Clik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Introduction
Greetings, Hive! I’m back and I’m armed with winery wedding goodness for you, straight from the heart of Napa Valley. Our 10/10/10 wedding went off beautifully and I’m so excited to tell you our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Arriving in Napa
Mr. Barrettes and I arrived in Napa on October 8th to the most gorgeous weather (which everyone commented on throughout the weekend, as if I specially planned it). We quickly checked into our first...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Rehearsal Morning
We woke up before the sun. I’m positive I wouldn’t have even been able to sleep without the previous night’s Cabernet nightcap. Once again, the weather was shaping up to be amazing and the news...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Rehearsal Dinner
After washing away a slight setback with some V. Sattui Early Harvest White Riesling, we were back on track and headed to Pizzeria Tra Vigne with our wedding party and honored guests in tow. A gourmet...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Last Hurrah
After the rehearsal dinner it was time to unwind. It sounds crazy, but although the day was amazing and exciting, being on a constant life-high is exhausting. Making sure everyone is where they’re...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: She Wakes
I woke up not feeling awesome. Really? On the day of our wedding? I wasn’t feeling like my peppy self after the previous day’s excitement, drama, and subsequent alcohol consumption. Omigod, I thought I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Hair & Makeup
When Luke arrived, we were in the middle of bridal beautification. Raja wasn’t into all the excitement and after a quick puppy shot, my dad shuffled him off to another room to save us all from his...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: My Ensemble
As we were busy getting ready, Luke was busy snapping some details. I love these shots and I look forward to hanging them in my “dressing room” in our home someday. My Badgley Mischka Randall pumps...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Barrettes Becomes a Bride
There would be no more down time. Once we were dressed, the ball was rolling and it wasn’t stopping until way past midnight, when I finished cleaning up my sleeping husband’s tux. But that’s a story...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: A Gift from My Groom
After I slipped into my dress, My MOH handed me a little bag. Inside the little bag was a little box. Inside the little box… (photos by Luke Snyder Studio) …was a little diamond bow ring. If you know...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Finishing Touches and a Quick Photo Shoot
After we were dressed, it was time to wrap it up and get going! I gave the ol’ pearly whites one last scrub, my fellas finished tying their ties, the girls touched-up their faces and we headed to the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Arriving at V. Sattui Winery
When we arrived, V. Sattui was still open for tasting and it was nice to see smiles on all the patrons’ faces as our bridal party made a beeline for my bridal nook. I stayed put and tried to relax...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: First Look
We decided early in planning that the first look option was for us. Our ceremony would begin at 6:30 PM and the reception ended at 11 PM. That didn’t leave adequate time for the kind of formal photos...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Bride & Groom Photo Shoot
After getting over the rush of our first look at each other, we settled down just a bit and Luke took a turn at directing a quick photo shoot. During our pre-wedding correspondence, I told Luke we were...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Formal Photos
We rounded up all of our family members for formal photos and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I provided Luke with a list of “must haves” and he happily organized the groups in a quick and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: The Wedding Party
Our party knows how to strike a pose! It wasn’t hard for this cast of characters to take a good photo and I was happy that we knocked out these shots in about 5 minutes. Somewhere on the blog, a bee...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: A Courtyard of Details
While we were in the bridal nook, laughing, breathing, and affixing my veil, our guests began to take their seats in the courtyard. It was about this time that I wished I could be everywhere at once....
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Prelude to a Kiss
While our guests were enjoying the string music in the courtyard, my bridal party and I had our final moments together before I was a wife. Amy popped a little bubbly and I drank it from a wine glass....
