An Invitation to The Knot's Dream Wedding in Wine Country
A dream wedding in wine country? Yes!! I felt excited as I read my invitation to attend the wedding of the year by the wedding website, The Knot. I had used The Knot website to plan my wedding back in 2000, and since that time they have become the premier wedding website. I also noted that the wedding location, the picturesque Chateau St. Jean, in Sonoma Valley, is a quintessential wine country venue.
A dream wedding in wine country? Yes!! I felt excited as I read my invitation to attend the wedding of the year by the wedding website, The Knot. I had used The Knot website to plan my wedding back in 2000, and since that time they have become the premier wedding website. I also noted that the wedding location, the picturesque Chateau St. Jean, in Sonoma Valley, is a quintessential wine country venue.
I had read about the couple, Samantha Carisch and Taylor Sinclair, who had originally planned a destination wedding in Mexico, but Samantha's mother's health issues prevented her from traveling. As they moved the wedding location back to California, they received the devastating news that her mother's cancer had returned, diagnosed stage 4, and had spread. Samantha and Taylor were determined to bump up the wedding date so that her mother could attend the celebration. In this clip they speak about their wishes with the local news. As you can see, America voted and this deserving couple won their Dream Wedding!
Once they were announced as the winning couple, the voting--on everything from wedding gown, makeup look, hairstyle, flowers, wedding rings and honeymoon destination--began. In the end, viewers made some beautiful choices for this wine country wedding, co-sponsored by Revlon and Chateau St. Jean. The selections included the lace Pnina Tornai wedding dress and Jenny Yoo's Annabelle bridesmaid dresses in spearmint. The flowing, pastel bouquets and florals were created by Farmgirl Flowers.
Samantha carried a heart-shaped locket with her mother's picture on her wedding day.
I can only imagine there was a touch of bittersweet in this reflective moment for Samantha.
As Samantha wrote on the Knot, "Life has challenged our relationship in numerous ways and has yet to affect how incredibly in love we are and our ability to grow even closer as a couple. After canceling our wedding plans twice due to my mom's health concerns, it brings tears to our eyes knowing that we'll be able to share our wedding day, which may be our last “big life moment,” with all of our loved ones."
The beautiful wedding party...and
The picture perfect wedding day...
and the affectionate kiss seals the deal.
Meet Mr. & Mrs. Taylor Sinclair!!
Not only did the couple look forward to the inherent romance of wine country, but also a high-tech twist to their nuptials. The wedding was live-streamed on the wedding day so family and friends, including Samantha's mom, unable to attend in person, were able to watch the romantic wedding ceremony in real-time. Samantha was able to chat with her mom throughout the wedding day on skype.
Drones captured the spectacular views of the intimate venue, set among the vineyards. A robotic machine created cocktails, the wedding party wore 3-D printed jewelry and the bride and groom wore fitness monitors during the ceremony.
As Samantha and Taylor look back on their wedding, I hope the beauty and romance of these images will be a sweet reminder of the day they were united as husband and wife. As many of us know, marriage is not all about a gorgeous lace gown, stunning flowers and a champagne toast. Samantha and Taylor, destined to meet, have already experienced some of the deepest challenges that life can bring. Life has already tested them with joys and sorrows along their journey. They have already lived some of the most essential wedding vows, in sickness and in health. Samantha and Taylorare beginning their married life with the genuine, hard-won knowledge of how to support each other, and their families, in this journey of marriage, commitment and life.
Best wishes on your marriage, Samantha and Taylor, and this new chapter in your lives.
Enjoy your well-deserved honeymoon in Tahiti!
I hope to be invited to the Knot's next Dream Wedding. In the end, I made the choice (difficult as a blogger and a romantic!) to watch the wedding on live-streaming, and not in person this time. Instead of a glamorous wine country wedding, I kept my previous commitment (as a school psychologist) to celebrate our Special Education graduates and throw an end of the year party for our hardworking Special Education staff at my house. The live-streaming broadcast of the wedding allowed me to be part of each event that day. Despite a surprise rainstorm, we had a beautiful rainbow to end our evening, and I toasted to Samantha and Taylor's wedding day from my view across to wine country.
I received this message from the beautiful bride Samantha on Instagram:
sinclairndipity "Such a beautiful blog about our wedding thank you so very much!💗 Wish you could have made it to our big day as well but I agree it was a worthy reason to miss...ironically enough my mom was a special education teacher and a great one at that! Takes a genuine soul to be in such a field and I send all my best wishes to the graduates! Hope you had a wonderful celebration and glad you could follow along from afar☺️ Cheers all around!😘🍷"
Watch the entire video series of the Wine Country Dream Wedding.
