The Love Story

Madeleine and Garrett first met when they were 13 outside of Madeleine’s middle school. Her very first “boyfriend” brought his best friend Garrett along with him and introduced them. That night, Madeleine wrote on Garrett’s Facebook wall that it was “nice to meet my boyfriend’s funny friend.” Little did she know that Garrett would become her husband over 15 years later.

They were good friends through middle school and high school, and Madeleine eventually developed a bit of a crush. After they graduated, Madeleine was at a Fourth of July party and left a voicemail asking Garrett to stop by so she could say goodbye before they both moved away to college, over 2,000 miles apart.

Their first date followed just a week later. After five years of friendship, they were falling for each other quickly and getting to know a new side of their relationship. Even after moving away, they stayed in touch, talking every day between California and Chicago.

By spring break of their freshman year, they were deeply in love and decided to begin their long-distance relationship. When they graduated in 2019, they both moved back to their hometown of San Francisco and started their lives together as a couple that finally lived in the same place.

Madeleine knew Garrett was her person early on. That first summer they started dating, she remembers singing at the top of their lungs to “Red, Red Wine” while driving to the beach at night. She looked over at him and felt like she was looking at her future husband. Years later, they chose “Red, Red Wine” as their first dance song.

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The Wedding Location

When they got engaged, Madeleine and Garrett knew they wanted a smaller wedding in an outdoor setting. Madeleine also loved the idea of getting married in Sonoma Wine Country, one of their favorite destinations for celebrations and weekend getaways.

They struggled to find a venue that fit what they were looking for until they came across a picture of Vine Hill House on Instagram.

Their first site tour left them speechless. They were greeted by endless vineyards and overgrown wildflowers, along with a charming house overlooking the property and a ceremony area nestled under a redwood grove.

Vine Hill House is a small family-owned property that has been the childhood home for over three generations of the O'Connell family, who owns and operates the venue. Between the house, vineyard views, and redwood grove, Madeleine and Garrett felt all the love that went into the property and booked it for their Summer 2026 wedding.

 

The Aesthetic

Madeleine and Garrett are both pretty laid back and casual when it comes to style, so they wanted to lean into the natural beauty of the venue rather than add too much decor.

They kept a neutral color palette so the view, hydrangeas, and wildflowers throughout the property could stand out. Five long tables gave dinner the feeling of a backyard dinner party, with family and friends all sitting together.

The tablescape was neutral and clean, with white and yellow flowers that looked like they could have been grown on the property, along with bud vases of greenery. Each name card was placed inside a wine cork, and amber glass votives covered the tables and were lit during golden hour.

Madeleine also wanted the day to include details that felt like them. Instead of purchasing bouquets for each bridesmaid, she asked their florist, Flower Casita, to provide pre-cut stems so her girls could create their own arrangements.

One of her favorite parts of the morning was watching them sit on the patio in their pajamas and put their flowers together.

Garrett’s “tiny glasses” also made an appearance. He is notorious for wearing them during parties, events, and even while skiing down a mountain, so they had a box full of them for guests to wear on the dance floor. Sage green pashminas kept everyone warm after sunset and made for some fun reception photos.

They also exchanged their vows over coffee the morning before the wedding rather than during the ceremony or first look. They wanted the moment to feel unrushed and intimate, giving them time to be fully present for each other’s promises.

The evening ended with Vine Hill House’s whiskey tasting, which was a hit with their guests, especially Garrett.

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The Dress

Madeleine knew she wanted a clean silhouette and a minimalist gown that would feel timeless yet modern. She had seen Alyssa Kristin gowns online and knew that was the designer she wanted to purchase from.

The “Sabine” gown had been saved on her Pinterest board for months. When she tried it on for the first time at Unveiled Bridal in San Francisco, she could not stop jumping for joy.

She looks back at photos from that first try-on and can’t help but smile at how overjoyed she was to find her dress. It hugged her curves in a way that made her feel confident, and having three of her best friends there to hype her up made it an easy decision.

“It was the first time that I looked in the mirror and felt like a bride!”

Madeleine loved the buttons along the back so much that she added more down the godet. The neckline was one of her favorite features. She had never seen an off-the-shoulder gown quite like the Sabine, and it was the part of the dress she received the most compliments on.

She felt secure and supported and truly never wanted to take the dress off.

Garrett wore a green suit from Suit Supply with no tie, reflecting their casual style and the laid-back feel of the venue. Madeleine's bridesmaids each chose their own dresses from a palette of sage green, olive green, and butter yellow.

Standing side by side on the wedding day, they looked even better than she could have imagined.

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Favorite Moment

Every moment was special in its own way, but one that stood out was when Madeleine and Garrett walked into the vineyard with their photographers during golden hour.

They had a moment just looking at each other and hearing their friends and family laughing, singing, and catching up in the distance while they finished dinner.

It was the most surreal and heart-warming feeling to know that all of these people were there to celebrate them and were having the time of their lives.

Another moment no one expected came during Madeleine’s Maid of Honor’s speech. She had been holding onto an MP3 of the voicemail Madeleine left Garrett over 11 years ago and played it for the guests.

Everyone was surprised to hear the voice of 18-year-old Madeleine on the night she decided to take a leap of faith and ask her friend Garrett to join her at a party before they left for college.

Advice to Future Brides

Madeleine’s top advice is to read the reviews for bridal shops before making an appointment. Having a positive shopping experience made all the difference for her.

When she first tried on the Sabine gown, her consultant at Unveiled, Adrianna, was the “BEST hype girl” and made Madeleine feel beautiful when she was nervous about trying on dresses. She also reassured her that the right dress is about how you feel, rather than how you look, and told her that her face said it all.

Her Maids of Honor also suggested she practice dancing in the dresses she tried on, which created some hilarious moments in the dressing room.