From delicious dessert displays to made-on-the-spot donuts and give-away pre-rolled joints, here are a few ideas that will make your wedding stand out.
Palette of Pretty: "It's not very common anymore to see all the ladies wearing the same thing," says Heather Gillis of Sonoma-based Quintana Events. "There's also more mixing in terms of having guys on the bride's side and vice versa. Uneven bridal party numbers are trending as well!" (Photo courtesy of Emily Jean Images)
Donut Knock It: Donuts are the newest trend in wedding cakes, but how about the excitement of donuts being made right at the event? Harvey’s Gourmet Donuts will bring vintage machines and recipe wizardy to make donuts appear before your eyes. Harvey’s Gourmet Donuts, 19030 Railroad Ave., Sonoma, 707-246-5928, harveysdonuts.com.
Delicious Display: Desserts are sumptuous, but how about the display? Here the dessert table went full ornamental shelving to create a fairytale look. Quintana Events styled this using a shelf from Encore Events Rentals. (Photo courtesy of McKenzie Smith Photography)
Two is Better Than One: A signature drink is nice, but how about two? One to please the palate of each spouse and their tribe. At this wedding a T-Man-hattan and a Blushing B were served. (Photo courtesy of Caitlyn O'Reilly Photography)
Help Yourself: Whiskey is having a moment. Let your guests have their own moment, with self-serve liquor stations. (Photo courtesy of Suzanne Karp Photography)
Cutesy Cannabis: Give your guests wedding favors they'll really use. Bring out the boutique in buds, with pre-rolled joints in little glass vials. (Photo courtesy of Kreate Photography)
Fantastic Favors: Usable wedding favors are the way to go. These Santa Rosa soaps are made from moisturizing goat milk and other natural ingredients in scents inspired by different California locales. Mindy from Goat Farm Soap recommends matching a soap to your wedding site: Highway One Wildflowers for a beach affair, Petaluma Egg White for a barn wedding, or San Francisco Fog for an event in The City. $2.50 (each), The Goat Farm, 1200 Ludwig Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-495-8235, goatfarmsoap.com
Go with Greenery: Colorful bouquets are wonderful, but going all green—like in these arrangements by Poppy Stone Designs—gives a fresh understated beauty that stands out here against cream table linens. (Photo courtesy of Emily Jean Images)
Foraging Fashion: This garland of olive leaves and peach roses was embellished with freshly grown fruits and vegetables from Beltane Ranch. Bride Ali Canty asked of designer/planner Alicia K Designs that “anything (they) can gather from the gardens” be included in the design. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Walker Photography)
Cake out, Florals up: Two traditions are turned on their heads here. Traditional cake is swapped for mini desserts. And flowers which usually grace the dessert table hang beautifully on the wall behind it. Wall hanging is by Flourish. (Photo courtesy of Suzanne Karp Photography)
Next Level Decor: Elevate your design with a modern spin. Hang floral hoops on a wall or from a tree or other structure to create a whimsically pretty wedding backdrop. Flowers were farmed and arranged by Smita Topolski of Page Street Studio in Sebastopol. info@pagestreetstudio.com, pagestreetstudio.com. (Photo courtesy of Tia & Claire Studio)
Forever Flowers: Flowers that keep in the form of jewelry as fanciful as a flower. Dogwood flowers shaped from sheets of sterling silver are strung onto leather to create a delicate piece of enduring beauty. This necklace by Santa Rosa jewelry artist Michelle Hoting can also be worn as a tiara. $500 (as pictured), $40 (each flower), Michelle Hoting Jewelry Artist, 707-791-4680, michellehoting.com
Variation on a Classic: Don't be afraid to wear a take on tradition. Gold, black diamonds, and an irregular edge make for a stunning wedding band. This, and other customizable options, are available from Petaluma designer Siri Hansdotter. $1500-$3000 (email siri@sirihansdotter for a custom quote), In The Making, 122 American Alley, Petaluma, 707-787-7210, inthemakingpetaluma.com
Scene-Setting Drapery: Add drama and create separate spaces with billowy sheets, which pair perfectly with a natural backdrop. Quintana Events uses lighting along with the draping which they say can “magically transform a space.” If complex lighting is out of the budget, they suggest using simple uplights. (Photo courtesy of McKenzie Smith Photography)
There are so many things to love about Sonoma weddings, the first thing being the Sonoma scenery, which doesn’t need any dressing up to be storybook-worthy. But that doesn’t stop local artisans and designers from stepping in to add their spectacular touches. Here are some of our favorite details to inspire your own memorable event—click through the above gallery for details.