Read more of Samantha and Taylor's story at Dream Wedding People Magazine.
I was offered lodging/transportation to attend The Knot's Dream Wedding in Wine Country.
All opinions about the event are my own.
Wedding Event Planning: Jeannie Savage and Tips on Planning
All Images: Credit Jasmine Star Photography/The Knot
San Diego Getaway (Mixing Work & Play!)
The first time I visited San Diego, as a teenager, I felt like I had arrived in a tropical paradise. The waters were shimmery and foliage was lush with palm trees waving in the soft breezes. I hadn’t been to San Diego in years, so when a professional conference Scott and I were planning to attend was scheduled in town, we jumped at the chance. The Bahia Resort, the first beachfront hotel built on Mission Bay, has a mid-century modern vibe with a Mediterranean twist. Interiors have been updated over the years and, thankfully, they have left the retro exterior in the original form.
The first time I visited San Diego, as a teenager, I felt like I had arrived in a tropical paradise. The waters were shimmery and foliage was lush with palm trees waving in the soft breezes. I hadn't been to San Diego in years, so when a professional conference Scott and I were planning to attend was scheduled in town, we jumped at the chance. The Bahia Resort, the first beachfront hotel built on Mission Bay, has a mid-century modern vibe with a mediterranean twist. Interiors have been updated over the years and, thankfully, they have left the retro exterior in the original form.
I enjoyed strolling around the property with my camera. I've always found this style of architecture intriguing. This design seems to offer more privacy and a unique perspective to these retro spaces. It's especially cool when the view is a beachfront.
Our suite was nicely equipped with a kitchen, dining table, separate bedroom area (with luxury linens) and that beachfront patio.
This is definitely a good way to decompress after a day of trainings on how to handle trauma in schools (follow-up note: I returned to work the following Monday morning to 2 full days of grief counseling at a local High School here. Unfortunately the timing on this training was perfect.
My sister, Dorie, and her guy, Michael, joined us in San Diego for a couple of evenings. They took us to one of their favorite spots, James' Place in La Jolla, for sushi. Our evening with famed sushi chef "Big Mike" as our sushi whisperer was an unforgettable foodie experience, just as they promised. Our thanks Big Mike!
Another day of meetings, with a break beach-side....this is the life!
Time for a beach side happy hour at the suite...
and toasting to the pleasant combination of work and play in San Diego with my guy.
For our last night in San Diego we dined at the famed Croce's Park West, with live music, and ended the evening with a walk and poolside lounge at the stylish Hilton Bayfront.
When the sistas get together there is endless fun...at least we think so!
Love this view!
Healthy, active lifestyle options, like beach cruiser biking on the beach path and watersports, abound in San Diego. I've always wanted to try SUP (Stand Up Paddle Boarding) which is super popular on Mission Bay. Though I didn't have time to try it on this trip, it's definitely on my list for our tropical getaway this summer. #splash ;)
A few fun photos I snapped on Instagram.
San Diego is notoriously photogenic.
The Bahia Resort has a sister property, the Catamaran, just across the bay. The Bahia Belle is a Mississippi style sternwheeler that cruises between the two resorts offering music, cocktails and dancing. It's free for guests staying at the resort. If you are looking for a beachy getaway in California, for couples or for families, I highly recommend Bahia Resort. To book this getaway Bahia Resort Hotel and for other recommendations in San Diego contact me.
Are you making travel plans for summer yet?
What's next on your travel bucket list?
Getaway to Sonoma Valley Wine Country
In late October Scott and I stole away to Sonoma Valley wine country for the weekend. We've been keeping ultra busy with our careers, so a relaxing fall getaway was much anticipated. It's 'crush' season in wine country around this time and you can smell the rich, earthy, tangy scent in the air. Those grapes are giving their all for the cause and we appreciate them.
For this stay we choose a sentimental favorite from one of our early visits to Sonoma, Inn at Sonoma. The Inn is affiliated with our favorite Zen Suites at Gaige House in Glen Ellen. Following our three-hour drive we checked in and were reminded of the cozy charm and homey touches, like the freshly baked cookies stocked in the copper cookie jar.
A fireplace in our suite, and a glass of wine, got us immediately in the mood for relaxation. We had a late evening reservation at Harvest Moon Cafe, on the Sonoma Square, which was an easy walk from our hotel.
