4 Palm Springs Wedding Venues I Love (as a Los Angeles Wedding Photographer Who’s Seen A Ton)
Palm Springs weddings always feel like a weekend with your favorite people instead of a formal event. And I love it every time. It has this playful color palette that somehow makes every wedding feel like a movie set, the weather is always perfect, and the easygoing, laidback feel brings something really special to your wedding day. As a Los Angeles wedding photographer, I photograph weddings all over Southern California, and Palm Springs is always one of my favorite places. I’m just obsessed with the whole vibe that it brings! So if the day you’re dreaming of feels a little coastal, a little warm, and a little vivid, you won’t want to miss these Palm Springs wedding venues.
4 Palm Springs Wedding Venues That I’m Seriously Obsessed With
Seriously, I’ve seen a billion wedding venues, from golf courses to villas to manors and everything in between. And that means I’ve seen how the setting really shapes your day! While I know how important aesthetics are (trust me)... I also know that it’s equally as important to choose a wedding venue that makes planning simple and lets your day flow smoothly. And these Palm Springs wedding venues? They give you that perfect mix.
The Parker
The Parker is a Palm Springs wedding venue that’s sunny and full of character, and I couldn’t love it more. It’s one of those places where you wake up (yep, in one of the rooms on the property) with the sun already hitting through your windows, walk down to grab a coffee with your girls, then go back up to get ready in the most girlhood-coded way, blasting Taylor Swift and dancing around in your matching pajama sets.
The best part? That’s how the entire day here feels. Easy and full of real, genuine fun. Because once it’s time for your ceremony, the vibes are so high and everyone is so full of excitement. Honestly, it's kind of impossible not to be in a place like this. Everywhere you look, there’s something absolutely adorable in another bold color, but it’s not like… Overdone. It’s in a way that you can work with it and still infuse your own personality into it, and I seriously love that!
This one can hold up to 400 guests, depending on your location (inside and outside available!), but there are also spaces that work super well for intimate weddings. And trust me, both large and small weddings here fit so great. If you want to elevate the day even more, you can do an entire estate buyout that gives you the whole property to yourself, which I’m all for. Helloooo, wedding weekend!
So if you’re looking for a space that’s full of color and makes the day feel fun before the party even starts, you’re not gonna want to skip The Parker.
Villa Royale
For vintage Cali energy, you don’t want to miss Villa Royale. It’s a boutique hotel that’s crawling with literal tons of cool spots, and it’s giving retro meets boho meets Coachella. Days here feel really easy to move through, with no strict rules or timelines, just tons of space to let your candid moments breathe!
It’s also super secluded here, so you never feel like you’re surrounded by a big crowd, which is something that you’ll love if you’re anything like me. I always picture smaller ceremonies outside surrounded by the super lush plants then a candlelit dinner party outside to end the night. And the photo-ops we get in between those… They’re actually to die for. There are color-drenched rooms, architectural lines, and geometric tiles that make settings for portraits that put Pinterest to shame.
You basically can have as many guests as you want for a Villa Royale wedding, but I always recommend keeping it under 100. There’s just something about smaller weddings here that feels so special! This is especially true when you do a full property buyout. There are 37 rooms at the hotel, so you can literally choose to have all of them for your people! Keeping everyone together for the entire weekend? Loveee that.
If you can’t tell, Villa Royale is for my free-spirited couples. Like, the ones who probably want to end their night by jumping into the pool with their wedding party. It just holds moments like that so well, so if you’re dreaming of something a little carefree.
Ace Hotel
If you can imagine a retro desert feel, that’s Ace Hotel. It can really hold any style, but there’s something about vintage decor and mirrorballs that just makes sense here!
This is another Palm Springs wedding venue for my free-spirited couples, but with a little more edge. I picture rock-and-roll music on the playlist and a little bit of funk in the decor for weddings at Ace Hotel, but also tons of romance, connection, and peaceful moments. It’s that perfect mix of fun and sentimental, and if that’s your dream day… Ace Hotel is the ONE.
