Disco Wedding at The O’Donnell House | Lisa & David
You know it’s going to be an incredible wedding when the couple knows exactly how to throw a party. Lisa and David were no exception. From their first inquiry to getting to see their final galleries for the first time, they were an absolute dream to work with. Lisa and David are a couple that make me shed literal tears when I think about them, because of how their good vibes and energy just radiate and envelop everyone around them. It made for a wonderful wedding and I’m sure a perfect “rest of their lives”. Here’s a deep dive into their stunning disco wedding at The O’Donnell House in Palm Springs.
How It Started
Lisa reached out to me with the cutest inquiry about how she and David met. I could almost hear her excitement through the typed words on the screen. They met at a shitty L.A bar, “drunk made out” and were going 4 years strong before they decided to tie the knot. If that ain’t a modern love story for the ages, I don’t know what is. Part of which all of us millennials can probably relate to, but few of us experience the love and attention that Lisa and David put into their relationship throughout those years.
I first photographed their engagement session so I could get to know the couple even more, learn about their relationship and how they want to be captured in photos. Engagement sessions are my favorite way to prepare for the big day – I should probably require one at this point because it helps us so much when the big day finally comes! First, we went to Dana Point in Orange County for a beach and picnic photoshoot. The way their personalities and energy came through the photos, I knew immediately their wedding day was going to go off without a hitch. After the beach, we went out on the open water on a sailboat for the rest of the session. Even though a storm was rolling in, they somehow managed to remain calm and collected, and looked like a damn 90’s Ralph Lauren ad.
The Day Of
For the main event, they chose The O’Donnell House in Palm Springs – one of my all time favorite venues. With their lush, desert oasis vibe and gorgeous city views, it fit SO perfectly with their bohemian, disco wedding theme which was really important to them, so obviously she decorated the space with disco balls galore, including little disco ball keychains that led you to your table assignments, and of course disco ball decor everywhere which casted the most beautiful sparkle over the entire reception. We also were able to have a little bridal sesh with her epic disco cowgirl hat, adorned with diamond tassels, before she got dressed for the day. This was a super special moment for me because if there’s one thing I love, it’s capturing the “butterflies in the tummy” part of the day. With Lisa’s electric smile in these photos, you can tell she was ready for the best day of her life.
Lisa & David are music aficionados and can be found at all the local concerts when they aren’t working. The only way I can describe their music taste is eclectic disco meets EDM. You know this meant their party was going to be EPIC. When Lisa & David came out for their grand entrance, they started a first dance with a typical slow song, but then surprised everyone with a 3 song mash-up starting with “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young, into “Stayin Alive” by the BeeGees, with the final bit being “I Feel So Close To You” by Calvin Harris. They encouraged everyone to get on the dance floor before dinner which wasn’t that hard – everyone was itching to dance after that show! And if it hadn’t been clear before, I knew right then that these were my people. To top off the night, David ended up DJing a song during the reception with Lisa dancing right by his side for all their friends & family, which became some of my favorite photos of the night and really solidified the disco wedding vibe of the evening.
The Lasting Effect…
Getting to be a sort of “fly on the wall” during their disco wedding was so special because I truly got to see how much their relationship bleeds into all of their friends and family. How their love and care towards each other affected every other person in that room, including me. Knowing how sweet Lisa was, I could only imagine what her parents were like…and it did not surprise me to find out how absolutely lovely they are. They kept telling me how L&D’s love is “incomparable” and how they genuinely care for and are deeply in love with each other. They laughed, cried, and partied DEEPLY with Lisa and David and it was very apparent the amount of adoration they had for the couple which always gets me in my feels.
All in All
Lisa, David & all they surround themselves with are nothing but good vibes. They genuinely care about people, which made this a super joyous day for me to photograph. When people ask me in our initial inquiry “what makes you want to work with people” it is THIS. The feeling that my vision and creativity is trusted enough that a couple is willing to be themselves in front of me. It makes for the most insanely creative and beautifully emotional photos.
Check out the photos below to see Lisa and David in all their disco wedding glory. And if you’re curious why I always recommend Palm Springs for the ultimate wedding location, check out my blog “5 Reasons To Have A Palm Springs Wedding” and see what all the fuss is about! I’m also now booking for 2023 weddings, so if these photos speak to you, let’s get you some of your own 😉 Click here to inquire!
