I Do Venues: Sonoma Mission Inn Inspiration By Amy Nichols Special Events

Photography by: Allyson Wiley Photography

About the venue

The Sonoma Mission Innis a Fairmont property and the name alone speaks volumes. The grand resort is centrally located in the heart of the SonomaValley; however, the juxtaposition of the historic adobe mission style resort and the natural landscape of the surrounding wine country is breathtaking. When you first enter the resort, you will be mesmerized by the grandeur - it is like taking a step back in time yet you can see the luxurious amenities that the Fairmont Resorts are known for at every turn. The resort has a full array of rooms available for events to accommodate everything from an intimate elopement to a society soiree, but by far I love the Sonoma Room the most. This room is gorgeous for either your ceremony or as a reception area. The fireplace sets the tone for a soft and romantic feel and the rustic exposed wood beams bring your eye upward and create an incomparable level of drama for your event.

Ask the expert

The most memorable and meaningful wedding celebrations will incorporate the four elements of wedding design flawlessly: color, location, season, and tradition. This gorgeous wedding celebration, brought to us by the extremely talented Erin Wood of Amy Nichols Special Events and captured effortlessly by Allyson Wiley, is a perfect example. The color combination is perfect. As a designer you learn that the best color palettes will incorporate two dominant vibrant hues with a soft and contrasting third hue - this design features the rich bold midnight blue and white partnered with a soft "peony" pink - what a perfect pairing! The classical blue and white striped linen created inspiration for the cake, collateral, and so much more. By using a linear pattern versus a solid or partially textured fabric, the team created a simple yet strong design, taking the look over the top. Amy Nichols and her team of wedding muses are a delight to work with - I love how they describe this couple and how they inspired the design that fits this facility perfectly:

"The bride and groom wanted a sophisticated, yet fun Spring wedding with luscious pale pink peonies and roses in silver mint julep cups and vases accented with crystals and touches of navy blue details, including navy blue and white striped linens. After dinner, the party got into full swing with the high-energy band and flip flops by the dance floor.

The tent at Sonoma Mission Inn was a blank slate so the couple’s vision was easily transformed in this space. It was amazing to see the transformation with the crystal chandeliers hung, uplights, and a decorative gobo cast across the tent’s ceiling.
Sonoma Mission Inn has a great intimate feel to it. The landscape is lush and there are so many amazing places for photographs. Everything is fairly close together which allows the bride and groom to not miss a moment of their party." ~ Amy Nichols Special Events.