A sun-soaked villa and garden courtyard fit the bill perfectly for the location of Kim and Ben Kallam’s rehearsal dinner in late March of this year. The couple, along with Ben’s mother, kindly shared some of the details from the night with us.

Ben’s family hails from the southeast and planned the Santa Barbara evening from a distance, which makes the thoughtful details found throughout the event extra special.

Choosing The Villa and Vine event venue, part of the Greek-owned Petros brand, felt like a tribute to the groom’s Grecian family heritage. “We ate at Petros Restaurant in Manhattan Beach when we went to California for a visit, and the food was incredible When we went to see Villa and Vine in Santa Barbara, it seemed exactly what the bride and groom were hoping for, and we knew the food would be incredible!” said Christi Kallam, the groom’s mother.

It turns out that the garden setting and the quaint Hellenic vibe of Villa and Vine, as well as the delicious Greek food, were idyllic for the couples desire to share an intimate night with friends and family on the eve of their wedding.

The night’s lush greenery and scrolling vines coordinated beautifully with the Dogwood Hill paper chosen for the evening. A bespoke ivy crest and custom monogram, part of our Greenery Wedding Collection, was found on the invitation, menu, table numbers, and place cards used for the dinner.

We love how the simplistic elegance of the Dogwood Hill paper paired seamlessly with the chic coastal ambiance of the night.

In preparation of the celebration, Christi framed dozens of photos of the couple to display throughout the space to personalize the celebration.

One of the couple’s favorite memories of the evening? “We loved being featured on the marquee across the street at the Arlington Theatre,” Ben said, especially meaningful because he works in the movie industry.