon, keeping the decor simple and refined  with beautiful calligraphy, and dramatic fabric swagging as the statement piece.  The flowers, by Kate’s Blossoms, consisting of brightly colored calla lilies and dahlias, hit just the right notes of chic and joyful.  My personal favorite shot of the day?  The children knitted close around Jack and Martha as they prepare to cut the cake. Perfection.

Jennie’s sister told what was, perhaps the funniest MOH speech story I have ever heard.  It involved a facebook photo of David doing a shirtless handstand at their dance troupe practice, and Jennie’s sister calling “SHOTGUN!”.  So the story goes, that Jennie told her, no problemo- she was not interested anyhow. 

Cut to August 2012, to one of the loveliest weddings I have ever seen, complete with the perfect wedding kiss on our Mission Blue Lawn.  Jennie and David’s wedding was incredibly beautiful, despite the ridiculous wind that blew in (pardon the pun, but since Jennie is an English Lit nerd like me, I hope she will approve) just in time for  their outside ceremony.  Perhaps, due to Andrew Weeks skill with a camera, the wind actually enhanced the photos because, man, does her dress blowing in the wind add some incredible drama. 

With a dinner in sage greens in our lovely Verbena Room, and a trolly car to escort the guests up to the chapel for dancing, Jennie and David had a picture perfect wedding.  Expert detail handler Lisa McNichol of And Something Blue planned the day, and flowers were done by a family member.

Whitney and Jason went on many of their first dates at Cavallo Point, so it seemed natural, despite settling in Texas, to host their wedding at the Lodge.  They chose to put roots down in Marin, in a different way- by starting their married life here. Even more symbolically, they donated a Monterey Cypress tree, which our wonderful landscaping team planted for them, right next to the chapel where they hosted their wedding ceremony.  A Monterey Cypress can live a hundred years, and grow as many feet tall, so it is a perfect symbol for Whitney and Jason to return to each anniversary.

The wedding itself, designed by Julie Nunn Martin and Molly Hale  of I Do! Wedding and Event Design and captured by Enluce Photography was one steeped in traditional loveliness with silver and black linens, and jewel toned flowers by Loop Event Arts in antique silver vessels.  Dramatic olive trees softened the space, and silver uplighting bathed the room in a soft glow.  The child attendees were at the forefront of Whitney and Jason’s priorities, and the photos, filled with laughter, dancing and play demonstrate how much fun all of the guests had- young and old alike.  The evening was finished with a candy station, and homemade array of desserts- cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries and cheesecake bites- from the Cavallo pastry department.

If you had asked me a few of years ago, my thoughts on wedding videos, I might have said they were not my favorite part of the wedding.  I have to say, that in my four years at Cavallo Point, this opinion has truly shifted, thanks 100% to all of the incredible wedding videographers in the Bay Area.  This video of Natalie and Bob’s beautiful wedding by IQ Videography is a great example of the incredible artistic value, and beauty of a good wedding video.  And, as a friend in the industry recently reminded me, there is no better way to keep all of the truly personal wedding moments- speeches, vows, and the walk down the aisle, alive in your memory.

http://www.iqvideography.com/blog/2012/6/18/cavallo-point-wedding-natalie-bob.html

Photos of this gorgeous wedding planned by Simone Lennon to come soon!

Jessica and Jeff had their first date, kayaking in the moonlight on the bay at Cavallo Point.  I am not sure it gets much more romantic than that, so it does not surprise me that when the time came to get married, they chose Cavallo to host the wedding (lucky me!).  The wedding was personalized, warm and cozy from the monogrammed blankets around the fire-pit to the “his and hers” signature drinks- Jessica’s favorite Greyhound during cocktails, and Jeff’s Manhattan served after dinner. The bride’s uncle, Mike Stone, designed the beautiful flowers.  Ingrid Nelson from Myrtle and Marjoram so perfectly captured the beauty of this day.  I love that she took extra care to photograph the touches that were special to the couple, such as the vintage cake topper that was first used by Jeff’s parents, 49 years earlier.  Planning by the always amazing Lisa McNichol of And Something Blue.