![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/e8\/8a\/e88a14ac976c3780.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Some love stories take the scenic route. For Dom and Chase, what began as high school smoothie “dates” sparked by Dom’s dad’s soccer games eventually led to years apart, and a surprise reunion on Black Friday that changed everything. That reconnection turned into daily Skype calls between San Francisco and Shanghai, followed by a spontaneous trip to Japan “as friends.” A trip that quietly, completely, changed the course of their relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n When it came time to <\/span>plan<\/span><\/a> their wedding, it was only fitting that their day would be as intentional and unconventional as their love story. Rooted in personal meaning, layered with creativity, and set in the desert landscape of their hometown, this nontraditional Palm Springs wedding was an honest reflection of who they are—fun, expressive, sentimental, and full of soul.<\/span><\/p>\n “We didn’t have a rigid <\/span>wedding vision<\/span><\/a>,” Dom shared. “But I always knew how I wanted it to feel—intimate, creative, and completely us.”<\/span><\/p>\n Rather than build around expectations or tradition, Dom and Chase focused on feeling. That approach inspired every choice, from <\/span>skipping a wedding party<\/span><\/a> to choosing a bold palette of chartreuse, cayenne red, lavender, and cream. It was vivid and unexpected—just like their relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n Both creatives in their fields, they <\/span>drew inspiration<\/span><\/a> from their design backgrounds to lean into texture, color, and emotion. The result? A nontraditional Palm Springs wedding that felt artful, effortless, and uniquely theirs.<\/span><\/p>\n As a wedding stationer, Dom knows that design is more than just pretty details. It’s the first impression. “The <\/span>save-the-dates<\/span><\/a> were neon chartreuse with cayenne pepper letterpress and a bold floral liner. We wanted people to <\/span>feel<\/span><\/i> the vibe immediately.”<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>invitations<\/span><\/a> kept things playful, asking guests to dress in “festive formal wear,” with a cheeky note: “Outdress the bride and groom.” That energy carried into the day-of details too. Everything from menus and signage to handwritten cards, was designed and <\/span>crafted<\/span><\/a> by the couple. Their table names were inspired by places they’ve traveled together, each holding a piece of their shared story.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Limiting their guest list<\/span><\/a> to 50 meant every invite was intentional. “It was one of the hardest parts,” Dom admitted. “But having only our closest friends and family there made everything more meaningful.”<\/span><\/p>\n They kicked things off with a <\/span>welcome party<\/span><\/a> at Chase’s childhood home, where his parents once hosted their own pre-wedding event. With tiki drinks, handmade tacos, their favorite coconut cake, and music by their friends, the night was full of nostalgia and love. It set the tone for a weekend rooted in memory, community, and joy.<\/span><\/p>\n Dom and Chase decided to keep things simple by skipping a wedding party and focusing on personal style, each wearing a different outfit for their first look and their ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n “It was important to us that our outfits told a story. They were bold, personal, and very us.”<\/span><\/p>\n Rather than jump straight into the ceremony, Dom and Chase made space for private vows at the Palm Springs Art Museum. Just the two of them, surrounded by art. Dom arrived in a <\/span>vintage Rolls Royce<\/span><\/a>, a meaningful nod to her late father’s love of classic cars.<\/span><\/p>\n Their official <\/span>ceremony<\/span><\/a> took place in the intimate Cactarium at <\/span>Moorten Botanical Garden<\/span><\/a>. Surrounded by towering cacti, guests explored the space with champagne in hand before and after the vows.<\/span><\/p>\n “We wanted a <\/span>venue<\/span><\/a> that felt timeless and returnable. Moorten is a local gem. It’s historic, beautiful, and feels like home.”<\/span><\/p>\n They kept the <\/span>decor<\/span><\/a> simple—acrylic <\/span>chairs<\/span><\/a> and pedestals, sculptural <\/span>florals<\/span><\/a>, and calla lilies as a tribute to Chase’s mom. The couple co-wrote the <\/span>ceremony script<\/span><\/a> with Chase’s sister and included a group reading of <\/span>“Scientific Romance” by Tim Pratt<\/span><\/a>. “It was a little silly and very us. Exactly what we wanted.”<\/span><\/p>\n As someone who works with couples daily, Dom knew exactly who she wanted to bring this day to life—like Junebug vendor<\/span> Carmen Lopez Photography<\/span><\/a>, whose warm, artistic eye matched the tone of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n “I gave them a mood board and said, ‘Run with it.’ When you trust creative people to do what they do best, magic happens.”<\/span><\/p>\n They carried that same energy into their music choices. No DJ, just a guitarist and a meaningful <\/span>playlist<\/span><\/a> that <\/span>honored their late fathers<\/span><\/a> and favorite memories. “Every choice had a reason. Even the fun ones.”<\/span><\/p>\n Forget a traditional dance floor. After the ceremony, the celebration moved to <\/span>Mr. Lyon’s<\/span><\/a>, where <\/span>cocktails<\/span><\/a> on the terrace led into a moody, textured dinner surrounded by vibrant floral arrangements and funky paper goods. “We put our energy into what mattered—good food, drinks, and a well-designed experience.”