Auberge du Soleil Resort Growing up in an Italian/Portuguese family in the Bay Area, it can’t be any surprise, dear readers, that I have a strong affection for the Napa Valley. Delicious California Cabernets are ever-present on our family dinner table and growing up, I spent many a Saturday afternoon with my parents driving the pastoral roads of wine country. As such, “the Provence of California” holds a very special place in my heart. In fact, when I am asked the perennial question, “Christina, when you meet the man of your dreams, where do YOU want to get married?” my answer is always a resounding: “The Napa Valley, of course!” For that reason, it was of utmost importance to me that the david beahm destination collection feature a property in my beloved Napa. 
Paraduxx
High above the valley, the ideal choice is nestled amongst groves of olive trees in the small town of Rutherford. The luxury resort at Auberge du Soleil has been a mainstay of the Napa Valley since 1985, and like a fine vintage, it only gets better with age. With a guest capacity of just over one hundred and a full buyout option, Auberge du Soleil is the perfect solution for couples that desire an intimate, private celebration. To have your ceremony on Auberge’s open-air terrace overlooking the valley followed by cocktail hour around the pool is to experience, quite simply, bucolic perfection. Finishing with a reception that boasts the finest native delicacies expertly paired with local wines is the epitome of a foodie’s wedding. When the guest experience is coupled with a state-of-the-art spa, tennis courts, yoga pavilion and sculpture garden, the lucky invitees will never want to leave!
ParaduxxHigh above the valley, the ideal choice is nestled amongst groves of olive trees in the small town of Rutherford. The luxury resort at Auberge du Soleil has been a mainstay of the Napa Valley since 1985, and like a fine vintage, it only gets better with age. With a guest capacity of just over one hundred and a full buyout option, Auberge du Soleil is the perfect solution for couples that desire an intimate, private celebration. To have your ceremony on Auberge’s open-air terrace overlooking the valley followed by cocktail hour around the pool is to experience, quite simply, bucolic perfection. Finishing with a reception that boasts the finest native delicacies expertly paired with local wines is the epitome of a foodie’s wedding. When the guest experience is coupled with a state-of-the-art spa, tennis courts, yoga pavilion and sculpture garden, the lucky invitees will never want to leave!
Auberge du Soleil Pool But as we know, a destination wedding is about SO much more than where the big event takes place – it is about the details. Along with a welcome note for your guests, why not provide them with a map of the area featuring your favorite wineries? Do remind your guests that while most wineries offer walk-in tastings, reservations are always a good idea.
Cakebread Cellar Terrace; Cakebread Wines For wine newbies, Cakebread Cellars offers a wonderful tasting in the vineyard proper that is both educational and delicious. For the more refined wine aficionados, the sister wineries of Duckhorn Vineyards & Paraduxx provide tastings of some of the most wonderful Bordeaux varietals and blends that the valley has to show. Hosting an eco-friendly guest? Robert Sinskey Vineyards creates 100% Certified CCOF Organic and Demeter Biodynamic wines that are simply heavenly.
Duckhorn Estate House
Duckhorn Wine RoomOf course, your guests will be traveling from far and wide so a simple gift can serve as a lovely token of appreciation. One little known fact about this region is that Napa isn’t just wine country; it’s also home to several small batch artisanal olive oils, among which I count St. Helena Olive Oil Company as my favorite. In addition to extra virgin and flavored olive oils, they sell a variety of wine vinegars, pasta sauces, specialty salts and rubs to keep your guests remembering your celebration long after it is over. 
St. Helena Olive Oil CompanyAnd of course for your bridesmaids, The St. Helena Olive Oil Company produces a wide array of bath and body products that any lady would swoon over. For those sweet-toothed guests, try family-owned Woodhouse Chocolates as an excellent source of confections for favors or gift baskets alike. A visit to their pristine store, with its creatively designed chocolates perfectly lined up in glass cases, is a feast for the eyes and the palate.
Robert Sinskey Winery
View at Auberge Finally, everyone thinks that the time to visit or host an event in Napa is during the popular weeks of “crush” in the fall. However, if I may, here’s one final word of “secret” advice from this California native and eventual Napa bride-to-be: embrace the month of March. While the weather may be a bit chilly, March is the month of the wild mustards. These seasonal beauties crop up in abundance under the grapevines and create vineyards that are awash in gold. When the sun sets over these gilded swaths it is truly a sight to behold and will give you and your guests a memory to last a lifetime.
Editor’s Note: david beahm destinations is a by-invitation resource of amazing destination wedding, honeymoon and celebration locales, all expertly curated by the renowned David Beahm team. Merci New York readers can gain instant access to all of the properties mentioned in Christina’s articles, by entering code “Merci2011″ on the log-in page. Pretty fabulous, no?
Editor’s Note: david beahm destinations is a by-invitation resource of amazing destination wedding, honeymoon and celebration locales, all expertly curated by the renowned David Beahm team. Merci New York readers can gain instant access to all of the properties mentioned in Christina’s articles, by entering code “Merci2011″ on the log-in page. Pretty fabulous, no? 