Somewhere in between Summer and Fall here in the central coast’s wine region, lies a season of perfection. I’m not sure if it’s because the best produce is being harvested, or that the weather invites you to be outside both during the day and into the evening. It’s the time of year near crush season in the vineyards, and the air has a sweet scent of fullness, with days that make you wish time would stand still so you can savor the moment for as long as possible. This perfectly describes the day for Banjo & Beverly.
They chose their venue, Hammer Sky Vineyards, because it is a historic working estate vineyard, with the original building dating back to 1904. Best known for their Cabernet & Zinfandel varietels, Hammer Sky has done a good job of keeping things up to date, and original. Hammer Sky winery is also known for its views, and has the perfect position for enjoying the sunset. It feels like it was built for family get togethers. The guests, who were mostly from Los Angeles and San Francisco, were calling the estate the most elegant and enchanting location for a wedding. Umbrella Tree designs did the invites and save the dates.
Jenn at Allure Event Designs produced the event and floral decor. Joel VanZ, who specializes in outdoor wedding films, captured the day so well. He is about to release the feature highlights of the day soon. Santa Barbara Classic Party Rentals supplied the elegant and hand-crafted dark wood tables, and Kramer Entertainment was in charge of the event’s lighting.
Catering by Chef Charlie, who specializes in pairing wine with international foods and the freshest local meats & seafood, selected the most delectable local culinary cuisine, combined with a few imported European treats to pair perfectly with some of the excellent wine that Banjo chose for this wedding. Among some of the highlights of the day were the butternut squash ravioli paired with a Kendal Jackson Highlands Camelot Chardonnay. The braised short ribs paired with Villacana Cuvee. The most popular wine was an ’07 Syrah from Caliza which was bold and “jammy”. My personal favorites on the cheese & charcuterie table were the fresh local honeycomb with the french brillat saverin, saint agur with pyreneese. The salad had a 5 year banyuls cherry vinaigrette.
All in all this event was spectacular!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Artistry and luxury from the 1600′s run deep here. These hilltop towns contain secrets of lives that are rusting away, and the paint from the walls thats hundreds of years old creates a fascinating backdrop that is impossible to duplicate. The authenticity of a tuscan villa built in 1697 was a perfect place for our shoot. This region has so many interesting and enchanting stories to tell if you are looking for, and take the time to slow down and experience them. Shelley & Antonio the following day dawned their wedding attire and we headed out for a sunset session. We explored the diverse areas around this property and could have shot for days without duplicating anything ,I know you will enjoy these images.
Villa Catignano caught my attention 5 years ago when I was commissioned photographed an american italian wedding there in the spring of that year. Located just outside Siena and one hour from Florence, its easy to get to, yet tucked away in the heart of the Chiante region of the hills there. We had taken the train up from Rome and fell in love with this countryside region. It was such a private place for the family to rent out the entire 30 room villa for their family and friends to come and enjoy their wedding! As you can see from some of the scene setting shots within eyeshot of the property as well as the view overlooking the town of Siena, this is a spectacular spot. One of the highlights of the villa are the ancient historical frescos painted on the walls and ceilings of the Villa. This was once a working olive oil farm with a chapel, pool, vineyard, cellars and production barn. As I was exploring I found the ruins of an old greenhouse where they kept their citrus trees in the winter.
Enjoy this collection of images from Antonio and Shelley. They were a sweet couple with equally as much interesting history together as the villa, and yet down to earth. My favorite images are the ones with the row of hedges that were almost a quarter mile long. Only in Tuscany.
