Vintage Hoedown: Chrissy + Alex

Chrissy and Alex hosted a fabulous vintage inspired hoedown the night before their wedding. (See Chrissy + Alex's Vintage Inspiration.) Guests were invited to "cut a swell in their best cowboy attire" and boy, did they ever.

We shuttled everyone to a private Napa Valley ranch for the evening. The bride and groom selected theme music from some classic westerns to play on the ride to the ranch. Upon arrival, guests were greeted with whiskey sours, deviled eggs, and the tunes of a blue grass band. In case guests forgot their cowboy attire (which no one did), we filled baskets with cowboy hats and bandannas. Even the servers got into the hoedown spirit, donning plaid shirts and dungarees.

Dinner included classic Southern staples like cowboy buttermilk fried chicken, BBQ ribs, corn bread and biscuits. Guests dined at picnic tables, perfectly adorned with flowers by Kathleen Deery Design. Table names, like "The Lone Ranger" were cleverly burned into wood signs, nestled in tin pots.

After dinner, we showed a country western themed movie about Chrissy and Alex. It was such a fun twist on a traditional rehearsal dinner short. Guests square danced with line callers and indulged in s'mores with gourmet fixings under the stars. We even staged a vintage "bake sale" with lots of vintage cakes from Perfect Endings.

At the end of the evening, guests took home mini burlap bags with a bronco stenciled on filled with old-fashioned cowboy themed candies. It was one heck of a hoedown!

Catering by Dan Ripley. Flowers by Kathleen Deery Design. Printed materials by Mr. Boddington's Studio. Table numbers by PS Paper. Blue Grass Band booked through Innovative Entertainment. Photography by Thayer Allyson Gowdy.