This stylish Palm Springs wedding was relaxed with vintage rugs, lounge areas, a sheath dress, and warm fur.

Gary & Candi were looking for a destination wedding that was still accessible to their family & close friends. Palm Springs was the ideal destination for Gary & Candi’s wild crew. It is a stylish desert filled with cactus and palm trees, just one hour and a quarter from Los Angeles, and has a laid-back atmosphere and incredible architecture.

What do you wear to a relaxed desert party? Grace Loves Lace (You know how much we like the Aussie brand!) Candi wore a fun fringed sheath and a fur jacket with the most amazing smile, and we couldn’t believe how much fun the bride and groom were having all day and night.

Our Love Story

We decided to spend Christmas together one year instead of traveling home. For our first Christmas, we wanted to do something extra special. So we stayed at the Surf and Sand Hotel in Laguna Beach for a few nights. It was the perfect way to relax and enjoy the holiday.

Gary made reservations for Christmas Eve at a restaurant nearby. Unbeknownst to me, he planned to have the hotel staff decorate our room with flowers, candles, and Champagne. When we returned from dinner and entered the room, it was evident that something was amiss. When I returned, Gary was kneeling on the floor and asking me to marry. It was a thoughtful night that I will never forget.

The Dress

I found it challenging to find a dress that was different enough from the dresses I’d seen before. When I visited the Venice showroom for Grace Loves Lace, I tried the Edie dress with the fringes at the bottom and knew I had found the perfect dress.

The Destination & Location

We decided to have a wedding that felt like a vacation but was still accessible to all. I wanted a destination marriage, but not everyone could travel a far distance. We love Palm Springs, one of our favorite places to vacation, so we began looking at venues in that area.

We knew we had to visit the Cree estate as soon as we arrived. The pools, palm trees, and lush greenery were all stunning. I wanted my wedding to feel like a backyard dinner with friends rather than an overly formal affair. That’s our personality.

Favorite moments

My brother was our officiant, which made the ceremony even more special. This made it more personal, and he did a fantastic job.

After marriage, my wedding party fired off confetti cannons while we walked down to the altar. The timing was perfect, and it got the party started.

Details of DIY

I went to many flea markets to find the perfect decorations and ordered several items from Etsy. I visited many flea markets searching for the ideal decor and ordered several items from Etsy.

Dinner & Desserts

The reviews were great and easy to work with from the start. The food was delicious and played well with the backyard party theme. I mean, who doesn’t like mac and cheese? The location inspired me to create a lot of the music for the wedding – the invitations featured a desert scene, complete with cacti and succulents. I also found gold cactus vase decorations. We even used cupcakes designed like succulents for the dessert table.

Couples Advice

Excel was used to track expenses, RSVPs, and other important dates. I recommend thinking outside the box if you are also on a tight budget. We ordered our flowers in bulk from Costco the day before the wedding and then had them delivered to the venue. We then arranged the flowers ourselves. I used Craigslist to find decor and saved money by sending save-the-dates via email. Since our forum permitted it, we ordered all the alcohol from BevMo. This is usually one of the most significant expenses, but we saved a lot.

I would say not to worry too much. Take some time out for yourself, and don’t forget what the day is all about.

Honeymoon

It was perfect that we went on our honeymoon immediately after the wedding. We first went to New Zealand and spent most of our stay in Queenstown. We did paragliding and fun fishing on the Dart River. We also went mountain biking, flew over Milford Sound, and relaxed in hot pools. We drove through New Zealand and visited Mount Cook, where we hiked for two beautiful days. Then we flew to Fiji and stayed in the most incredible resort, Tokoriki, for four days. It was the trip of a lifetime, and I’d recommend it to other couples 100%!