Sarahritchie17 One of my best friends is getting married! A couple weeks ago, I flew out to California to celebrate her last days of being a “Miss” with her and the rest of her girlfriends.
If you are planning a Bach weekend or girls trip, this post is everything you need to get started!
Our Itinerary
FRIDAY
- Arrive in San Francisco, drive to Napa
- Check into Vino Bello Resort
- Pool / hot tub time
- Dinner at Taqueria Maria
SATURDAY
- 10:00 AM Limo pick up from resort
- Wine Tour:
- Castello di Amorosa
- Pestoni Family Estate Winery
- Picnic lunch delivered from Gary’s St. Helena Deli
- St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery
- 5:30 PM Return to Vino Bello Resort
- Pool / hot tub time
- Order-in dinner – Mod Pizza
SUNDAY
- 9:00 Bridal shower brunch at Olive & Hay
- 11:30 Return to San Francisco
About the Wineries
Castello di Amorosa
This was my second time visiting “the Castle,” and I would go back again (and again). The setting is stunning, the photos are perfect, and the wine is delicious. Plus, there’s even a petting zoo. You could probably spend a whole day here if you weren’t on a schedule. If you do find yourself with some extra time, head downstairs to the wine cellar and gift shop. This winery offers tastings both indoors and outdoors. Bring a jacket if you do the indoor one. During the tasting, be sure to try La Fantasia, my personal favorite. It’s a cold, sparkling red wine sold only at Castello di Amorosa.
Pestoni Family Estate Winery
With picnic tables on the lawn, cornhole, and other yard games, Pestoni was the perfect mid-day stop. We ordered lunch in advance from Gary’s St. Helena Deli and our limo driver picked it up and brought it to us there.
St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery
I immediately got French vibes walking up to this one, and I was right! We got a short history lesson from our server and learned how their wine is sustainably-sourced, how they employ sheep in their vineyards, and that they are owned by Chanel. You can learn more here. This was an indoor setting, which was nice to escape the August heat at the end of the day.
Where We Stayed
Vino Bello Resort was the perfect accommodation for our trip. We split 3 rooms (one a larger suite) among 10 of us. The main suite had a full kitchen which we used for breakfast together before the wine tour on Saturday. The resort had 2 pools and a hot tub which was super nice to unwind when we first arrived and after our wine tour. There were a couple restaurants on-site which made for a convenient bridal shower brunch on Sunday as we just had to walk across the street. Other people staying there included girls trips, couples, and even a few family vacationers.
Other Recommendations
On coordination
- Share a Google Doc – Rachael made a Google Doc of all the information and plans she put together for the weekend. She wrote out the itinerary there with prices so we could see how much we needed to pay into the initial bookings and estimates of additional day-of costs. This was super helpful to keep things organized and get everyone on the same page.
- Outfits – Eva didn’t ask us to coordinate outfits, but I think our pictures still turned out super cute! As long as the bride is the one in white, she’ll stand out.
- Rides – Getting from SFO airport to Napa is about an hour drive. There were a few bridesmaids who live in the San Francisco area that offered to be drivers. I got in a day late, so I took a rental car for the whole weekend. I also looked at Uber, and it was about $100 for the one-way trip, which wouldn’t be terrible if you split with a few people. I recommend having at least one car there for running last minute errands like getting breakfast groceries and picking up pizza.
- Decor – We kept it pretty minimal on the decor. You really don’t need much since you’ll spend most of the time outside the hotel. Just get a few props for the photos. We all had Team Bride necklaces and Eva wore a Bride to Be headband.
On which tour company to use
We used Napa Valley Wine Country Tours for this trip and did the picnic lunch option. Our driver, George, did an exceptional job coordinating with the maid of honor. Everything went smoothly except a small issue with our lunch orders which was quickly resolved by George. He went above and beyond to stop for photo opportunities and called ahead to wineries when we were running late. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make the trip until a couple days before, and he seamlessly coordinated with all the wineries to add me to all the tastings last minute. He also provided additional recommendations for the rest of our weekend in Napa. The van was comfortable and we all enjoyed the provided champagne and water bottles on ice. One recommendation I have is to pack a sharpie to label your cups if you go with a big group.
On getting the best pictures
Our driver offered to make an additional stop at a big Napa Valley sign on the way to the first winery for a nice photo op. He advised us that the pictures might change throughout the day, so it’s best to get them earlier in the day. Haha!
On the bridal shower
Another idea I loved about the weekend was that the bridal shower was tacked on the end. Since Eva’s bridesmaids are from all over, it was super convenient for us to celebrate two bridal events in one weekend. It saved us all a good amount of money in travel. Her future mother-in-law organized the event which included a quiz on the couple, date idea cards, and gifts for the bride. We enjoyed brunch at Olive & Hay, a restaurant on site at our resort, for the occasion.
On budgeting
Wedding stuff can get super expensive, and the bachelorette weekend is one of the major ticket items for being a bridesmaid. Rachael did a great job at planning ahead and being up front with the costs associated. She sent out the Google Doc (mentioned above) a month in advance. The app Splitwise was a great way to settle up shared costs after the event. Rachael found the app and asked us each to create an account before the trip. I’d never used the app before, but it was super easy to find the group she created for the event and start tracking our shared expenses. During the trip, anyone who paid for group costs like dinner, gas, groceries, etc. could add a line item and add the people who shared the cost to that line item. At the end of the trip, the app calculated and evened out, so I only had to pay one person instead of making a bunch of different transactions and trying to settle up with 10 different people. I don’t get any payment to recommend the app, and I’ve only had one experience with it, but I think it’s the perfect tool to have for events like this!
On what to do if you have extra time
Bouchon Bakery – An adorable French-style bakery in Yountville, this was a 20 minute drive from our resort. A few of us snuck away to grab coffee and pastries there before the bridal shower on Sunday. If we’d had more time, I would have loved to walk around that area and explore more.
R&D Kitchen Pizza – This was recommended to us at one of the wineries.
Auberge Bistro – Another recommendation from a winery.
San Francisco Day Trip – A few of us had an extra day or two before our flights home, so we took advantage of the time to see the city. Check out my blog post about it here!
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Cheers!
Sarah
