The Madrona Hotel, Sonoma, California
Healdsburg wedding in sonoma county
The Madrona Hotel, a true hidden gem tucked away in wine country in Northern California, is a destination wedding venue in a league of its own.
Last fall, our team traveled to Healdsburg to design at this dream venue, an estate hotel that blends unique history, an idyllic location and luxury experiences that reflect Napa and Sonoma’s unparalleled hospitality. Built in 1881, the Madrona Hotel features timeless interior and exterior spaces – from buttery vintage wallpaper to emerald-green gardens, every corner of this historic estate inspired our 1940’s old world design for this event.
Pulling inspiration from this luxury wine country venue, we knew we wanted to curate a timeless, French-inspired, old money feel that blended seamlessly with the space. Throughout both the ceremony and reception designs, we leaned into quiet luxury, finding ways to pull inspiration from whipped butter and vintage velvet to put an extravagant twist on the everyday.
For our ceremony design at The Madrona Hotel, we worked to create contrast within cohesiveness. The ceremony space featured the quintessential rolling greens of Sonoma wine country, so we worked with Noble Floral Co. to build dimension through luxe, monochromatic and monobloom florals. Light wood chairs and linen umbrellas lined the aisles, with dramatic florals contrasting the soft ivory seating and shade. The scalloped umbrellas created a unique flair, adding a St. Tropez-inspired touch that brought a modern twist to this Victorian, old money setting.
For the reception, we leaned into the growing trend to feature experiences over details. As we head into 2025 and beyond, more and more couples are prioritizing the food and experience for their guests, and we wanted this Madrona wedding reception to feel elemental and experiential, swapping big floral arrangements for dirty martinis and whipped butter.
With elevated caviar and cocktail pairings, we mirrored the epicurean delights with a lived-in luxury tablescape design. Inspired by the Madrona’s Victorian sensibilities, we layered a lavish patterned linens with rich velvet napkins, vintage silverware, scalloped plates and modern stoneware to create a multi-dimensional design. Artful details, like heads of garlic and monobloom florals added subtle depth the design, and Italian calligraphy and slingback chairs balanced traditional elements with modern trends.
Inspired by lived-in luxury and the storied details of the Madrona Hotel, this is one of our favorite designs to date. Leaning into the muted brick, blush and ivory tones of this luxury Healdsburg wedding venue – incorporating lush florals, iconic buildings, stunning style, warm bread and favorite cocktails – this Madrona Hotel wedding was an absolute dream for us.
Photo: Anni GrahamDesign, styling and planning: Mae&Co CreativeFlorals: Noble Floral CoVIDEO: EMMA K
VENUE: The Madrona HotelRentals: Nuage Designs, Casa de Perrin, Bright Event RentalsPaper goods and signage: Creative Line & CO.