We are big fans of The Ace Hotel and we are big fans of whimsical weddings, so I think it’s pretty safe to say we are HUGE fans of this next little number by Cakes and Kisses Wedding Photography. The vibrant colors and fun patterns (hello chevron table runners!) are enough to make our hearts beat a little faster, but the overall fun vibe this duo pulled off along with their fabulous team of vendors is enough to make us want to spin with glee us! See even more here!
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From the bride… I was never the girl who dreamed about a big, fancy wedding. In fact, I never really thought about what my wedding would be like, until one day in July of 2010 the most wonderful boyfriend I’ve ever had became my fiancé. After he popped the question, I faced about a million more questions. Where did I want to have the wedding? What would my colors be? Who would be in my wedding party? Band or DJ? Cake or cupcakes? Or both? The list was never-ending and overwhelming. As a producer, I’m no stranger to making decisions and planning. I had a notebook filled with clippings from bridal magazines, dozens of computer bookmarks, and a ticket to a wedding expo. After pitching idea #146 to my fiancé, I knew I needed help honing in on my perfect day. This was my wedding, and I had no idea how to answer any of these questions. I wanted something that was perfectly us and totally unique, but beyond that I was lost.
With help from Amy Velasco, a friend and wedding planner, we decided we wanted our wedding to be “fun, whimsical and casual.” I used those three words as a guideline for answering any question. If the table setting wasn’t fun, whimsical, or casual, it wasn’t right. But when I saw the orange zig-zag pattern, I knew it was my perfect table runner. When my fiancé suggested that the groomsmen wear purple Chuck Taylors, he prefaced the idea with the word “casual.” Done. We incorporated kazoos into the ceremony because there’s nothing quite so whimsical as 140 friends and loved ones piping away on kazoos as you and your husband kiss for the first time. And that homemade photo booth my bridesmaids and I made was tons of fun! My bridesmaids also helped me turn vintage travel postcards into table names and escort cards during a marathon crafter-noon.
For flowers, I chose orange pincushion protea, purple kale, kangaroo paws, billy balls, mango calla lilies, green spider mums, coxcomb and hot pink freesia. Certainly not traditional wedding flowers, but colorful and whimsical. Amy’s genius advice even helped me pick the venue. Traditional venues were nice enough, but they weren’t us, and they certainly didn’t embody the three words I had chosen to guide me. Then I found The Ace Hotel when I was looking to take my fiancé away for a long weekend to celebrate his birthday. The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs as about as fun, whimsical, and casual as it gets. Stepping into the macramé decorated reception area, I knew this was the place. It was everything I wanted in a wedding venue! The Commune Area, with concrete floors and a vintage Airstream trailer, had just the vibe I was going for. We booked it that weekend and then returned home to send out save the dates—vintage travel postcards featuring a photo of The Ace Hotel. When the wedding day finally arrived, those three words helped bring the whole evening together. It was fun, whimsical, and casual, to be sure. But most of all, the wedding was totally us.
Wedding Photography: Holly Steen and Jennifer Ebert of Cakes and Kisses Wedding Photography / Wedding Coordinator: Amy Velasco of Velasco Events (amykvelasco@gmail.com) / Venue: The Ace Hotel / Music: DJ Smiles of Our Labor of Love / Flowers: Rancho Mirage Florist / Lighting: Karen Lawrence (karenlawrence@sbcglobal.net) / Wedding Cake: Juliette’s Bakery / Officiant: Todd Beauchamp (tbeauchamp@mac.com) / Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shrug: Anthopologie / Groom’s Suit: Michael Kors / Bridesmaid Necklace: Heartworks by Lori / Chalk Signs: Trevor Takahashi Designs / Wedding Invitations: Printable Press / Table Runners + Photo Booth Props: DIY