A Glass for Every Guest
Samantha Morneault and Chris Surprenant set a teal water goblet at every seat in the reception hall, and every guest took one home. Their sunflower vineyard wedding at Zorvino Vineyards in Sandown, New Hampshire, took place on Thursday, September 24, 2026, two days into fall, with 125 guests, a ceremony at the gazebo, and sunflowers on every table.
Samantha and Chris described the look they wanted in two words: vintage and whimsical. Most of what they planned was built to last past the last dance. Guests pressed their fingerprints onto a canvas guest book. A memory table honored family and a wooden sign at cocktail hour read “I promise to love you every day of forever.”
Her Father Saw Her First
Samantha arrived at the bridal suite early that morning, with a mimosa bar waiting for her and her bridesmaids. Chris and his groomsmen took over their own suite at noon, where a bucket of beer and a gaming console filled the hours before the ceremony.
In the afternoon, Samantha gave the first look to her father, Dave. He turned around and saw his daughter in her wedding gown for the first time, and Picture This Wedding Company photographed the moment. Portraits with the wedding party followed across the grounds.
Her six bridesmaids, in a mix of sage and olive gowns, crowded around her beside the gazebo for a staged gasp at the ring. Flower girl Chloe stood front and center with her white basket.
Chris’s groomsmen lined up along the vineyard rows in matching sunglasses, each with a sunflower boutonniere.
Vows at the Gazebo
The ceremony took place at the gazebo overlooking the vineyard, with rows of white garden chairs set on the lawn and white flowers blooming along the beds. Chris walked down the aisle with his mother, Joanne. Samantha’s cousin Brian escorted her mother, Tricia, and her grandmother, Virginia, watched from the front.
Six bridesmaids and six groomsmen came first, with junior bridesmaid Aliyah and junior groomsman Daniel. Flower girl Chloe walked hand in hand with her cousin Alyssa. The ring bearers followed: Tommy, a younger nephew, and the couple’s son CJ. Rachel stood as Maid of Honor and Michael as Best Man.
Their best friend, Scott, officiated. When he pronounced them married and Samantha and Chris kissed, Scott threw his fist in the air.
Zorvino offers two ceremony settings on the property: this outdoor gazebo and an indoor ceremony space. A September couple can plan for the vineyard view and still have a dry option a short walk away, with no tent rental and no second venue.
Strawberry Fragole and a Wooden Sign
Cocktail hour moved to Zorvino’s outdoor cocktail space, open May through October. A wine barrel display poured Zorvino’s own Strawberry Fragole, made on the estate. The Tuscan grazing table held Italian cured meats with crostini, imported and domestic cheeses, spinach dip with pita chips, crudités with Boursin dip, seasonal fruit with honey vinaigrette, marinated mushrooms, and mixed olives. Servers passed arancini, beef skewers with soy, lime honey, and sesame, and bacon-wrapped scallops with maple and black pepper.
Samantha and Chris asked to use Zorvino’s wooden wedding signs for the outdoor space. One live-edge slab, hand-lettered with their favorite line, leaned against a tree beside a stoneware jug of sunflowers. Couples who marry at Zorvino can borrow pieces from the winery’s own collection instead of renting signage from an outside company.
Pond, Arbor, Fountain
While guests mingled, Samantha and Chris walked the estate for portraits. On 80 acres, three settings sit within a few minutes of each other.
They started on the wooden dock over the lily pond, where the pines and maples had begun to show their first orange.
Under the grape arbor, the vine leaves had turned gold at the edges.
The last stop was the fountain pond, the spot in this post’s top photo. A couple can get water, vines, and woods in one cocktail hour without leaving the property or loading into a car.
Teal Glass and Gold Chargers
In the reception hall, sage runners crossed ivory linens. Gold beaded chargers sat at every place with a “Welcome and Thanks” card on each napkin. @fordflower built the centerpieces on wood slabs: sunflowers, toffee roses, orange mums, deep red gerberas, eucalyptus, and pampas plumes. Ribbed votives and frosted table numbers on wooden stands finished each table.
