Napa Valley Wedding – Alexander Rubin Photography

Madeleine and John – Charles Krug

30Think Audrey Hepburn on a Roman holiday meets Leonardo DiCaprio in Great Gatsby… except in Napa Valley. Yes, it was THAT beautiful and by far one of the most magical and stunning weddings that I have ever photographed.

Charles Krug is the oldest winery in Napa Valley (founded in 1861!) and is the ultimate of vineyard venues. Charles Krug is also one of only five wineries in Napa Valley that can host weddings. And what a venue it is…

The “First Look” photos began in the recently renovated Redwood Cellar, which has a rustic yet modern feel with high, open-beam ceilings. A sliver of light filtered through the small windows, adding a perfect glow to the beautiful couple.

The Great Lawn outside of the historic Carriage House offers an array of options for a gorgeous ceremony backdrop. This park-like setting dotted with heritage oak trees and surrounded by vineyards was simply spectacular for Madeleine and John’s “I-do” moment.

Enter the Carriage House with it’s soaring vaulted ceilings, stunning period chandeliers, arched doorways and a large dance floor that is perfect for any wedding. Here, dinner was served to all 90 of Madeleine and John’s guests who had journeyed great distances to be here for their special day. However, as incredible as the wedding venue was, the best part of the day was seeing Madeleine and John shimmying it up on the dance floor together… happy, in love, and MARRIED!

Madeleine and John, your wedding was absolutely spectacular. I could feel the love between the two of you, your friends, and your family, so much so that documenting your day was simply a breeze. Thank you for the moments!

A special thank you to Mary and Stephanie at Off The Beaten Path Weddings for the flawless wedding coordination. Always a pleasure to work with you.

Harvest Inn Napa Wedding – Courtney and Matt

The Harvest Inn Wedding of Courtney and Matt in Napa Valley was special for so many reasons. One reason in particular is that Matt is a recent graduate from UC Davis with a degree in wine making. He chose to marry his accomplished lawyer fiance in a place were the vines would surround them and their loved ones. Such food and wine lovers couldn’t be married anywhere other than Napa Valley at The Harvest Inn by Charlie Palmer. The couple exchanged vows on an expansive lawn with a lush vineyard and The Mayacamas Mountains as their backdrop. This property is absolutely stunning and the light here is like no other. The way it bounces off the vines is the stuff that gives a photographer chills. You can see it the images of the couple running wild in the vineyards. One of my favorite shots was when Courtney ran barefoot through the magical Napa earth. Their intimate reception took place in the Vineyard View Terrace which feels like a private sanctuary. My camera just loves the shadows that blanketed the space. There are many more images and details of this wedding to come, but I was jumping out of my seat to share some of them with you now. As I edit more, I know you’ll want to come back and see more!

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Napa Engagement Session – Castello Di Amorosa

Engagement Sessions in Napa Valley are always interesting and fun. But this one is by far one of the most interesting. Nicole and Arthur had their engagement session at Castello Di Amorosa, which is an authentically-built, 13th century inspired Tuscan castle and winery, most of which was fabricated in Europe and reconstructed in Napa. Arthur proposed to Nicole at the castle and I had the pleasure of joining them the following day for their engagement session. We had perfect weather which made for the most beautiful blue skies that Napa is known for. With the castle as the back drop we set about getting some great images them. I love that they chose to dress in formal attire. It’s hard to tell that they’re not actually royalty. And that gown Nicole wore was a stunning contrast to the castle’s rugged look.

This castle looks like it came from another century. With great attention to detail, you really feel that you are in a historic place. Don’t let the structures fool you though, this is a serious winery with acres of vines and production of Italian style wines. At times I had to remind myself that I wasn’t in a Tuscan Valley and here in Northern California. The property is a favorite of Napa Valley Lovers wanting to propose, have engagement sessions, and even weddings. We’re looking forward to shooting here again and again. My camera loves it.

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Auberge Du Soleil – Proposal of Kate & Eldridge

Auberge Du Soleil in Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places for a proposal. After being here recently for one shoot, I was absolutely ecstatic to be back again so soon. The resort itself is one of the most stunning places in Napa Valley. I could shoot here a hundred times, and still find new and interesting places to capture my couples.

My groom Eldridge is from Texas but loves the Napa area. He’s always looking for new ways to surprise his girl Kate. I think he outdid himself this time! Working with the event staff at the resort, he chose one of their package proposals and everything was in place for the one of the biggest surprises of Kate’s life. As they came upon the private table with a customized wine bottle, Eldridge popped the question, with me there to capture it. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love getting the shot of the look on a woman’s face when her soulmate drops down on one knee. It’s pretty exhilarating. Can you tell I’m a hopeless romantic? After sharing such a precious private moment with these two, we explored the property and had a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed getting creative with the engagement ring as you can see. One of my favorite shots of the day is Eldridge and Kate under the most beautiful flowering trees. I think you’re going to love it too!

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A Proposal Above The Fog

High above the Napa Valley Floor is a place called Howell Mountain. A select group of vintners built their wineries here high above the fog. One of those wineries is Cade Winery which produces bold yet balanced high-elevation Cabernet Sauvignon. My client Michael borrowed some of that bold spirit when he was ready to propose to his love Melanie. With high clouds off in the distance, the day couldn’t be more perfect. Michael took Melanie to Cade Winery under pretense of a bit of wine tasting and meeting with the winemaker. I just happened to be standing by to capture the moment he dropped to one knee, presented a beautiful engagement ring, and popped the question. As you can see from the images, she said yes! I loved capturing the two of them Face-timing with friends and family to announce their engagement! After we toured, tasted and captured images around the property. Congratulations Michael and Melanie!

Carneros Inn Wedding – Jacquie and Mark

Did you see our last blog post about Jacquie and Mark’s rehearsal dinner at Hall Rutherford Winery? You may want to take a peek before reading this post. This is part two of a decadent weekend of wedding celebrations. I had so much in common with this couple, especially our love of world class cuisine and wine! The wedding ceremony and reception were held at The Carneros Inn. The property is a luxury resort with a mix of rustic charm and understated elegance. The wedding was small and intimate with only the closest family and friends. I love this type of wedding because it allows me to spend so much time photographing the couple. Smaller doesn’t mean less details. We had plenty of details to shoot with gorgeous decor from event designer Rion Designs. As you all know, food photography is one of my loves, and Jacquie and Mark chose a delicious menu that included black truffles shaved right on the plate. The only thing I didn’t like about this wedding, was that it had to end.

Vendor Credits:

Private Napa Vineyard Wedding – Elizabeth and Logan

Elizabeth and Logan are lovers of fine wine and cuisine and there’s no better place to find both than in Napa. Their romance began at Duke University and their wedding took place in the Carneros area of The Napa Valley. A vineyard is the perfect choice since Logan is an executive for One Hope Wine. The vineyard they chose is Brown Ranch. It’s a private vineyard, but their connections in the industry allowed them to secure the location. It was a blank canvas that required everything be brought in. Under the direction of planner Marilyn Ambra, it turned out beautifully. The backdrop for their ceremony, the decor, their family and friends made this a great day and a great wedding to capture through my lens.

The ceremony took place just outside of rows of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines, with a spectacular view of Carneros behind the couple. Guests and the couple arrived by golf carts to this secluded spot. The privacy and intimacy of the ceremony site made for a one-of-a-kind celebration with family and friends.