Classic Winter Elegance for a Rustic Vintage Barn Wedding

I would be hard pressed to find a more magical wedding than this sweet, snowy fête from onelove photography and Going Lovely! Their enchanted destination wedding at the storied Union Hill Inn is the epitome of classic winter elegance – not to mention the perfect example of blessings in disguise on your wedding day! Bess and Austin woke up to an enchanting dusting of snow on their wedding day – not an unusual sight for a December wedding, but far from expected in the hills of Northern California. The sudden snowfall gave their stylish white and gold wedding day a classic winter elegance, and came with the lovely side effect of knocking out the power at the Union Hill Inn where their ceremony and reception were to take place. After eight years of going through life’s ups and downs together, including long stretches of distance while Austin traveled with his minor league baseball team, this lovely pair wasn’t about to let a little thing like a lack of electricity stand in the way of their wedding day. The darkened chapel, lit by lanterns along the aisle and dozens of gold dipped pillar candles on the altar, became reminiscent of one of Bess’s favorite holiday traditions – a candlelit mass. Guests each received individual lanterns to help light the couple’s vows. Their ceremony – written by the pair and their loved ones and performed by a mutual friend – captured the personal details of their life together while incorporating the friends and family who had supported their relationship every step of the way. One of the things that made me fall head over heels with this wedding was the seamless integration of Bess and Austin’s love story into the design of their wedding day! Their mutual love of the cozy, family-oriented winter months – which just so happened to coincide with the baseball off-season – factored into their chosen wedding date. The small town feel of their Sonora destination wedding reminded them of traveling to be together during their long-distance years, and gave them the perfect opportunity to gather their loved ones close to celebrate. The Gold Country setting even factored into Bess’s love of the metallic hue, leading Christie and PJ of Going Lovely to incorporate gold dipped decor wherever they could find it! The bride herself managed to bring the same classic glamour to her wedding day attire, in a silk Jin Wang Bridal gown with an embellished illusion collar and artfully draped sash. Her faux fur shrug and stylish neutral booties ended up being the perfect accessories for an unexpectedly snowy wedding day!

PHOTO CREDITS –

Photography by onelove photography | Coordination and Event Design by Going Lovely | Ceremony and Reception held at Union Hill Inn | Floral Design by Maison De LaCroix | Vintage Rentals by Milk Glass Vintage Rentals | Wedding Cake designed by Corner Space Cakes | Catering by Lunch Lady Catering | Lighting by Classic Party Rentals | Stationery designed by Compass & Cloud and Brown Fox Calligraphy | DJ by DJ 2Degrees | Live Music by Before The Brave | Chalkboard Art by Swoon Custom Chalk | Candy Bar by The Candy Store | Videography by Amari Productions | Wedding Dress designed by Jin Wang Bridal | Bridal Shoes by Sole Society | Bridal Party Jewelry by BHLDN | Bridal Accessories by Mignonne Handmade | Bride and Bridesmaids’ Faux Fur by SC Love Collections | Bridal Hair & Makeup by Minia Makeup | Groom’s Attire by Taylor Stitch | Groomsmen’s Attire by The Cordial Churchman and JCrew | First Dance Choreography by Annemarie Of The 8Count