Meredith Landry’s thoughts didn’t wander beyond the circle of roses and candles surrounding her when Larry Rase asked for her hand in marriage. She was caught between delight and disbelief, her world reduced to white sand, the sound of breaking waves, and the love of her life on bended knee. In that moment, she couldn’t have imagined her wedding vows would be made far from that Southern shoreline in the hills of California’s wine country.

Before Larry proposed, Meredith casually mentioned on a family trip to the Santa Ynez Valley that a wedding among the vineyards would be magical. It was an offhanded remark, nothing more than a fleeting thought. Her mother, Debbie Landry, privy to the imminent proposal, latched onto it and began researching venues and dates. Her scouting led to Sunstone Winery in California, and Meredith realized her passing fancy could become reality.

Larry wasn’t immediately sold on a destination wedding. With roots in Louisiana, he pictured a grand ceremony with all his family and friends. Meredith didn’t need to do much convincing. Though they had dreamed of celebrating with more than 300 loved ones, a smaller gathering promised more time with each guest. A tour of the California venues and the promise of a day with their nearest and dearest convinced Larry to say “I do” to the idea.

The couple had envisioned a full Catholic mass at Old Mission Santa Inés in Solvang, drawn to its hand-painted walls and proximity to Sunstone Winery. But when the families visited the mission, they discovered the ceiling had begun to cave in, and repairs wouldn’t be complete until after the wedding. With no other churches nearby, concerns mounted. Meredith turned to her mother, whose eye for design and resilient attitude made her a perfect party-planning partner. “My mom has always had the best parties. Everything she touches is amazing,” says Meredith. “I just kept thinking to myself, ‘Just trust Debbie.’ It was a team effort, and I absolutely couldn’t have done it without her.”

Between Debbie’s tenacity and wedding planner Davia Lee’s ingenuity, everything ultimately fell into place. The mission granted a rare exception, given the unusual situation, allowing the couple to exchange vows with a full mass in the grounds’ splendid gardens.

Though they wed under a greenery-draped pergola and celebrated with a reception in a winery that felt like a Tuscan villa, Meredith and Larry brought pieces of Louisiana with them. Vendors received baskets filled with Tony Chachere’s, Café du Monde beignet mix, and sugar from Meredith’s family’s sugarcane farm. Sidecar Cocktail Co. crafted signature drinks, the Remy-rita and Coop’s Old Fashioned, honoring the couple’s beloved dogs. Of course, homage was paid to LSU. Death Valley made its way to the Santa Ynez Valley in the form of a groom’s cake shaped like Tiger Stadium, courtesy of Autumn Cakes. It was just enough to keep a little bayou by them.

As the sun sank behind the vineyard hills, Meredith and Larry reveled with the people they loved most. Their wedding day was ending, but the after-party and their happily ever after were just beginning.

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CEREMONY Old Mission Santa Inés, Solvang, California / RECEPTION Sunstone Villa, Santa Ynez, California / COORDINATOR Davia Lee Weddings & Events /
CATERER Field to Table Events / CAKE Autumn Cake Designs / FLORIST Adornments Flower & Finery / INVITATIONS Scriptura / BRIDAL GOWN Custom Monique Lhuillier, I Do Bridal Couture / BRIDESMAID DRESSES LulaKate, Bella Bridesmaids / RINGS Boudreaux’s Jewelers / HAIR & MAKEUP Samara Beauty VIDEOGRAPHER Hoff & Co. / BAND Dart Collective / RENTALS FOUND Rentals OTHER VENDORS Sidecar Cocktail Co./Proper & Co.