Vintage Romance Sonoma Wedding
Mandy isn’t your average bride. She just so happens to be the brains behind Little Vintage Rentals, a New York City rental and event design company. As you could guess, her wedding (which was planned in a mere 3 months) is stuffed to the gills with vintage romance and chic details, all captured by Volatile Photography.
From the bride, Mandy: George and I were engaged in March 2012. We decided on a destination wedding by July and secured Kunde Family Estate in August. We were married just 3 months later. Yes, we planned a wedding for 30 family members and friends 2,500 miles away from home in 90 days. I don’t recommend this to anyone who doesn’t have event planning experience or a fiance who is just as crazy OCD as you are! We did make it through, here is our story.
By August my best friend and mother were on me about dress shopping. I was in some sort of denial and scared of the whole ‘perfect dress’ experience. One sticky New York City afternoon I was rescued at Fancy Bridal. My mother and best friend still reminisce of my parade in beautiful gowns while they sat on a dreamy powder blue settee with 1920s music wafting in from another room. It was nothing short of magical. Gregory Nato, owner and creative mind at Fancy Bridal is to thank. George and I shipped our personal collection from Little Vintage Rentals of vintage milk glass, turquoise mason jars, linen napkins and many other vintage favorites to the wedding. We arrived days early to organize daily deliveries of boxes, stuff tote bags for our guests and personally set up some of the decor with the help of our family. The time before the wedding we gave ourselves to settle in and work out kinks was the best gift ever. By the time we hosted our guests for welcome drinks we were calm and excited to drink good wine with our loved ones.
I set a place for my grandmother who passed away many years ago just like she had joked about. I carried my great grandmother’s hankie and earrings in a white vintage beaded purse from my mother’s best friend. We were so thankful for the genuine and superior team of professionals we wrangled together from so many miles away. Having done our due diligence, we were delighted to see each vendor exceed our expectations and then some. Millita from Grant Avenue Florist found perfect cotton candy peonies in November, Wine Country Party & Events sewed linens in the fabric I’d been dreaming of to fit our over sized dinner tables and Kelly from Kelly & Co. Events made sure every last vintage napkin and napkin ring found it’s home from the imagined diagram only available in my head.
Any advice for other couples planning their weddings now? If you’re planning a destination wedding, arrive a few days early to meet with vendors and iron out last minute details. It’ll make you a calmer bride on your wedding day!
View all images from this wedding in the gallery
Wedding Music:
First Dance: “The Way You Look Tonight,” Frank Sinatra
Father/Daughter Dance: “The Wonder of You,” Elvis Presley
Son/Mother Dance: “It’s a Wonderful World,” Louis Armstrong
Tsamiko (Greek Group Dance led by Bride): Orea pou ine i nifi mas
Beside a healthy dose of top 40 dance hits some other favorites were from Dean Martin, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Prince, Donna Summer AND…. what wedding filled with New Yorkers in California would be complete without “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel.
Wedding Location: Sonoma, CA / Photographer: Volatile Photography / Event Design and Vintage Accents: Little Vintage Rentals / Florist: Millita Walker for Grant Avenue Florists / Day-of Event Coordinator: Kelly & Company Events / Venue: Kunde Family Estate / Wedding Dress, Jacket and Veil: Fancy Bridal / Wedding Shoes: Pour La Victoire / Hair and Makeup: Jennifer Smallwood of It’s a Date at the Powder Room / Manicure: Priti NY / Groom’s Suit: Armani / Caterer: The Fairmont of Sonoma / Cake and Petit Fours: Patisserie Angelica / Live Music: Bella Rosa String Quartet / DJ: DJ Von Woo / Aisle Runner: Love, Burlap / Additional Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events / Officiant: Father Gerald Caprio of The White Robed Monks of Saint Benedict / Wedding Invitations: Invitations by Bonnie / Shuttle Service: Pure Luxury
Just lovely!
I always wonder what people in the wedding industry do for their own weddings.
The cake is so cute and the flower arrangements are so special- so envious of everything. From the looks of it, you sure had a beautiful wedding! Congratulations!
Lovely! Her dress, bouquet and the cake are all so pretty!
It’s really a gorgeous wedding!
What a lovely event, especially considering it was a destination wedding and in such a short time! I’m in love with the little bunnies cake topper as well as all the pretty vintage details.