This Palm Springs Wedding Took Place on the Couple's 11th Anniversary

When Katherine Wada and Jeremy Frederick went to dinner in Los Angeles on April 28, 2015, she was not suspecting a proposal. “It was Jeremy’s birthday!” she recalls. But as they made their way home to Long Beach, Jeremy suggested that they stop by the Queen Mary to walk around the ship at night. “As I turned to take in the view of our city, I saw Jeremy down on one knee,” she remembers. “It was an incredibly special and private moment.”

The couple, who has been dating since college, knew exactly what date to pick for their wedding: January 14, 2017. “It would be our 11-year anniversary, and gave us a year and a half to plan,” says Katherine. Choosing a venue was easy, too. The pair knew they wanted a quasi-destination wedding in Palm Springs, and after touring their first venue, they were sold. “Colony 29 was perfect for an extended weekend with our 145 guests,” the bride says. Katherine and Jeremy worked with Hello Gem Events to design a timeless wedding with vintage flair. Together, they all embraced neutral tones, organic accents, and details like cut crystal and lush roses to ultimately create a romantic oasis in the desert.

These photographs by Logan Cole give a beautiful glimpse into Jeremy and Katherine’s Palm Springs wedding—check it out for yourself, below!

The bride wore a Monique Lhuillier gown with long sleeves, lots of lace, and a flowing train. "It was love at first sight," she says. "The silhouette was so classic, and harkened back to the dresses my grandmothers wore at their own weddings.”

Her bridesmaids matched the natural desert setting in convertible gowns by twobirds. “I liked that they all matched, but that they could tie their dresses into a style they loved best," says the bride. "Having my best girlfriends by my side for our wedding was so special to me, so I gave them each a rose gold cuff bracelet from my jewelry collection.”

The couple’s five nieces served as flower girls, wearing white dresses from David’s Bridal. Each finished the look with gold flats and flower crowns.

Katherine carried a lush and organic bouquet of gardenia, peonies, anemones, lily of the valley, ranunculus, roses, white lilac, astilbe, lisianthus, and pieris japonica.

A jazz trip played covers of “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin and “Moonlight Mile” by The Rolling Stones as the wedding party and the bride processed down the aisle. “We loved the idea of bench seating to bring our guests together,” says Katherine. The aisle was decorated with white delphinium, leading to a lush altar set in front of rocky peaks and a bevy of cacti.

The altar itself was decorated with white and blush roses and ranunculus, accented with lots of greenery. “Jeremy and I wrote our own vows and kept them private until the big moment. He had everyone in tears!” says Katherine.

As the newlyweds recessed, a DJ played “You’ve Got the Love” by Florence and the Machines.

Jeremy curated the whiskey bar, which offered some of his favorite selections. Nearby, guests found their table assignments handwritten on an oversized scroll.

Dinner was served beneath a sailcloth tent draped in twinkling lights. Tables were topped with ivory runners, etched glassware, and pops of gold from the flatware and candlesticks.

Organic centerpieces combined olive branches with ranunculus, roses, and sweet peas. Each custom-dyed napkin was tied with a velvet ribbon and placed on top of a personalized menu that served as a place card.

“We kicked off the reception with a champagne tower,” says the bride. The bar also served two signature cocktails: a "Lavender Ruby Fizz" (grapefruit, vodka, lavender, and club soda) and a "Blackberry Kentucky Mule"(blackberry, lime, bourbon, ginger beer).

After a flavorful menu that paired Korean fried chicken (with maple sriracha) with a Tuscan kale salad, Katherine and Jeremy served a three-tiered cake featuring crème brûlée and funfetti flavors.

“We took a few dance classes before the wedding so we would have some moves for our first dance,” says Katherine. The couple danced to “Video Games” by Lana Del Rey.

The bride changed into a silk slip dress from The Reformation when it was time to hit the dance floor. “At one point, the DJ played ‘Miss You’ by The Rolling Stones, and as Jeremy and I were getting our groove on, we turned around to see everyone we love watching and cheering us on!” says Katherine.