Milena and Vic met in medical school almost 10 years ago, while living in New York. They are both originally from California, and one of their early vacations together was to Palm Springs and Joshua tree - and they fell in love with it. So when it came to planning a wedding it was their go-to location. They wanted the wedding to be not just a celebration of their love, but also truly a getaway/vacation/party for all their loved ones. They picked Ace Hotel Palm Springs for this very reason and had photographer Caitlin Cooper there to capture their celebration with 100 of their nearest and dearest.
The theme Milena was going for in our wedding was a 70’s desert vibe- which led her to have her eyes set on Rime Arodaky’s designs. "I picked the “Sage” dress from her collection. The bell-sleeves and florals perfectly embodied that aesthetic".
Vic wore an Armani suit, that his aunt helped him pick out, and gifted him as a medical school graduation gift. Making it extra special.
Milena really wanted their wedding to be reflective of who they are. "I was hoping people would walk in and really see Milena and Vic, in all the small details. It was such a special opportunity to be able to create the vision I had in head and bring it to life!"
Milena really wanted to be able to make things for their wedding themselves, so that on the day they could feel proud of what they had accomplished. "We also had our families DIY with us- from chopping our own pampas grass, to Vic’s sister providing healing crystals for the tables, and Vic’s mother hand wrapping sage bundles for our wedding favours. And to give my husband some diy credit- he has amazing handwriting so hand addressed all our cards/invites and our guest names for the seating!"
Aside from the design aspect, the most important part of planning their wedding, was truly creating a memorable party. "We wanted the most important people in our lives, to really have the time of their life!"
The couple also had some incredible vendors on board including Australian stationery brand Paper Paper Co as well as florist Siren floral Co and Planks and Panting who created their ceremony space. Signs were by Peachy And Folk and Andrea Boren from Peaches 2 Poppies made sure everything went smoothly on the day. DJ Dart Collective kept the party going until late into the night.
Coming from two different cultures, Milena and Vic wanted to honour them both during their wedding. "We included “breaking a glass”- as part of traditional Jewish weddings, and we did a “Money Dance” as part of Filipino wedding tradition. I loved that we blended pieces from both our cultures and backgrounds, being both from immigrant families - my father gave a speech on this subject that left the whole crowd in tears, describing how our families did everything so we could be in this country, to have met one another."
Their advice to other couples getting married? "Write your own vows! I truly felt time pause, and nothing else existed in that moment when Vic was reading his vows. It was the most special moment of our lives. Allow yourself to be vulnerable."
Photographer : Caitlin Cooper @caitlacoop
Ceremony and Reception location : Ace Hotel Palm Springs @acehotelpalmsprings
Videographer : Wild Light Films Steven Kopacz @wildlightfilms
HMUA : Adam Simmons @adamlesimmons
DJ : Dart Collective @dartcollective
Day of coordinator : Anndrea Boren Peaches 2 Poppies @peaches2poppies
Stationery : Paper Paper Co @paperpaper.co
Signage: Peachy And Folk @peachyandfolk Ceremony Space : Planks and Pantina @planksandpantina
Flora : Reachel Ann Lunghi Siren floral Co @sirenfloralco
Bride's Dress : Rime Arodaky @rimearodaky
Rings and Jewellery : Catbird @Catbirdnyc
Shoes : Bella Belle Shoes @bellabelleshoes
Veil : Loho bride @loho_bride / Tailormaids SF @tailormaidsf
Bridal Party Robes : Fancy Art Decor
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