Lisa and Alex at Fogarty Winery – finally!

These two were among the many couples whose wedding got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Undeterred, they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony close to their originally planned date (so meanwhile they have already been legally married for a good year!) and my company, A Day Like No Other, had the honor of planning afresh with them in 2021. The venue of their choice was still Thomas Fogarty Winery, perched high atop a mountain ridge with million-dollar views over all of Silicon Valley and up to the San Francisco skyline to the North.

Once the bride and the mothers had completed their hair and makeup styling (by Brides by Lydia), the bridal party and closest family was taken to the venue by shuttle (Destination Systems) for pre-ceremony photos (by Hazel Photo – all photos in this blog post except otherwise noted) and video (by Weddings on Film).

When they arrived, the teams of Fogarty Winery, Global Gourmet Catering and Green Petal Designs were already hard at work to prepare everything for the formal Chinese Tea Ceremony.

Bride and groom dressed up for this festive occasion in traditional Chinese gold-embroidered garments.

A friend of the bride explained the cultural meaning and history of the Tea Ceremony to non-Chinese guests and served as an expert Mistress of Ceremonies.

An oversized “Double Happiness” symbol formed the perfect backdrop for the ceremony.

Post-ceremony, the couple changed into lighter outfits for post-ceremony photos, and the predicted rain, thankfully, was late in coming.

Guests were meanwhile enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the open deck, and various crews put the finishing touches on the dinner setup inside the Hill House.