Every single spot to choose from here has something unique: there’s The Commune with a private pool, The Clubhouse for San Jacinto mountain views, and The Stargazing Deck for a reception under the night sky. It can hold up to 200 guests, depending on which one you choose, and it’s another place where your guests can stay on-site!
PGA West
The ceremony space at PGA West is honestly one of the most dramatic desert ceremony spots I’ve seen. Couples walk out toward the base of the mountains while guests are seated facing the sunset, and it’s genuinely like something out of a movie.
One ceremony here that completely stuck with me was Jean Marie and George’s. The couple walked down the path toward the ceremony site at the base of the mountains just as the sun started to drop behind the desert hills. The light was glowing, everyone was quiet in that “this moment feels big” kind of way, and right as they said their vows the sky turned that perfect golden desert color. Moments like that are exactly why Palm Springs weddings are so special.
Another thing I loved about this wedding was how much intention the couple put into the details. The decor they designed was seriously Pinterest-worthy: layered florals, thoughtful textures, and colors that fit perfectly with the desert setting. They put so much work into making the space feel beautiful and personal, and it really showed!
A standout for PGA West that I have to mention is how incredible the staff is. They help through every part of the day, from planning to execution, and they work with you to make it absolutely perfect. And if you’re planning your day here, I cannot recommend the vendor team from this day enough.
Planner: Simply Sweet Weddings by Melissa
DJ: Tyler Varnell
Florist: Emma Seitz at Leta Verbena
Signage: Kimi Wakamoto
Makeup: Alexis Nichols Makeup Artist
Hair: Naomi Serrano
Why Couples Choose Palm Springs
A lot of couples who choose Palm Springs aren't looking for a traditional ballroom wedding. They want something a little more relaxed, a little more design-forward, and something that feels like an experience for their guests. Here are a few things Palm Springs brings to your day:
A weekend destination vibe
Warm weather
Unique wedding venues
Mid-century design
A colorful aesthetic
And if those things are right up your alley, too… We’re gonna get along just fine.
How to Choose the Palm Springs Wedding Venue That’s Your Actual Best Fit
I know, I know… All of these spaces are incredible, how can you ever choose, etc. etc. Really, though, at the end of the day, it comes down to your personality. Every venue is different, just like every couple is, and trust me when I say that you’ll find a venue that fits you perfectly! Here are a few of my top tips for choosing between these Palm Springs wedding venues:
Think about how the space complements both of your personalities. If you’re a little more boho and love desert vibes, The Ace Hotel is so you! If you’re a little more vibrant and fun-loving, The Parker is your perfect match.
Picture how you want your day to feel. If the words “easygoing” and “relaxing” are on your moodboard, I’d recommend Villa Royale every single time!
Consider the weather. Palm Springs weather is stunning year-round, but consider that the winter months are the rainiest. So if you’re getting married December-January, make sure you have a good rain plan at your venue! If you’re looking for the best time of year to get married in Palm Springs, I’ll always recommend late spring or early summer.
Make a list of your must-haves. Because if there are things you know you want, NEVER sacrifice them. Maybe it’s a guest count minimum, maybe it’s having on-site accommodations, maybe it’s the option for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Whatever those things are, they can definitely help you narrow down your wedding venue list!
Also, never forget that with me as your Los Angeles wedding photographer, I’m here to help you. We can chat about your vision, and as someone who has seen quite a few days at this venue, I’ll always let you know exactly how your day would look there! And if you’re looking for a totally different vibe, I have recommendations for those too. For example, if you’re dreaming of a coastal Palm Springs wedding venue, check out this Laguna Beach Wedding at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church!
Cambria Shelley | Los Angeles Wedding Photographer
If you're planning a Palm Springs wedding and want photos that feel relaxed, emotional, and true to the day, I’d love to photograph it.
As a Los Angeles wedding photographer, Palm Springs is one of my favorite places to document weddings, especially for couples who want something stylish, laid-back, and a little different from the traditional wedding timeline.
You can reach out here to start planning!
