CATRIONA & ROB'S
WEDDING CEREMONY
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OUR STORY
We met when we were classmates at Penn State in the Information Sciences and Technology program. We quickly became friends, and started dating in January of 2005.
We settled in the Philadelphia area after college, and then went through several years of being long distance, with Catriona staying in West Chester, PA while Rob traveled for IBM followed by an adventurous 3 year stint in Dublin, Ireland to work on his startup BetDash. It was a difficult time for us, but we managed to withstand the time apart by visiting each other and having many video calls. After Rob came back to the US, we decided to move to San Francisco to start a new stage of our lives together, and for us to explore new professional opportunities. We’ve loved being in California, and it’s very quickly become home.
On December 24, 2014, while we were back on the East Coast visiting our families for the holidays, Rob took Catriona to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, one of our favorite places to visit together. After walking around and seeing the beautiful Christmas floral and light displays, Rob found a relatively quiet area within the Conservatory, and asked Catriona to marry him. We’ve been happily planning our future together ever since!
THE VENUE: Sbragia Family Vineyards
Both the ceremony and reception will be held at Sbragia Family Vineyards, a gorgeous family-owned winery owned by Ed and Adam Sbragia on the edge of Dry Creek Valley just outside Healdsburg, CA. The winery overlooks coastal mountain vistas and vineyard covered hills, making it a beautiful place for us to celebrate with our friends and family. While living in California, we have quickly become fans of the Sonoma area, and we would love to share the experience with all of our guests.
Ceremony & Reception
Sunday May 29, 2016
Ceremony begins at 5:00 pm
Cocktail hour and reception will follow, ending at 10:00 pm
Semiformal attire. It will be warm during the day but bring a jacket – it might get chilly at night!
Transportation
Transportation to and from the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel and Sbragia Family Vineyards will be provided on May 29. Please let us know if you will be using alternative transportation.
To get to and from the airport and the hotel and any other events or attractions in the Sonoma area, we recommend you rent a car.
Address & Directions
Sbragia Family Vineyards
9990 Dry Creek Rd.
Geyserville, CA 95441
ACCOMODATIONS: Hilton Sonoma Wine Country
We have reserved a wedding block at the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country in Santa Rosa, CA. Please use the online reservation system or reference code: CSWED to reserve your stay at a discounted rate between 5/27/16 and 5/30/16.
The discounted rate is $159 per night for a King bed Sunday-Thursday. The rate for Friday and Saturday is $249 per night. Other room types are available. Contact us if you have any questions.
THINGS TO DO
The San Francisco Bay Area and Sonoma/Napa County have numerous attractions and activities to explore. We encourage you to explore the area when you come to visit us for the wedding. Below are some of our favorite things to do.
The touristy things in San Francisco for newcomers
- The Golden Gate Bridge – Take a walk or bike ride across the famous bridge. The best view is from the Marin side of the bridge, at the Battery Spencer overlook.
- Cable Car – Take a famous San Francisco cable car. Pro tip: Get on in the middle, not at at the end to avoid long lines. You can also ride the vintage F-line streetcars down Market St. for a unique experience.
- Fisherman’s Wharf – Check out the sea lions and street entertainment at Pier 39. While you’re there, get a sourdough bread bowl of clam chowder at Boudin Bakery. Visit the Musée Mécanique, one of the world’s largest privately owned collection of coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and antique arcade machines.
- Ghirardelli Square – Get a sundae at the Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop then sit and have a picnic on the square. You should also try the famous Irish coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe near by.
- Lombard Street – Take a walk or drive down the famous crooked street. If you want, you can also visit the actual crookedest street on Vermont Street.
- Alcatraz – Take a ferry to the island and tour the Rock. If you want to do this tour, be sure to book early – it fills up very quickly.
Things to check out if you've been to San Francisco before
- Lands End – Take an easy hike with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and visit the Sutro Baths, 19th century ruins of former privately owned baths.
- Golden Gate Park – Larger than Central Park in New York, the Golden Gate Park has a wide variety of things to see including a Japanese Tea Garden, several museums, a herd of buffalo, a botanical garden, and more.
- Twin Peaks – One of the best (and windy!) views of all of San Francisco. Hike or drive up to the top for an unbeatable view.
- Hayes Valley – Our new home neighborhood! There are many boutiques, wonderful restaurants, and parks to visit. Get a cup of coffee at Ritual Coffee and a scoop of super creamy ice cream made right in front of you using liquid nitrogen at Smitten Ice Cream.
- Farmers Market at the Ferry Building – On Saturdays, the Ferry Building hosts a large farmers market with local vendors and restaurants. Check out the huevos rancheros at Primavera and the crab cake sandwich from Hayes Street Grill.
- The Mission – One of the most popular local neighborhoods in the city for its mix of Latin culture and new cafes and stores. Have some authentic Mexican food (our favorites are the Taqueria Los Coyotes and the Velvet Cantina) and check out the quirky and unique shops such as Paxton Gate.
- Computer History Museum – In tribute to our technology backgrounds, take a trip down to Mountain View to explore a museum that explores the computing revolution and its impact on society.
Our favorite wineries, breweries, and wine country attractions
- Wine Country Journeys – We’ve taken Jerry’s tour several times, and he’s one of the most knowledgeable people you can meet about wine making. He’ll take you to a wide variety of small boutique wineries on a group or private tour. It’s one of the best ways to experience wine country, and we highly recommend it.
- J. Rickards Winery – Jim Rickards not only produces the best wine you can find in Sonoma, but also is quite the character and loves to share information about wine and his winery. In particular, try their Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet, and dessert wines.
- Hawley Winery – Hawley is another one of our favorite wineries. The only way to experience Hawley outside of wine club events (and possibly through a private tour) is via their tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. Take the chance to explore the cute town and try their Zinfandel and Pinot Noir.
- Russian River Brewing Company – Experience the famous Pliny the Elder IPA along with over a dozen other popular local beers on tap.
- Bear Republic Brewing Company – Located in downtown Healdsburg, taste their hoppy beers including the popular Racer 5 IPA.
- Cheese Trail – If you’re not very into wine or beer (!), Sonoma also has a cheese trail where you can try a wide variety of gourmet cheeses and meet local cheesemakers.
If you have time for a longer trip to California
- Muir Woods – Visit a spectacular old-growth coastal redwood forest with trees 400-800 years old. Note that there’s no cell service in the woods, and the roads to get there are a bit windy, but it’s definitely worth the visit.
- Monterey/Carmel – Check out the otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, shop down the charming streets in Carmel, and take a drive down the scenic 49 mile drive.
- Yosemite – One of the country’s most beautiful National Parks. Plan to spend more than a day here, so that you’re not rushed.
- Santa Cruz – If you’re in to beaches and water sports, check out Santa Cruz , about an hour and a half south of San Francisco
- Lake Tahoe – While Tahoe is mostly known as a winter destination for skiing and snowboarding, it’s also a lovely place to visit for hiking and boating in the Spring and Summer.
