Wow. It’s been ages since I blogged! As a mom / house cleaner/ cook / event professional / laundry-doer, honey, there just isn’t a lot of spare time. I love the whole mad rush of life, don’t get me wrong; it’s just, social media tends to drop down a bit on the ‘ol to do list, as much as I love going viral as often as possible. My routine is getting more and more Swiss-Watch-like as time goes on, and soon I plan to blog 2 – 3xs a week. Fingers crossed.
And now. Palm Springs. Ladies and gentlemen, I love Palm Springs. I’m planning on making it one of my two destination wedding specialties (the other one being Paris – I’ll be there next month for a wedding). The tranquilizing heat, the festive nightlife, the stunning mid-century vibe and architecture…it calls to me. I’ve been there many times, and each time I hop on the 111, I get a little smile of anticipation.
It was my good luck to meet a couple last year who wanted to wed at Korakia. They booked the space – a gorgeous getaway with both Moroccan and Mediterranean elements – and we were off and running.
Korakia's signature: The front door in front of where couples stand to exchange vows.
One of the planning elements, the cake, had an unusual spin: A dear family friend of the bride’s happens to be related to the great Sylvia Weinstock, and the cake was a gift. I was on call throughout the week leading up to the wedding, tracking the logistics of shipping and driving the cake out to the desert. Continental and Action Messenger did the delicate work of getting the showstopping cake to Korakia, safe and sound.
Buttercream morrocan-tile design...
Nader and Donna from Red Lantern Photography were so hard working and easy going; they’ve recently moved to L.A. from Palm Springs, and I look forward to working with them in both cities. Soon their pics will be up too – can’t wait to see his pro images from the big day. Acqua Pazza is a popular restaurant in P.S., and they cooked up fresh, delicious Mediterannean-style fare; the staff were warm and friendly (and rustled up some cranberry juice when yours truly got, shall we say, a mild heatstroke and needed a little sugar before cocktail hour). DJ Chase Martinez kept the party going; Tom Laliberte and his team from Signature Party Rentals were so on top of it, so fun to work with, and Tom gave me some great inside scoop about the best of Palm Springs event venues and vendors. Lastly, my girl Mary Phelan assisted me from start to finish, and was amazing, as always.
Succulents and boxes stained by the groom himself
Eagerly awaiting the bride and groom...
This wedding was so much about friends and family coming together, from the groom’s family friend creating all the flowers, to the maid of honor writing the table assignments, to so much more. When the sun set and the refreshing desert breeze set in, not only was the setting beautiful, but the atmosphere of love and generosity was palpable. I hope to have more weddings in the desert, and I’ll be lucky if they are with as sweet and fun a couple as this one.