Let’s chat about the details
Now that you’re officially booked and part of the BBP family I’d love to share some helpful resources to help you check more boxes off of your wedding planning list.
planning the engagement session
WHAT TO WEAR
One outfit should be more casual like you are going for a picnic date and the second should be more formal like you are going for cocktails and dinner. Dresses or skirts that create a lot of movement always add a romantic touch and are perfect for photos.
Pro Tip: Choose colors that compliment each other and remember that the desert is a neutral landscape so you’ll want to avoid super light colors so you don’t blend in.
Don’t forget about Hair and Makeup
Your engagement session is the perfect time to meet with your beauty team and do your bridal trial. You’ll have not only confirmed that you love your looks for the wedding day but you’ll get glammed up for both engagement and wedding photos. If you’re still looking around for the perfect hair and makeup artists be sure to check out my vendor guide in the next few pages.
color schemes that compliment the desert colors and always photograph well together
Girly boho feel
classic desert neutrals
Bright colors for a retro feel
choosing the perfect locations
Here are a few of my favorite Palm Springs locations that photograph well. These are simply examples and I’m always open to hearing your favorites.
lauren and borja
tips from a past bride
START PLANNING AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
Establish your budget and get quotes from all of your vendors early so you can room to work from there.
PLAN YOUR WEDDING THE WAY YOU WANT IT.
People will tell you what you should do but you have to remember it’s your special day.
LIVE IN THE MOMENT AND ENJOY THE PROCESS.
The planning and especially the actual wedding day goes by so fast! Don’t forget to live in the moment, have fun and just relax. At the end of the day everything always comes together
FOR THE JOYFUL AT HEART
FOR THE JOYFUL AT HEART
SAMPLE WEDDING TIMELINE
(with a first look)
Here are examples of how the day will look. These are my go-to templates that you can customize and use in your own google doc while you work with your coordinator to make things official.
PRO TIP
If you have a small family we can do family portraits prior to the ceremony. This will help you get to the cocktail hour faster and get all of the important moments of the day captured and completed.
1:00PM Hair and Makeup Finishes
1:30PM Bridesmaids Getting Ready Photos
1:45PM Bride Gets Dressed
2:15PM First Look with Groom and Formal Portraits
3:00PM Bridal Party Portraits
3:30PM Hide Before Ceremony
4:00PM Ceremony Starts
4:30PM Ceremony Ends
4:40PM Family Photos
5:25PM Sunset Photos with bride and groom
5:35PM Official Sunset
5:45PM Bride and Groom to cocktail hour
6:15PM Grand Entrance Into Reception
7:30PM First Dance with Groom, Father + Bride, Mother + Groom
8:00PM Speeches and Toasts Begin
8:25PM Dance Floor Opens
8:45PM Bouquet + Garter Toss
9:00PM Cake Cutting + Dancing
SAMPLE WEDDING TIMELINE
(without a first look)
PRO TIP
Keep the sunset time and lighting in mind when deciding on your ceremony start time, especially if your venue is right on the base of the mountains! You’ll want to plan enough time for photos after the ceremony but I’ll help customize your timeline and double check that everything is planned accordingly.
2:00PM Hair and Makeup Finishes
2:30PM Bride + Bridesmaids Getting Ready Photos
2:45PM Bride Gets Dressed
3:30PM Ceremony Starts
4:00PM Ceremony Starts
4:10PM Family Portraits (immediate and extended)
4:30PM Bridal Party Portraits
5:00PM Bride and Groom Portraits
5:35PM Official Sunset
5:45PM Bride and Groom to cocktail hour
6:15PM Grand Entrance Into Reception
7:30PM First Dance with Groom, Father + Bride, Mother + Groom
8:00PM Speeches and Toasts Begin
8:25PM Dance Floor Opens
8:45PM Bouquet + Garter Toss
9:00PM Cake Cutting + Dancing
to first look or not?
A first look is when you do a private reveal with your partner before the ceremony. It is a sweet way to photograph the reaction and have a moment to yourself without the pressure of everyone watching you.
The biggest reason we recommend a first look and why they’ve become so popular is because it helps you to get a lot of the important photos done ahead of time. This saves time, makes the process much easier and allows you to get to your cocktail hour and reception quicker to enjoy your afternoon with friends and family!
The decision is up to you and whether you want to keep it traditional or not and we can make it all work out smoothly.
Hire the dream Palm Springs wedding team
Having the right vendors will absolutely make your wedding day easier all around. With nearly 10 years of experience in the industry we’ve compiled a list of our favorite vendors that are the best to work with.
