Every so often I clear a day, call in favors from the vendors I love most, and shoot something with no client and no timeline — just to keep the well full. This September it was Temecula, an hour up the 15 from San Diego, where the vines turn the color of honey in late afternoon.
The palette
We built everything around warm neutrals: oatmeal linen, unbleached muslin, garden roses in the softest blush, and brass instead of gold. The goal was a table that looked like it had always been there, like the vineyard grew it.
“Good light is a vendor too. Plan your day around it and everything else gets easier.”
Three things this shoot reminded me
- Brass photographs warmer than gold — every time.
- A single bud vase per place setting reads richer than one giant centerpiece.
- If you want vineyard golden hour, your ceremony needs to start two hours before sunset, not one.
If you're getting married in wine country and want this exact mood, send me a note — I'll connect you with every vendor on this list.
The dream team
- Venue
- Avensole Vineyard
- Florals
- The Dainty Lion
- Rentals
- Sunday Collective
- Cake
- Le Macaron Temecula