St Francis Winery Wedding Rehearsal: Planning a Wedding Rehearsal Here

There’s something undeniably romantic about a St Francis Winery wedding — the way California’s golden light washes over rolling vineyards, the timeless Tuscan-inspired architecture, and the way every moment feels relaxed yet deeply elegant. When Liz and Thida chose St Francis Winery in Sonoma, California, for their wedding rehearsal dinner, it wasn’t just a location — it became part of their story.

Why You Should Consider a St Francis Winery Wedding Rehearsal

A rehearsal dinner isn’t just a meal before your wedding day — it’s a meaningful part of your wedding weekend. At a St Francis Winery wedding rehearsal, this gathering becomes an extension of your love story: an evening filled with joy, anticipation, and connection.

The day before your wedding is full of emotion. There’s excitement, nerves, laughter, and that glowing calm of being surrounded by your favorite people. Capturing these moments is one of the best decisions you can make as a couple — not just for photos, but for memory.

Here’s why rehearsal dinner coverage matters for your St Francis Winery wedding rehearsal weekend:

• You truly capture genuine emotion — candid toasts, laughter, tear-filled smiles, and the quiet moments before the big day.

• It celebrates your closest friends and family who have walked alongside your story.

• You preserve thoughtful details — from florals to custom design elements — because every choice reflects you.

• It adds a richer, fuller narrative to your wedding album so you’re not just remembering the ceremony — you’re honoring the whole weekend.

A St Francis Winery Wedding Rehearsal

Liz and Thida’s rehearsal wasn’t just beautiful — it was unforgettable. Set on St Francis Winery’s estate sweeping grounds where vineyard rows stretch toward the horizon, the golden-hour light made every moment shimmer (I’m not joking here). Guests arrived to a scene that felt incredibly elevated and personal, with vibrant centerpieces that blended fruits, citrus, and lush florals into a design that felt like Sonoma itself. The bright colors made my heart so happy!

Hand-designed paper goods tied each detail together — menus, place cards, and seating elements that looked like mini works of art. This wasn’t just dinner; it was a reflection of the couple’s style, their connection, and how they wanted their loved ones to feel.

As wine glasses were raised — each poured with St Francis Winery’s celebrated selections — laughter and stories filled the air. From college beginnings to lifelong love, every toast wove a thread of connection and community around this moment in their wedding story.

And as the sun dipped under the skyline and the twinkle lights began to glow, there was a stillness between Liz and Thida — a quiet, shared breath before the joy of their wedding day. Moments like this are exactly why having rehearsal coverage matters.

Beyond the Wedding Day: Full Wedding Weekend Coverage

When you’re planning a winery wedding or rehearsal, thinking beyond the ceremony helps you tell a more complete story. The rehearsal dinner becomes more than tradition — it becomes part of your legacy. Every laugh, quiet glance, shared memory, and heartfelt celebration contributes to the narrative that your photographs will carry forward.

If you’re considering including wedding rehearsal photography in your wedding weekend plans — especially at a breathtaking location like St Francis Winery — think of it as an investment in your memories. It’s a chapter that captures anticipation, love, and connection with depth and heart.

Are you planning a winery wedding and wondering how to capture every beautiful moment — from rehearsal to reception? Let’s talk about how to make sure your wedding weekend is documented in a way you’ll love reliving for years to come.

Be sure to check out Liz and Thida’s wedding day at MacArthur Place Sonoma.

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Why I Love Wedding Rehearsals (and Why You’ll Never Regret Photographing Yours)

If I’m being honest, wedding rehearsals are one of my favorite parts of a St Francis Winery wedding weekend — sometimes even more than the wedding day itself. There’s a softness to them. A sense of presence. The pressure is off, the timeline is slower, and everyone is fully themselves.

This is when couples exhale.

You’ve spent months (sometimes years) planning your wedding, and the rehearsal dinner is the first moment where it all starts to feel real. You’re finally surrounded by your people — the ones who helped you get here. Parents, siblings, chosen family, lifelong friends — all in one place, celebrating you before the whirlwind of the wedding day begins.

From a photographer’s perspective, wedding rehearsals are pure magic. The moments are unscripted. Toasts are emotional and unfiltered. Laughter comes easily. There are hugs that linger longer. These are the moments that feel deeply human and incredibly meaningful, and they deserve to be remembered just as much as walking down the aisle.

Why Hiring a Photographer for Your Wedding Rehearsal Matters

When couples plan a St Francis Winery wedding, they often focus all their attention on the ceremony and reception — which makes sense. But your rehearsal dinner holds a different kind of beauty. It tells the why behind your wedding day.

Having a photographer cover your wedding rehearsal allows you to:

• Preserve genuine, candid moments that happen naturally when everyone feels relaxed
• Capture emotional toasts and interactions you may not fully remember later
• Document thoughtful design details that often don’t appear again
• Tell a fuller, more intentional story of your entire wedding weekend

Your rehearsal dinner isn’t just a formality — it’s the emotional foundation of your celebration. It’s where anticipation builds, relationships are honored, and love is felt in the quiet in-between moments.

Especially at a venue like St Francis Winery, where the setting is already stunning and intimate, rehearsal photography adds depth and continuity to your wedding gallery. When you look back years from now, these images won’t just remind you what your wedding looked like — they’ll remind you how it felt.

If you’re planning a winery wedding, I always encourage couples to think of their rehearsal as part of the experience, not an afterthought. Those moments — the ones before the big day — often become some of the most treasured memories of all.

An LGBTQ+ Friendly Experience

One of the things that mattered deeply to me throughout this winery wedding weekend was how safe, supported, and genuinely celebrated Liz and Thida felt — and that starts with working with vendors and venues who truly welcome everyone. I am proudly LGBTQ+ friendly, and creating an affirming, respectful, and comfortable experience for all couples is not just important to me — it’s essential. St Francis Winery was equally wonderful in this regard. From the very beginning, the venue was warm, inclusive, and intentional in how they supported this couple, making it clear that love is love and every story deserves to be honored beautifully.

When couples choose an LGBTQ+ friendly photographer and an LGBTQ+ affirming venue, it allows them to show up fully as themselves — relaxed, joyful, and present — which ultimately makes the experience (and the photographs) that much more meaningful.