Villa Montalvo Wedding Photos and Video
Villa Montalvo Wedding
Jane and Lichen’s Villa Montalvo Wedding in Saratoga, California was beautiful and inspiring. Just watch the wedding video below!
A Historical Saratoga Wedding Venue
Villa Montalvo has a lot of history. It’s a national historical landmark that was built in 1912 by James Duval Phelan. The name “Villa Montalvo” references 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo, who first coined the name “California”. Nestled within the trees of Saratoga it offers ample greenery, beautiful gardens, and the old Spanish Mediterranean architecture makes for a nice backdrop and unique textures.
Villa Montalvo Wedding Photos:
A few words from the Bride:
How did you two meet?
We met as Juniors in college (he would reach out to me for help on homework), but didn't really get to know each other until later. After graduation, we both moved to SF and shared an apartment with 5 friends. At the end of the year, he told me he liked me. I thought it over and realized I had feelings for him as well, and here we are!
How did Lichen propose?
He asked to go to dinner on a Friday night but first to meet at his apartment. That sounded like the biggest giveaway ever because it was so inefficient to go from my place in Soho all the way uptown when we could've met in the middle. To my surprise, when I got to his apartment, he had lined his entrance hallway with pictures from our relationship. He then walked me to his living room where he had spelled out "Will you marry me?" in stringed lights. One of my best friends and roommate, who left my apartment moments before me, was there to take video/pictures. I ended being caught unaware after all!
What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?
We wanted a simple occasion that was somewhat elevated with elements that all our guests could enjoy. Since we chose a holiday weekend, we knew our guests were probably giving up travel plans to celebrate with us, so it was important that everyone enjoyed their time. We wanted something classic with a touch of whimsy, but not too fussy overall.
What unique elements or DIY details did you include?
We were so lucky to have our friend and bridesmaid, Michelle, design our programs and invitations. They turned out so beautifully! We had guests sign their programs and drop them in a birdcage instead of a guestbook to save paper. We also DIYed pairs of cranes over copper light nests that were place around the venue for some extra flair. Lastly, we had a table where people could choose a charity that we would donate to. We felt it was important to start off our marriage by contributing some of the happiness and generosity we received to others.
What was your favorite moment?
Our favorite moment were our vows and the dancing! It was so great to see our friends AND our parents let loose.
Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc.
Our florist Jessica at Bloomsgiving did such a great job taking my scattered thoughts and turning them into something beautifully tangible on the day of the wedding. We wanted something effortless and elegant so there were a lot of greens, blush, and white throughout the wedding.
I've always loved Rosa Clara wedding dresses and knew I wanted something with sleeves, airy, and vintage-inspired. With these qualities in mind, I narrowed it down to the 2015 Idoia dress. I was so lucky to find it at a Long Island boutique where they had a sample size in good condition and it fit me really well! It was also the first snow of New York. Fortunately, one of the groomsmen had a car and lived not too far from the boutique.
We chose Hand In Hand because of their sustainability and their buy a bar solution to combat water-related illnesses. The bars served double-duty as name markers for the guests!
Our display cake was a faux cake from Etsy with a slot for a real slice for pictures sake. It did the job pretty well and has continued to serve its purpose for future brides! Our actual cake that was edible for guests was a yummy Swedish princess cake.
Describe your wedding day in your own words:
Joyful and memorable. Even though the day went by so quickly and there was so much to do, it helped that overall we felt relaxed and could enjoy ourselves because there weren't any major hiccups. Our wedding coordinators, Natalie and Steph, also did a great job behind the scenes, and we knew we could count on them to sort out all the details so that we could focus on our special day.
What is one piece of advice that you could give brides-to-be?
Really take the time to be present on the day of because it goes by so quickly! Trust yourself that all your planning up to the day has paid off and truly enjoy the moment because its one of those rare occasions you are surrounded by everyone you love. :)
Event Partners:
Wedding Planner: Natalie Lagator
Photographer: Outlive Creative
Cinematographer: Outlive Creative
Venue: Villa Montalvo
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