Very few girls are fortunate enough to have their wedding gown selected and fitted by the designer himself. Solera Smith owes a debt of gratitude to her girlfriend Jane, who took the liberty of arranging a day of appointments at bridal salons around San Francisco. They had been shopping in the city most of the morning and nothing stood out. So when the two appeared at the Bridal Galleria in the Embarcadero Center, they were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by none other than Lazaro Perez himself. In from New York for a trunk show, he graciously offered Solera his personal assistance. She says, “To be honest, when I saw my dress on the hanger, I was hesitant.” At Lazaro’s polite insistence she tried it on and “knew instantly it was the one.” His beautifully cut silhouette was perfect for her delicate frame. In her low key manner Solera says sweetly, “It worked for me. I really loved my dress.”

Born and raised in Carmel Valley, Solera does appear to have lady luck on her side. She had only recently moved back to the North Bay area in the summer of 2005, when she met her future husband Danny Razoff. She really wasn’t looking for a relationship, but fate held a different story. Solera’s best friend invited her on a group camping trip, and the only ones who showed up were her best friend’s husband and his buddy, Danny. Since everyone else cancelled, it became a blind date of sorts, without all the awkward associations. Danny doesn’t hesitate to admit, “When we first met, she ‘had me at hello’.” Solera reciprocated his interest, and says, “I definitely knew he was the one from the beginning, which is very much unlike me. He has always been so respectful of my feelings.”

The two were inseparable from that first Fourth of July weekend, and Danny gladly made the commute from Novato into the city on a nightly basis. “I would come home from work and he would have dinner ready for me. It was so easy to be together.” says Solera. Two years later, they purchased a home and a dog together, and she knew “he was in it for the long run.” With their hectic work schedules she felt certain a wedding was at least a year away, but Danny had
other plans. He convinced her to steal away to his family’s cabin in Lake Tahoe for a romantic weekend, and despite a severe snow storm, she agreed. “We were literally the only ones on the road who made it through,” she says. They awoke to a crystal sunny morning, the fresh snowfall lending a crisp newness to the day. Danny arranged duo spa treatments and afterwards, they ventured out onto the pier to sip champagne. Standing over the lake amidst the exceptional beauty of the mountains, he dropped to one knee to propose and completely surprised Solera. “Of course, my answer was yes.”

As an Associate Director of Catering at the InterContinental San Francisco, Solera did feel the pressure that comes with a certain level of expectation associated with her position. Her first priority was the wedding venue, which turned out to be one of the easier decisions. “I had worked for a catering company in high school, and I recalled seeing the Holman Ranch for the first time and dreaming about having my own wedding there someday,” says Solera. Even though her duties encompass mainly corporate events in the city, it just so happened that Larissa Cleveland made an appointment with Solera to present her portfolio to the hotel, and another major decision was checked off the list. “I get many calls from photographers, and when I looked at Larissa’s website, there was just something about how she captured emotion,” remarks Solera, “I had to book her no matter what.”

Months seemed to fly by and Solera says her work schedule left little time to plan her own wedding, yet things fell into place seamlessly. “I’m a simple person, so I wanted to add my personal touches here and there,” she says. Good food and good company were the only things that mattered to the happy couple. Danny says, “I come from a large Italian family, and we get pretty serious about food.” Together, he and his love designed a sumptuous menu composed of fresh local foods true to the area. For the consummate foodies, this part of the planning was a labor of love.

On September 18, 2010, one hundred and fifty guests gathered on the lawn of the Holman Ranch with a vista of mountains offering a natural altar. Solera was stunning in her glamorous Lazaro gown, carrying a lush bouquet of ivory roses. Her own sentimental touch was perfect. “Both of my grandmothers are no longer with us, so I tied each of their gold lockets to my bouquet with their pictures inside.” Her bridesmaids wore vivid orange Melissa Sweet dresses, establishing the cheerful color story of the day. Sitting in the chair during hair and makeup preparation, she heeded the advice she had often offered to other brides: “From this point on, just have fun.”

The morning of the wedding had been a whirlwind of activity, so Solera was grateful to have time alone in the courtyard just before she walked down the aisle. The immensity of the moment finally sank in, and tears of joy flowed. When she met Danny at the altar, neither of them could contain their smiles. The pastor took time to share heartfelt vows which they had sent to him in advance. Individually, they had each expressed almost identical sentiments. “I look forward to our life together, having a family of our own, laughter always filling our home, and growing old together. This will surely be the most wonderful day of my life.” And so it was.

As promised, the reception menu left nothing to be desired starting with a selection of international and local cheeses, classic bruschetta, oyster shooters and mojitos. Dinner was served family style with balsamic grilled artichokes with lemon aioli, grilled shrimp and braised short ribs Bourguignon, accompanied by Parmesan polenta and fresh baked bread. Wedding coordinator and girlfriend, Chelsea Allen, made certain no detail was overlooked. The bride’s favorite “bundtlets” from Nothing Bundt Cake were served in lieu of a traditional wedding cake. Guests dined in a picturesque setting of the ranch’s Rose Patio with tables set in vibrant orange flower arrangements created by family friends at Design One Environments. Each celebrant received a jar of homemade jam lovingly prepared with help from the Razoff family and created from Danny’s great-grandmother’s recipe.

Dancing in the Carriage House commenced, and the newlyweds surprised everyone with an impromptu reenactment of the famous “Dirty Dancing” movie scene when the song, “Time of My Life” was played. Encircled by family and friends, Danny held his new wife tightly. She says, “I looked up at Danny and he said, ‘This is the happiest day of my life.’ We were both on a cloud.” And for the perfect ending, Solera had the waiters bring out delicious sliders and sweet potato fries before guests said goodnight. Because everyone knows good food is the universal language of love.