Beautiful weather, acres of grape vines, and a quaint town filled with loved ones are three elements that are sure to make any destination wedding absolutely divine. This trifecta made it simple for Frank and Elaina to host their destination wedding in a location where fine wine is as easily accessible as water. With the company of their most cherished loved ones, soon-to-be newlyweds jetted across the country to Franciscan Estate Winery in Napa Valley.

“We love Napa! We wanted an intimate wedding with our closest friends and family. The beautiful scenery, amazing wine and elegant dining was a must for our wedding experience,” explains Elaina. Because the couple had been to Napa several times, they were comfortable with the area. With the help of a wedding planner, Elaina and Frank organized the details of their wedding with ease while sticking to their budget.

Elaina put a great deal of effort and creativity into preparing goodies to accent their wine-filled weekend. She assembled welcome gift baskets filled with Napa’s finest treats including cheese, chocolates and nuts. She even included hangover kits to which she exclaimed, “Hey! It’s wine country!” Guests also received personalized wine charms for their glasses, dressy flip-flops for the ladies at the reception and parasols for sun protection at the ceremony.

At the wedding reception, Elaina changed into traditional Indian attire to perform an Indian-inpired dance. To make the event even more fun, the couple traded the traditional money dance in for a messy cake-smashing contest. The night ended with a soul train line, the perfect finale to a delightfully festive evening.

All in all, the couple saved money by hosting a destination wedding. Although their wedding would have still been lovely with three times the guests, closer to home, it would not have had the same charm and significance as their soirée in Napa. Elaina admits, “we wouldn’t have had enough time to spend quality time with the ones that mean the most to us. With a small wedding, we were able to make great memories with the intimate setting and it was like a vacation for everyone, an aspect I loved.”

Vendors: Photographer: Vivian Chen, Wedding Planner: Christina Andrews, Ceremony/Reception Site: Franciscan Estate Winery, Gown Designer: Lazaro, Florist: Paige Benjamin at Passiflora Designs, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Daville Designers