Why a Winery Wedding?

In selecting the perfect venue for my wedding, I recently met with Laura Michell, the Wedding & Events Manager for Leoness Cellars, to discuss her thoughts on my question: “Why a Winery Wedding?” She offered, “Wineries are serene and enchanting. They bespeak a rich history of wine-related romance dating back to the nobility of ancient Mesopotamia. I’ve never been to a winery where someone wasn’t having a good time! Wineries denote relaxation and fun, as should weddings. Temecula Wine Country offers some of the most beautiful landscapes possible for your wedding day.”

Living in Southern California we don’t see a lot of seasonal changes, however wineries definitely take on a different appearance with each season which makes for a variety of themes, moods and great wedding photography to capture special moments. In the winter, the vines are bare which enables you to see even more of the natural landscape of the area. In the spring, the vines start to bud and the vines begin to fill in speaking life and the coming of the new season to the vineyards. By summer, the vines produce a generous canopy of lush, green foliage and voluptuous grapes. Finally in the fall, the leaves change color in preparation the vine’s dormancy. Each season is unique and beautiful in its own way for a variety of themed weddings.”

I also asked Laura, “Why Leoness Cellars for a wine country wedding?” She responded: “Leoness is one of the newer facilities on the less travelled, De Portola Road back trail in wine country. The wine tasting room and wedding lawn is perched on top of our Rolling Hill Vineyard. This makes for a most picturesque setting. The wineries owners are farmers and have been producing grapes for other wineries and ourselves for many years. The agricultural aspect of our estate makes it the perfect setting for creating wedding memories. Leoness is a family-owned winery and we seek to treat all of our guests like family.”

I found the grounds to be very lush and the views inspiring with rolling hills and exquisite vistas. From their ceremony lawn, which sits in the midst of the vines, to their striking winery tasting room and brick turret, Leoness is simply stunning. They offer both an outdoor reception location with climate controlled patio areas, and a beautiful barrel room, which can accommodate a little over 200 guests. But most importantly they have been coined one of the “friendliest wineries,” which is exactly what I would want when getting married!

by Shelby Lalique (As seen in Something Blue Your Bridal Resource Guide)