In seeking pure relaxation I only had my iPhone but snapped a couple of ambient shots from the heated patio. The dishes were fresh with fall harvest cuisine and the service was friendly. Harvest Moon Cafe had a local gem feel to it and we were pleased with our choice for the evening.
The next morning, following a free, hot breakfast at Inn at Sonoma, we headed out for a stroll around the square. The sun popped out after a night of heavy rain, and the vibrant colors of fall were everywhere.
We had plans to meet friends, Dean and Kathryn, so we messaged them to meet us for a light bite at El Dorado Kitchen, which I have written about in a previous post here. We especially enjoy the patio dining at this spot on a sunny day.
Sonoma Valley in crush
We watched the weather reports and ended up cancelling a garden tour my husband had booked early in the week. Instead, in a lucky roll of the dice, Scott ended up making a reservation at the Mayo Family Reserve Room in Kenwood for the 'ultimate' seven-course food and wine pairing.
Scott's Thoughts:
"Having enjoyed previous tastings at the Mayo Family Winery tasting room in Glen Ellen, we decided it was time to check out the Mayo Reserve Room food and wine pairing in Kenwood. This was one of our first more extravagant tasting experiences, as we usually look for the high quality, low fee tasting rooms, and often share a taste. (Sharing allows us to safely visit more wineries.) Our experience featured a blend of service from our very friendly pouring concierge and Chef Clayton Lewis. While we watched the rain outside, we were served seven wine tastes with seven delectable bites designed to bring out the highlights of each wine. With each pairing, Chef Lewis came to the table to describe the flavors to watch for as we tasted wine, then food, then wine. The Roussanne with a bacon-flavored madeleine was my favorite taste—a very mild yet interesting white with a finish that completely changed with this pairing (think a hint of bacon in the finish)! I could see it paired with morning bacon, spicy sausage gravy, or a BLT for a special brunch. We ended with a Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer and a savory desert, the spices of which beautifully countered the sweetness of the wine. I’ve never been a fan of the Gewurtz, but this was a completely intriguing taste! In the end, we took several bottles home, my favorite of which is their Estate Pinot Noir, a big, full red with hints of spice and dark fruit. The experience was amazing—friendly, educational, a journey of visual and flavor sensations. Try it, and be inspired to step outside your usual wine routine and create your own taste pairing!"
"THE SINGLE BEST DEAL IN WINE COUNTRY... WHAT AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE" — Wall Street Journal
The food and wine pairing at Mayo was a unique culinary and viticulture experience, as well as an excellent value, at just $35.00 per person. The experience lasted 90 minutes and the staff couldn't have been warmer or more approachable. We highly recommend Mayo and you can book online on Open Table. Take a look at the website here. Let the rain fall!
What happened next, for our evening meal, was one of those memorable occasions that deserves it's own post. Suffice it to say, our evening at Olive & Vine was extraordinary and I look forward to sharing part deux of our trip in my next post.
Sunday was a 'lounging with the paper and hot mugs of steaming coffee' kind of morning. We enjoyed another filling breakfast on the patio, at Inn at Sonoma, always a nice touch. Somebody got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, again.
We discovered that Williams-Sonoma has reopened at the original location for the brand. Chuck Williams opened the first Williams-Sonoma here in 1956. The new shop has been designed to match the original space. They have also created a 'rustic luxe' home collection and outdoor living space. For all of us home decor types, it's definitely worth a visit. It's picture perfect.
Williams-Sonoma is back in Sonoma!
I wanted just about everything...
and I think you will too.
I hope you've enjoyed this getaway to Sonoma Valley wine country.
For more on my travels to my old stomping grounds:
Getaway to Wine Country in Healdsburg
![Wine Country Getaway [Napa Style!]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a66444d017db2e6975e076e/1527984208254-1ZJ5T4O1T43P817SUFSR/DSC03099.JPG)
Wine Country Getaway [Napa Style!]
Just a week ago Northern California was experiencing temperatures 15-20 degrees above normal which is pretty perfect for a long weekend. Scott and I had a getaway planned to Napa so the timing was good. On a sun-splashed day we got up early, threw open the sunroof and made the 2 1/2 hour trip to Napa. As we were driving over, I had a memory of a lovely estate off Silverado Trail. It sat high on the hill, with cypress lining the drive. The flagstone terraces flanked a perfectly placed vanishing edge pool....at least that is how I remembered it. I made it my mission to find it.....and we did!
