Lauren and Matt’s goal for their wedding was simple: they wanted an intimate celebration where they could spend the week before with their families. To achieve this they rented a private home in Palm Springs rather than going for a traditional wedding venue. This meant more work, of course, but a bigger reward at the end of it too!
The wedding had a mid-century modern aesthetic, but with a really homely, backyard feel. “We searched hard for a venue that would give us this vibe without having to make anything feel too ‘themed'”, explained Lauren. “We were inspired by the architecture and tones of the desert, since we both love those elements of Palm Springs.”
Their total budget was $18,000 with their venue being almost half of that cost. However they were not only married there but they were able to stay with their families for the week running up to the wedding as well. “The private home that we chose to use as our venue added a lot of uniqueness to our wedding. This was by far the thing we spent the most time and effort on – finding a space that was perfect for us. We really wanted to make sure to keep it small and feeling intimate. Other than that, we incorporated small details throughout the day that represented us from the drinks we served to the music we played. Matt designed our wedding invitations entirely, and did such a fantastic job!”
The celebrations kicked off with the garden ceremony. Matt’s brother led the proceedings and they opted for something non-religious to reflect their personal beliefs (or lack thereof). “The house had a gorgeous desert-scape front yard with a huge tree, and we held our ceremony in that space”, she explained. “Our ceremony was short and sweet. Neither of us is religious, so we had two short literary readings done – one by my brother, and one by Matt’s (who performed the ceremony). We incorporated music and elements that were special to us – I walked down the aisle the Sigur Ros and our recessional was to Beirut.”
“Our advice for other couples would be to decide what you want early on and stick to it”, she concluded. “We knew we wanted a small wedding, and no amount of influence from family or other people was going to change that. Once I found my dress, I stopped even looking at pictures of other dresses online. You have SO many decisions to make, so make them with confidence and don’t be swayed. Certain vendors matter more than others – a good photographer is always worth it, and ours was amazing! Weddings are exciting, tedious, amazing and difficult all at once. Hold your spouse close on your wedding day and try to take it all in!”
