wedding's eve

Stefan and I love culture.  We love learning about it, indulging in it, joking about it, and finding any excuse to get dressed up because of it.

One of the many, many reasons we were so pumped for our wedding weekend was that it represented the coming together of so many different people from so many unique cultures that have contributed so much to our lives. We had guests from Munich to Maine, Brooklyn to Boca Grande, Canada to Connecticut, Milwaukee to Middlebury, New York to North Hampton, Zurich to Indiana – all unique and special and wonderful. We wanted the night before the big day to represent our special celebration of all these cultures – a toast to the differences in each and every one attending.

It felt rather fitting that Stefan's fabulously generous parents host both the rehearsal dinner (for the bridal party + close family) and then the welcome drinks and dessert (for everyone) at the aptly-named Swiss Hotel on Sonoma's main downtown plaza. 

We decked the place out in Swiss-themed decor - red and white tableclothes, red and white flowers in mason jars, and red and white lanterns hung from Italian string lights.

my Nana giving the loveliest of toasts during dinner

my baby brother charming us all with his words

Frank - a groomsmen - telling embarrassing Stefan stories

For dinner, I designed Swiss-themed place cards and menus - complete with a guide to talking Swiss-style to one's dinner mate.

I would say they were quite the hit for starting up some funny conversations

(Silvan's - Stefan's brother + best man - chatting it up

with Susan - my brother's fabulous date)

We served up Swiss delicacies of all kinds:

Hugos to wet one's palate

Swiss chocolate mousse, apple strudel, and cheese cake (okay, fine - not technically Swiss, but a Stefan favorite)

And - of course - a half wheel of raclette melted to perfection on our new raclette oven.  (Gifted by a lovely bridesmaid that very night - note the pretty ribbon on the oven.)

And finally - to really spice up the night - we encouraged guests to come dressed in “culturally-inspired attire.”

And come they did.

The night was packed to the brim with good food, good drinks, good company, and very good laughs.

xoxo

KK