One Couple's Literary-Inspired Black-Tie Wedding in Napa Valley, California

An image of a living room curated with Restoration Hardware pieces formed the inspiration for the black-tie wedding of Barbara Lodde (35 and a property manager) and Mark Reynolds (33 and an AP English Language teacher). Ultimately, the couple wanted a celebration that felt timeless and classic, yet fresh and contemporary. To pull off this nuanced look, Barbara and Mark were very intentional with their design selections, like pairing modern black taper candles with elegant cut-crystal stemware for their tablescape. While hosting a formal, refined event was important for the to-be-weds, they also prioritized making the day feel like “them” by sprinkling personalized details throughout, even adding stamps bearing their young daughter Ruth’s image to the wedding invitations. “Mark is an avid reader, with a collection of books in the hundreds,” Barbara shares. To honor his interest, a shelf displayed custom journals conveying guest table assignments. The vignette included a vintage chalkboard that instructed guests to pick up their journals, which doubled as favors.

The couple “wanted a clear delineation between the ceremony and dinner aesthetics,” with the mood growing more formal as the wedding progressed. “For me, a daytime event should always have a more relaxed, easy feel,” Barbara says of the softer ceremony design that preceded the candlelit tented reception.  “Under the tent, we incorporated black dining chairs and candlelight to elevate the experience of a formal dinner party.” The arrangements incorporated roses, ranunculus, lisianthus, tulips, veronica, sage, dusty miller and stock. For the reception, Barbara changed out of her long-sleeved crepe gown into a party-ready selection with ample beading. When exiting the reception, guests grabbed monogrammed glass water bottles and satchels that included lip balm, eye drops and electrolyte powder.