Grace Vineyards Wedding

If you’re following along on Facebook, you’ve already seen this ring shot and heard about how that is NOT a real-life rose featured behind the bling.  It is, in fact, one evidence of Kevin and Amanda’s combined powerhouse of skill sets: the copper roses were handmade with love and scattered throughout the decor at their Grace Vineyards Wedding Day.  That depth of detailed decor was seen throughout the wedding day in the form of handmade signs, custom center pieces for each table (with personal stories to go along with each centerpiece!), homemade cupcakes, and – brace yourselves – even the wedding dress was handmade with love.

That’s right.

Amanda made her own wedding dress.

 

(I know, I know: you want to scroll straight to the wedding dress photos, to see it for yourself. But don’t spoil the surprise! Instead, take a few minutes to imagine what it was like to be one of the bridesmaids waiting to see your best friend on her wedding day in the wedding dress she made that you’d never ever seen before. The anticipation! The suspense! The joy!)

    

 

And now. Hold your breath and take a peek.  The wedding dress that Amanda made. (She also wore her mother’s veil, but that’s just a #spoileralert.)

Dressed and ready for her day, Amanda hid behind the Grace Vineyards doorway to take a moment to pray with Kevin before walking down the aisle to become his wife. (I really should learn to keep a kleenex in my camera bag for moments like these.)

Braced by those moments of quiet, it was finally WEDDING TIME!  A Grace Vineyards Wedding is sublime both for the fantastic staff and beauty setting —  the home is just as beautiful as the grounds — and I was gasping in delight every other minute as I photographed such beauty!

  

Check out the veil! Amanda’s Mom wore it on her wedding day, so the tradition was rich and the poetry perfect.

During the ceremony, Kevin and Amanda shared communion with their guests and it was a beautiful faith-filled celebration and a powerful way to bring community into their wedding ceremony.

(This moment right after the vows were complete is one of my favorites: the fathers celebrating across the aisle.)

While the guests enjoyed cocktail hour and lawn games, we explored the grounds of Grace Vineyards for wedding portraits!  And ohmy what beautiful scenery to show off Kevin & Amanda’s beauty!

 

(Can we take a few moments to pause and reflect on how perfectly swishable Amanda’s handmade gown is? I am so in love with this dress and am in awe of the skill required to be the seamstress of it!)

Ciao Bella did such a smashing job on Amanda’s hair — especially note the flowers from Amanda’s parent’s backyard so beautifully arranged in her updo!

(Take a moment to compare the above facial expressions on the groomsmen. Particularly the second on from the left.)  

Fun fact: In a series of those “wow, it’s a small world” moments, Kevin’s family had been neighbors with my family in Nairobi, Kenya over ten years ago. When Kevin and Amanda were planning their Lodi, California wedding from Colorado Springs, and they chose to fly me in from Vancouver, BC to celebrate with them!   I think this is what we’d call the power of the internet and the beauty of airplane accessibility. =)

When the reception begins with an entrance as grand as this one (human archway for the win!) and involves each table literally singing for their supper, you know it’s going to be a great party.

 

 

Kevin and Amanda began the dancing by first dancing with their parents (he with his mom, she with her dad) and then moving on to their first dance as husband and wife.  What a beautiful symmetry!  The dance floor, once opened, was absolutely insanely alive and chock full of energy. This crew knows how to party!

Amanda & Kevin’s wedding day was beautiful because of their family and friends, but also with thanks to talented vendors:

Wedding Dress: handmade by the bride
Bride’s Hair: Ciao Bella Salon
Bridal Flowers: Belle’s Flower Shop
Bridesmaid’s Flowers: Handmade
Cake: Homemade by Bride’s Mother
Venue and Catering: Grace Vineyards

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