Some of my favorites are wrapped up in this Palm Springs wedding and their talent shines so, so bright. That talent consists of Bash, Please and their way of crafting the most unique celebrations along with florals strung from the trees, draping the ground and tucked into every nook and cranny by Brown Paper Design and, of course, the gorgeous images shot by Rebecca and Hannah of Docuvitae. It’s bright, happy and so, so worthy of some afternoon perusing. See even more right here.
From the Bride…Being a wedding photographer, I thought planning a wedding would be fairly easy. Having witnessed countless “I do’s” through my lens as a Docuvitae photographer for the last eight years, it felt like I’ve seen it all. But after Scott put a ring on it and I dove headfirst into the planning process, it became clear that this was going to be anything but easy.
I felt overwhelmed by my mental catalogue and Pinterest boards full of wedding designs, venues, and vendors. Thankfully, Scott reminded me that we shouldn’t try to plan a wedding that looks and feels like anyone else’s day. This is our big day and it should reflect us. With this mantra in mind, things began to fall into place. We chose the Parker Palm Springs as our venue for a lot of reasons. We love celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and long weekends there. In fact, Scott even proposed there. It is only a short drive away from Los Angeles – a luxurious getaway in a desert oasis. Colorful, lush, and filled with Jonathan Adler’s quirky MCM décor, it reflects our aesthetic perfectly (its chefs also whip up some very scrumptious dishes). Scott and I both love food with a passion, so our wedding had to be very food-centric. It’s safe to say that no one went hungry. Our mango/pink velvet wedding cake was so delicious that I don’t think it’s going to stay in the freezer until our anniversary.
I’ve wanted my fellow photographers at Docuvitae to capture my wedding even before I knew who I was going to marry. So that got checked off the list pretty quickly. Rebecca and Hannah were by our side the entire time, their smiles behind the cameras put us at ease through the most nerve-wracking moments. Being in front of the camera made me realize just how important our jobs as photographers are. The day flashes by so quickly for the bride and groom, it’s often the photographs that allow the couple to experience many of the details and fleeting moments. It was the most important investment we made for our wedding.
Bash, Please came into the picture very early on as well. Their design-oriented approach to wedding planning spoke to us. We knew we could trust them to pull together an eye-catching and youthful event. Paige and Kelly allowed us to be very hands-on through the entire process. In the end, they brought our vision to life and created a magical day beyond our imaginations. One of their best suggestions was to bring Danielle of Brown Paper Design on board. Danielle enhanced the natural beauty of the setting with vibrant flowers and succulents. The ceremony florals took my breath away. We said our vows in front of a curtain of carnations and stood on a blanket of rose petals. After the wedding, we took the succulent clippings from the girls’ bouquets and planted them in our backyard.
There were many personal touches throughout the wedding. My mother hand-made my veil. I designed the Save the Date and invitation suite. We poured tea for our parents during the ceremony. We brought in mini mochis from our favorite bakery in Pasadena. The signature cocktail was made of bourbon and jasmine green tea – a delicious combination with a nod to our individual heritages. Our biggest DIY project was the wedding favors. Scott and I grew many of the succulents in our garden. We wanted our guests to take a piece of our home and plant it in their own. We also hand-painted all the vessels with the help of my Maid of Honor. Each planter was unique, like the succulent it contained.
The dance party was epic. Our friends, fueled by cocktails, cake, and late-night sliders and fries, danced their butts off. Three confetti cannon blasts injected wild energy into the best songs of the night. Guests took silly photos with lightsabers and handmade masks of our cat and dog in the Smilebooth. Finally, two of my bridesmaids closed the night with an epic, tongue-in-cheek duet of Time to Say Goodbye, originally sung by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. Scott and I wanted our wedding weekend to be filled with food, laughter, and dancing. We got exactly that! It was personal, joyful, and perfectly us.
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Photography: Rebecca and Hannah of Docuvitae | Event Planning + Design: Bash, Please | Floral Design: Brown Paper Design | Venue, Catering + Cake: The Parker Palm Springs | Mini Mochis: Flour and Tea | Lighting: The Lighter Side | Rentals: Yeah! Rentals | Photo Booth: Smilebooth | Make Up and Hair: Symmetry Beauty by Nyrie | Band: Nova | DJ: Tony, RedShoe | Confetti Cannons: Confetti Unlimited | Invitation Design: The Bride | Invitation Printing: Creative Letterpress | Favors: Hand-Painted + Planted by Bride and Groom | Wedding Dress: Judd Waddell | Reception Dress: Light in the Box | Veil: Mother of the Bride | Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade | Bride’s Earrings: Carolee | Bridesmaid Dresses: Ivy & Aster + J.Crew + Donna Morgan | Bridesmaid Robes: Old Shanghai Online | Groom’s Suit: J.Lindeberg | Groom’s Tie: Jil Sander | Groom’s Shoes: Gucci | Groomsmen’s Ties: Ben Sherman