Welcome to the Palm Springs gay wedding guide, where love knows no boundaries and celebrating equality is at the heart of every joyous occasion. Whether you're a couple planning your dream wedding or a supportive friend or family member looking for inspiration, this guide is here to help you navigate the journey of creating a memorable and inclusive celebration of love.
Love is love, and we believe that every couple deserves a wedding day that reflects their unique story and celebrates their commitment to one another. From intimate ceremonies to grand celebrations, we'll explore various ideas, tips, and resources to ensure that your wedding truly reflects your love, individuality, and shared vision.
Highlighted are LGBTQ+-friendly vendors and wedding professionals who have dedicated themselves to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all couples. You'll find recommendations for photographers, florists, caterers, and more who understand the importance of honoring diverse love stories.
Selecting a Wedding Planner
Hire a local professional wedding planner specializing in Palm Springs weddings to ensure a seamless wedding planning process.
These well-connected wedding planners have a network of LGBTQ+ friendly vendors, including photographers, florists, caterers, and venues. They can recommend trusted professionals who will make your wedding day memorable.
Stacey Jones Event Design
Stacey Jones Event Design is recognized for their elegant and sophisticated event planning services. They have a reputation for curating exquisite events with a timeless and refined ambiance. Stacey Jones Event Design focuses on creating seamless client experiences, ensuring every detail is meticulously executed.
Parker Palm Springs Wedding. Credit: Stacy Jones
After The Engagement
After The Engagement is a boutique event-planning company offering personalized, intimate experiences. They pride themselves on bringing their clients' dreams to life, providing a high level of customization and attention to detail. After The Engagement specializes in creating unique and meaningful events that reflect their clients' individuality.
Casa Cody. Credit: After The Engagement
Fuego Events
Fuego can combine all the pieces of a same-sex wedding, including catering, music, photography, décor, floral designs, and theme planning. Their event space is a 1955 midcentury landmark located on South Palm Canyon.
Artisan Floral Event Décor
Artisans don’t just do flowers; they also do lighting, stage, music, décor, and more. They also work with preferred vendors for hair and makeup, photography, catering, and baking. They offer end-to-end event planning and execution services for all aspects of a wedding.
Avalon Palm Springs. Credit: Artisan Events
Choosing The Right Venue & Vibe
Selecting the perfect venue and vibe for a gay wedding is essential to creating a celebration that reflects your unique love story and individuality. Like any wedding, the venue sets the stage for the entire event, but it can hold even greater significance for a same-sex couple. Finding a welcoming, inclusive space that aligns with your vision, values, and desired atmosphere will ensure your special day truly reflects who you are as a couple.
Whether you envision a grand ballroom, an intimate garden, a modern midcentury setting, or a more rustic desert scene, selecting the right venue and vibe for your gay wedding is an opportunity to create a truly memorable and joyous experience that celebrates love in all its forms.
Large Resort & Hotels
One advantage of large resort weddings is that they often offer comprehensive wedding packages that include everything from banquet rooms to catering, decorations, and entertainment. These packages can save you time and effort in planning and organizing various aspects of your wedding. Large resorts can also accommodate a significant number of guests.
Large resorts often feature many amenities, such as spas, pools, and salons. This means that both you and your guests can enjoy a variety of leisure options before the wedding, adding an extra dimension of relaxation and entertainment to the overall experience.
These recommended large resorts are experienced in hosting weddings and are well-trained in providing excellent service. They can assist you with event coordination, menu selection, and other crucial details, ensuring your wedding day runs smoothly and efficiently.
The Parker Palm Springs
A chic, luxurious venue with a beautiful backdrop for same-sex weddings. Its lush gardens, stylish decor, and sophisticated ambiance offer a romantic atmosphere for couples to exchange vows. The venue also has experienced event coordinators who can cater to the unique needs of same-sex weddings.
