Firehouse Restaurant Wedding in Old Town Sacramento

Overall Theme

“When we first started planning, Dan and I really wanted our wedding to reflect each of our backgrounds. I grew up on a farm, and he is from a big Italian family and grew up in the city. It was really natural for us to pull a theme from each of our upbringings, and therefore we referred to our day as, ‘Rustic Italian meets Farm Chic’. We used lots of rosemary in our stationery and in our flowers to tie the theme together. Almost every detail was created by ourselves, which helped us to put a spin on how we perceived our different backgrounds coming together as one. We also wanted the day to really be about celebrating family, and incorporating these elements really embraced where we both came from and what we appreciate about our families.”

Wedding Stationery

“I created the invitations and all other wedding stationary on an iPad app called, Makr. Using an app was a lot of fun because I was able to customize each portion of the invitation, and I was also able to work on them in front of the television for a few nights. I loved sharing my new designs with Dan and tweaking them to perfectly portray the feeling of our event to our guests.”

Wedding Flowers

“Erin from Scarlett & Grace created our flowers, and we could not have asked more gorgeous arrangements! We knew we wanted rosemary, olive branches and peonies, and Erin worked her magic to create truly stunning pieces. She also beautifully tied in our theme by placing the arrangements in rustic wooden boxes, and by creating a breathtaking arrangement for the ceremony arch that reminded me of one that my mom has on our farm.”

Wedding Ceremony Music

• Processional & Bride’s Entrance – Over the Rainbow by Harry Nilsson (From You’ve Got Mail)
• Recessional – Ain’t That a Kick in the Head by Dean Martin

Wedding Favors for Guests

“For two nights in a row, along with our mothers and Dan’s twin brother, we made bottles upon bottles of olive oil. For two nights we poured the oil, infused the bottles with rosemary, and tied tags with the herb attached. At times we felt over our heads in olive oil, but we have the hilarious memories that accompanied making each one.”

Where did you go on your Honeymoon?

“For our honeymoon, we went on a Mediterranean cruise. We were so lucky to visit gorgeous cities in Spain, France, Greece, Turkey and Italy. It was an unforgettable trip that allowed us to celebrate our new marriage, and to reflect upon all that we are blessed with, in some of the most stunning places in the world.”

Tell us About the Wedding Budget

“Given that we wanted decor that highlighted our personal styles and that truly fit our theme, we hand-made and designed almost every detail. Due to this decision, we saved a lot of money by creating several items ourselves. Our families were also vital in helping us make everything from votives wrapped in paper, to creating too many bottles of olive oil!”

Bride’s Attire

“My dress was a lace, mermaid-style gown by Modeca. My sisters and our mothers visited two dress shops with me, and I fell in love with the same dress in both stores. The shoes were by Coach and the moment I saw them, they reminded me of Dorothy’s ruby slippers – my favorite character in my favorite movie. I wanted that piece of childhood on our day and loved how they complimented the dress.”

Bridesmaids’ Attire

“For months, my sisters, mom and I searched for the perfect navy colored dress. Finally, my older sister found the beaded Adrianna Papell dresses from Nordstrom. I loved how they looked on them and loved that they found them very comfortable.”

Bridesmaids’ Gifts

“Given that we chose just our siblings to be in our bridal party, I wanted to personalize their presents and give them things that fit each of their styles. I bought them each a different pair of sandals, a leather tote bag, a clutch for the wedding with several essentials, and a misshapen pearl necklace for them to wear with their dresses. We exchanged the gifts the night before the wedding, where they gave me a beautiful Kate Spade purse for the honeymoon, a gorgeous Tiffany’s knot necklace set, and for Dan, they gave him a watch that he wore the next day.”

Ceremony and Reception Highlights

“Our first favorite part of the day was the ceremony. Throughout the ceremony, we both had a great sense of calmness that really helped us to breathe in every single moment. This relaxed time allowed us to enjoy every word spoken by the pastor, to take in our vows, and to have the hilarious memory of our little flower girl walking back up the aisle mid ceremony.

“We also both had an unspoken sweet moment as we sat at our sweetheart table before dinner. Sitting in silence, we both remember looking out in awe and thinking, ‘this is so amazing that everyone we love is celebrating with us.’ In that moment, without saying so to one another, we both felt so lucky and incredibly loved.

“Lastly, our families’ speeches were the best we had ever heard. Each speech was a reflection of each of their great personalities, and we loved laughing and crying along with them.”

Best Advice you got while Planning your Wedding?

“Throughout the planning process, many people told us to make the details about us and to not lose sight of the big picture of becoming husband and wife. Every time we worked on details, we tried to focus on that great advice and to really have each aspect of our wedding be a reflection of our relationship.”