Wedding Video: An Overflowing Cup
One of the aesthetic perks of doing wedding videography in northern California is being asked to cover events set at the crown jewels of our regional agriculture: wineries. The combination of lush vineyard scenery, striking architecture, and -- more often than not -- spectacular views practically pours great shots into the camera lens. The hardest part of the day can be shutting down the camcorder and calling it a wrap.
Last weekend I was in Santa Rosa for the wedding of Katie Watson and Dan Lindell. Katie and Dan were married at the bright, airy Star of the Valley Catholic Church, off the Sonoma Highway -- the only church I've ever visited that has a polo field just across the road. The reception was north of town, up in the hills, at the Paradise Ridge Winery.
The road to Paradise Ridge ascends through meadows studded with huge modern sculptures.
The winery building itself faces west, overlooking the Russian River Valley. A wide, covered wooden deck runs the length of the second story. The hillside falls away below, sloping down to a broad apron of vineyards. Beyond the vines are oak trees, fields, and in the distance, Highway 101 and the northern districts of Santa Rosa.
At the south end of the building a wide staircase leads down to a long stone-walled patio that curves along the hillside. The patio's high back wall, rising from flower beds and fountains, is criscrossed with vines. Paradise Ridge set the patio with several dozen tables for the wedding guests, who enjoyed their dinner as the sun sank toward the western hills and the shadows lengthened in the vineyards below. When the meal was done, everyone moved indoors to the dance floor -- except those guests who lingered outside on the deck to watch a brilliant sunset. By the time the dancing began, the sky was dark and the lights of Santa Rosa were starting to twinkle in the distance.
The view reminded me of one of my favorite weddings from the 2005 season, held at the Thomas Fogarty Winery up on Skyline Boulevard in Woodside. The Thomas Fogarty hilltop property faces east, so it doesn't have as good a vantage point for sunsets; but it makes up for that with a phenomenal, glittering nighttime view of Silicon Valley and the East Bay.
Back at Paradise Ridge, Jeremy Hinton -- a.k.a. D J Big Boy of Bay Area Sound Service -- kept the dance floor packed all night. He adroitly segued from one song to the next, maintaining a tempo that probably would have cleared the floor at most parties. But the Watsons, Lindells, and their friends and relatives were up to the challenge. My bet is that Katie and Dan will pass a lot of stamina on to their children.
Driving back down the hill later, as the lights of the city winked through the oak trees, I found myself mentally replaying the sights and shots of the afternoon. The sun had been full on the green vineyards and the gold hills. The bridesmaids -- in vivid pink dresses -- were posing for pictures against that backdrop. It almost seemed as if you could get great footage by closing your eyes and pointing the camera in any direction. Experiences like that make us appreciate the opportunities we have to do videography in the wine country -- and, in our own way, to bottle those moments for clients to savor years afterward.
