July 10, 2007

• David Girard Vineyard in Placerville, Ca.

   

  
  

  I decided to edit this and give a beginning and end to the experience I had shooting this wedding…

  
  

   

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

  Chris & Melissa were married at the very beautiful David Girard Vineyard last month. What a beautiful spot for a lovely wedding day. They have a great staff and the people who own this place are just the nicest down to earth people! When we arrived we pulled of the road to enter the gates. We could see immediately how expansive this vineyard is. We spotted the long white reception tent set back and sitting at the top of the first hilltop. It is the first thing that greets you as you motor up their long curved drive which gives you the feeling of getting off the beaten road. After visiting the tent site we then drove down the backside of the hilltop to see the most sweetest, peaceful lake that lies in the valley of the vineyard. 

  
  

  From this lake there are two roads that flank either side. One rambles to the right and up again to another hilltop and to one of their two wedding sites. The other grades down and to the left taking you to the wine tasting room and the other wedding site beyond.

  
  

  The wine tasting room has a very custom looking atmosphere. Dark woods with clean lines and lots of window light. Very inviting. I would love to stop by on a lazy afternoon and sit out under one of their clean white umbrellas and sip one of their wines which I have yet to do. No sipping while we are working! haha

  
  

  Behind the wine tasting room is another road that follows up to a bluff that is becoming the second wedding spot. It has an open grass area in the shape of a horseshoe that faces the valley on one side and on the other faces the hillside. The view from there is spectacular giving you an interior view of the vineyard.

  
  

  The wedding spot that Chris and Melissa chose was the one that traveled up to the right of the lake. When we turned the corner and saw this spot we smiled from ear to ear. This is a beautiful spot with gorgeous Tuscan columns. It is the one featured in the photo above. Since a picture paints a thousand words I think you get the idea. It sits atop a hill with the wooded hillside behind the colums that dips down to the lake below and the wine tasting room to the right of that.    

  
  

  The vineyard had so many choices of places for the adventurous photographer and bride and groom…especially if you have the freedom to follow the light!

  
  

  The columns at their chosen spot added to Melissa’s beautiful ivory dress with the sepia overlay lace. Her taste was impeccable throughout the wedding. Melissa chose a beautiful coppery brown from the earth and a brilliant shimmery blue from the sky. It is hard when you love black and white to turn any of these gorgeous photos B/W. How can you do that with this much color in the world? David Girard Vineyard had it all! Every shade of green and earth tone to anchor your eye and the blue skies to set them skyward. From the dark lake lying peacefully in the valley reflecting the tree line on the shore to the colorful flowers planted around the fountain.

  
  

  The David Girard Vineyard tasting room is reminicent of a European villa. The stucco clay colored building and wrought iron balcony gives it just the right feel of being transported. The colorfully planted fountain invites you further into the experience. It says, “Come this way there is more to come.” The wine tasting room is cozy and architecturally comfortable with clean lines reflecting the lines of a row of the most impossibly straight vine rows outside. It’s family owned and I  tend to believe this venue reflects their modern, Eurpopean, classic feel of their personalities. 

  
  

   When the Wedding Ceremony was concluded we made our way to the Reception Tent . The west facing walls were rolled up treating you to a feast of hills and valleys as far as the eye could see. As the sun began to set it splashed the vineyard with the most beautiful golden light and the mountains in the far background became a perfect silhouetted backdrop.  

  
  

  After the sun dipped below the horizon and the stars came out to play I drew away to get the full effect of the evening. The light from within the tent glowed a beautiful amber and the joy inside of laughter and dancing filled my ears I thanked God for such beauty and love and happiness. You dont forget moments like that! 

  
  

  ****** 

  
  

  (This is a picture Lindsay took back from the middle of the vineyard during their ceremony. We can’t wait to show the rest!)

  • 9:46 pm
  • 22 Comments