A Dreamy Wedding in Wine Country

The evergreen wonderland of the Russian River Valley formed a lush backdrop to Kate and Alex Fishman’s July wedding. The couple, who at the time were living in Oakland and working at tech companies (Kate in HR and Alex in sales), both grew up in New York and met through good friends. At their wedding, they wanted their loved ones, many traveling from the East Coast, to experience the natural beauty of California.

“We really fell for the type of nature here, the redwoods and the rough coastlines,” explains Kate.

The couple and many of their guests stayed at The Stavrand for the weekend, allowing for a series of gatherings, including an epic jam session with their very musical families the night before the wedding.

The wedding dinner at The Stavrand in Guerneville. (Annamae Photo)

Bubbles at The Stavrand in Guerneville. (Annamae Photo)

At The Stavrand, Kate found inspiration for her dress, with its delicate leaf embroidery, and for her flowers, which took their palette from the hotel’s colorful, hand-painted Talavera tile. (Annamae Photo)

“The Stavrand was a new venue at the time, so we did some of the heavy lifting, but the result was that it was a really unique wedding,” says Kate. She found inspiration there for her dress, with its delicate leaf embroidery, and for her flowers, which took their palette from the hotel’s colorful, hand-painted Talavera tile.

For the ceremony, the couple stood inside a rustic semicircle of blooms set close to the ground, overlooking a sweeping view of redwoods. Afterward, guests toasted with pink sparkling wine, then moved to two long tables set up on a lawn surrounded by fruit trees for an elegant reception dinner.

For Kate and Alex, the setting was where all the elements of the day came together.

“The place where it happened was exactly what we would have dreamed of, in front of this majestic background of forest, with the sun shining and this beautiful blue sky,” says Kate. “It just feels like we were surrounded both by the love of our family and friends, and by the beauty of nature.”