100 Layer Cake

A 72’ rusted out Ford Bronco sits in the parking lot, random Eames chairs around the property keep modern planters filled with cacti company… it’s the kind of welcoming Rachel + Travis had upon falling in love with The Mojave Sands Motel as their wedding venue. Everything just lined up perfectly with their aesthetic. And when it came to the planning, they really couldn’t have picked a better team than Hello Gem! Events. They pride themselves in being a one stop wedding shop, and they totally are. They weren’t only R + T’s Event Coordinator, they were also their Florist, Invitation Designer and Makeup & Hair team! Check out their handy work:

How rad is this invitation suite and those cactus stamps?

It all started in the desert with these two. It’s been the background of very important times for them. They started dating on their first trip out to Palm Springs, they got engaged out there, and naturally it had to be the place of their wedding.

Loved Rachel’s bridal bouquet. It had various types of Joshua Tree foliage, juliet garden roses, thistle, silver Brunia, veronica, protea, peach hypericum berry, ornithogalum, silver dollar eucalyptus, scabiosa pods, and hanging amaranthus.

Their music: Travis Spoon’s, “Chicago at night”, Rachael walked down the aisle to the Beatles, “Here comes the sun”, they exited the ceremony to“Graceland” by Paul Simon, and their first dance was to John Lennon’s “One Day At A Time”.

The biggest hurdle was finding balance in the eight months that we had to plan. The stress of taking traditional expectations and altering them to fit our vision, and the multitasking overload that insued.

Rachael, along with friends and HelloGem! created the macramé designs, including hundreds of ceramic beads created by Rachael with the help of her ceramics students. The rope and bead designs were spread throughout the space, and handmade rope luminaries were hung from trees leading to the dining area where the macramé hung overhead along with globe lights, and led the guests from dining to dancing.

Now see everything in motion in their sweet moving picture by Graham Lovelis.

Photography: Martin Vielma / Videographer: Graham Lovelis / Venue: The Mojave Sands / Photobooth: Hello Gem! Events / Event Coordinator, Florist, Invitation Designer: Hello Gem! Events / Hair & Makeup: Christy Thiessen of Hello Gem! Events / Rentals: Bobby Furst (local artist) / Bride’s dress: Nicole Miller / Shoes: Franco Sarto / Floral crown: Rachael’s close friend, Amelia Pacheco created on the day of using found foliage from the venue and surrounding desert / Brass necklace: Nikki Montoya / Cuff & stack rings: Madewell / Pearl earrings: belonged to bride’s grandmother / Groom’s suit: bride designed the suit through online company Indochino / Shoes: Thorocraft “Xander” / Wedding band: local antique shop