This Couple Wanted Their Wedding to Strike the Right Balance Between Laid-Back, and Palm Springs Proved to Be the Perfect Backdrop for the Party

It was nearly a missed connection for Sarah Hennessey and Tom Hunt, who first matched on a dating app in spring of 2015. The two exchanged phone numbers and a few messages, but nothing ever came from their conversations. "I was always curious about the lawyer who I matched with, but never met," Sarah admits. Clearly, Tom felt the same way: 18 months after they were first matched on the dating app, Tom decided to reach out again. The two shared their first date on January 8, 2017, and the connection, Sarah notes, was "electric" from the start. “The conversation quickly elevated from small talk to big talk,” she adds. The pair dated for nine months before their relationship was thrown into long-distance territory, but Sarah and Tom made it work by prioritizing communication and connection.

Four years later, Tom proposed on their dating anniversary. The two took a walk through quiet side streets, stopping in front of Sarah's old apartment. “The thought he put into it was quintessential Tom,” she says. “Genuine, direct, and heartfelt.” 

Sarah and Tom invited 180 guests to join them at their wedding on March 18, 2023, at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, California. Their venue choice was both personal and intentional. “Our wedding needed to be the right balance of laid-back and glam,” Sarah explains. “Palm Springs is one of those destinations where those two concepts feel cohesive, rather than oxymoronic.” Their vision for the day—which the team at Nicole Alexandra Designs helped them nail—was "organic glam," with garden-inspired details, natural textures, and a warm color palette of pink and orange florals paired with lots of greenery.

Keep reading to see how the details came together and experience their four event wedding celebration through the lens of photographer Valorie Darling.

Sarah and Tom’s invitation suite, which was created by Swell Press, incorporated various shades of pink, fun patterns, and an embossed monogram. Inspired by the bride’s wedding dress and veil, the couple chose to incorporate magnolia motifs throughout many details of their wedding weekend design, from the stationery to the dance floor. In keeping with that design element, the invitation suites also included magnolia-shaped paper, leaf cutouts, and patterned envelope liners.

Swell Press also created custom maps, bag labels, and itinerary cards that were placed in woven welcome bags along with snacks and hangover essentials for the couple’s guests. “It took three days and the whole family to help assemble them!” Sarah says.

The couple kicked off their wedding festivities with a house party at a private residence in La Quinta, California, on March 15, 2023. Sarah wore a white jumpsuit paired with emerald green sandals with a palm tree shaped heel and earrings. Tom chose neutral pants with a patterned shirt.

They served mojitos as their signature cocktail of the evening and paired them with custom cocktail napkins featuring their wedding monogram. "Music plays an important part in our lives, both as a couple, and individually," Sarah explains. To that end, they hired MARSEY, who was the guitarist for Sarah's matron of honor’s wedding, to perform throughout the evening. "He helped set the tone for the whole week," says the bride.

For the rehearsal dinner, which was held at Lulu’s Palm Springs, Sarah wore a pink, floral-printed off-the-shoulder mini dress with a dramatic train and puff sleeves by Monique Lhuillier. Tom wore a pale pink linen suit to complement her look.

The couple took photos in central Palm Springs before heading off to their party.

The couple’s guests joined them for dinner, where they embraced an Old Hollywood theme with lots of pink décor. Tables were draped in floral patterned linens and decorated with pink candles and bud vases displaying roses in various shades of the color.

Sarah and Tom served a “Killer Queen” gin and grapefruit cocktail as their signature drink and incorporated nods to their invitation suite design in the day’s signage, place cards, and napkins. For dessert, everyone enjoyed chocolate and tiramisu flavored cake, espresso martinis, and cotton candy.

The next day, the couple hosted a welcome fiesta at La Casa at La Quinta Resort & Club. Sarah wore a white strapless mini dress with a sweetheart neckline and heart shaped pearl embellishments. “I am so glad I followed through on my vision of having pearls in my hair on Friday,” she says. “Although trendy, I know I will look back on that look and love it. It felt like a personal expression rather than ‘just a trend.'"

Tom chose a neutral-toned suit for the occasion.

The couple's outdoor rehearsal dinner featured vibrant florals with pops of pink, orange, and yellow throughout. The tables were topped in gold and blue patterned linens and the bar was decorated with rattan pendant lighting and colorful floral installations. They served Mexican-inspired cocktails, which paired well with the evening's fiesta theme.

For dinner, everyone enjoyed a buffet of Mexican favorites, including a guacamole station. They also had a Celtics-inspired cake for dessert.