Then came the goblets. Each teal glass carried a twine-tied tag printed with an S monogram and a thank-you from Chris and Sam. Guests drank from them through dinner and took them home at the end of the night.
The couple brought in the personal pieces: a wine barrel card box, the fingerprint canvas guest book, a Mr. & Mrs. sweetheart table, faux candles at the front of the room, and a memory table with a gold clock under a glass dome and sunflowers in an old stoneware crock.
Three Dances, Four Toasts
The wedding party headed straight to their seats after introductions, and the floor cleared for Samantha and Chris’s first dance. Three more followed: Samantha with her father, Dave; Samantha with her son, Logan; and Chris with his mother, Joanne.
Four people stood to toast the couple: Samantha’s father, Dave, Best Man Michael, Maid of Honor Rachel, and Adam. Samantha and Chris closed the speeches with a thank-you to their guests. Nick Mascioli of @getdowntonightentertainment ran the program and kept the dance floor full from there.
Chicken, Haddock, or Both
Samantha and Chris chose Zorvino’s Classico Wedding Package. After a champagne toast, dinner opened with mixed greens, cucumber, tomatoes, and sherry-balsamic dressing. Guests chose stuffed chicken with herb stuffing or haddock with garlic parsley butter and breadcrumbs. Kids got chicken fingers and fries.
Zorvino’s in-house kitchen also tracked each guest’s allergies and restrictions by table, from a nut allergy to dairy-free and celiac-safe plates, so every meal reached the right seat.
Cake, Then Sliders
@chickadeehillcakes made a three-tier, semi-naked buttercream cake with ivory garden roses and eucalyptus. It stood on a glass-topped barrel display filled with Zorvino wine corks and ringed with votives, in front of the tasting room bar. A coffee and tea station came with it. After the cutting, the whole room gathered on the dance floor for a group photo.
Later in the evening, the kitchen rolled out a slider bar for all 125 guests: mini cheeseburgers and hamburgers with french fries and a spread of toppings.
When the night ended, Samantha and Chris rode home on the First Charter bus with their guests, bound for the Holiday Inn in Salem, NH, with a goblet in every lap.
Dream Vendor Team
| Venue | Zorvino Vineyards, Sandown, NH |
| Photography | Picture This Wedding Company |
| Florals | @fordflower Ford Flowers |
| Wedding Cake | @chickadeehillcakes Chickadee Hill Cakes |
| DJ | @getdowntonightentertainment Get Down Tonight Entertainment, Nick Mascioli |
| Accommodations | Holiday Inn, Salem, NH |
| Transportation | First Charter, Salem, NH |
Planning Notes from Samantha & Chris’s Wedding
Can you get married on a weekday at Zorvino Vineyards?
Yes! Samantha and Chris married on a Thursday in late September, the height of the season, with the gazebo ceremony, both getting-ready suites, and the outdoor cocktail space. Compare Zorvino’s wedding packages to see weekday options.
What ceremony locations does Zorvino offer?
Two: an outdoor gazebo overlooking the vineyard and an indoor ceremony space, both on the property.
When is the outdoor cocktail space available?
May through October, weather permitting.
Does Zorvino pour its own wine at weddings?
Yes. A wine barrel display can pour Zorvino estate wine during cocktail hour. Samantha and Chris chose Strawberry Fragole.
Can couples bring their own favors and décor?
Yes. Samantha and Chris brought water goblet favors, a card box, table numbers, a fingerprint guest book, and signage, and they borrowed Zorvino’s own wooden wedding signs for cocktail hour.
When do the getting-ready suites open?
The bridal suite opens at 9:00 AM, with earlier access available, and the groomsmen suite opens at noon.
Congratulations, Samantha & Chris!
To the couple who gave the first look to her father, filled the tables with sunflowers, and sent 125 guests home with a glass to remember the night by: thank you for spending your Thursday with us. It was our honor to host you at Zorvino Vineyards!
Thinking about a fall date of your own? See how a Zorvino wedding comes together, review the Classico and our other wedding packages, and read more real wedding stories from the estate. When you want to stand at the gazebo and walk out to the pond dock yourself, book 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
