¿Donde es el otro mitad de mi naranja?

In other words, "Where is the other half of my orange?" This may seem like an odd saying, but incorporated into Amber and Craig's wedding vows, and thus creating a whole orange, it couldn't be more appropriate. These two foodies and lovers of all things yummy came together last fall for a beautiful gathering of heartfelt nuptials, a gourmet feast and stunning Santa Fe sunsets.

The two-day wedding was held in the modern home they share together and began with a gathering set on their own backyard patio and surrounding vegetable garden. The first evening featured an intimate sunset ceremony with personal vows and gentle Spanish guitar, lit only by hundreds of twinkling candles.

We covered a large woodpile and kitchen window to create a ceremony space with linen fabric panels that I designed and assembled. Since the space was asymmetrical, I created a halo of hanging candles above the couple to bring focus to the "I Dos." The result was a contemporary, neutrally-colored space for a modern couple.

Here is a sketch I used as we were brainstorming. I'm always amazed at how things actually turn out when they go from colored pencils to nails, dowels and fabric!

The neutral color palette was accented with vibrant flowers from Artichokes and Pomegranates. Lucca, the flower girl, was so excited to wear a head wreath made from red spray roses and fuchsia Dendrobium orchids.

The second day's festivities were kicked off with sounds from Savor, who specialize in Cuban street music. Since the main focus was food, tables were set in the garden to allow all the guests to indulge in an incredible spread provided by Marja Custom Catering.

Now for the food part. I hope you're ready for this...if you're even the slightest bit hungry you will be salivating on your keyboard by the end of the post....don't say I didn't warn you!

Guests were greeted with lavender-infused champagne garnished with freshly-picked stalks of lavender.

This next part was my favorite piece of the entire weekend: a cheese cake! Amber and Craig were an avant garde couple who didn't want to bother with sugary frosted cakes, so when I suggested they have the ultimate foodie treat--a cake made of glorious wheels of cheese--they were all for it! Marja's talented chefs, Marc and Jean-Luc, did a beautiful job of decorating this masterpiece with baby champagne grapes, artisan honey, purple endive and edible nasturtium.

Since the wedding took place in late summer/early fall, we were able to take advantage of the season's final heirloom tomato harvest. Marja sourced the most beautiful tomatoes from the farmer's market as well as from Amber and Craig's own garden. We created a fabulous action bar for guests to decorate their hand sliced tomato slabs with burrata, Italian Basil pesto, infused balsamic vinegars and an array of sea salts. Holy molars, this was a hit and tasted so amazing!

Guests were also greeted with incredible bite-sized hors d'oeuvres that tasted as beautiful as they looked.

(A complete menu that was custom created by Marja for the entire weekend is included at the end of the post.)

Amber and Craig wanted to gift their guests with a yearly reminder of their weekend spent in Santa Fe, so I created an adorable favor of tulip bulbs wrapped in special bags and a tag saying "Thank you for joining us! May these tulips be a constant reminder of our love we share with you! ~ Amber and Craig." As the evening wound down, the candles continued to glow and the laughter and smiles bubbled like the champagne. It was a truly memorable event with so many gourmet delicacies and special treats.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Private home in Santa Fe / Photography: Ginger Russell Photography / Catering: Marja Custom Catering / Florist: Artichokes and Pomegranates / Spanish Guitar: Yves Lucero / Reception Music: Savor, Cuban Street Music / Event Design and Coordination: MARRIED by Jessie Abrams Baca

To see the complete menu and tease yourself with more amazing foodie treats, read on!

Wedding weekend: Day one

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Grilled Eggplant Rollatini with roasted local lipstick peppers, eggplant caviar and fried oregano

Red Chile-Dusted Purple Potato Skewers

Sauteed Shishito Peppers with Sea Salt

Porcini Mushroom Risotto Fritters

Roasted Local Goldbar Squash Boats with Mild Chevre and Chioggia Beet Confetti

Heirloom Tomato Station:

Local Heirloom Tomatoes

Assorted Roasted, Marinated Local Peppers

Italian Salsa Verde, Fresh Basil Leaves

Flavored Balsamic Vinegar

Virgin Olive Oil

Burrata

Local Baby Arugula

Ciabatta Slices

Artisanal Cheese “Cake” Station

Wheels of Fabulous Cheeses displayed wedding cake style with our famous seeded flatbreads, toasts, and red endive leaves

(cabrales, manchego, Humboldt Fog)

Dessert

Dark Chocolate Truffles with Rosewater

Wedding weekend: Day two

Passed Hors d’oeuvres:

Local Lamb Burgers with Tomato Harissa and Cucumber Salad

Mediterranean Tapas Station

Seasonal Vegetable Crudite with Sweet Lipstick Pepper Hummus, Eggplant “Caviar”, and Tuna Spuma

Dolmas with Lemon Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Castelvetano-Olive-Lemon Salsa

Assorted Breads and Flatbreads

Caesar Salad Station:

Baby Red Romaine Salad with Aged Sherry Vinaigrette with assorted artisanal cheeses

Passed Dessert

Callebaut Brownie Bites with Dulce de Leche, Sea Salt and Rose Petals

Assorted French Macaroons

Lavender Shortbread