Just a week ago Northern California was experiencing temperatures 15-20 degrees above normal which is pretty perfect for a long weekend. Scott and I had a getaway planned to Napa so the timing was good. On a sun-splashed day we got up early, threw open the sunroof and made the 2 1/2 hour trip to Napa. As we were driving over, I had a memory of a lovely estate off Silverado Trail. It sat high on the hill, with cypress lining the drive. The flagstone terraces flanked a perfectly placed vanishing edge pool....at least that is how I remembered it. I made it my mission to find it.....and we did!
Just a few miles up Silverado Trail, on an eastern hillside, just as I remembered it.......Signorello Estate.
That pool.......
Jacqueline, so much fun, set us up in her 'office' by the pool. She gave us the best start to our Napa Weekend.
Thank you Jacqueline (it was our pleasure)!
We had made reservations for a couple of nights at the Andaz Napa where we greeted with the utmost in friendly and professional service. There is no counter for check in at the Andaz, instead we were assigned a staff member for a seated check, via iPad, on the couch with a glass of wine.
Our suite at the Andaz Napa was wine country luxurious with a sitting room, see through fireplace and a sleek spa style tub and marble shower. The linens were pure luxury. We had stayed here previously when it was the Avia. In making the switch to Andaz (a Hyatt brand) I would say it has only improved in amenities and service.
We dined at the famed Celadon in Napa by the river. I have been a big fan since Celadon first opened in 1996 and a close friend of mine and Chef/Owner Greg Cole introduced us. This Michelin recommended gem of a restaurant delivers outstanding 'Global Comfort Food' and Greg's passion for food and wine continues to shine. I have hosted a bridal luncheon, a birthday party and other special dinners at Celadon and they always treat us with the best of care.
Taking an after dinner walk along the riverfront we happened across some live music at Silo's. We were not even close to being the oldest ones in the crowd which was a bonus (we live in a University town of Chico so that tends to be the norm). It was definitely the perfect night on the town in Napa.
This terrace at the Andaz Napa is the perfect spot for relaxing.....
Zuzu, one of our favorites for friendly, casual tapas dinner near the river.
New friends around the fire pit~perfect start to our evening!
Though the river is unusually low this year this is a great view of the new Napa Riverfront area. It's a mixed use blend of gourmet restaurants, boutiques and luxury town-home living. I've always been intrigued by mixed use projects such as this, it feels like a European style of living. Another new favorite this trip was a brunch at Grace's Table. They have excellent reviews and our dishes were wonderful with an international flair. The weather was so warm they opened up one wall of the restaurant for patio dining.
Miner Family Winery, one of our favorites.
"You know it's great wine if your smile turns purple!"
Wine Notes from Scott
A few things come together to make for a great tasting experience. Of course, the wine comes first. There’s just no sense spending time where the wine is not excellent or a style you love. Big, complex reds? Citrusy Sauv Blanc? Chardonnay with mineral or butter or oak? The other factors that make it for me are setting, and staff friendliness/expertise… oh, and cost. A friendly and generous host can make for a ton of fun. A packed room can be a pain, but it can also be a party. A tasting room with a patio or a view can make for a fantastic, lingering taste experience. For this trip, our first destination was Signorello, perched on the hillside with a spectacular view (here’s a little vid that shows the beauty:
History, wine and culinary education at it's finest!
It became our only destination that afternoon because it was a slow day—only two other couples there—our amazing “ambassador”, Jacqueline, hooked us up with a long, casual, poolside tasting. The wines were fabulous, ranging from crisp Seta, Chards on the mineral side, juicy Cabs, and their amazing, big and complex Padrone. We walked away with a 2007 Cab for a special future night. Other tastings: Miner Family—always interesting blends, along with the usual excellent standards (Stagecoach Cab!). Tasting here feels like family, and their patio encourages you to take your time. Our prizes? An Odyssey and an Oracle—medium and big red blends. Stags’ Leap: what can we say? Great Cabs, a beautiful, rustic setting, and crowded (it was a 3-day weekend). There are more tasting rooms popping up in town, now, so we hit a couple neighboring our hotel: pureCRU and John Anthony. PureCru had some good wines, but John Anthony’s were really good, and we had more fun there with Rozzy pouring. Again, with all the great wine in the valley, I’m going back for the fun!
I was wrangling photos with a funky tech thing (can anyone relate?) so I'm grateful Scott had time for some writing today. In previous posts I have shared my love for both the Napa and Sonoma Valleyin wine country getaways.
Do you have a favorite go to spot for a getaway weekend?