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Lakeside Storybook Wedding
Hello ladies, I’m back to formally introduce A Lakeside Storybook Wedding and unfurl the carpet for my RECAPS! Can we get a woo to the hoo, an amen sistah and an audible sigh of “fiiiiiiiiinally” up...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: The Processional
The groom, best man, and reverend had the best view in the house as they watched the party make their processional down the aisle. From my bird’s eye view, I could just see each couple walk down the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Here Comes the Bride
Everyone was gone, the attention was elsewhere, and I was by myself looking over the scene. My vision was blurred by the veil and I could feel my breath quicken. The string music was easy on my ears...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Ceremony, Part 1 of 2
It’s hard to remember how the ceremony began. The moments happen so quickly—I’m walking down the aisle, kissing my dad, then I’m holding Mr. Barrettes’ hands and standing in front of Dr. Houtz. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Ceremony, Part 2 of 2
As dusk fell on Napa, Dr. Houtz finished his sermon and it was time to exchange our vows. I love the traditional Christian wedding vows and neither Mr. Barrettes or I felt a strong urge to write our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Cocktail Hour
Even if you don’t necessarily want a cocktail hour, it happens anyway because after sitting through a ceremony, guests are ready to stand up and socialize for a bit. They aren’t quite ready to go and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: The Bride Returns in a Cute Dress
Back in the bridal nook as a Mrs., I quickly changed into my custom-made dress that my MOH gifted me 2 weeks before the wedding. We also did a hair change and John plucked the gardenia from my ceremony...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Lakeside Storybook Wedding: Leading Up
I’m back with the leading-up-to-the-wedding events I hadn’t yet covered in my very first recap! It was pretty much a bunch o’ yard work! Here’s an “after” shot of the ceremony site: Photo courtesy of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Reception Entrance
With the guests seated in the barrel room, the DJ kicked on some fresh tunes and introduced our fun wedding party! Each couple entered to a different song clip and they totally danced their way in. So...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Our First Dance
I was a little hesitant about our first dance for a while. Once we both decided on the song (he loves country and I’m a pop girl, it was an easy choice) I wasn’t sure if we should go the choreographed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Invitation to Dinner
Seriously, you start to have such a good time that everything runs together! When I saw this photo I couldn’t place it in the night at all—and I loved it! After our first dance I can’t recall what...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: We Dine and We Cheers
After our first dance and my dad’s welcome speech it was finally time to eat. By this point I was starving and our dinner smelled so good! We decided on a family-style presentation, which all the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: The Groom and Bride Speak
After the best man cheers’ed to a long marriage and lots of babies, the groom took the mic and delivered his speech. He had been preparing for awhile and he personally thanked almost everyone in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Father/Daughter Dance
OK, I know I said there would be no more tears, but I forgot about this one! I pretty much cried through my entire dance with my dad. Once you hear the song you may understand why. I tried my best to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: The Groom and His Mom Get the Party Started
After my weepy dance with my dad, the Mother/Son dance rocked the room into a dance party! They never told me what they were planning so I was just as surprised as everyone else. Their dance started...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Cake Cutting
My mouth is watering as I sit to write this post! Our cake was delish! The bottom layer was red velvet, the middle, fruit basket, and the top tier was German chocolate. I almost didn’t want to cut into...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Fun with the Photo Booth
I’m so happy I convinced Mr. Barrettes to tackle the photo booth project at the last minute! It added a fun extra element to the reception, despite its flaws. I mentioned here how it was made and what...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Post-Wedding/30th Birthday Chop
Hi Hive! I’m taking a brief intermission from recap-land to show you my new hair. Five months post-wedding and one week to my 30th birthday, I decided to go big. The shortest I’ve ever worn my hair is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Impromptu Motorcycle Photo Shoot
I went looking for my groom when the DOC told me it was time for the tosses. I didn’t see him on the dance floor or in the courtyard so I made my way to the fountain, and lo and behold, the jokers were...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: The Garter and Bouquet Tosses
I’ve been looking forward to sharing this one with you! I’m always the one to make the faces, but Mr. Barrettes definitely got into the spirit with the garter toss… Someone pulled out a chair, a circle...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: We Ride off into the Night
10/10/10 was winding down and it was time to send us off into the world as husband and wife. The remaining guests gathered in the courtyard to wish us well, high-fiving us through their tunnel of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Napa Fairytale: Epilogue
After we rode off into the night (around the parking lot two times), the party was officially over. Darn. There was a surge of last-minute goodbyes and a rush to gather all of the wedding stuff....
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Lakeside Storybook Wedding: 20 Lessons Learned
I thought I’d interrupt my regularly scheduled wedding recaps (haha, riiight) to post about various lessons learned from my own wedding. Keep in mind: the wedding was the shiz-nit. An amazing, fun,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Thank You
With my recaps written, it’s time to step aside. *sniff, sniff* I’d almost plan another wedding just to keep blogging for Weddingbee, but then again, I’m happily wedding-ed out. I’m pretty sure Miss...
View ArticleClik here to view.
DIY I Couldn’t Resist Sharing
I know I said ‘bye, but sometimes things are just too cute not to share. This pretty DIY cigar box from Cathe Holden caught my eye and my first thought was, “some bride, somewhere, will totally run...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Thoughts on Photography, Six Months Later
Hi Hive! You don’t mind if I do drive-bys every now and again, right? Promise I’ll drop by when I think I’ve got something good for ya. Today I’m thinking about wedding photography… six months after...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Paper Anniversary
I’ve been struggling with what to get my husband for our first anniversary. The inspiration is paper and although I’ve seen ideas from tickets, to star dedications, those just weren’t lighting my fire....
View ArticleClik here to view.
One Down, One Hundred To Go!
Can you believe it’s already been a year?! I surely can’t. Our Napa wedding seems like it was six months ago at most. The whole day is still so vivid in my mind, it feels impossible that 365 days have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
#ThrowbackThursday: Mrs. Barrettes’ Napa Winery Wedding
Napa Winery Wedding Every Thursday our editors will share a favorite wedding from bloggers past, choosing the loveliest, mushiest, most unique and fun details. Be sure to stick around to the end of the...
View Article