Picture Perfect Timing for a Vineyard Wedding

As a photographer, I know that the timing of an outdoor wedding is key.  Lighting, lighting, lighting!!!  That’s why when I met with Nicole last summer to go over the details of her wedding I was thrilled to find out that she herself was a photographer.  She planned her whole wedding around the lighting that would be in the vineyard the evening she got married.   I think you will be able tell the difference in the pictures below.  So, remember when planning for your wedding that lighting is very important!

A note from Nicole:

"My husband, David, and I were married at Chaumette on October 22, 2011 and it was an amazing experience. Our dream was to be married amongst the grape vines and they were very open to that idea. They said we could be married anywhere on the property- at the church, near the lake, near the villas, in the ballroom, or in the grape vines. They have indoor and outdoor options in case of inclement weather. Our family said it was a beautiful place to get married!

We live in Baltimore and decided to get married in Missouri because we have family there and in surrounding states. We visited many venues in late September of 2010 and fell in love with Chaumette the minute we saw the rolling hills of grapevines, perfectly manicured land full of that season’s best flowers and the beautiful buildings. When we had lunch that same day, Chef Adam Lambay and his kitchen staff were coming up with the specials of the day and they were very creative. They then went in the kitchen and prepared the most wonderful meal! My husband and I are very much in love with food (and each other!) and that meal further solidified our desire to have the wedding there. Their wine selection is vast and there is something for every taste. The menu options for events are extensive and would have something to suit anyone’s desire. "

Photography by : Silver Box

Silver Box Blog: Sliver Box Blog

Our Beautiful Barrel Room

Our Barrel Room at Chaumette is used for several things, mainly for smaller, intimate weddings and wedding rehearsal dinners.  We also hold our annual Barrel Room dinner there, hosted by Chef Adam Lambay and our Winemaker Mark Baehmann. The atmosphere is very calming, and romantic, yet festive!  Some families choose to host their rehearsal dinners in a theme.  One of our couple's honeymoon was planned in Ireland, so the Mother of the Groom chose to go with an "Irish Themed" rehearsal dinner.  They served dinner family style on one long table.   We also placed green chair ties on all of the chairs.  The Irish music piped through our Ipod system completed the Irish feeling.  In my opinion it was one of the best rehearsal dinners we had in 2011.  I have a few in the works that are shaping up to be pretty special too!

The Barn at Chaumette Update

I just wanted to do a quick update on the progress of the Barn at Chaumette....well, that is the official name.  I think the artwork above says a lot about the direction we are heading with this project.  Rustic with a splash of elegance, or Country Class.  There are several ways of describing it, at this point I am not sure what my favorite is.

So, here are a few pictures of the floor being put in inside to level out where the actual stalls were taken out.



Outside:

Drawing:

Jacob and Kelley: July Wedding at the Winery

I will always remember Kelley.  She is one of the first Brides I had the pleasure of working with at Chaumette.  I instantly found her to be adorable, inside and out! 

 She aslo introduced me to http://www.etsy.com/ .   She ordered this wedding tree from etsy:

Instead of a guest book, her guest would use a stamp pad and add their thumbprint to the tree, then sign their name.  I would suggest a visit to the website would be worth  your time, I found a lot of neat things there.

I wanted to share a quote from Kelley:

"I come from a family of wine lovers who enjoy visiting wineries in all parts
of the United States. We are lucky that among all of the wineries we have
seen, our favorite winery is in our own backyard in Southeast Missouri.
Chaumette is a breathtaking winery that rests at the peak of a rolling hill.
It has the feeling of a mom and pop winery, but has amenities to suggest
otherwise. Two years ago, my finance and I stood on the porch outside
Chaumette's tasting room while looking out over the beautiful countryside.
It was here that we made the easy decision to choose Chaumette as our
wedding venue.  We were able to use the elegant and natural atmosphere at
Chaumette to create our dream wedding. There is no need for excess
decorations at Chaumette, because the venue speaks for itself. We added
simple paper cones to the church pews and filled them with fresh cut vines
from our own garden. The reception tables were also adorned with simple
greenery, and corks were used as placeholders. We received so many
complements on the food, and there was plenty to leave every guest more than
satisfied. Our favorite part of the day was when we snuck out of the
reception with our photographers so that we could have some snapshots of us
enjoying the last few minutes of daylight on the grounds. Our wedding gave
the feel of destination wedding, while being so close to home."

Here are some of those photos that she is speaking of:

Here is one of my favorites:

Kelley and Jacob's Ceremony took place at our Chapel, St. Vincent's in the Vineyard, and their reception was held in the Jacquelyn Ballroom and the adjoining Genevieve Room.  They had around 180 guest in attendance.  The menu for the evening was two themed stations, American and Italian.  Served for dessert were some very delicious cupcakes!

Here are a few more pics from that day:

Jacob sang to Kelley

 Ceremony / Reception Venue: Chaumette Winery | Photographer: White Klump Photography | Cupcakes, The Sweet Divine| Florist: Frank Trankler |  Gateway DJs

Invitations and Programs: Nealon Design |