Ace Hotel Palm Springs Wedding

Lucas & Alex’s Ace Hotel Palm Springs wedding, with a backdrop of the desert mountains and cloaked in incomparable desert light, was the stuff dreams are made of. I was incredibly lucky to be able to shoot this desert wedding weekend getaway.

There are so many good things to say about this venue, but for me it’s really all about that gorgeous Palm Springs desert light that lends a hand to stunning wedding portraits. I’ve spent a lot of time searching for the good light all over the world, and this was truly some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

What I love about an Ace Hotel Palm Springs Wedding

Aside from the natural beauty of the mountains and desert palms, the Ace Hotel Palm Springs provides so many varied and interesting photo backdrop opportunities - it really made my job as the photographer so much easier! From the equally iconic ACE Hotel sign and swimming pool, to the crisp white lines of the hotel grounds and restaurant, to the hip individual guest suites, the range of options is unbeatable.

One of the many interesting things about the Ace Hotel Palm Springs is that the wedding event space feels separate and secluded from the public spaces, while still being conveniently located at the center of the hotel. The layout made it possible to get amazing bridal party shots before the ceremony and reception without actually going anywhere. We were operating on limited time, but with a little organization, we were able to get everything done and slip right back into the party as if we’d never left.

As Lucas, one of the grooms, put it: “We were on a tight timeline for photos just prior to the ceremony, and Elli guided us through this with incredible ease, calmness, and capability. She was able to get incredible shots, and had scouted and timed specific positions to the lighting of the venue so that we would really capitalize on the time that we had. We had a huge wedding party, and Elli was able to handle everything smoothly while still keeping it fun and light. We were able to relax and enjoy the wedding, knowing that Elli was there to capture these memories in ways that we would love.”

The Ace Hotel event space is also flexible and provides a clean canvas to customize as you would like, from creative alters to string lanterns, the desert oasis space morphs into whatever environment the couple is dreaming of. For Lucas & Alex, this was golden and glowing, with rustic nods to the desert landscape sprinkled throughout. As the sun set, all of the guests joined in an impressive dance party - always one of my favorite parts of photographing weddings.

One very special wedding guest - their dog!

For Lucas and Alex, it was important to include all of their loved ones in their wedding day, and that included their favorite furry friend, Rocco. They were able to make him a special guest at their wedding, as the Ace Hotel Palm Springs is a pet friendly hotel! He was a big hit in his bowtie - all of the guests were so excited to have him around : )

Not just a wedding, but a weekend getaway

Weddings can always fly by for the couple being wed, and it’s sometimes hard to find enough time in the day to spend quality time with each and every guest you’ve chosen to be part of your celebration. The Ace Hotel Palm Springs provides guests the feeling of being on vacation - the cool vibes and grown up summer camp feel of the Swim Club, the killer avocado toast at the on-site restaurant, and the vintage photo booth provide plenty of opportunities to spend quality time with guests throughout the entire wedding weekend.

The modern and stylish Ace Hotel Palm Springs features 179 guest rooms, and can accommodate up to 150 reception guests, ensuring that all of your friends and family will be able to stay on site if they so choose. There are two pools, a gym, spa services and plenty of event spaces for rehearsal dinners and post-wedding brunches to round out the weekend.