Zenobia and Nick’s Cree Estate wedding in Palm Springs was full of color, personal details, and emotional moments. What an honor to be present and capture this incredible celebration! You can read their interview and see more photos on Together Journal.

The Wedding Weekend Vision

Nick and Zenobia always knew they wanted a wedding weekend rather than a single wedding day. With family located across the United States, time together is precious. A few hours wouldn’t be enough to truly feel like connection was possible. Since the celebration had an element of reunion to it, the couple chose to host their nuptials in a destination still somewhat local to Los Angeles (where they are based). Palm Springs is a uniquely special place where they’ve spent many weekends camping and hiking with their two beloved dogs. When thinking about where to host their wedding, Zenobia and Nick felt confident that the desert would feel like the perfect getaway for all their friends and family to explore and be together.

Historic Cree Estate Wedding in Palm Springs

The Historic Cree Estate perfectly suited the couple’s wedding values and vision. It is a sprawling property with multiple pools, tennis courts, and a large house with several bedrooms. The venue offered a multitude of spaces where guests could mingle and relax along with overnight accommodations for the wedding party. The space was perfect for the pool party that Nick and Zenobia hosted to welcome their guests on night one. Friends and family chatted, lively music played, and kids giggled as they ate their way through hand-scooped gelato from a local family-owned business in Palm Springs, Gelato Granucci. To combat the heat, the couple encouraged everyone to dip their toes in the water all weekend long and relax underneath the shaded canopies hung by LTI Vision Rentals. 

Custom Bridal Wardrobe

Throughout the weekend, Zenobia debuted a series of bespoke bridal looks all designed by The Law, a cutting edge brand owned by one of the bride’s best friends. From the pool party to the final dance, each dress was carefully curated to fit the theme of the wedding weekend and tailored to Zenobia. The stand out dress was actually Zenobia’s mother’s wedding dress, slightly altered to fit. She complete the look with an intricate embroidered veil. Undeniably, Zenobia looked absolutely stunning for her ceremony to Nick.

Personal Details at the Wedding

Nick and Zenobia included many personal touches into their wedding. The same cousin who first introduced the couple made their wedding rings (her brand is called Orchesa). At the dessert table, guests plucked small bites off heirloom china and silver serving platters from the family collection. Nick wore his grandfather’s ring. The couple opted to continue a family tradition by getting married in a Catholic Church. Then we completed some large family pictures inside on the steps before heading to the reception. It was clear that each choice was intentional and reflected the couple and their story!

Wedding Style Choices

Several fun and creative elements stood out to me during this wedding. The style and design of the reception gave off some subtle Marie Antoinette vibes. Hanging chandeliers, twinkle lights strung between palm trees, and silk bows of varying sizes adorning candles, glassware, and chairs all highlighted the theme. The pastel color palette perfectly accentuated the muted desert tones of the landscape. For dessert, Nick and Zenobia chose a traditional Italian cake called millefoglie. It is made of flaky pastry layered with citrus curd, whipped cream, and fresh berries. To introduce the cake, the baker (who assembled the dessert on site) sang into the microphone welcoming guests to circle around the couple. 

Romantics in the Desert

Between the ceremony and reception, Nick and Zenobia brought me to a quiet desert landscape at the base of the mountains where they enjoyed a quiet moment to absorb all the joy of their ceremony. We briefly captured some images of them together surrounded by nature. The lighting and colors could not have been more perfect. The couple primarily wanted documentary style wedding photos that captured their family and friends having fun. I am so thrilled we were also able to capture their love in an intimate and calm way. Photographing this day largely on analog film was such an incredible opportunity to savor the nostalgia and timelessness of their wedding.

Wedding Vendor Team

CEREMONY St Theresa Church Catholic Church, Palm Springs, California, USA, @sttheresachurchps

RECEPTION Historic Cree Estate, @thecreeestate 

PHOTOGRAPHER Erin Marton Photography, @erinmartonphoto 

PLANNER Lori Tiedeman of LTI Vision Events, @ltivisionevents 

FLORIST Aperitivo Designs, @aperitivodesign 

ENTERTAINMENT Dart Collective, @dartcollective HIRE Vision Events Rentals, @visioneventsrentals; Signature Party Rentals, @sigpartyrentals 

LIGHTING & SHADE STRUCTURE The ESC Productions, @escproductions.co 

CATERING Monteferante Catering, @monteferante 

BARTENDING Ice Breaker Bartending, @icebreaker_bartending 

CAKE & DESSERTS Fine Art Cookies, @fine.art.cookies 

STATIONERY The Mandate Press, @themandatepress 

RINGS Orchesa, @orchesa__ 

BRIDE’S MAIN OUTFIT The Law Bridal, @thelawbridal 

HAIR & MAKEUP Meg, Desert Concierge, @meg.desert.concierge 

VALET LUX Valet, @lux_valet 

If you’re loving this Cree Estate wedding in Palm Springs, you may also like this colorful Santa Barbara wedding recap! Email me anytime to chat about your wedding, I can’t wait to hear from you!