1. Real Weddings

Katie & Jonas: A Fall Wedding in Calistoga, CA

When Katie met Jonas at a wedding in 2002, her first impulse was to set him up with a friend of hers. Luckily, Katie soon realized that she didn’t wan

When Katie met Jonas at a wedding in 2002, her first impulse was to set him up with a friend of hers. Luckily, Katie soon realized that she didn’t want to play cupid: “After talking to Jonas for a while, I decided that I wanted to be set up with him!” says Katie. Later that night, Jonas cut in when Katie was dancing with a friend, and he and Katie began dating soon after. The Bride Katie Nelson, 29, real estate agent The Groom Jonas Moe, 30, software product manager The Date October 2 Two years later, during a weekend getaway to the Mendocino coast, Jonas asked Katie to watch the sunset. When she opened the door of their cottage, Katie was met by a trail of roses leading to a cliff overlooking the ocean, each with a note attached that recounted a favorite memory from their relationship. On the last rose was the piece of paper on which Katie had written her name and phone number the night they met, and it was when she looked at it that Jonas dropped to one knee as the sun set.

The couple introduced their chocolate brown and cantaloupe theme in save-the-dates and carried the ecru paper and soft brown font through the favors, programs, and menu cards.
The couple chose to forgo a head table (“We wanted to sit with our guests!” Katie says), and each table was named after countries the travelers had visited. Their table was named Thailand -- a country they’d never been to but where they would soon spend their honeymoon.
Tables were covered with sheer sage green overlays and topped with low centerpiece arrangements of dahlias, roses, tulips, berries, and foliage.
Near a covered gazebo next to a waterfall, Katie and Jonas thoughtfully placed a basket of fleece blankets for when the night turned chilly.
The First Dance
The ceremony took place on a slope overlooking Napa Valley under a natural canopy of pine trees. Katie’s stepfather and stepmother officiated, performing a nondenominational ceremony that reflected the couple’s personalities. “It was important for us to have our community feel involved,” Katie says. After the couple read a personal statement of intent, which was confirmed by all in attendance, Katie and Jonas exchanged vows they’d written themselves.
The Flower Girl
After the ceremony, the 220 guests walked to the cocktail area, where they enjoyed wine, light appetizers, and a beer called “Friendship Ale” brewed by some of the couple’s friends.
Katie fell in love with the Leonidas rose and used it throughout the big day. The bridesmaid bouquets were filled with tulips, Leonidas roses, Black Magic roses, foliage, and berries.
The Reception Decor
Katie and Jonas chose a three-tier ice cream cake with three different flavors of ice cream: Coffee Lovers Only, Chocolate Devotion, and Berry Berry Good.
Katie and Jonas gave their guests mix CD favors with favorite tunes ranging from Van Morrison to Stevie Wonder