As guests arrived at the resort’s golf course for Sarah and Tom’s ceremony the next day, they were greeted by an acrylic welcome sign that featured the couple’s signature magnolia motif. The sign was decorated with roses and greenery and labeled "Act One." Later, the signage at the cocktail hour read "Act Two" and the reception signage said "Act Three" as a nod to Sarah’s career as an opera singer.

Sarah’s silk and tulle Monique Lhuillier wedding dress had magnolia flower appliqués and a long train. She accessorized with a matching cathedral-length veil. “Even though it was not the dress I originally saw myself in, I knew within two minutes of wearing it that it was the perfect one,” she says. “I loved the idea of something classic, but with a twist.”

Sarah also wore her grandmother's diamond bracelet and white satin Manolo Blahnik heels. “Rather than going with a bright, metallic eye, I went for a smokey 'latte makeup' look,” Sarah says. “The skin was still fresh and glowing, but the eyes gave a major wow factor without feeling super heavy.”

Tom’s wedding day look was a custom Jos. A. Bank black tuxedo paired with a French cuff shirt, bow tie, and Florsheim shoes. Sarah and Tom picked new fragrances that would remind them of their wedding day. Sarah wore Mizensir Très Chère and Tom wore YSL Y cologne.

At the outdoor ceremony, guests were treated to mountain views framed by a lush floral arch in shades of pink and orange. A custom wood platform was set up at the altar, then decorated with even more flowers to surround the couple. The aisle was lined with pink and white floral arrangements and a heavy sprinkling of pink and orange flower petals. 

The couple had string musicians play a selection of curated songs that reflect Sarah’s background as a classical musician. Their wedding party walked down the aisle first, including a ring bearer and flower girl who were pulled down the aisle in a white flower-embellished wagon.

Sarah says one of the very best decision the couple made during the planning process was choosing to write personal vows. “Writing them made us grow closer, reminding us of the journey that led us to the wedding,” she explains. ”It helped set personal intentions as we began our next chapter. It also gave our guests a peek into our unique sense of humor.” 

Guests were invited to sign the couple's guest book during cocktail hour, which was on display alongside gold pens and a sign featuring the magnolia design seen in their invitation suite. 

The couple’s planning team and florist transformed the ballroom’s foyer by draping it in green velvet fabric and filling it with florals, chandeliers, disco ball lights, and candles. “Our main goal here was to bring the outdoors in, and to make guests feel as if they were not in a ballroom,” Sarah says. Guests grabbed a glass of champagne and found their table assignments on suspended acrylic seating charts with magnolia floral designs.

"Working with Nicole at Nicole Alexandra Events helped me enjoy planning more than I previously assumed. She was more than a planner; she quickly became a friend," the bride says. "We bounced ideas off each other, rather than one person running the show. This speaks to her affable nature and her ability to see the couple on a deeper level. Without her, the wedding we wanted would not have been possible."

Once inside the reception space proper, guests were treated to a profusion of flowers—this is where the glam portion of the couple's wedding vision really came to life. Lush arrangements of flowers in different shades of pink filled the room, and an installation of greenery and hanging lights was set up above the dance floor.

The head table was decorated with a floral runner that spilled onto the floor, while other tables had topiary style centerpieces with small tea lights hanging from them.

Place settings featured a mix of glass, pink, gold, silver, and pearl accents, including pink embossed menus and place cards for each guest. The couple’s signature magnolia design was seen throughout the details, including on the pink dinner menus, which outlined the evening's meal offerings. Everyone enjoyed a three-course meal consisting of an onion tart and salad, grilled beef tenderloin, and wedding cake.

A custom pink bar was brought into the space with an oversized floral installation of pink roses and other flowers that spilled onto the floor. Guests enjoyed glitter espresso martinis and ginger beer signature cocktails.

A cozy lounge area was set up on the dance floor with sofas and knitted pillows and throws, giving attendees a place to rest between dance sets. The dance floor itself showcased the magnolia theme printed in pink with a tile border.

The couple had a five-layer wedding cake with magnolia designs throughout. It was displayed on a round glass table with vibrant pink florals as a topper, around the base, and on the floor.

For the last part of the reception, Tom removed his jacket and vest and Sarah changed into a strapless sequinned gown with a feather neckline and a thigh-high slit paired with Mach & Mach platform bow heels. Once in their dance-ready outfits, the couple surprised their guests with a choreographed dance to close the evening.