A Seven Branches Wedding in Sonoma

A Seven Branches Wedding in Sonoma

Jill and Jonathan had a sweet Seven Branches Wedding in Sonoma, with portraits at the gorgeous General’s Daughter just next door. In the days leading up to their wedding, my trusty 2002 Honda CRV had been making a strange sound under the hood. Loretta wisely questioned my decision to drive it all the way to Sonoma, but I figured the mechanic could wait until Monday. When I pulled into Seven Branches, I popped the hood for a quick look—nothing obvious—so I unpacked my gear and got to work. (The rest of that story comes later.)

Jill and Jonathan are the kind of people you instantly feel at ease around. They’re warm, grounded, and wonderfully easygoing—and their friends are just the same. The two of them got ready in adjacent rooms at Seven Branches before sharing a first look at the General’s Daughter (truly a stunning spot). The day was a hot one in Sonoma, and the pace seemed to flow right along with the summer heat: slow, sweet, and full of smiles. From the ceremony to the last dance, the celebration brimmed with laughter, amazing food, and dancing that shook the floorboards.

When the night wrapped, I packed my gear and headed off into the balmy evening. About twenty minutes down the road, I caught a strange smell—something burning. I told myself it was probably outside, but a few miles later, I pulled into a gas station, and sure enough: smoke was curling from the hood. I popped it open, bracing myself for the worst. Luckily, no fire—just smoke, and a severed rubber belt staring back at me. Fortunately, I had five gallons of water in the car, which I poured into the smoky abyss, then reached in and pulled out the shredded belt.

Hoping for the best, I restarted the car. The engine purred, the temperature looked fine, and for a moment I thought, “Maybe it’s just the A/C belt.” Then I tried to turn the wheel—no power steering. A few more miles, and the battery light blinked on. Right—the alternator, too. A/C, power steering, and alternator all gone. I pressed on, muscling the car down the freeway until the temperature gauge shot toward the red. That’s when it hit me: the belt also ran the water pump. Steam hissed, coolant boiled over, and I rolled to the shoulder of the road with a dead car.

I sat there, weighing my options, laughing a little at my own stubbornness, and Googling “serpentine belt.” Eventually, I called a good friend who manages a restaurant in Oakland. Half an hour later, he picked me up, and I was on my way home—tired, grateful, and very aware of how lucky I’d been that all of this happened after, not before, Jill and Jonathan’s wedding.

So, the lessons? Don’t ignore funny sounds coming from your engine. Listen to your partner’s good advice. And remember: obstacles will come, but a positive attitude and good friends will always get you through. Jill and Jonathan, may you continue to be the best of friends to one another, surround yourselves with amazing people, and navigate life’s twists and turns with the same grace you brought to your wedding day.

Stoked on this Seven Branches Wedding in Sonoma and want to see more pics from another venue in Sonoma. Check out this sweet Sonoma wedding I photographed a while back.