Host a Wine Country Perfume Bar Bridal Shower Party!

content adapted from PrimaDonna Makeover
Looking for a Unique and Entertaining Bridal Shower idea? Why not host a Perfume Bar Soirée?

The party concept is simple, Exciting and Unique and Fun. The whole part of the Soiree (party) takes 1 to 4 hours. Our Perfume Stylist will demonstrate our Beautiful & Unique range of blends of oils, your guest choose the one they love and the Perfume Bottle of their choice, and finally name their unique scent that they created! It’s Fun & Simple.

Andrew Van Gundy of AV Photography, a Napa Destination Wedding Photographer, details what the current wedding photography technology allows wedding photographers to offer their 2013 brides-to-be and what brides can reasonably ask for or expect from their photographer.

2013 Wedding Photography Trends to look for:

1) Same Day Wedding Slideshows played at your Reception

2) Instant Wireless Image Transfer and Social Media Sharing Options available to Brides and Guests AT YOUR WEDDING!
3) The Print-less Photo Booth, also offering real-time image sharing over Facebook and Twitter rather than your more traditional, and more expensive photo booth prints.
4) Lightning Fast Turnaround times on your wedding images. You can expect to get them back before you are even back from your Honeymoon!

Check out the full post online on the Wine Country Wedding Photographer’s Blog!

A couple years back, the big question was whether or not Wedding Photo Booths were going to be a passing fad at wedding receptions, or if they were going to become an almost expected form of entertainment, carving out a permanent niche in the wedding industry. Well, I think it is safe to say that photo booths have only gained in popularity and we should expect to see them at wedding receptions for a long time coming. This is both good and bad in my opinion.

It is good, because photo booths are awesome! They are a great way to entertain guests and they create custom wedding favors that are sure to keep people smiling.

It is not so good, on the other hand, because the popularity of the photo booth has driven the price up considerably. Depending on your location and your wedding date, you could be expected to pay upwards of $1,000 or $1,500 for your photo booth rental. The quality of photo booths has also declined. There are absolutely some great companies out there, but you pay a premium. I’m sure by now we have all been to a wedding with a photo booth that is made of PVC and drapes that almost (or did) collapse when the groom and his groomsmen had a little too much fun in the booth. You stood waiting for a tabletop inkjet printer to spit out a print that you weren’t that impressed with that you were told not to touch for a minute or so until the ink dried. Is this what we are hoping for when we go to a wedding with a reception photo booth? I think not. So what are the other options if you are looking for an affordable wedding photo booth rental?

Introducing the Open-Air, Social-Share Photo Booth:

Vanity Fair Photo Booth, servicing Sonoma, Napa and Santa Barbara offer Open-Air photo booth rentals at a price that is sure to make the photo booth competition pucker. Photo Booth Rental Packages begin at just $300!

So what is an “Open-Air, Social-Share Photo Booth”? Open-Air refers to the booth construction. It actually isn’t even a booth at all. It’s more of a photo station. There is no ‘small stuffy room’ that you get into to take pictures in front of black or silver drapes. Your wedding reception acts as your background, but you can just as easily set up a background that guests stand in front of if desired. This makes these ‘booths’ much cheaper to manufacture and much easier to transport and assemble/ disassemble at venues… which all translates into a cheaper rental price.

The Social-Share photo booth takes it a step further and does away with the hard-copy photo booth prints. Ah, sigh! Of course it is fun to walk away with a booth print to share with the rest of your table. But what if you could share it with the rest of your network, including your table? Simply done using your Smart Phone! A Social-Share photo booth like those offered by Vanity Fair Photo Booths in Sonoma County captures a picture, and almost instantaneously the image is available on an iPad or computer in an online gallery at the event. Or, if there’s already a crowd around the iPad, just check it out on your Smart Phone. From the online gallery, you can view all the event images and easily share images on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or even email yourself a copy.

Because of the booth-less and print-less nature of their booths, Vanity Fair is able to offer photo booth rentals in Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara starting at just $300: well below the competitors rates and way ahead of their technology.

Serenity and Privacy for Elopements or Intimate Wedding Affairs

Post content and images adapted fromAV Photography
Gundlach Bundschu in Sonoma, CA offers one of the best locations for couples looking to elope or hold an intimate wedding ceremony amidst rolling vineyards, stellar views, and complete privacy. The Winery treats their brides with the utmost care and allows them virtually free reign when it comes to photography on their grounds, or creating a custom tailored event; including the use of their unique wine cave that tunnels through the mountain, opening up onto their wedding ceremony site.

Hot Locations for taking Engagement Pictures in Sonoma

Post content and images adapted fromAV Photography
Sonoma County naturally draws couples from around the country and the globe all eager to wed amidst the rolling hills of vineyards and fountains of the finest wines. But what about your non-wedding photo sessions? If you are getting married at a gorgeous winery such as Gundlach Bundschu or Sebastiani, where are you going to take those pre-wedding engagement pictures? Should you double dip and go for images in the same location as your upcoming wedding day?

Sonoma offers many wonderful locations for e-shoots, and you don’t even have to leave the downtown square. Everything from the urban park bench feel, to vibrantly colored and textured walls as backdrops; cute cafe style outdoor dining tables, window shopping, the Sonoma Courthouse steps, or even fun and energetic photos playing around on the swing set in the town square. And if you’re willing to take a little stroll, there’s a host of other great spots such as General Vallejo’s home, the Sonoma Mission, and sprawling fields with mountain backdrops. So next time you are taking a trip into wine country, be sure to touch base with your photographer and work on setting up a short engagement shoot. This is a wonderful way to get to know your photographer better, see them in action, and come away with a host of gorgeous non-wedding images!

Very Intimate Calistoga Wedding at Hans Fahden

Event Coordination by Chris Andrews.

The dream of getting married in the Napa Wine Country is present for many a bride-to-be. However, many couples don’t realize that there are very few venues in Napa County that can legally hold weddings. Well Hans Fahden is one of them, and it is sure to impress! The grounds are meticulously kept up with seasonal flowers and foliage so that the property is always in bloom and at its best. Whether you are looking for a romantic spot to elope, or a venue capable of accommodating a moderately sized guest list, Hans Fahden is a true gem! Photography by AV Photo.

St. Helena Elopement at Charles Krug Winery

You don’t have to be from another state or country in order to elope in Napa! This beautiful bride and groom were from just down the road, south of the Bay Area. But for them, the intimacy and the simplicity of an elopement, without the sacrifice of any of the beauty or meaning behind their wedding was the perfect option. And for that, Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena was the perfect elopement spot! Photography by AV Photo.

Tuscan Style Winery Wedding

Event Coordination by Chris Andrews.

Jeremy and Kirsten and about 70 friends and family flew in from Canada to witness this bride and groom exchange vows in this exquisite winery in Napa. Photography by AV Photo.

The Wine Country Barn or Garden Setting, In Style

content adapted from Robbin Montero of A Dream Wedding
View the original post on A Dream Wedding Blog

Image Courtesy of One True Love Vintage Rentals

Photo Booths Just Make Wedding Receptions More Fun!

content adapted from Robbin Montero of A Dream Wedding
View the original post on A Dream Wedding Blog

Image Provided by AV Photo