A Bottle for Every Couple
Along the window ledge in the reception hall, rows of red wine bottles waited for Alexia Malouf and Shawn Naraine’s guests. Each label carried a photo of the two of them walking arm in arm and one line of script: “Alexia & Shawn, 10/16/26.” These were their wine bottle wedding favors, one bottle for every couple in the room, set on a live-edge slab with votive candles, eucalyptus, ivory cheesecloth, and framed photos of the couple.
Wine ran through the whole day. Alexia and Shawn sealed a wine box during their ceremony, poured three signature cocktails on the patio, and set their cake on a glass-topped wine barrel filled with corks. Their wedding on Friday, October 16, 2026 brought 82 guests to Sandown, New Hampshire, dressed the estate in sage green and dusty blue, and landed on a week when the maples around the property had turned orange and gold.
Sage Green on the Lawn
Four bridesmaids stood with Alexia, joined by junior bridesmaids Lilly and Izzy and flower girl Madison, all in sage green. Kari-Ann served as Maid of Honor. Four groomsmen stood with Shawn, led by his brother Jonathan as Best Man. Both families filled out the party: Alexia’s brother Evan, and Shawn’s brothers Roy Jr. and Jonathan.
The bridesmaids carried white roses and eucalyptus. Alexia’s bouquet added a few blue blooms to the same mix, the first of the dusty blue that would carry into the reception hall.
Alexia and Shawn saw each other for the first time that day in the early afternoon, well ahead of the ceremony. Shaunna of Lockwood Photography & Film used those extra hours to photograph the couple and their wedding party across the grounds while the October light held.
A Wine Box on the Gazebo Lawn
Guests took their seats in white chairs on the lawn beside the gazebo, under a stand of maples at peak color. Chrysanthemums in yellow, white, burgundy, and magenta lined the brick path, and Alexia walked it toward the ceremony with an escort on each arm.
Officiant Daniel Griffiths led a 30-minute ceremony built around a wine box. In a wine box ceremony, a couple seals a bottle of wine inside a box to open together on a future anniversary. For Alexia and Shawn, that bottle became the first of many on the property that day. Mike of Lockwood Film captured the ceremony on video.
Ford Flowers dressed the gazebo with sprays of white roses, blue hydrangea, and delphinium, then moved them inside to the sweetheart table after the vows.
Ten Minutes, Then the Pond
After the ceremony, Alexia and Shawn stepped inside for ten minutes on their own, with drinks and appetizers sent in from the kitchen, before their guests saw them again.
The grounds gave them no shortage of places for portraits. Shawn lifted Alexia for a kiss on the deck above the lily pond, and the two of them stood together under her veil beside the fountain pond, with red, orange, and gold trees reflected in the water behind them.
The deck, the ponds, the vineyard rows, and the gazebo all sit within a short walk of one another on Zorvino’s 80 acres. A couple can move through several settings in one afternoon without a second location or a car.
Three Cocktails Under the Pergola
Cocktail hour took place on the outdoor patio, where string lights hang from a timber pergola and fire tables burn between the seating. Zorvino opens the patio for cocktail hour from May through October, weather permitting, and mid-October still makes the cut.
The full open bar poured the couple’s three signature drinks, listed on a bar sign they brought from home:
The Old Fashioned
The Paloma
The Mojito, named “Cat Jazzy”
Guests who skipped alcohol had a Strawberry Italian Soda.
A Tuscan grazing table held Italian cured meats, imported and domestic cheeses, crudités with Boursin dip, marinated mushrooms, and olives. Servers passed tempura cauliflower with curry aioli and Aleppo pepper, bacon-wrapped scallops with maple, mozzarella skewers, beef kofta with Boursin and dill, and deviled crab with Old Bay.
Dusty Blue Under the Beams
Inside, every cross-back chair wore a dusty blue organza sash tied in a loose bow. Ivory linens from Perfect Party Linens covered the round tables, with dusty blue runners down the center and gold chargers at each seat. Printed menus rested on the napkins.
Ford Flowers built the centerpieces in white roses, greenery, and touches of blue, set on wood slabs with two votive candles and one of the couple’s table numbers. Gold foil coasters sat at the places. Sheer drapery wrapped the posts around the dance floor, and the couple brought in their card box, guest book, wooden signs, and seating chart.
At the sweetheart table, the gazebo sprays from the ceremony spilled white roses, blue hydrangea, and delphinium over the front edge, under warm uplighting and the timber frame of the hall.