<\/span><\/p>\n The night ended with a <\/span>silent disco<\/span><\/a> back at the couple’s <\/span>Airbnb<\/span><\/a>. Just them and their closest friends dancing the night away.<\/span><\/p>\n A nontraditional Palm Springs wedding gave Dom and Chase the freedom to focus on feeling instead of formality. And for couples planning their own celebration, they offer this <\/span>advice<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n “Stay anchored in your <\/span>why<\/span><\/i>. When every decision comes from that place, the day just clicks.”<\/span><\/p>\n This wasn’t a wedding that checked boxes. It was a love letter—to their hometown, their people, and the life they’ve built together. It was layered with meaning, infused with artistry, and completely, unapologetically theirs. Because in the end, a wedding doesn’t have to follow a script. It just has to sound like <\/span>your<\/span><\/i> song.<\/span><\/p>\n The Wedding Team:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Photography – Carmen Lopez Photography<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Some love stories take the scenic route. For Dom and Chase, what began as high school smoothie “dates” sparked by Dom’s dad’s soccer games eventually led to years apart, and a surprise reunion on Black Friday that changed everything. That reconnection turned into daily Skype calls between San Francisco and Shanghai, followed by a spontaneous trip to Japan “as friends.” A trip that quietly, completely, changed the course of their relationship. When it came time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"kia_subtitle":"","footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1257,1052,1149,1079,1082,1558,1309,1005],"tags":[1107,1109,1106,1112,1099,1097],"class_list":["post-836247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-wedding-photographer","category-best-wedding-photography","category-california-wedding","category-garden-wedding","category-modern-wedding","category-museum-wedding","category-palm-springs-wedding","category-real-weddings","tag-bright-red","tag-light-pink","tag-orange","tag-purple","tag-sage-green","tag-yellow"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=836247"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836247\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=836247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=836247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=836247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What We Love About This Nontraditional Palm Springs Wedding:<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/84\/f0\/84f0a0ddb486f69f.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/13\/c5\/13c5643530340ace.jpg\")
<\/p>\nInvitations That Set the Vibe Early<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/48\/90\/489072d2a190a7ad.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/fb\/81\/fb81f41edefa6493.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMaking the Guest List Count (And the Guest Count Small)<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/9c\/11\/9c11931a3ae73421.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/b2\/39\/b2392cc10a4c3c52.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/84\/62\/84621a25a68a82bb.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFeatured Vendor:<\/em><\/h2>\n
Carmen Lopez Photography<\/a><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/2b\/93\/2b9330e1ab7d4123.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWedding Fashion That Reflected Their Personalities<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nIntention in Every Layer of their Nontraditional Palm Springs Wedding Day<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/80\/e7\/80e70e381d81f32f.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nRelated: Get Inspired By These 30 Touching Wedding Vows Examples<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/a5\/61\/a5618a76a3943468.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nA Simple, Sentimental Nontraditional Palm Springs Wedding Ceremony <\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/27\/0d\/270de00bf7c05f7e.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/11\/5a\/115acfdc0d00a851.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTrusting the Right People for Their Nontraditional Palm Springs Wedding<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/fa\/51\/fa51af8298371972.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/07\/33\/07335fc45bd3ebdb.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/68\/2f\/682fd5f47a3c8b1c.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/95\/04\/9504e60d8774aa6b.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRethinking What a Reception <\/span>Needs<\/span><\/i> to Be<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/2f\/9a\/2f9a26cc16e1d532.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/5e\/77\/5e77089893599eba.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.junebugweddings.com\/fa\/eb\/faeb74b9844af5a5.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRedefining What a Wedding Can Look Like<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n\n
\nCeremony Venue – Moorten Botanical Garden<\/span><\/a>
\nReception Venue – Mr. Lyons<\/a>
\nFloral Design – Dogwood Florals<\/a>
\nLive Music – Luke Metzler
\nInvitation Design – Stay Spicy Design<\/a>
\nWedding Dress – Loho Bride<\/a>
\nGroom’s Apparel – Mr. Turk<\/a>
\nRings – Smoketree Jewelers<\/a>
\nRentals – Bright Rentals<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n