Santa Ynez Winery Wedding with French Country Charm

Imagine a golden limestone villa in the South of France, with antique wood beams and climbing roses turning the grand estate into a romantic fairy tale – sound like a once-in-a-lifetime European find? Just visit Sunstone Villa, a Santa Ynez winery that is the jewel on California’s Central Coast for visiting, wine tasting and, of course, getting married! These gorgeous wedding photos by Tiffany Longeway Photography show off the beautiful private estate venue and winery, dressed to the nines with French Country elegance to complement the architecture of the beautiful space and create a romantic wedding day in pastel blue, pink, and purple with sophisticated rustic style.

French Country style for a Santa Ynez Winery Wedding

Welcome to the Santa Ynez valley – a dreamy little escape to wine country in Central Coast, California. This also happens to be where my new husband and I spent our ‘mini-moon’ honeymoon after we were married in April – and Sunstone Winery was one of the must-see Santa Ynez wineries on our list. You can feel the attention to detail at their South of France-inspired tasting room, and the spectacular villa on top of the hill where they hold weddings takes things to the next level.

This gorgeous alcove at Sunstone Villa makes for a natural ceremony space thanks to the rounded limestone walls and the reclaimed wood beams from a lavender farm in Provence. Heather Benge Events and Cece Designs drew inspiration from the French Country style of the villa, with climbing roses on the towering golden walls directly influencing the floral arch at the ceremony backdrop. With such a stunning architectural villa to draw focus, the team used aisle decor to lead the eye – and the guests – towards the altar decorations where the magic took place!

The bride’s off-the-shoulder wedding dress added to the dreamy romance of the French villa venue, with a full tulle skirt accented with lace appliques.

To create a sense of intimacy at such a grand wedding venue, the design team set up a cozy draped canopy on the Santa Ynez winery’s lawn. Party Pleasers set the reception with whitewashed linen furniture to create a French Country lounge and dining area in the beautiful pavilion. A vintage candle chandelier overhead added to the elegant country style of the gorgeous outdoor dining experience!

To give the tablescape a personal touch, Legacy House Creatives crafted engraved charcuterie boards that doubled as both wedding decor and customized favors! The gorgeous wood cutting boards were displayed at each guests’ seat with a sprig of lilac to tie in the gorgeous cottage garden flowers in purple and white. Gold flatware and china details accented the purple linen napkins, adding dreamy pastel colors alongside the blush and dusty blue flowers in the centerpiece.

I love how the design team used the vintage architecture of the Santa Ynez winery to create a gorgeous cake table backdrop! A beautiful wood cake display board was engraved with the couple’s crest to show off the peach and lavender cake by Nicole Bakes Cakes and offer an heirloom detail for the couple to treasure!

WEDDING VENDORS –

Photography: Tiffany Longeway Photography | Wedding Planning: Heather Benge Events | Southern California Wedding Venue: Sunstone Winery | Florist: Cece Designs | Wedding Cake: Nicole Bakes Cakes | Hair Styling and Makeup: Sunkissed and Made Up | Wedding Dress: Styled Gowns | Groom’s Attire: The Modern Groom | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Event Rentals: Party Pleasers | Linen Rentals: Nuage Designs | Wedding Invitations and Stationery Design: Invitations by Whitney | Favors: Legacy House Creatives | Submitted via: Matchology