Allison + Andrew

Allison and Andrew got married on a hot summer evening at a private estate, owned by Allison’s father’s cousin, on the delta near Sacramento, Calif.  While looking for just the right venue, Allison knew she wanted to be somewhere laid-back and outdoors.  Her cousins have an event venue, The Willow Ballroom, and at first that was the location they picked for their wedding.  However, the more time Allison spent planning her wedding with her cousin, Angelica, the more she fell in love with the idea of getting married at the family estate.  It didn’t take much convincing for everyone involved and soon the wedding day plan was hatched.

Allison eloquently shared with everyone during the reception that she really wanted to get married at the family estate because when her father was alive he loved fruit trees and had many conversations with his cousin about the special place and what it could be.  She was a young girl when her father passed away, and in the years that have now passed Allison has a career in viticulture, working with the land nearby at a winery in Napa.

Married under a large willow tree on an expansive lawn, Andrew and Allison had an emotional ceremony.  Several friends read original written pieces and the heartfelt words continued during toasts at the reception.  Pigs were roasted, many drinks were poured and everyone embraced the hot summer weather.  Allison and Andrew danced under the open summer sky and then were joined by their mothers for another song.

Weddings don’t get better than ones like this one.  Perhaps I am a bit sentimental too because I have known Allison’s family for years and she is the second (and last) one to get married of the three sisters.  We photographed her sister Laura’s wedding last year in San Francisco.