The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000

Ross and Cara threw down in wine town. Threw down wedding vows, that is—and one hell of a party. A HUGE thank you to the Nesbitts and Gualcos for inviting me to be a part of the weekend. I had the privilege of getting to know Ross and Cara while attending Loyola in Chicago, IL. I sat next to Cara in my very first class at Loyola, Theology: Moral Issues in Business. I quickly became friends with her and Ross; many of my best memories of Chicago involve going out on the town with these two. In the years that followed graduation, it has been fun keeping up with them as our careers, geographies and relationships evolve. The coming together of Ross, Cara, family and friends in Sonoma for their wedding on August 21, 2009 made for a truly spectacular weekend.

The wedding weekend began like any wedding weekend should: golf. The cool, cloudy weather we experienced on the front nine allowed my Seattle game to flourish. As Ross put it so eloquently, “Andy is throwing darts!” On the tenth tee the sun came out and I cracked a beer. My game immediately deteriorated over the next three holes. After several major flubs, I was able to restore my front nine glory by the stretch and rally for a strong finish.

After golf, we barreled through the Sonoma Valley countryside in an attempt to make it to the rehearsal on time. Despite our tardiness, the ladies were genuinely pleased to see us.

The wedding, and therefore the rehearsal, were held at Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood, CA. The grounds at Landmark have a back lawn bordered by a creek and features a sweeping view of the Mayacamas Mountains.

I had a lot of fun getting to know Ross’s family over the weekend. Pictured here is Ross, Emily, Roger, Debbie and Brent Nesbitt.

After running through the wedding day logistics, we caravaned back into Sonoma for the rehearsal dinner. The Nesbitts hosted a wonderful evening at Estate in Sonoma. On the picturesque patio we clinked wine glasses and exchanged pleasantries underneath a pergola draped in vines.

Pictured here are three generations of Gualcos: Grandmother Frances, father of the bride Michael and brother of the bride Matt.

Emily and Brent are Ross’s younger twin siblings. Both are seniors at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln.

I particularly enjoyed getting to know Cara’s family. Her mother, Rexy, and brother, Matt, are flanked here by fellow Loyola alumni Cailyn and George.

Ross and his mother Debbie.

Cara posing with Dee, Tom, her Uncle Beanie and Aunt Dorothy.

Ross’s father Roger helps out his son and best man, Brent, with the finishing touches to his collar.

After giving Mike a quick tutorial on tying ties, Ross gives his groomsman a pep talk before the ceremony. The room we got ready in was pretty cool. It was a second story lookout that had windows on all sides. The walls were adorned with letters from Presidents and official White House Correspondence with copies of state dinner menus where Landmark Wine was served.

Once the cuff links were fastened and the ties snugged up, the guy’s side of the wedding party chilled in the tasting room at Landmark.

The setting for the wedding was absolutely gorgeous. The bride and groom were posed against a mountainous backdrop with guests seated in the beautifully manicured lawn.

Not be outdone by the beautiful setting, the bridesmaids were stunning. Pooja, Maid of Honor Jami and Emily pose for a picture minutes before the wedding. Cara let each of her bridesmaids select their own style of dress—a thoughtful custom touch that subtly complimented the overall aesthetic of the wedding.

Patterned curves of flower petals down the aisle contrasted beautifully with the lush green grass. As an usher, I was tasked with seating people from the outside. Kicking the petals around was reserved for the wedding party procession.

Cara’s great uncle Gene, a judge, performed the wedding. He also married Cara’s parents nearly thirty years ago.

Ross & Cara Nesbitt take to the aisle as man and wife.

Immediately following the wedding was the most elegant of garden parties. While I went straight for a Coors Light (it was hot outside), plenty of other classy libations were available for consumption. Here, Maid of Honor Jami takes a break from “double duty” to plant one on George.

Ammar and Brianna were all over this wedding. From cute candids to spicy parasol propped photoshoots, neither of them showed any disdain for my camera lens. Will they be the next Loyola couple to follow Ross and Cara down the aisle? Hmm…

After cocktails we sat down to a wonderful meal in the courtyard at Landmark.

Once dinner was finished, the real fun began. A live band rocked the reception while the happy throng danced and socialized in the cool California summer night. After getting after it on the dance floor for awhile, I wandered off to grab a light stand and an umbrella. I set up a Nikon SB-600 flash and Wescott umbrella underneath the tree branches and lights in the courtyard. Cara asked me to get a shot of her and her nanny, Dee, looking at each other. It was to be a tribute to an old photograph of a little Cara looking up at Dee on her wedding day. While I was setting up the scene and taking some test shots, Ross, Brent, George and several others wandered over. Before I knew it, we had a full-on photo shoot happening.

Vaishak, Cailyn, Ammar and Brianna get all “Gossip Girl” with a couple of parasols.

George being George.

Two brothers on a Parisian stroll?

Here is the shot of Dee and Cara that inspired this series.

A and B being saucy.

Rocky and Pooja Saxena ham it up under the lights. For more “Gossip Girl Photo Shoot” photos, visit Flickr.

In anticipation of everyone having a “good time,” a bus was arranged to take everyone back to the hotel. It is pretty obvious how stoked everyone was for safe transportation.

Although the wedding was over, the party in Sonoma continued on Saturday. About twenty-five of us rented a bus and toured the valley. Above is a vista as seen from the Gloria Ferrer Winery in Carneros, CA.

On their first day as man and wife, Mr. & Mrs. Nesbitt partied on a bus in between partying at wineries.

George and Katie keeping cool at Gloria Ferrer.

Cheers! Emily, Cailyn, George, Cara, Ross, Jami and Adam send up at toast at Gloria Ferrer.

On the way out of the winery, Ross decided to open up a bottle of champagne. After popping the cork, I encouraged him to shake it up a little, you know, Formula One style. Nothing like raining champagne.

Brett Catlin once told me that you can tell a good wine by its legs. Obviously we’re dealing with a superior product here, which is evident by Jami’s enthusiastic endorsement.

Adam and Lauren enjoy a snack in Sonoma.

Katie charts the course at Buena Vista Carneros.

Our driver, Rodney, hanging out at Buena Vista.

Towards the end of the day, I saw Adam pull out a bank envelope. Contained in the envelope were about $30 in one dollar bills. With a few brisk swipes at the wad, Adam was “making it rain” in the bus. Predictable behavior following a showering of notes ensued—i.e., creative use of the bus’s poll.

The bus’s aisle eventually transformed into a runway and the whole roadshow turned into a dance party traveling at 60 MPH. Thanks to whoever operated my camera to grab this shot—well done!

Many more pictures are available on Flickr, or simply watch the slideshow below. For help with making or ordering prints, please email me at andy@explosion5000.com.

Again, big thank you to the Nesbitts and Gualcos for a wonderful weekend!