This wedding, captured by the amazing Ingrid Nelson of Myrtle and Marjoram was one of the most interesting I have ever had the opportunity to work on.  The bride and groom lived in England, and wanted to incorporate many cultures into their celebration.  They hosted an intimate Indian ceremony in the Mission Blue Chapel, and instead of standing on the stage, they stood in the middle of the chapel with their group of 80 guests arched around them for a more familial feel.  The reception included unique multi-cultural details like a mariachi band during cocktails, groomsmen in traditional morning suits, and a Guyanese Black Cake.  Additionally, the Mother of the Bride owns a quilting store and brought dozens of handmade quilts to toss around the firepit for guests to snuggle up.  In the reception space, traditional rounds were tossed to the side for a more unique feel.  The room was set with three long kings tables in a U-shape around the edges of the room and the dance floor in the middle.  Planner Melissa Panico at Map Events, and florist Melissa Comito-Aakre of Simple Ceremony named each of the three tables: crane, shell and marigold and instead of table names,and each table was intricately designed to reflect its theme.

This wedding, planned by Amy Nichols Special Events, screams playful summer fun with its bright splash of color, DIY details, and modern styling.  The ceremony decor was creative and fun- beautiful handmade paper flags hung from giant shepherd’s hooks as a backdrop, brightly colored ribbons adorning the back row of chairs, a thick layer of rose petals lining the aisle.  The ballroom was accessorized with beautiful fabric swagging from the ceiling, and soft butter yellow linens.  Nancy Liu Chin worked her magic with a plethora of frosted white Ikea vases with simple arrangements in lemon yellow and hot pink perfectly assembled on each table.  Beautiful flower cake by Studio Cake and photos by Matthew May Photography.

Traditionally our wedding receptions are hosted in the Callippe Ballroom, and with good reason- it is the largest event space on property, and offers amazing flow from the start to finish of an event.  However, for those of you out there looking for something a little cozier, our Verbena Room might be just the ticket.  The space, which has a gentle “L” shape, and working fireplaces at each end, offers seating for up to 120 guests at queens tables or rounds of 10, or up to 80 if you wanted to use the front portion of the room for the cocktail reception space.  Its heated terrace offers panoramic views of the city and Golden Gate Bridge, and is an amazing spot for guests to hang out, waiting to welcome the new bride and groom.  Verbena is a great space for couples looking to host a more formal multi-course dinner experience followed-up with housemade truffles and port on the patio.  Or for those who still want to get their dance on, there is the option of moving up to our historic Mission Blue Chapel to keep the party going.

This wedding had so much style and flair, I just loved watching it come together.  But really, I should known that with Alicia K Designs at the helm it would be fantastic.  A bold and bright color scheme of citrine and coral really set the tone for a playful atmosphere.   Details inspired by their love of exploration like postcards, and a typewriter to create a “travel log” for the couple, and a station of chips from around the world gave a unique spin to this event.  Handmade paper cherry blossoms glued to tree branches to imitate a beautiful blooming tree made for a gorgeous backdrop for the ceremony and were mirrored at the cocktail reception by a forest of birch “trees” displaying the escort cards.  The photos, by Sabine Scherer, capture every unique detail.  I hope you love it as much as I do!

There is something so irresistible about the Colonial Revival style historic officer’s homes and barracks that make up Cavallo Point.  They hearken back to a simpler time, and just breathe romance and relaxation.  A bride said recently that she was looking for that “Ralph Lauren” shot on one of our historic porches, and I realized that is exactly what we have here.  Americana at its best.  I just LOVE photos taken with the historic buildings- on the steps, in the screened-in porches, through the original wavy glass- there are so many options and they are all so CHARMING!