The Saguaro Palm Springs
Vibrant and colorful, this trendy venue appeals to couples seeking a fun, festive atmosphere. Its colorful exterior, modern interiors, and spacious outdoor areas make it a perfect choice for same-sex weddings. The Saguaro also offers flexible event spaces and a dedicated team of professionals to ensure a seamless wedding experience.
Ace Hotel & Swim Club
With its retro-cool vibe and laid-back atmosphere, the Ace Hotel & Swim Club is a popular venue for same-sex weddings. This hip and trendy location offers a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, including a poolside area perfect for cocktail receptions. The venue's unique aesthetic and relaxed vibe make it a favorite among couples seeking a stylish, unconventional wedding experience.
Ace Hotel. Credit Ashley Laprade
Mid-Size Hotels
We consider mid-size properties to have more than 50 rooms, but not to be conventional in size, with large ballrooms. Planning a wedding at a mid-size hotel can be more manageable than at larger venues. The size allows for smoother coordination with the hotel staff, event planners, and vendors. With fewer logistics to handle, you can have peace of mind knowing everything will be well organized. It can also feel more like a grand wedding without the need for the grand wedding spaces.
Avalon Palm Springs
Over the years, this 70-room Spanish-style hotel, with 13 private villas, has hosted all manner of nuptials: day and night, simple and extravagant ceremonies, eloping couples, and buyout destination weddings. They will handle your entire wedding, from planning to execution on your wedding day. Plus, they have an excellent on-site spa.
Small Hotels & Inns
Small hotels or inns offer a more intimate setting for weddings. With fewer rooms and event spaces, you can create a cozy atmosphere where you and your guests can truly connect and celebrate together. This allows for a more personal and meaningful experience, as you can interact closely with each attendee.
Booking a small hotel or inn for your wedding often grants you exclusive use of the entire property. This means you and your guests can enjoy privacy and seclusion, as there won't be other unrelated events or guests on-site. Having a venue all to yourselves can enhance intimacy and create a unique sense of togetherness.
Small hotels or inns often offer greater flexibility in customization. Since they cater to smaller events, they can easily accommodate your specific preferences and requirements and bring in your vendors. From personalized decor and menu options to unique ceremony setups, you have more freedom to tailor the venue to reflect your style and vision, rather than being required to choose from the catering menu at a large resort.
Here are some small hotels that cater to same-sex weddings.
Amin Casa
This charming gay-owned property was once the home of Gloria Swanson. They exude a glamorous, romantic air that promises perfection in every detail. You also have the freedom to work with your vendors.
Alcazar Palm Springs
This centrally located 34-room resort offers a full buyout. They can accommodate up to 125 guests. Cantering is provided by F10 catering, which can be anything from passed hors d’oeuvres to elaborate sit-down dinners.
Credit: Justin Critz
Casa Cody Palm Springs
This is Palm Springs oldest boutique inn. Casa Cody spans almost two acres, offering endless event possibilities. Tucked away on a quiet street yet in the heart of Palm Springs, the property’s private homes, rolling lawns, and dual pools set the stage for beautiful weddings of up to 220 guests.
Velvet Rope Hotel
This gay-owned boutique property warmly welcomes wedding parties and offers beautiful views of the San Jacinto Mountains. Each room is unique, and they have a lovely on-site lounge with a DJ. It also includes a baby grand piano. This boutique luxury property is perfect for a buy-out boutique gay wedding.
Other Wedding Venues
One of the main advantages of choosing an inexpensive small chapel is the cost savings it offers. Small chapels typically have lower rental fees than larger venues, making it a budget-friendly option for couples who want to minimize their wedding expenses.
Small chapels often offer all-inclusive wedding packages. These packages typically include essential services such as the ceremony space, officiant, basic decor, and the execution of all necessary paperwork. They are a good choice for elopement weddings or small weddings with just a few friends or family.
Palm Springs Wedding Chapel
This wedding chapel takes pride in embracing and supporting couples from all walks of life, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Their Rainbow weddings are designed to honor and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, creating a safe and inclusive space for couples to exchange vows and celebrate their love. Standard Chapel Ceremony for up to 20 guests is $675. Elopement for two is $475.
