Guys, prepare to fall in love with Max + Jocelyn’s Sunstone Winery wedding from Bash Please and Bright Bird Photography. They combined her casual California style with his classically elegant East Coast aesthetic, which is a winning combo if you ask us! Not to mention, their proposal story is beyond creative. Scroll through for all the deets!
But first, isn’t Jocelyn stunning in her Alon Livne ‘Michelle’ gown from The White Dress?
A Sunstone Winery wedding
On the design, by Bash Please: The wedding was timeless, classic, thoughtfully simple, elegant, with hints of California rusticity. The palette was neutral, but incorporated many textures and layers to highlight the neutral tones. There were nods to fall richness in the leather and browns, but the whites and creams kept the overall feeling airy and romantic. Natural greens and incorporation of lavender and rosemary (among other herbs) into the floral arrangements helped create tablescapes that enhanced the already beautiful and fragrant vineyard setting. The goal was to emphasize the natural beauty of Sunstone and let the stunning setting be the focal point of the evening.
The bridal bouquet by Catalina Neal included fragrant garden roses, white and cream ranunculus, gold foliage, olive and a trailing silk ribbon.
What a beautiful and elegant seating chart idea.
Cute fall cake alert!
Jocelyn says, Initially we considered a destination wedding in Europe, but once we saw Sunstone we knew we could have the destination feel but only be three hours from home. We wanted to be able to have all the events in a central location and we loved that we could stay in the Villa, perform the ceremony in the vineyard, have dinner and dancing outside, and even a late-night dance party in the wine cave. To top it all off, the property is stunning. Everything at Sunstone seems to glow… The most stressful part of planning was negotiating with the venue. In negotiations, our advice is to do research on comparable spaces and pricing. If you have this information, you are better prepared to make modifications to hidden prices and fees that may pop up throughout the process.
You really can’t beat the views at a Sunstone Winery wedding! So gorgeous amongst the bistro lights at dinner.
And a nice, elegant lounge area by Found Vintage Rentals is always a fave of ours.
Film by Spin the Dial Films.
Finally, the proposal…
In lieu of gifts, Max and I have always planned surprised trips for each other’s birthdays. When we were younger they were just day trips, but as we have gotten older the birthday getaways have gotten more and more complex. For my 29th, Max told me that I would not need to take off work or worry about packing. That Friday, we woke up and he said, “you’re not going to work today!” He had called ahead to my team and told my boss I would need the day off. Once I knew we were not going to work, he told me to pack a bag with summer clothing and shoes for walking. We jumped in the car to LAX, where I found out that we were flying to NYC. NYC has always been special to us, we were both born there and lived there for 4 years after graduating college. The first night in the city we met my best friend for a low-key dinner and drinks. At that point, I figured we were done with surprises, but I was wrong. The next morning, we woke and I proposed going on a run through central park, but Max told me that there was no time and then he handed me my first clue.
Max had set up an all-day 8 stop scavenger hunt through our favorite NYC spots, and at each stop I was met by a close friend. I started at our first apartment, got coffee at our old café, had breakfast at our favorite bagel shop, went to my favorite shoe store, visited a beer garden, had NYC pizza, and the second to last stop was Beauty Bar which is a bar where you can get your nails done while sipping cocktails. Around the 4th stop I began getting suspicious that this might be overkill for non-landmark birthday, but once I got to Beauty Bar, I knew what was next. The final stop was Bethesda Terrace in central park and as I walked down the stairs I could see Max sitting in our usual spot where he has always taken pictures of me throughout the years. I sat down and told him that he had missed out on an amazing day. By the time, I turned to look at him he was on one knee and asked if I would marry him. I said “YES!” but not before a passing group of tourists stopped to take pictures of us. It was the greatest, most thoughtful day ever.
SO sweet, congrats, J + M!
Photography: Bright Bird Photography / Videography: Spin the Dial Films / Venue: Sunstone Vineyard & Winery / Planning & Design: Melissa Stahl, Alexa Zipperman, & Michelle Sanchez of Bash Please / Floral Design: Catalina Neal / Hair & Makeup: Symmetry Beauty / Paper Goods: Mon Voir / Cake: Susiecakes / Macarons: Ladurée / Catering & Bar: Field to Table / Specialty Tabletop Rentals: Casa de Perrin / Specialty Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen / Lighting: Bella Vista Designs / Transportation: Jump on the School Bus / Photo Booth: Flipbooth / Ceremony Music: Santa Barbara String Quartet / Cocktail Hour Music: West Coast Music / Dinner & Dancing Music: Encore Band from West Coast Music / DJ: J.P. McLeod / Bride’s Dress: Alon Livne ‘Michelle’ from The White Dress / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Reception Shoes: Stubbs and Wootton / Engagement Ring & Wedding Bands: Susan Foster / Earrings: Alexis Bittar / Lipstick: Burt’s Bees Hibiscus / Groom’s Tux: Custom / Shoes: Stubbs and Wootton / Cufflinks: Tiffany’s / Tie: Brooks Brothers
