Modern Vintage

Ever dreamed of taking over a town for a weekend-long wedding? Well, there is a special town called Yountville in Napa that is small and charming AND also home to one of the top restaurants in the world - The French Laundry.

The picturesque town, though humble as it may be, covering only about 6 blocks length, is the perfect wedding spot for the most discriminating foodies and their tasteful guests. In fact, one may believe Chef Thomas Keller is Yountville's mayor considering he's got four establishments lining the length of the entire town.

First up, The French Laundry  -  check into town early with your hubby-to-be for a romantic dinner. Just remember, as the top restaurant in the country, reservations are hard to come by so book early!

Next, walk into Bouchon Bakery (also a Keller establishment) and you'll find it hard to settle on what goodies to purchase for your event! Place an order for some gorgeous macaroons or luscious Chocolate Bouchons for tasty favors or put together a deliciously divine dessert station showcasing a variety of Bouchon's pretty baked goods.

Take the bridal party out for some bistro fare post-rehearsal. The mussels and steak frites are mouthwatering!

After you've exchanged your "i do's," celebrate the next morning with a family brunch at Ad Hoc, Chef Keller's newest family-style  restaurant.   

Where to stay? Check in at The Vintage Inn and Spa (located right in the middle of Yountville, across the street from Bouchon Bistro and Bakery). The rooms range from sweet to ultra luxe and the hotel's various wedding venues include garden grounds that can accommodate over a 1000 guests and a more intimate Historic Barrel Room.

There you have it! A whole town with loads of venues/dining options (one of which is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant) for all your pre and post-nuptial celebrations, a beautiful Inn for well-deserved rest in between lots of self-indulging (we are talking about Wine Country here!), a spa for some bridal party pampering - and let's not forget the ambiance - Just take a look!

You'll have little to worry about with regards to event design - as greenery and flowers are abundant - just add a unique touch by knotting some rustic twine onto these Bird and Garden Wall Hooks from Napa Style and attach seating cards with clothespin.  

If I could have a second wedding, I would throw it at The Carneros Inn in Napa Valley. The resort, voted as one of the top 25 Most Romantic Getaways in the World by Travel and Leisure, is a gorgeous example of why oppostie extremes can work so beautifully together. The rooms, for starters, are tin-roofed cottages that are rustic and modern all at the same time - bathrooms come complete with indoor and outdoor showers (stocked with Red Flower products!) and heated slate floors for chilly nights. All cottages feature a wood burning fireplace, flat-paneled televisions and adorable front patios with crisp-white rocking chairs as well as a garden patio in the back. The grub? Organic, farm-to-table meets Euro-Cal sophistication. Breakfast at Boon Fly is a treat and a visit to Napa would not be complete without a meal at The Farm. The spa features anything from low-key-comfort goat butter treatments to luxurious chardonnay and apricot pedicures. The gorgeous grounds feature a 24 hour hilltop vineyard-view infinity pool (heated to a perfect 82 degrees), as well as, a lap pool and children's pool by the 3000sft state of the art fitness Barn - yes, a barn.

I can't stop gushing so go ahead and have a look yourself! If you've got your wedding all figured out, or a destination wedding is not for you, you should consider honeymooning here (weak dollar - no worries!) - make sure you book one of the two vineyard-view cottages! 

Lucky brides that end up throwing their wedding here have an array of options as the resorts grounds are massive and there are plenty of scenic spots and lovely spaces to wed and celebrate - you can have a hilltop sunset ceremony or exchange your vows in the sweet and flagrant orchard. There is no minimum requirement and the resort can host an event for up to 175. Take a peek at their Weddings page. 

Put together a sweet and modern look - perhaps White Aisle's Dandelion Wedding Stationery set might inspire you.

Or go even more modern and check out Unless Someone Like You's hipster Poster Wedding/Reception Invitations.

Whatever look and wedding design you decide on, treat your guests to some amazing homemade mini donuts from the resort's casual restaurant, Boon Fly.

Located just off the famous picturesque Silverado Trail, up in the Rutherford Hills, Auberge Du Soleil is a beautiful resort that is perfect for an intimate (max capacity is 120) Wine-Country Wedding. Decorated in warm tones, the space seems to echo that golden glow that covers the entire NoCal region.

Not only is this resort an award winning spot with high ratings from Conde Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure and just about any travel guide out there, it's restaurant has also received a Michelin Star. If those reasons alone aren't enough, it's apparently quite affordable (have a look at some of the fee breakdowns posted on www.projectwedding.com) and the views are to die for!

Check out Auberge's main website for a great Weddings Photo Gallery. 

Add little details like a map of the resort or the Silverado Trail for guests to enjoy going out on their own for great wine tasting (after or well before your nuptials of course!). Contact Nancy Howell, the queen of illustrated maps and check out a sample below.

And have a look at Nancy's design for a sunny look that would be perfect for a wedding at Auberge du Soleil!

Only one hour North of San Francisco, Napa is perhaps the easiest destination wedding locale I can think of. The venue list is endless, there are numerous vineyards that provide Special Event spaces as well as numerous gorgeous resorts and restaurants that offer Wedding packages.

Food and wine are obviously top notch in this lovely region, and the scenery is breathtaking. What makes Napa a more "realistic" destination wedding spot is perhaps how laid back it is, and how, logistically speaking, it's much easier to plan an event there than say one in Cancun. Guests can opt to stay in San Francisco but, with so many accommodation options (from quaint B&B's to five star resorts), finding a place to stay in the Napa Valley shouldn't be too difficult. The best part of it all? The weather is always great so if you dream of throwing an outdoor wedding, chances are you'll have gorgeous weather!

Stay tuned for more postings that'll highlight resorts perfect for an intimate wedding, great ideas for a romantic Wine-Country Honeymoon and entertaining tips all inspired by my dreamy trip to this NoCal valley.

Dear readers - I apologize for posting so infrequently this month!

I have been island hoping in Hawaii and visiting the Napa Valley with my husband during pretty much the entire month of June. We're back now and I'll be posting lots more and will be featuring goodies, entertaining ideas, honeymoon tips and more, all inspired by my travels!

First up, as you know, I am a huge huge fan of Chef Thomas Keller, and having visited Napa and the adorable (and oh so sophisticated) town of Yountville, I am convinced that everything great on this earth has spawned from this beautiful Northern Cal region.

With that said, I present - Napa Style, the delicious eCommerce store founded by the king of entertaining and Food Network star, Michael Chiarello. I have long harbored jealousy and spite towards all of Mr. Chiarello's friends who've been lucky enough to receive invitations to numerous vineyard picnics, Mediterranean-Style dinners under the stars, and Bocce Ball gatherings - but now, with Napa Style, I can throw my own farm-chic events! Check out some goodies that have won my heart!

Napa Style is all about understated elegance. These gorgeous sugar molds make effortlessly beautiful centerpieces.

This lazy susan is not only whimsy and fun, it's made from real Zinfandel barrels - how green!

Hurry and grab a few sets of these pretty place card holders - they're on sale!  

I think it's apparent if you've been following Modern Vintage that I am a huge fan of everything Chalkboard - check out Napa Style's fabulous collection of Slate-ware and decor items!

Stay tuned for more on Napa Valley inspirations and a feature on Yountville - and of course a write up of my wonderful meals at Bouchon, The French Laundry and Ad Hoc.