Gay Weddings in Palm Springs

Wed With Pride in Palm Springs

Gay weddings in Palm Springs have become very popular.  Couples come from all over the globe to make their bond official here, knowing they are welcome, appreciated, and celebrated. In addition to Palm Spring’s reputation for sophisticated intimate events, a number of high-profile weddings have helped us become a destination where all kinds of LBGTQ knots are tied.

Two popular locations to have a gay wedding in Palm Springs is the Ace Hotel & Swim Club and the Saguaro Palm Springs. We spoke with Cassie McNulty, the Catering Sales Manager at the Ace and Alecia Walstrum, the Sales Manager at the Saguaro, about what trends they are seeing in gay weddings in Palm Springs.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club

Weddings and events at Ace are always different. They do everything they can to make it beautiful, stress-free and unforgettable, so you can just hang out with your loved ones and let your hair down, then ride out into eternal blissville. Their event spaces are really flexible so there’s lots of room for big personalities. Every couple transforms them in a new way. You can customize it with strings of lanterns or B-boy dancers. King’s Highway caters delicious spreads that are fresh and flavorful and miles from typical wedding fare.

Cassie, what trends do you see happening in destination wedding locations for queer couples?

Weddings this year have become super design oriented.  Couples are scaling down their guest counts and spending more of their budget on creating a space that is totally unique to them.  This might include lounging areas with rental furniture, upgraded lighting, accent pieces and installations in the swimming pool.   

How has the Covid-19 pandemic (and our slow recovery from it) affected destination wedding plans? What’s being most affected? Geographical locations? Types of venues? Sizes of guest lists? Other things?

The Palm Springs market has certainly changed and we are finding that we’ve gained more couples within our drive market like Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco.  Couples have also decided to downsize their guest list and focus more on immediate family and their closest group of friends.

What do you see as the trending hot locations for destination weddings for the rest of 2021? What about 2022?

Destination wedding parties have definitely extended their stays (2+ days) so they can reconnect with family and close friends after a long, quiet year.

In general, what are some of the things that gay couples look for in a destination wedding that may be different from “straight” couples? Are there factors that come into play? Is there any data on differences in, say average wedding size?

Gay couples love a good dance party and on occasion love to bring out a surprise drag queen to liven things up.

What’s your advice to destinations or resorts looking to market to LGBTQ couples for destination weddings?

We’re finding couples are seeking spaces that are multifunctional.  They are asking for spaces that can be set up for a polished, sophisticated dinner and transitioned into a party of a lifetime.

For more information go to Ace Hotel & Swim Club  (701 E Palm Canyon Drive) or call (760) 325-9900.

Saguaro Palm Springs

With sunny skies, a buzzing pool scene, and lots of local flavor, The Saguaro Palm Springs offers uncomplicated fun with a splash of mid-century technicolor. It offers a gorgeous pool, cutting-edge design and desert views. What’s more, it challenges the status quo of muted neutrals with a bold color palette inspired by indigenous desert flowers.

We next spoke with Alecia Walstrum, the Sales Manager at the Saguaro about the gay wedding trends she’s seeing in Palm Springs.

What trends do you see happening in destination wedding location for queer couples?

More couples are looking to get married right now especially after stay-at-home orders and having their ceremony delayed from COVID lockdowns. We’ve been seeing a lot of pop up micro weddings and elopements.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic (and our slow recovery from it) affected destination wedding plans? What’s being most affected? Geographical locations? Types of venues? Sizes of guest lists? Other things?

Yes! Up until recently California did not allow receptions and had limitations on who could attend ceremonies. This put a huge halt and cancellation on weddings. We had a handful of small elopements from reopening in June until just recently. We will be having our first big wedding in June (2021). Now that couples are able to have weddings again and travel restrictions have eased, we have been getting a lot more inquiries and fall is looking very promising!

What do you see as the trending hot locations for destination weddings for the rest of 2021? What about 2022?

Given the number of inquiries we’re getting for Palm Springs, we’d say “warm locations” for sure! A lot of couples and their guests are ready to travel and a wedding is the perfect excuse to get out of town! “Day after” poolside parties are a must have lately.

In general, what are some of the things that queer couples look for in a destination wedding that may be different from “straight” couples? Are there factors that come into play? Is there any data on differences in, say average wedding size?

We haven’t noticed any differences… everyone just wants to come out and celebrate their love for their partners.

What’s your advice to destinations or resorts looking to market to LGBTQ couples for destination weddings?

Market to them! Make sure to have marketing collateral and photos showing all kinds of couples. Having a wedding kit and/or social presence of the queer community is a big must have and making everyone feel included and not having to ask any awkward questions.

For more information visit Saguaro Palm Springs  (1800 E Palm Canyon Drive) or call (760) 323-1711