October 26, 2017

An Oregon Wedding at Cana’s Feast Winery | Sarah + Matt

Wedding

If I didn't believe in fate before, I think I do now.  Sarah and Matt contacted me this past January while I was traveling throughout the middle east, in Israel and Jordan.  On the particular day they chose to contact me, I had been in the Biblical town of Cana.  When I saw that they were getting married at a winery called Cana's Feast, named after the very town I was in, I hoped and prayed they would book me because I took it as a very auspicious sign that we were meant to work together.  They did, and their wedding was one of the most beautiful celebrations of love I have ever had the pleasure of documenting.

Any wedding where the bride and groom opt to have a champagne sabering is a party, but that was just one small detail that made up this fantastic celebration.  The most refreshing thing about Sarah and Matt’s wedding was that they chose to infuse every aspect of their wedding day with details and memories that were important to them.  In a time when couples often feel pressured by tradition or social media to create a wedding that looks like others that have come before theirs, Sarah and Matt seemed to strip that all away and only leave the aspects that were true to them as a couple.  Their wedding location, Cana’s Feast, is traditionally not a wedding venue, but the couple is friends with the head winemaker and chose to marry there because the space had grown so meaningful to them.  They envisioned a celebration that showcased their love of food and wine, so the winery was a perfect fit.  Matt’s grandfather, who had passed away a few years ago, was a minister and had performed many of the weddings in the family previously.  In order to honor him and this tradition, they asked Matt’s uncle to officiate their wedding in his place.  After the ceremony, the couple enjoyed a leisurely cocktail hour, where they were able to mingle with family and friends and create beautiful, lasting memories.  Many couples rush through this part of the day and say they feel like they missed so much, yet the slow and laid back pace of Sarah and Matt’s day was a joy.  To showcase their love of fine cuisine, they hired Crown Paella to come and prepare two different versions of the beautiful Spanish dish on site.  Behind the sweetheart table was a wall made up of all their wonderful memories they made while dating, including a cardboard deer head, which played homage to one of their favorite date games, Deer Hunter.  Following heartfelt toasts, all guests moved from the dining area to the dance floor, where another love of Sarah and Matt’s was shared: music.  The Junebugs, a band the couple were very excited about, played into the night and nearly every guest danced clear through the last song.

I hope a wedding like this will inspire future engaged couples to plan a wedding for themselves.  Of course, a wedding is about the coming together of family and friends as well, but it should not cater to their tastes.  Sarah and Matt made their wedding a celebration of not only their love, but also everything they love and share as a couple.  They presented these things in a beautiful way that allowed family and friends to truly appreciate them.  Lastly, take note of all of the veggies.  Sarah’s love of veggies was subtly on display all throughout the decor from veggie baskets to rainbow chard in mason jars!

Venue: Cana's Feast Winery

Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Erika from Your Perfect Bridesmaid

Bride's Dress: Elizabeth Dye from The English Department

Hair + Make-up: Kelli Thomasen

Rentals: Party Place

Live Band: The Junebugs

Catering: Crown Paella

Cake: Sarah's Dad

A San Francisco Rooftop Couples Session | Angela + Nathan

Prev

A Hattiesburg Bottling Company Wedding | Katie + Devon

Next