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Emily of Emily Coyne Events contacted me not to long ago about an amazing couple that she was working with for a Napa Valley wedding at Shibumi Knoll Winery in St. Helena, and said I would be a perfect fit for them. I was honored to be considered, as Emily and I have worked closely for a few years while she worked as the Director of Events at the prestigious Auberge du Soleil. I knew from experience with Emily that this was going to be an amazing and beautiful wedding, so I was excited to work with her, and to meet her couple!
I first met Loredana and Badr over the phone before they hired me, and we hit it off right away! These are two of the most genuine people you will ever meet! Their vision for their wedding was music to my ears!
After TWO engagement shoots we quickly became fast friends! The first one we spent at Lands End for a beautiful evening at Sutro Baths. On a different day Loredana and Badr got all dressed up and we spent some time shooting at the remarkable San Francisco City Hall. It was one of my favorite engagement shoots all year! I was excited to see that they printed so many of our photos to display at their wedding!
Fast forward to the wedding day… I have been anxiously anticipating this wedding all year! It’s so enjoyable to work with and along side such wonderful people! Below are just a handful of my favorite moments from Loredan and Badr’s special day. I hope you enjoy!
Wedding Vendors
Wedding Photography by Brian MacStay and Michelle Davis of Brian MacStay Photography
Photo Assistance by Mike Estanol
Wedding Event Planning and Design by Emily Coyne Events
Bride Getting Ready Location – Calistoga Ranch
Groom and Groomsmen Shave and Haircut – The Executive Room
Ceremony & Reception Venue – Shibumi Knoll Vineyards
Videography: 5 Star Productions
Florals and Lounge Furnishings: Rion Designs
Rentals: Theoni Collection and Encore Event Rentals
Linens: La Tavola
Music: Dave Tutton
Valet: USA Valet Parking
Catering: Radish Leaf Cusine
Cake: Batter and Bliss
Beauty: Christi Reynolds Beauty, Hair by Krystle Tanton, and Beauty Box Makeup Arts
Vintage Limo: Napa Valley Tours and Transportation
Dance Lessons: Jasmine Worrell Dance
Dress: Pronovias
Childcare: Nannies of the Valley
I asked Loredana and Badr to write me something to share with us a little bit about them. I love that they did because it will help me remember them, the love they share, and great times of shooting, dining, and celebrating at their wedding. Here is what they wrote:
“Loredana and I met through her old boss, Kathy. Kathy and I (Badr) became friends after we met at a work conference back in 2009. During a beer session at a conference in 2013, she told me “your future wife works in my lab” (Loredana was a research scientist at the time). Only thing was, I lived in Houston, TX and she lived in San Fran. Lo and behold, I got a work opportunity to move to California in early 2014. Shortly after, Kathy came to our headquarters for a workshop and brought Loredana with her. She invited me out with them to meet up for beers, and immediately Loredana and I hit it off. We dropped Kathy off after the first round, and Loredana and I stayed out for a few more hours, drank beer and played trivia. We went on a real date a few days later at a Sushi restaurant in San Francisco, and the spark hasn’t died down since.
What keeps the spark going is how similar we are foundationally, even though we are different in many ways. We both love exploring life, meeting people, seeing places, sharing experiences. We both believe that there is something fundamentally beautiful about most people, most places, and most things, and we want to discover that beauty. That keeps us actively partnering up to look for those things together, so we can share them with each other. But ultimately, it’s our joy to be able to share the fruits of our labor with those people closest to us. We both get giddy to show pictures of our travels and share stories and mementos. Sharing Shibumi Knoll and celebrating with everyone at the wedding, including you and your team, Brian was so fulfilling for both of us.
We like to travel, ski, hike, cook, and eat. We love laying around on our couch with Bear (the cat) and watching movies. We love our family with all of our hearts. We both keep a small, tight-knit group of friends who have now become friends themselves. I love to grill meat and eat, she loves to cook and bake. ”
Brian photographs weddings and events in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, the Monterey and Carmel Peninsula, Wine Country including Sonoma County and the Napa Valley, the East Bay, San Jose, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and wedding destinations worldwide.