Reception at the Wine Loft

Laura and Mark and I (and I hope Scott and his parents) were so pleased with the reception. Y'all - if you are local and you need a venue for a "smaller" crowd (will hold up to 250 max) . . .the Wine Loft is where you want to go! I've planned many events over the years and I've never worked with a group of people who were so fun and easy. Kristin is the event planner extraordinaire and Mike is the owner. They are awesome. 

We were on a fairly tight budget (remember I'm married to a man who loves a good spreadsheet!) and I was determined that we were going to stay pretty close to that number. I shared our budgeted number with Kristin and she did it - she gave us a lovely reception with yummy food and a great alcohol package and we came in right under budget!

This post contains lots and lots of pictures so you can hang around and see all of the loveliness or check back for a wordier post about non-wedding stuff later.

This is one of the arrangements made by Flowers from the Heart - Linda Bearden. They were so pretty and added just the right touch of "wedding" to the cool downtown vibe of the Wine Loft.

The food was not only tasty but so beautifully presented.

I'm ashamed to say that I do not know the name of this wonderful bartender but all of the folks working the reception were kind, helpful, pleasant, and downright awesome (I need a new word for awesome!!).

We served Thai Peanut Chicken Satays and Filet Mignon Satays - yummmmm! We needed some food items that did not have cheese as an ingredient due to some allergies in the groom's family and The Wine Loft was so accommodating!

We served mini crabcakes and shrimp and cheese grits (they even made several servings of grits without cheese!). I don't eat crabcakes but I heard

they were delicious!

The Wine Loft has black sofas arranged in groups around small tables with sheer curtains between the groupings which soften the look and even provide a tad of privacy, if needed.

Since Laura and Scott are not "right out of college" but graduated several years ago and have been employed for several years, the guest list included lots of their friends (and rightly so!). We love the friends that our "children" have chosen!

Laura was so gracious to invite a few of our friends from church as well.

There is a cobblestone/brick street right across from the Wine Loft and that street made for great photo opportunities. The Wine Loft is located in the downtown area and our downtown has been experiencing a revitalization over the last several years.

We bought tiny bottles of bubbles to blow as the couple left the reception. I love how the photographer caught the actual bubbles in the photograph!

Here they are as they were leaving the reception in the cool car!

Here are some more pictures of the cake table and some more shots of the food. The Wine Loft provided the white tablecloths. Actually, the Wine Loft provided just about everything!

Mark said that no one ate the fruit and veggies BUT I DID!! Actually, I know that some other people at least put the fruit and veggies on their plates!!

We had cheese cubes and a selection of hummus (I want to type hummuses but that can't be a word, can it??).

Laura loves baked Brie and we tried the Wine Loft version when we went for the tasting and Laura definitely wanted this on the menu. Their Baked Brie Platter is pleasing to the eye (I'm running out of descriptors!) and very tasty!!

My favorite thing served by the Wine Loft was the Prosciutto Wrapped Fig Canapes (pictured above). I wanted to eat ALL of these . . .I did eat several . ..quite a few!

Another shot of one of the wonderful bar tenders - look how cool the old doorframe is behind him and I love the glass shelves on the black metal rods. Look at the details of the bar itself.

The bride and groom had a snack in the back tasting room and then joined the party!

Gavin, brother of the groom, introduced them as they entered. Once again, The Wine Loft made this part easy, too. We took the Ipad and Laura (or Scott?) had preloaded the first dance songs. I think it might be crowded to have a live band at the Wine Loft but it could probably be done! (speaking of the Ipad, we left it at the Wine Loft and Kristin is so wonderful that she texted the couple and asked if they needed her to drop it at their hotel!! - that is above and beyond, y'all!)

In addition to the sofas arranged around the outside of the room, there are high top tables with barstool chairs through the middle of the room.

I decided to throw a few fun pics in -- Mitch and Donna above (friends from church)

These ladies were members of the same small group as Laura when she lived in Auburn. They are such wonderful young women!!  (they hosted a party for Laura)

Above - family -- We love our family! Laura has spent every Fourth of July and every Christmas night with these sweet people (and weddings and funerals and the list goes on and on)

Below - Laura's friends from the Tuesday night group that meets at our house (and their significant others)

Brooke - the matron of honor and her husband, Marcus

Chris and Christie

Katie and her friend

Below - Terrie (far right) knew to ask the photographer to take some different group photos at the reception and she grabbed me and our supper club friends - we've been together since 2004 and we've raised our children together. Laura always joked that when she found the right man, he would have to meet the approval of all of the daddies in supper club.

Below - Mark and his bestie!

Mark and some of the daddies from supper club plus a few other daddies from Sunday School - I'm still wondering what Mitch said . . .

Laura and Scott with their Sunday School class (below)

The Wine Loft provided a space for dancing - I love this picture of the groom dancing with the daughter of one of Laura's small group friends -- look at her hair!

I have no idea if this friend knows this shot was taken but it is a funny shot - and you can see the space for dancing!

Laura, Mark, and me surrounded by some of our Tuesday night "graduates." Mark says they are all "our kids" and he is right.

another shot of the outside of the Wine Loft and more bubbles

This is a shot from across the street as they were getting ready to leave

All along the sidewalk, there are little tables and chairs so folks can even sit outside on the sidewalk! I would think that would be nice in the fall here in the deep south!

So I've mixed my review of the Wine Loft (they get FIVE STARS and an excellent rating) with just some fun pictures -- the wedding ceremony was truly a worship service and the reception was truly a fun party!