The Wedding of the Century

(At least, until next June...)

We left early Wednesday morning for a long weekend in Sonora, California, there to celebrate the nuptials of two of our closest friends from our time in South Dakota.  Kim and David were married at a gorgeous vineyard about twenty minutes from her home in the little mountain town.  The weather was phenomenal, the celebration intimate and meaningful, the bride was beautiful, the couple was joyous.

And the food was OHHH. M. G.

Wednesday, Matthew Blair and I spent the day in San Francisco, dining at not one but two incredible whole-food-centric restaurants: Boulette's Larder in the Ferry Building, and a Moroccan place called Aziza with a Michelin star.  I managed, of course, to photograph neither meal.  Between a dead camera battery and a broken lens (requiring the use of my wildlife zoom lens for all photos), photographing on Wednesday was right out.

So we pick up with photos on Thursday, by which point we were ensconced with Kim's lovely family, receiving fresh-made waffles and french toast with locally-grown berries for breakfast, coffees with agave nectar and fresh whipped cream, sandwiches slathered with peanut butter and dripping with jelly, and more than one memorable dinner:

And, it has to be said, the most fantastic margaritas I've ever had:

 Not a great photo because (as with all of these, and, for that matter, all the photos you'll see for the next few weeks until my kit lens comes back from the repair shop) this was shot from a distance of twenty feet.  But Kim's dad's margaritas are just lime-ade, triple sec, tequila, and lemons.  So they're whole, tasty, and wayyyy too easy to drink.

Which was a problem, when we had them not only Thursday night, but also with the catered Mexican rehearsal dinner:

This is saying a lot, but it was generally agreed and I really do think that those enchiladas were the best ever.  If you ever happen to find yourself in Sonora, I recommend you check out El Jardin.

The wedding dinner was the crowning glory.  Kim and David hired a local caterer who specializes in using local ingredients.  The spread of tender roast chicken with garlic and cherry tomatoes, grilled zucchini and bright bell pepper, fresh bread and greek salad was perfectly suited to the sunny, seventy degree evening.

I have to thank Jen for taking these photos, because I was part of the wedding party and didn't want to ruin the effect of my dress and hair by lugging the huge zoom-lens'd camera around all night.

Additionally, I drank, shall we say, to excess.

So the camera was safer with her.

What's a wedding without a cake??  This one, also created by the caterer, was lemon with a cream-cheese frosting.  The inner layer of frosting was stuffed with fresh berries.

It was so good, I actually stole two other people's slices when they were busy dancing.

This is true.  And I am not ashamed.  Not one little bit.

Congratulations, Kim and David!  

We love you so much, and we can't wait to see you in Chicago this year...