Adriana and Kevin’s wedding took place in October across two of the most historical, beautiful locations in California: they officially said “I do!” in the intimate chapel setting of Saint Mary of the Angels Church, and followed up their ceremony with a modern outdoor reception at Brutocao Vineyards in Hopland. It was the perfect way to celebrate religious tradition whilst soaking up all the culture that Northern California is famous for!

While the ceremony itself was traditional (most churches and chapels won’t allow you to change their interior too much as they’re historical buildings – but the altar as Saint Mary of the Angels Church is filled with historical artworks and is already spectacular as it is!) Adriana and Kevin’s personalities came to life in the details and decorations they chose to transform Brutocao Vineyards.

Even though their wedding was in October, Adriana and Kevin managed to capture both the rustic, joyful warmth of summer weddings AND the cosy, ‘hygge’ vibes that Fall weddings are most loved for. Fairy lights and white tulle curtains draped over barnhouse style banisters made the venue feel sleek, refined and Mediterranean; and with rustic wooden chairs, foliage centrepieces, delicious meat and cheese boards and a stylish, on-trend naked cake by it honestly felt more like a luxury wedding in Greece than California. There were so many intentional to capture and I LOVED every minute of it (as you can probably tell since I could NOT stop shooting… and by the end of this post you’ll see why!)

Adriana chose a unique, gorgeous hybrid-style gown that I’d never seen anything like before – the most stunning modern fishtail dress by Madison James with a low-cut lace bodice, which fell gracefully into a lace tulle skirt that gave the illusion of a traditional, fuller silhouette – and we were all lost for words when we saw her wearing it for the first time! The team at Janene’s Bridal Boutique in Alameda did an incredible job at helping Adriana find the perfect dress for her unique traditional wedding.

Brides often tell me stories about how difficult they found choosing the one dress for them with all the inspiration floating around Instagram and Pinterest (I can’t imagine how overwhelming that must feel… I think I’d have to pick 3!) but from now on I’m just going to refer them to this post because it was a gown that effortlessly combined so many different contemporary styles and silhouettes.

Adriana’s accessories gave me so much to play with when I was capturing the couples’ flat lays: the rosary beads with gorgeous pearls, classic jewellery which sparkled with crystals and luxurious perfume bottles told the story of their classic, romantic day and perfectly complimented the luxurious aesthetic of their beautiful stationary and invites. It was so easy to get creative!

I loved that the bridal party were also given their opportunity to shine – striking, rusty-red dresses for the bridesmaids to stand out against the crowd and personalised socks for each groomsmen – to make them feel like the special and important parts of Adriana and Kevin’s wedding journey that they were.

For their wedding portraits, Adriana and Kevin chose to spend time in both their indoor and outdoor locations to celebrate the Church’s beautiful stone architecture and the sloping hills of the Bliss and Contento Vineyards at Brutocao. Often churches can be dark, but Saint Mary of the Angels Catholic Church is a wedding photographer’s DREAM venue because it has the biggest windows that fill the space with the most breath-taking light that’s PERFECT for portraits, and the surrounding vineyards are only a short drive away so you can easily make the most of multiple locations before the sun goes down! I loved getting to capture Adriana and Kevin in both of their wedding locations because each meant to much to them: celebrating the historical and religious traditions of the church AND the more modern culture of a winery. 

I had the sweetest time capturing their love and first moments together as Mr and Mrs Burt, and both Adriana and Kevin were so easy to direct and naturals in front of the lens because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. 

Adriana and Kevin – Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of your special day, and thank you to all of the incredibly talented vendors who worked alongside me and helped bring it to life! The timeless blend of cultures and the sweet stories I heard about your journey together left me feeling like I’d learnt so much and made new friends, and your ceremony and reception were filled with so much love, joy and laughter that I’ll never forget.

Vendors:

Bar: This Girl Can Pour @this.girl.can.pour
HMUA: Bella Glow Beauty and Bridal & The Blonde Hive @bellaglowbeautystudio@theblondehive_

Dress: @madison_james @Janenesbridal
Catering: Croux & Company @crouxandcompany
DJ: Michael Lee @dj_mikeylee
Florals: Sisters & Stems @sistersandstems_
Rentals: Encore Events Rental @encoreeventsrentals
Coordinator: Extraordinary Weddings & Events @extraordinaryweddingsandevent