Citrus-Inspired Palm Springs Destination Wedding Featured in Brides

One of the many things I enjoy about planning multi-day destination weddings is collaborating with my clients on both venue and design to bring their vision to life.  Hannah and Jake could not have picked a more idyllic destination for their citrus inspired wedding – the iconic Parker Palm Springs. Surrounded by lush gardens and towering palm trees, Hannah and Jake said “I do” in a chic ceremony that was truly unforgettable.

Hannah and Jake live in Seattle with their sweet dog Hugo, where Jake plays for the Seattle Mariners. Both originally from the Seattle area, they met in high school where their long standing friendship eventually blossomed into a beautiful love story. It was through the recommendation of their photographer, Jake Anderson – that Hannah, Jake and I first got connected. During the initial sourcing conversation I have with couples, I am listening for a couple things: obviously what their needs and wants are for their wedding weekend, but also whether we are going to be a fit from both a style and personality perspective. Foremost, the types of clients I’m looking to partner with are those who are truly smitten with each other and who want to create an event that is both genuine and authentic. 

I meet a lot of couples and sometimes their weddings sound like productions where they are the star of their own movie. That really isn’t my ideal client. Instead, couples – like Hannah and Jake – who are focused on the true meaning of their big day and on prioritizing the guest experience really speak to me.  Absolute Bonus? When they love great food, a fabulous signature cocktail, fashion and live music!

The Venue: The Parker Palm Springs

The couple visited the Parker Hotel to tour as a potential wedding venue on a celebratory engagement trip to Joshua Tree.

“The second we walked in we fell in love. We were immediately captivated by the stunning grounds, the food, the staff, the one-of-a-kind decor, the history, and the ability to feel lost yet at home in an amazing oasis.”

Brides Magazine

Hannah and Jake were married in December which is peak citrus season in Southern California. They wanted an elegant wedding filled with neutrals but were also open to adding a pop of color. The Parker orange was the perfect touch and really added to the wintry color palette of white, chartreuse and navy. We set out to create a wedding that was at once playful but also thoughtful and filled with details that were uniquely them.

The Itinerary

Our clients typically have at least two events, if not three, over the course of their wedding weekend. Hannah and Jake kicked off their three-day nuptials with a ‘Singing Cowboy’ themed welcome party as an ode to Gene Autry himself (Fun fact: The Parker Palm Springs is the original home of the famed actor), ending their spectacular weekend-long celebration with a fun, preppy garden party-inspired farewell brunch on the Gene Autry lawn.

The Welcome Party!

I thought it would be really fun to take their guests – all of whom were visiting from out of town – out on the town to 1501 Uptown Gastropub to experience a bit of Palm Springs. And they all loved it! We completely rethought the venue space and turned it into a saloon that Gene Autry would have been proud to hang out in. A combination of plaid tablecloths, cowbell escort cards, leather recliners and Gene Autry movies that we played on the big screen all furthered our theme. And, it was a blast to see guests show up in cowboy boots and hats which only added to the western vibe of the event.

The Ceremony

I loved how personal Hannah and Jake made their ceremony by writing their own vows. We held their intimate ceremony held on the Croquet Lawn at the Parker Hotel which has a secluded feel to it, surrounded by olive and citrus trees, which furthered the intimacy of the event.

“Jake told a story from high school, and I had alluded to that same story in my vows. Standing up there with one another feels like you’re in this vortex together. It really is the most amazing moment when you look out to see all the people you love there to support you both.”

Brides Magazine

With all the foliage around the Croquet lawn we wanted to create a focal point for @hanmaserj and Jake’s ceremony arch using texture and color—in this case, a palette of white and green. Dogwood and baby’s breath were the perfect florals and created a “wow” factor for the ceremony space. We designed a ‘planted garden’ of all-white arrangements which dotted the ceremony aisle in clusters. As the sun set, it was breathtaking to see the contrast of the white against the green.

Citrus-Inspired

We played on the chartreuse undertones of local lemon and orange groves throughout the venue, pops of tangerine that pay homage to the architectural accents of the Parker, and a seductive tone of navy that added some masculinity, too.

Hannah and Jake’s golden Labrador pup, Hugo, was very much center stage throughout the wedding and I love that they decided to incorporate their fur baby into the details. One of their favorite drink mixers is called Pog. Using Pog as a key ingredient, we did a take on the mojito for their signature sip, calling it The Hugito. It was a fun play on the actual drink, ingredients and of course, the name, Hugo. His adorable face also adorned their custom cocktail paper napkins. Most importantly, Hugo also starred in the wedding ceremony, as he walked down the aisle with their flower girl.

The Reception

While some couples opt for a playful, high energy reception, Hannah and Jake really wanted their reception to feel like an intimate dinner party. Accordingly, they decided to separate their dinner portion of the evening from the dancing and after-party so they could really focus on family and friends during dinner. It gave them a chance to offer their guests a really delicious multi-course dinner with speeches between courses. Listening to these wonderful toasts about these two amazing people was very special and reinforced the sentiment of love, family and friendship we all felt throughout the whole weekend.

Post Wedding Day Brunch

Since they had booked the Gene Autry house at The Parker hotel to stay in, they ended their destination wedding weekend with a fun, preppy garden party-inspired farewell brunch on the actual Gene Autry lawn. Guests were still on such a high after the amazing dance party the night before – that some even showed up in slippers (Hannah included!) Their pink and yellow brunch was the perfect send off event after a whimsical and love-filled weekend celebrating Hannah and Jake!

Read more here about Hannah and Jake’s Parker Palm Springs wedding in Brides!
See our portfolios from the event Wedding |  Welcome Party

Our Stellar Team