Emma and Will hail from the UK, so their Palm Springs wedding was quite the destination for their family and friends and they absolutely did it justice. We love their retro, 60s-chic vibe. From Emma’s bespoke Bridal Couture by Sophie Louise dress, to the post-ceremony cruisers and amazing desert photoshoot, to the low-key poolside celebration at the Del Marcos Hotel, the aesthetics of this Palm Springs wedding are a celebration of yesteryear in the very best way. Our favorite part? The way the incredible Bright Bird Photography captured the pure joy of the beautiful on their big day!
What made the wedding special and unique?
The fact that we are from the UK and got married in Palm Springs, California! Destination Weddings are quite rare in the UK and this was very far from what is usually expected with an English Wedding. Plus, The Del Marcos is such a special venue for a Wedding and it was great that everything was focused around the laid back nature of the hotel. Also, in the UK not just anyone can marry you so it was a complete joy (and very funny to us and all our guests!) that our best friends were the two officiants!
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
The gown was bespoke by a designer called Vivienne Smith from a small boutique bridal store called Sophie Louise, which is actually in my own village. It was great to stay local and support independent business too. I designed my own dress after searching across the UK (and worldwide!) for a dress that I was comfortable in. I tried on so many beautiful dresses but none of them felt quite like ‘me’. I was becoming quite distressed when I realised I just needed to stop trying to keep to tradition and wear something that suited me and my laid back and relaxed style. I designed a short, loose, pure white silk crepe mini dress with boxy sleeves and a concealed zip at the back. No bling, no lace – just classic. I loved it and it suited the surroundings perfectly. I paired it with metallic silver shoes to give it a bit of an edge!
What were some touches added to make it personal?
I am a sucker for anything monogrammed so I wore a specially made veil with two layers. The bottom layer finished just at the hem of my dress and the top layer featured an embroidered ‘W & E’ – our initials. I also wore my daily staple jewelry of a simple silver necklace with a W on it and a solid silver bangle with the words ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ on the outside and ‘W & E 3.10.15’ on the inside. I had a Texas charm wrapped around my bouquet as a nod to my past as an exchange student in East Texas. I wore my Grandma’s engagement ring. She is 99 and sadly could not make the flight. We gave everyone sunglasses branded with the Hotel’s logo and the male Wedding party all wore personalised baseball hats. We also had an instax camera for Guest Book snaps. Our best friends were the officiants and our family did readings. Will dedicated part of his speech to his Granddad, who would have loved to have been there if still alive. We also tried to make it a family event by making the Wedding last a few days. We had a welcome evening on with a Taco Van Pool Party on the Friday night, the Wedding on the Saturday and mini golf and a pizza party on the Sunday. We tried to make it as fun and relaxed as possible. We had 50 guests & everyone mingled well!
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The ceremony. No doubt. This was amazing! Such a dream…and let’s be honest…why we do this whole circus in the first place!
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
We met on a TV set of a popular soap opera in England. We were both working behind the scenes. Will had already seen me a year previous but I had no idea who he was! We got talking that night and he moved in 3 weeks later. We bought a ring a year after that and he proposed the following year, on our 2 year anniversary. It was very private, just like Will.
Photographer: Bright Bird Photography // Event Planner: Celebrations of Joy // Makeup Artist: Chelsea Nicole Makeup & Hair // Beauty: Julie Cuomo // Bakery: Over the Rainbow Cupcakes and Desserts // Equipment Rentals: Signature Party Rentals // Ring Designer: Barn Antiques // Dress Designer: Bridal Couture by Sophie Louise // Caterer: Fusion Flair Catering // Caterer: Rosa’s Tacos // Other Location: Del Marcos Hotel