Palm Springs Wedding Caterers
When it comes to dining options in Palm Springs, you'll find a diverse range of restaurants and catering services to satisfy any palate. Many are locally owned and gay-owned. Hiring a locally-owned caterer contributes directly to the local economy. It helps sustain and support small businesses in your community, which, in turn, creates job opportunities and stimulates economic growth.
Locally owned caterers often have a deep understanding of the local culinary scene, including regional specialties and seasonal ingredients. They can incorporate local flavors and dishes into your menu, providing your guests with a unique and authentic dining experience.
Some local favorites known for their exceptional cuisine and LGBTQ+ inclusivity include:
Trio Catering
Offering contemporary American fare featuring fresh ingredients and creative flavors, Trio is locally owned and gay-owned, and popular for rehearsal dinners and intimate wedding receptions.
Lulu Catering & Events
Lulu Catering will guide you through all their collections of fanciful and unique décor, exquisite place settings, elegant dishware, colorful linens, and more.
Eight4Nine Catering
This locally owned and gay-owned restaurant offers full-service catering for your preferred event space. The restaurant also has lovely event spaces, both indoors and outdoors, with views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
On-site wedding on the Eight4Nine outdoor patio.
Wedding Cakes & Desserts
Over the Rainbow Cupcakes & Desserts
This small bakery makes everything from scratch. They are popular and very busy, so you’ll need to make arrangements for a custom wedding cake way in advance. If you need something quick, they have lovely, tasty, and beautiful cupcakes often used for weddings.
Music & DJs
If you’re having a dinner party, you might want to consider offering dancing. Having a DJ at your wedding party can significantly enhance the overall experience for you and your guests. A skilled DJ knows how to create an energetic and fun atmosphere that keeps everyone engaged throughout the night. They have the experience to read the crowd and play the right songs at the right time, ensuring that the dance floor stays packed and the party keeps going.
Hiring a professional DJ allows you to relax and enjoy your wedding without worrying about managing the music yourself.
DJ Mod Girl: This girl is fun and does many LGBTQ+ events throughout the year. Voted best DJ of the desert, and you’ll discover why she’s the life of the party.
Palm Springs Wedding Photographers
Ashley Laprade Photography
Experienced photographer in Palm Springs who specializes in same-sex weddings, capturing unique moments with a contemporary style.
Ace Hotel. Credit Ashley Laprade
Brady Bates Photography
With years of experience and an eye for detail, Brady captures the joy and emotion of any celebration with his beautiful imagery. He offers a wide range of services, including photography, Super 8 film, printing, and album design, to provide a comprehensive wedding photography experience.
Gregg Felsen
Gregg brings a modern, editorial flair to wedding photography, emphasizing storytelling and connection. His work is vibrant, heartfelt, and tailored to each couple’s personality. Whether your celebration is intimate or grand, Gregg’s images reflect love in all its forms.
Ryan Horban
Ryan understands weddings can be emotional and sometimes stressful. He will work closely with you to beautifully document your wedding.
Kevin & Steven's elopement. Credit: Ryan HorbanDanforth Neal Photography
As a gay-owned business, Todd combines his technical training, art history education, and photojournalistic style to beautifully capture the raw authenticity of love.
Ordering Flowers
During the initial consultation, communicate your ideas, theme, color palette, and any specific floral requirements. Provide as many details as possible to help the florist understand your vision. They may also offer suggestions based on experience, seasonal availability, and design expertise.
My Little Flower Shop
This is a locally owned, gay-owned, and renowned wedding florist. Past clients include the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Presidential Inaugurations.
Hermano Flower Shop
This boutique flower shop is locally owned and gay-owned by Adrian Romero. It is centrally located in the Mojave Flea Market. Please get in touch with him to create custom floral arrangements for your boutique wedding.
Cheers to a beautiful LGBTQ+ wedding in this desert paradise!
