Same sex wedding at Charles Krug Winery | St. Helena, California
From the moment Stephanie from Off The Beaten Path Wine Country told me about Andy & Jeff's plans, I was so ready to see it all come to life! This wedding was also special for me as it was my first same sex wedding with two grooms. It meant so much to me that Andy & Jeff trusted me to document their wedding- over 20 years in the making!
First of all, let's chat about the spiral ceremony set up. I'll be honest, when I first heard about it, I was equal parts excited and nervous; excited because it was something totally new and original, nervous because I wanted to make sure I documented the ceremony well. Guys! It was INCREDIBLE! I loved how intimate it felt, having everyone encircle them. And it all started with the officiant (their Uncle) dancing into the spiral, and then telling everyone to take out their phones to take a selfie with the person next to them ( and then put their phone away lol).
I forgot to mention that they have a theatre background, so of course this added to the ceremony quite a bit- they had a big handful of guests stand up and recite poems, or sayings; some funny, some sweet, some thoughtful. It was so beautiful to watch the grooms' reactions as each person read their part (some with extra gusto!).
Next? Have you ever driven past a car lot where they have the air blown gumby guys wiggling around (yeah, I know...horrible description. They must have a more formal name lol) Well, Andy & Jeff had their own "two grooms" version! They were even in tuxedos!!! After they had their first kiss, the "tube dudes" (my husband informed me just now that thats what they call them on Modern Family lol) surprised their guests!
The light at Charles Krug was insane- I was so excited to get the guys together for some photos alone! And here I go again not knowing what something is called- but those thin, tall trees with the light streaming through? Wowza, I was in heaven!
Possibly the highlight of the evening? The aerialists!! Seriously, Andy & Jeff really thought of it all and wanted their guests to be thoroughly entertained. I'm pretty sure they nailed it! Especially when they came out for their first dance, where they had changed into fancy sequined suit jackets!
Venue- Charles Krug Winery
Planner/Catering/Florals- Off The Beaten Path Wine Country
Ceremony Music- Keri Campbell Music
DJ- Dj RyanO
Aerialists- Barn Faerie Productions
Love this venue? HERE is another wedding I photographed at Charles Krug!