1. Real Weddings

An Elegant Wine Country Wedding at Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma, California

Lauren Lozano (30 and works in sales at Twitter) and John Vogt (36 and works in product management at SalesForce) planned a chic wine country affair f

Lauren Lozano (30 and works in sales at Twitter) and John Vogt (36 and works in product management at SalesForce) planned a chic wine country affair for their early summer nuptials. “We wanted a comfortable, fun and inspiring wedding that was reflective of our personalities and embodied the beauty of the area,” says Lauren. The day started with an outdoor ceremony at Anderson Ranch in Glen Ellen, Calif., where the couple exchanged vows under lush, shady trees surrounded by rolling hills dotted with vineyards. “One of my favorite parts of our ceremony came as a suggestion from our officiant,” says Lauren. “He had us each write a story about how and why we fell in love and told us not share it with the other person. He read these stories aloud during the ceremony. It was a surprise for both John and I, as well as our guests.” After saying their “I do’s,” the newlyweds whisked their gusts off to Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma, Calif. for dinner and dancing. “We chose Ramekins because the food quality and execution is both creative and delectable!” says Lauren. “Everyone raved about the food.” For the alfresco affair, the pair looked to the setting for inspiration. Arrangements of full pink, green and cream colored blooms brought a subtle pop of color to the white tabletops, with wooden planter boxes and sprigs of rosemary introducing an element of rustic charm. Floral menu cards complemented the design of the wedding invitations and ceremony programs, giving the day a cohesive feel from start to finish. The fun-loving couple wanted to make sure that everyone in attendance had as much fun as possible and the dance floor provided tangible proof of their success — it was packed all night long. A tip for the taking from Lauren and John: “Create time that day for just the two of you. We did a first look before the ceremony, which was awesome for two reasons: It gave us a special moment together before the madness and once the ceremony was done, we only had a couple quick pictures to finish up and could then head straight to the reception with all of the guests!”

John and his groomsmen added to their pale gray suits a note of rustic flair by adorning their lapels with lavender, scabiosa pod and hypericum boutonnieres. rn
Lauren’s bouquet fused romantic and rustic styles. The lush arrangement was overflowing with garden roses, scabiosa pods, lisianthuses and assorted greenery and was tied together with a length of lavender lace.
Lauren and John gave guests a taste of the evening to come by kicking off the day with an outdoor ceremony at Anderson Ranch in Glenn Ellen, Calif. The pair exchanged vows under lush, old growth trees, with the nearby vineyards forming a breathtaking natural backdrop for the occasion. “We chose this location because the view of the rolling vineyards from the stone stage was absolutely breathtaking,” says Lauren.
The reception decor developed organically out of the wedding’s wine country setting. Distressed wooden planter box vases and sprigs of fresh herbs placed at each place setting lent a rustic chic feel to the reception tabletops, while bunches of cream-colored hydrangeas, pink stock flowers and an assortment of greenery added a pop of fresh color to the decor. rn
To create a feeling of cohesion from start to finish, Lauren and John incorporated a bright floral motif into the design of the wedding invitations, ceremony programs and the dinner menu cards. The pink and green palette of the paper details also complemented the lush arrangements of pink and green flowers topping the reception tables.rn
Dinner was an alfresco affair. The newlyweds and their guests dined on decadent eats on the Ramekins Culinary School’s stone terrace, where suspended panels of neutral-colored fabric panels and strands of bistro lights gave the outdoor area a warm and intimate feel.rn
Refreshing, Non-Alcoholic Summer Beverages
At the end of the evening, Lauren and John sent their guests home with miniature bottles of olive oil and vinegar decorated with colorful raffia ribbon and playful raffia ribbon. “They were perfect, cute and affordable,” says Lauren.rn
In addition to traditional wedding cake, Lauren and John treated guests to their favorite cookies. John’s were brought in all the way from Maryland to share, while Lauren’s mother made hundreds of her favorite Italian cookies for the occasion. “It was a nice personal touch and the perfect complement to traditional wedding cake,” says Lauren.rn
While Lauren and John opted for a muted color palette, the couple’s florist used texture to bring an element of intrigue to the countless table top and reception. rn
After the ceremony, the newlyweds whisked their guests off to the Culinary School in Sonoma, Calif, where they sipped on signature cocktails and nibbled on decadent app in the European-style courtyard.rn
Besides its beautiful location in the heart of wine country, the Ramekins Culinary School's excellent culinary reputation helped win over Lauren and John. "We chose Ramekins because the food quality and execution is both creative and delectable!" says Lauren. "Everyone raved about the food!"