Four Toasts
Kibar of Main Event introduced the couple, and Alexia and Shawn took their first dance. Four toasts followed: Alexia’s parents, Carolyn and Khattar; Shawn’s father, Roy Sr.; Best Man Jonathan; and Maid of Honor Kari-Ann. A champagne toast went to every guest. Alexia and Shawn thanked the room together, then visited each table during dinner to thank their guests in person.
A Grand Cru Dinner
Alexia and Shawn chose Zorvino’s Grand Cru Wedding Package. Dinner opened with a Caesar salad and herbed croutons. Guests chose from strip steak with salsa verde and demi-glace, herb-stuffed chicken, or haddock with garlic parsley butter and breadcrumbs, with butternut squash ravioli for vegetarians. Mashed potatoes, broccoli, and fresh bread came with every plate. Kids got chicken fingers with mac and cheese.
The guest list included several nut, peanut, sesame, dairy, and gluten restrictions. Zorvino’s in-house kitchen tracked each one by table and seat, so every plate reached the right guest.
Cake on a Barrel of Corks
Chickadee Hill Cakes made a three-tier white cake with ridged buttercream, white roses, and eucalyptus. It stood on a glass-topped wine barrel filled with corks and lit from beneath, circled by votive candles.
Alexia and Shawn cut the cake to a song of their choosing, and Alexia danced with her father. The cake came out with a coffee and tea station and a display of cookies and cannoli topped with mini chocolate chips, mini M&M’s, and nuts. Espresso Dave pulled lattes and cappuccinos from his cart for two hours. Later, the kitchen sent out flatbread boards in margherita, vegetable, and meat, with a gluten-free option.
The Bottles by the Window
When the night ended, the bottles were still lined up along the window, one for each couple to carry home. Two Manchester Transit shuttles took guests back to their hotels in Manchester, and Alexia and Shawn drove off in their own car.
Dream Vendor Team
| Venue | Zorvino Vineyards, Sandown, NH |
|---|---|
| Photography & Videography | Lockwood Photography & Film |
| Florals | @fordflower Ford Flowers |
| Wedding Cake | @chickadeehillcakes Chickadee Hill Cakes |
| DJ | Main Event, Kibar |
| Espresso | Espresso Dave |
| Linens | Perfect Party Linens |
| Accommodations | DoubleTree by Hilton and Residence Inn, Manchester, NH |
| Transportation | Manchester Transit |
Planning Notes from Alexia & Shawn’s Wedding
Can you buy wine for wedding favors at Zorvino Vineyards?
Yes! Alexia and Shawn purchased their wine bottle favors through Zorvino, one bottle per couple, each with a custom label showing their photo, their names, and the wedding date.
What is a wine box ceremony?
A couple seals a bottle of wine inside a box during the ceremony and opens it on a future anniversary. Alexia and Shawn’s officiant built their 30-minute ceremony around one on the gazebo lawn.
Can you hold an outdoor ceremony at Zorvino in October?
Yes! Couples choose between an outdoor ceremony at the gazebo overlooking the vineyard or an indoor ceremony. Alexia and Shawn married outside in mid-October with the foliage at full color.
Is the patio open for an October cocktail hour?
Yes, through the end of October, weather permitting. The patio has a pergola with string lights, fire pits, and a bocce court.
What did Alexia and Shawn’s Grand Cru Package include?
A 4.5-hour full open bar with three signature cocktails and a mocktail, a Tuscan grazing table, five passed hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast, a Caesar salad, a plated dinner, and a custom cake with a coffee and tea station. They added an espresso cart and two late-night snacks.
Can the kitchen handle guest food allergies?
Yes! The kitchen tracked every allergy on Alexia and Shawn’s guest list by table, including nut, peanut, sesame, dairy, and gluten restrictions.
Can you hold your rehearsal at Zorvino?
Alexia and Shawn held theirs on the Thursday morning before their Friday wedding.
Congratulations, Alexia & Shawn!
To the couple who sealed a wine box on the gazebo lawn, tied dusty blue on every chair, and sent each couple home with a bottle bearing their photo: thank you for spending a Friday in October with us. It was our honor to host you at Zorvino Vineyards!
Planning a fall wedding of your own? See what a wedding at Zorvino includes, compare the Grand Cru with our other wedding packages, and read more real weddings from the estate. When you want to stand on the gazebo lawn and sit under the pergola yourself, schedule a venue tour.
Learn About Weddings at Zorvino Vineyards
Zorvino Vineyards | 226 Main Street, Sandown, NH 03873 | (603) 887-8463
zorvino.com/weddings | Instagram: @zorvinovineyards
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