From the maid of honor, Lacey Aschbrenner… Love can happen at any time. It was lucky for Christy and Josh Kisseberth that she needed to have her home appraised when she did in 2012. Christy had just returned from teaching abroad in Thailand and had landed her first teaching job in the United States. It was a terrible time to fit in a home appraisal, but she made the appointment anyway. Josh entered her home dressed nicely in business casual as Christy donned sweatpants and was without a trace of makeup. After the business of the appraisal was out of the way, Josh made sure to get Christy’s phone number. Their relationship developed quickly as they shared a love for great food and exotic travel destinations, and they traveled to more than ten countries before he popped the question.
Christy and Josh decided to get married in beautiful Palm Springs because they had not only spent their one year anniversary there, but Josh had also proposed nearby in Joshua Tree National Park.
The wedding venue, Casa de Monte Vista, is a beautiful Spanish style hacienda house in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs that features beautifully curated grounds, furniture, and artwork in the style of the 1920s when the home was built. Christy and Josh immediately fell in love with not only the house, but the owner of the home, Joe Luisi, who shared their love of travel, people, and life experiences. They instantly dreamed of their wedding taking place at Casa with its breathtaking desert mountain views, lush gardens, and dreamy historical architecture.
Christy’s dress, Princia by Pronovius, is a dress that is as classic as it is romantic and perfectly suited the Spanish style of Casa de Monte Vista. She chose a champagne undertone that brought an extra layer of warmth and earthiness beneath the classic white lace of the dress, and perfectly complemented the environs on the day of her wedding. Josh impressed their guests in his light grey J. Crew suit, shined brown leather shoes, and light green socks with palm trees on them—a subtle nod to the town they were married in.
To suit the comfortable, intimate environment that Christy and Josh hoped to create, they chose SoHo Taco to cater the event. Waiters circulated during the post-wedding cocktail hour with Espadas de Camarones, Albondigas, and traditional Quesadillas as guests mingled. During the reception, guests were invited to the taco grill where they could choose the meat and toppings to pile atop their fresh, homemade flour tortillas. To honor Christy’s Taiwanese heritage, Jasmine Green Milk Tea and Mango Green Tea with boba were served to greet guests as they entered the courtyard before the ceremony.
A huge part of the success of their wedding was how personal and customized every element was. The guest book was a 4’x5’ wooden map that Christy made by hand with the help of her brother in law. He cut beautiful wooden boards and secured them to each other, and they stained the wood in a rich, dark color that matched the furniture and décor of the wedding venue. Christy then free-hand painted a map of the world in off-white paint to represent the couple’s love of traveling the world. On the day of the wedding, guests were directed to write their well-wishes and sign their names around the world. Tiffany Rowe of Trowe Art helped to complement the natural and whimsical vibe with her contributions of the wooden hand painted “Cigar Bar” and “Mr and Mrs” signs, among many other featured signs that decorated the venue on the day of the wedding. Christy hand calligraphed menus for the tables and place cards for every guest, as she had also done for each and every wedding invitation envelope.
With the help of the florists at Vaso Bello Celebrations, the bride designed beautiful wooden wreaths with lush green plants and flowers that the bridesmaids carried down the aisle, rather than traditional bouquets of flowers. All of these features were beautifully captured by professional photographer, Amanda K. Her eye for detail and her artful way of capturing every moment from a modern, yet instantly nostalgic perspective make all of her photos so special.
The bridesmaids’ gowns were a variety of blush, champagne, or beige tones that were hand selected by the bridesmaids themselves. This allowed each of us the freedom to find a dress that flattered our figures as well as our budgets. The result was a lovely array of styles that featured lace, chiffon, or both, while tying together the theme of Christy’s dress and the wedding style. The groomsmen wore light grey J. Crew suits that matched the groom, which added a chic, masculine component against the femininity of the bridesmaid dresses.
Christy and Josh put so much thought, effort, and love into this celebration of themselves and it was a wonderful party to introduce them as husband and wife, and also to celebrate their gathering of friends and family. What I would recommend to any bride or groom regardless of location, budget, or skill at DIY projects, is to incorporate as much of yourself into your wedding as possible. As long as it comes from the heart, your wedding will be as beautiful as this one and will be a talking point for years to come.
