This Couple's Magical Napa Wedding Felt Like a Fairy Tale Come to Life
Sarah and Marcel's love story began in the early hours of April 19, 2014, outside a club in Austin, Texas, when Marcel boldly cut Sarah in line. Though it the experience could have been a deal-breaker—Sarah admits she was initially annoyed—the two actually sparked an immediate connection and spent the night dancing together. Five years later, on June 8, 2018, Marcel proposed on a beach in Bali at sunset. The couple quickly began planning their wedding and selected a venue in Napa, California—unfortunately the original property they chose burned down in the devastating Glass Fire in late 2020. Instead of panicking, they decided to pivot: The two set out to find a new wedding venue, and they prioritized touring properties with plenty of nature for guests to enjoy. Filoli Historic House & Garden in Woodside, California, fit the bill. 'When I came across Filoli, I loved how floral and whimsical it looked,' Sarah remembers. 'We knew it was the one.'
The couple invited 142 guests to join them on May 14, 2022, for a secret garden-inspired wedding. With help from their planner, Stephanie Cole of Cole Drake Events, Sarah and Marcel transported their guests out of the Golden State and into the couple's very own interpretation of a fairy tale. 'For our wedding day, we drew from fantasy motifs, flora, and fauna,' the bride says. With those thematic ideas in mind, they selected a complementary color palette of soft pastels with rose accents and included tons of natural elements throughout the day's décor. The result was a wedding ceremony and reception that felt as if it was set in an enchanted forest, not a California town just north of Silicon Valley.
'We wanted our loved ones to be able to celebrate with us in a way that felt fun and out of the ordinary,' Sarah says. Here, a closer look at their wedding day, as captured by Larissa Cleveland Photography.
Related: 11 Rules for Choosing Your Wedding Venue, According to the Experts
Sarah and Marcel designed their wedding invitations with Ceci New York. The suite included a custom illustrations of the couple and a map with watercolor imagery of their wedding weekend venues. The invitation designs included flowers, leaves, vines, and dragonflies as a nod to Sarah's wedding dress, which was inspired by 'the fragile wings of woodland faeries.' The dragonfly motif reappeared later in the wedding.
The bride worked with the team at Paolo Sebastian on a custom wedding dress, which was designed via Skype meetings (the team is based in Australia). On those video calls, Sarah showed the designer elements of gowns she loved, and they came back with ideas for a lace wedding dress featuring leaf and vine beaded designs, 3D flowers, and dragonfly appliqués. The form-fitting number also featured a plunging neckline and a dramatic train.
Sarah accessorized with three pieces from Jennifer Behr: a pair of mother of pearl earrings in a flower shape, a floral headband, and flower-studded bobby pins. Though the stunning pieces all complemented her wedding dress and overall vision well enough on their own, when Sarah's friend Anjali invited her to borrow a few items from her collection of antique jewelry, she jumped at the opportunity. 'This unexpected moment was incredibly touching and special for me,' the bride remembers. 'It's a lovely memory from my wedding that I will treasure forever.' After reviewing all of her pal's stunning options, she chose an 1880s dragonfly brooch with plique-à-jour enamel, ruby eyes, and diamond dusted wings, a vintage citrine bee pendant, and a Caysie Van Bebber Victorian-inspired emerald ring.
Emily's bridesmaids, including her matron of honor, wore matching tulle gowns from Needle and Thread, which featured beaded details, a faux-wrapped bodice, and short sleeves. Each woman carried a loose, romantic bouquet of peonies, roses, hydrangea, tweedia, and more.
Marcel wore a navy made to measure suit and shirt from Zegna, which he paired with a pin dot silk tie from Eton and Paul Stuart leather shoes. He accessorized with an IWC watch and finished his look with a rose and thistle boutonnière that was further embellished with a gold bee pendant. 'Our cats' favorite toy is a bee, so when we found the bee boutonnières we felt they were perfect and on theme,' he says.
Sarah and Marcel wanted to make the most of their wedding day, so they planned to share a first look before the ceremony. 'We wanted to experience our cocktail hour, so doing a first look and pictures ahead of time enabled us to join,' the bride says. 'It was special because it was an intimate moment that we got to share with each other before being surrounded by everyone.'
