Tell us a little about yourselves!
James and I were both born and raised in California. We met in sunny Southern California, where we currently reside. We share a strong passion and interest for design and fashion. James is an industrial designer, which played a great part in planning and designing our wedding! We love to spend our time together by breaking a sweat at our favorite cycle classes, finding new coffee shops, and travelling to our bucket list countries.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
James and I have always loved the desert. Both of our grandparents once resided in Palm Desert, so it is a very special place to us. Villa Leche felt so welcoming and calm. The Villa was a perfect place to relax with our family and friends for the days leading up to the wedding. We both had goosebumps the first moment we stepped onto the property. The killer views didn’t hurt either.
How many guests did you have?
55 guests.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
James and I wanted our wedding to feel very personal to our style. We opted out of a lot of traditional aspects as it didn’t feel like us. Our main priority was to create a day that was aesthetically pleasing and filled with fun for our guests. We loved the laid-back vibe with the oven-fire pizza, poolside dance floor, and intimate reception dinner. When we were designing our wedding I wanted our reception area to feel warm and inviting. With the help of our incredible florist Chelsea Flora, our reception tablescape vision came to life perfectly. Our favorite touch of the day was the cocktail hour champagne cart that was located in the Cactus Garden!
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We are truly so grateful for our amazing vendors!
When it came to our photographer, it was important to us to find someone with the same approach to wedding photos. Our photographer, Nikki Strekowski, was the perfect fit. We loved that she focused on the candid moments and managed to capture the feeling of our wedding. We are absolutely in love with the modern, but timeless shots.
Chelsea from Chelsea Flora was a dream. She executed our vision perfectly. When it came to florals, we wanted minimal, artsy, and funky arrangements. She truly brought our wedding to life with her talent and knowledge.
Tow and Tavern Mobile Bar created the best custom drinks for our day! When planning our wedding we knew we wanted a creative way to serve our guests and keep the beverages flowing. Their custom mobile bar and champagne cart were such a hit.
Photographer: Nikki Strekowski @nikkistrekowski | Planning: The Couple | Styling: Bride | Flora: Chelsea Floral @chelseafloral | Videographer: Tommy Chea @t.chea | Ceremony + Reception Location: Villa Leche Palm Desert, CA @villa_leche | Hire: Planks and Patina @planksandpatina | Makeup: Nancy Andrade @nancyaartistry | Hair: Robyn Tornabeni @robyntornabenihair | Catering: Piero’s Pizzavino @pierospizzavino.elpaseo | Beverages: Tow and Tavern Mobile Bar @towandtavern | Cake: Roman Blas @overtherainbowdesserts | Stationery/Artwork: James Gawley Design @jamesgawley | Entertainment: Taylor Mosley @taymosleymusic | Dress: Mon Amie Bridal Salon @monamiebridalsalon | Other Jewellery: Gucci @gucci, Dorsey @dorseyofficial