Wedding Details
We’ve spent many days and long weekends together in California’s beautiful wine country, so we wanted to celebrate our wedding there. We’re getting married at a vineyard in Sonoma County.
ceremony + reception
Friday October 25, 2019
5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sbragia Family Vineyards
9990 Dry Creek Rd
Geyserville, CA 95441
(707) 473-2992
GETTING to and from sbragia
Here is a direct link to Sbragia Family Vineyards on Google Maps. Please note that for most guests traveling from the South Bay, there will be a $6 toll on the drive up to Geyserville. It’s a beautiful, scenic drive but be aware that cell phone reception is spotty at best.
Lyft and Uber are both available in Geyserville, but due to limited cell reception (limited free WiFi is also available at Sbragia) we recommend scheduling rides home from our wedding ahead of time.
Please note you also have the option to leave your car parked safely at Sbragia overnight if you enjoyed yourself a little more than planned.
about the venue
Sbragia Family Vineyards is a family-owned winery with roots in Sonoma County dating back to 1904. They specialize in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Dry Creek Valley.
The wedding ceremony and reception will be taking place on their outdoor terrace, with access to the indoor tasting room. There will be a range of seating available from rounds at dinner to lounge furniture during cocktail hour and dancing.
We’re told the weather in October there is perfect, but that it can get chilly or windy at times in the evenings. We’ll have fire pits and heaters available, but please plan to bring layers just in case. Ladies should be just fine in heels as it’s all smoothly paved, but be aware there is a short staircase leading up to the terrace.
Travel recommendations
We do not have designated room blocks available in the area. You are free to stay wherever you’d like - but to make a weekend out of it, we’d recommend staying in Healdsburg (15-20 min drive from Sbragia). Santa Rosa (25-30 min drive from Sbragia) has the most affordable hotel options for our wedding weekend.
The most affordable options for our wedding weekend in Healdsburg will either be through Airbnb, the Fairview Inn and Suites, the Raford Inn Bed and Breakfast, or the Best Western Dry Creek Inn. Healdsburg has a great, walkable downtown area filled with antique shops, bakeries, and amazing food options for dinner the night before our wedding or breakfast the morning after. For more luxury accommodations, Hotel Healdsburg has come highly recommended and we’ve also stayed at Hotel Trio, which was very nice and also comes with a handy kitchenette. For restaurants, we’d highly recommend checking out Barndiva and Guiso.
Geyserville also has a few bed and breakfast style locations, like the Geyserville Inn which is very close (approx. 8 min drive) to Sbragia. It is a much quieter town than Healdsburg, but there is also the nearby Francis Ford Coppola Winery for a fun day of wine tasting or lounging by the pool. The grounds are beautiful and also house a lot of film memorabilia.
food + drink
Finally - here comes the REAL important information you’ve been hoping to get the scoop on!
As a guest at our wedding, you’ll be sipping our favorite wines from Sbragia all evening long, including their sparkling wine reserved exclusively for private events and some tasty dessert wines. Assorted beer from Fort Point Beer Company in San Francisco will also be available, as well as various non-alcoholic refreshments.
Our wedding is catered by Girl and the Fig, the amazing Sonoma restaurant of the same name. We’ll have passed hors d’oeuvres, the most epic cheese and charcuterie station the world has ever seen, a plated salad course, plated entrées, and assorted desserts in addition to the wedding cake. We also have a few other details we want to keep a surprise for our guests - but here’s some specifics on our dinner entrées to help you make an informed choice because SIDES MATTER! Also, if you have specific dietary restrictions, make sure you let us know with your RSVP when the time comes. Girl and the Fig can handle pretty much anything and they (and we) want to make sure you enjoy your evening to the max.
Sautéed Alaskan Salmon
Toy box mushroom ragout
Fingerling potatoes
Lemon beurre fondue
Beef Filet
Broccoli rabe
Yukon gold potato purée
Wild mushroom demi
Goat Cheese Gnocchi (Vegetarian)
Roasted corn
Heirloom tomatoes
Basil
OUR WEDDING PARTY
We’re so grateful to our closest family and friends for joining us in celebrating our wedding.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you have done for us!
FAMILY OF THE BRIDE
Don and Katie Carmichael
Madeline Jane and Shelby Quinn Carmichael
Ray and Marilyn Stine
FAMILY OF THE GROOM
Bo Ling Chiu
Lancy Chiu
Cecilia Hom
Connie and Edwin Auyeung
Derrick, Frances, and Jake Auyeung
Jamie Auyeung
Joyce and Pat Maher
Nick and Ken Maher
Tom, Kaitlyn, and Cassidy Chiu
Jimmy and Christina Chiu
Brian and Kevin Chiu
Jenny and William Tam
Melissa and Warren Tam
Matrons of HonoR
Tara Atkins, Melissa Bailey Rodriguez
Bridesmaids
Laura Castañeda, Kristin Schmitz
BEST MEN
Mike Pereira, Scott Ruiz
GROOMSMEN
Matthew Hellen, Christopher Salazar
OFFICIANT
Roxanne Menzies
flower girls
Madeline Jane and Shelby Quinn Carmichael
You're too kind
We've been together a long time and truly have everything we need. Here is some information if you wish to contribute to our honeymoon - or we’d be equally happy with a donation to one of our favorite charities.
We plan to honeymoon in Hawaii, visiting Oahu, the Big Island, and Maui. If you'd like to contribute to our travel or a special activity, we'd love that!
Contribute to our Honeymoon fund with Zola
Colorectal cancer has affected us both personally, as we have each lost a loving parent to this disease. When detected early it is highly treatable, but as 135,000 Americans are diagnosed each year, the age of onset is becoming younger and younger. Colorectal Cancer Alliance empowers a nation of allies who work with them to provide genuine support for patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; to raise awareness of preventive measures; and inspire efforts to fund critical research. With a fierce determination to dramatically impact the way society sees this devastating disease, they exist to end colorectal cancer in our lifetime.
donate to colorectal cancer alliance in honor of alta jane carmichael and jun WO chiu
If you haven't noticed, we love cats (most of all, our own little leopard named Bazooka). Big Cat Rescue earned a perfect 100 score from Charity Navigator, and it is one of the largest accredited sanctuaries in the world. They are home to about 80+ lions, tigers, bobcats, cougars and other species most of whom have been abandoned, abused, orphaned, saved from being turned into fur coats, or retired from performing acts. They work to end abuse at its roots through legislation and education.
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