Sarah and Marcel's ceremony took place in the venue's Sunken Garden. 'Edgar from Flowers by Edgar and Macio from Fine Linen Creation really went above and beyond to help us create our vision,' the bride notes. To transform the space into a ceremony venue that could accomodate the couple's 142 guests, they built a custom aisle and bridge over a water fountain. The aisle was decorated with lush floral arrangements leading to an elven-inspired rose arch at the altar. Garden-style iron chairs were lined up for guests to sit in.
The couple hired Natalie Cox Harp Quartet to perform at the ceremony and cocktail hour. They played Drake's 'Started From the Bottom' for Marcel's processional and 'Scarborough Fair" for Sarah's walk down the aisle with her father.
Sarah and Marcel got emotional as they exchanged personal vows. 'This was the most important aspect of the wedding, our vow exchange,' the bride says. 'Our ceremony was not traditional and we believe that the promises we made to one another are what bind us as partners.'
During cocktail hour, guests mingled and enjoyed two signature drinks inspired by the couple's cats. Sarah and Marcel served 'Sakura's Blossom,' a gin, blueberry, sage, amaro, and lemon concoction, along with 'Tomoyo's Dream,' a tequila, blackberry, peach, cordial, and lime drink. They also asked Ceci New York to paint their portraits of their cats that would be used as signage on the bar.
The pink bar was decorated in keeping with the day's secret garden theme. Beautiful nature-inspired paintings were added behind the bar and in five sections on the front.
Guests found their seating assignments at an escort card display arranged on a moss-covered table; branches, grasses, and petite arrangements of flowers further enhanced the secret garden theme. Mini wooden rounds held each floral card.
Though the space largely served as a transitional one, the couple made sure that the décor was impactful. Potted plants were arranged all around the room and an oversized flower arrangement in a gold urn served as the focal point.
The reception took place outside, but the Flowers by Edgar team built a custom pergola and covered it in vines to frame the space. 'This created a more intimate environment eliciting that secret garden feel to it all,' Sarah says. 'The Fine Linen Creation team helped us create a color scheme that flowed, found great furniture, and added elements such as vintage plate settings, candelabras, and terrariums to match the vibe.'
They also added hanging crystal chandeliers, a spring-inspired floral dance floor, and pastel floral centerpieces to further reinforce the theme. On long tables, a blooming garland of fresh flowers in pastel hues spilled onto the ground.
Place settings featured vintage dishware, gold cutlery with intricate white handles, and pink velvet napkins. Along with passed appetizers, Sarah and Marcel served a three-course plated meal for dinner. The menu started with an artichoke and caramelized onion tart, followed by an asparagus and burrata dish, and a choice of beef tenderloin or grilled sea bass.
At golden hour, Sarah and Marcel explored the property with their photographer, Larissa Cleveland Photography. They snapped photos throughout the gardens, taking advantage of stunning spaces that they couldn't use for the wedding itself.
Sarah's friend Anjali didn't just lend her jewelry: She also created created the couple's tiered wedding cake, which she embellished with pressed flowers that her daughter foraged from her grandmother's backyard. The blooms picked weren't just pretty—some were also extremely meaningful. 'Japanese maple tree leaves were included to honor the years Marcel spent living in Japan,' Sarah notes. The cake was displayed on a hanging structure and included chocolate chip yellow cake with passion fruit curd, coffee frosting, and chocolate crumbs, along with tiers of chocolate and coffee cake. Along with the wedding cake, the couple had an ice cream bar and served sfogliatelle for dessert. Later, they brought out late-night snacks like mini cheeseburgers and shrimp po-boys.
The couple spent their honeymoon in Bora Bora, staying in an overwater bungalow. To couples planning their own weddings right now, Sarah and Marcel recommend working as a team. 'We were both involved in every aspect of the planning and always made sure to consult with each other to make decisions,' the bride says.Wedding Photographer Larissa Cleveland Photography
Wedding Planning Cole Drake Events
Bride's Hair and Makeup Carrie Aldous
Flowers Flowers by Edgar
Invitations and Paper Goods Ceci New York
Rentals Fine Linen Creation
Music Natalie Cox Harp Quartet, DJ Brian B
Catering Paula Leduc Fine Catering & Events
Favors Kellie's Baking Co.
Accommodations Rosewood Sand Hill
Videographer Elysium ProductionsUp Next: The Top 10 Wedding Planning Mistakes That Cost Couples Thousands of Dollars
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