California Dreamin' - Palm Springs

Words by Kelli Donley
Photos courtesy of Daniel Milnor

Kristin Gingold and Michael Points weren’t sure where they wanted to get married until they walked through Korakia Pensione Historic Villa. The 20-room bed and palm springs wedding

breakfast was recently restored with African and Balinese furniture. The hand-carved four poster beds are draped in mosquito netting and the international vibe immediately sold the pair.

"It was just a perfect place," Kristin says. "We hadn’t planned on getting married in Palm Springs. I’m from Newport Beach and Michael is from Texas. We didn’t want a traditional hotel wedding. This was just so different. We got to take over for the entire weekend with no other events scheduled."

Kristin says having grown up near the beach, she wanted her laid-back style to be reflected in their ceremony – one which all 95 guests had to travel to witness.

Guests were welcomed at their hotels with gift bags, listing the weekend's itinerary and events and recreation nearby to enjoy.

"When planning a Palm Springs wedding, it is important to have help from someone who has done weddings there before," she says for other brides interested in the desert

locale. "Our photographer had done many wedding in the area andrecommended the Korakia. I had only been to Palm Springs a few times before and I think without the advice on vendors and recommendations on people for us to talk to, it would have been really difficult."

Planning a May wedding in the California desert can be tricky weather-wise too.

"Our ceremony and reception were outside," she says. "We planned seating so everyone wouldn’t be facing the sun and kept the sunset in mind. There are months in Palm Springs when everything slows down because of the heat so you wouldn’t want to do an outdoor wedding."

Wedding Design and Coordination by Melissa Chiaro