Stylish black-tie wedding at the Four Seasons Napa Valley
Friends and family gathered on a crisp spring day in wine country to celebrate the union of Ryan and Nick in a stylish black-tie wedding at the Four Seasons Napa Valley. As lovers of the finer things in life, Napa was the obvious choice for couple's wedding weekend full of love and laughter, and of course, plenty of great food and wine.
Ryan tackled the bulk of wedding planning with Alexis Alexander of Alexis Raine Events; they spent hours dreaming up layers of custom design and details. Setting a dramatic tone, the wedding party dressed in full black-tie attire and joined the grooms for a large Vanity Fair-inspired formal portrait shoot before the ceremony.
California wedding photographer Janine Licare tells us more about it: "When guests arrived on the property and entered the vineyard barn, they thought they were joining a pre-ceremony cocktail hour. They enjoyed signature cocktails and canapés, and made themselves comfortable on a variety of vintage lounge furniture. The vibe was that of a modern-day speakeasy in masculine jewel tones.
"Little did they know the barn doors would soon open on cue to reveal the wedding party on a stage evoking an Annie Leibovitz Vanity Fair cover; the Napa Valley mountains behind them. The grooms paused for effect and then took their places in front of the tableau to exchange their vows. A dear friend officiated and the love was palpable.
"Following the ceremony and cocktail hour, guests enjoyed gin and tonics as they took a short walk across the property to the reception. Dinner decor was minimalist and modern, with unique floral designs alternating between long and round tables, featuring hellebores, ranunculus and potted herbs.
"Heartfelt speeches from so many dear friends and family illustrated what a deeply caring couple Nick and Ryan are. Stories of hosted dinners, generous gifts of time and support, and fun memories abounded. To kick off the dance floor, halfway through Nick’s mother and son dance, Ryan interrupted so he could finish the dance with Nick’s mom. Nick did the same during Ryan and his mother's dance. It was a lovely way to demonstrate the merging of their families."
vendor details
Photographer: Janine Licare Photography | Film Lab: Richard Photo Lab | Planning and design: Alexis Raine Events | Floral designer: Loop Flowers | Rentals: Found Rentals, Theoni Collection and Bright Event Rentals | Venue: Four Seasons Napa Valley | Make-up artist: Raven Reed | Stationery: Elsa Madeline | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Ice Sculpture: Chisel-It | Hair: Thrive Hair Collective | Portrait Studio: Vanity Portrait Studio | Entertainment: Wine Country Entertainment and Dart Collective | Lighting: Fiesta Lighting Designs -
