A Glam, Modern and Romantic Black Tie Wedding in the Coachella Valley: Shelby & Matt

An epic celebration planned in just 12 weeks!

Shelby and Matt's black tie wedding at the stylish Indian Wells Golf Resort was part of a glamorous-yet-laid-back wedding designed to help their 100 guests—many of whom travelled to sunny California for the event—relax and celebrate together. 

After realising their dream venue had last minute availability, the pair had just 3 months to plan their wedding but looking through the beautiful imagery below you would never know! The pair, along with the help of the brides's talented best friends and their fantastic suppliers created a dream day featuring lots of elegant old Hollywood glamour and opulent party vibes! Bright Tropical blooms and lush foliage and a monochrome and pink palette added tons of romance and countless carefully curated bespoke details made this a vintage glam wedding feel cohesive and immersive.

Photographer and videographer Chris J. Evans documented the entire day full of love, laughter, and grace. Let’s take a look at this glamorous black tie wedding celebration now, shall we?

bridal heels shoes white RSVP letters
bride holds bouquet flowers
portrait of bride and bridesmaids wearing loungewear outside swimming pool setting
portrait of bride and bridesmaids wearing loungewear outside swimming pool setting sitting on sunbed

So, first things first, let's get to know our fabulous couple a little better. Bride Shelby is from Cincinnati in Ohio, and Matt is from Los Gatos in California. The pair matched on Bumble after moving to San Francisco where they are now currently based.

groom sits down in tuxedo suit waiting looking out window
hat accessory in hands
groom and groomsmen palm trees grass setting

The proposal happened on a surprise date night in Palm Springs! The bride fills us in, "Matt loves planning surprise dates, so I didn’t think anything of it when he asked me to be ready at 5 pm on a Thursday afternoon. After a 30 minute drive, we were at the Aerial Tram in Palm Springs. We rode the tram to the top of the mountain, and once we reached the top we went for a hike. Next thing I knew he was down on one knee! After I said yes, he pulled out a bottle of champagne from his backpack and we toasted overlooking Palm Springs, which has been such a special place for our relationship."

welcome to the wedding of signpost and flowers stand
alter setting flower bed archway ceremony setting
alter setting flower bed archway ceremony setting
flowers resting on chair ceremony grass
flowers on flower bed archway roses pink red
exterior ceremony setting seats for guests wide shot grass

The couple held both their ceremony and reception celebrations at Indian Wells Golf Resort in Indian Wells, California surrounded by panoramic mountain views, towering palm trees, and a colorful flowering landscape. When asked what made it the one, Shelby says, "We knew it was the one when we found out they had a last minute opening for 2023. The only problem was that it was 12 weeks away! Indian Wells Golf Resort is stunning, and special to us given how much time we’ve spent in Indian Wells. Given this we decided to seize the opportunity, and quickly planned our wedding in less than 3 months! It was meant to be!"

bride and groom standing on grass laughing together
bride and groom kiss from behind standing on green grass

Matt and Shelby exchanged vows privately before the wedding ceremony, which they tell us was an "incredibly special and intimate moment."

packed ceremony full of guests sitting mountain view in background on green grass
groom and father in black tuxedo suits walking down the aisle
father of the bride walks his daughter down the aisle towards alter
wide shot of celebrant bride and groom at alter setting during ceremony
bride and groom at the alter facing each other
bride and groom at the alter facing each other holding hands
wide shot of celebrant bride and groom at alter setting during ceremony
packed ceremony full of guests sitting mountain view in background on green grass

The couple look back on their wedding ceremony fondly. Shelby and Matt's parents stood by them under the Chuppah while the rabbi blessed them, while the Ketubah Signing only had a few attendees which the couple tell us "was very special." Shelby’s mom worked with an artist to create a custom Ketubah that they can display as a work of art in their home.

after the ceremony bride and groom exit holding hands
after the ceremony bride and groom kiss on the green grass
groom drinks glass of prosecco while bride laughs

For their ceremony music, the pair chose a string trio that played instrumental versions of more modern music (versus traditional ceremony music). Matt and the wedding party walked down the aisle to “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green. Shelby walked down the aisle to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis. They walked out to “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness.”

bride and groom emerge from bridesmaids and groomsmen

For their black tie wedding, Shelby asked her bridesmaids to choose their own glam black bridesmaids dress and shoes which they felt comfortable in and well, we think they absolutely nailed the brief!

bride and groom exit ceremony hand in hand guests celebrating
groom kisses brides forehead veil blows in the wind
brides arms hands around grooms in garden
bride poses on her own on the grass holding bouquet

For her wedding day look, Shelby wowed in a stunning Vera Wang wedding gown. She completed her look with embellished bridal heels from Badgley Mischka, a diamond tennis bracelet, and a full-length veil by Carolina Herrera which she removed post ceremony. She also added tulle sleeves to her dress post ceremony.

bride signing marriage certificate groom stands behind her
man holding up book writing text tuxedo suit marriage certificate
bride and groom holding glass of champagne prosecco fruit in glass strawberry
menu detail restaurant food

During the cocktail reception the bride and groom had custom cocktails for their guests - a Mattini (an espresso martini) and Shelby Temple (a dirty Shirley)!

interior dining room setting flowers table and chairs for guests and menus cutlery
cutlery table setting dining room guests plates flowers
cutlery table setting dining room guests plates flowers
menu detail for guests

Shelby’s two best friends Elise & Kaitlin designed the table settings and flower direction based on their knowledge of the couple. Elegant, fun, and - knowing Shelby - it had to have a touch of pink! Their florist Vasso Bello understood the vision, and brought it to life in a way that completely exceeded their expectations. Elise also created a sweet custom logo for the couple consisting of two monkeys with the couple’s initials that was used on the menus and ceremony programs.

cutlery table setting dining room guests plates flowers
cutlery table setting dining room guests plates flowers
cutlery table setting dining room guests plates flowers
pink flowers on table
white wedding cake flowers and knife

Summing up the overall vibe for their day in a couple of words – Shelby and Matt say it was, "elegant and whimsical".

seating arrangement for guests details

When asked what were the priorities from the very beginning, Shelby and Matt tell us, "We wanted the gathering to be intimate, so kept the guest list tight. We also wanted the reception to be a super fun party, so emphasized the band. Our goal was to have every single person on the dance floor! Our band nailed it." They add, "Photographs are one of the few tangible things that you take with you from your wedding day. Given this it was important to us to work with a great photographer who could capture the day, and we are so grateful to have worked with Chris Evans."

bride stands in front of red flowers outside in garden
groom stands in front of red flowers outside in garden fixing cufflinks

At the reception the couple opted for a Champagne tower, a trend we love!

bride and groom pour bottle of prosecco over fountain
bride and groom cheers with glass of prosecco laid out on top of each other fountain

The couple took to the floor as newlyweds to “ILY” by Surf Mesa.

bride and groom dance on the dancefloor

At one point in the evening the band called Shelby up to the stage to sing her favorite song, Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus. This was completely unplanned and unexpected, but the couple tell us it was one of the most fun moments of the evening. Matt and best friend Elise joined her as well, and the three of them belted the tune and danced for their guests!

in and out burger and fries
in and out takeaway burger

Shelby and Matt served In & Out as tier late-night snack, so that all of their guests could get a taste of California’s finest while they were visiting!

bride and groom walk on the grass holding hands

The couple have this advice for other couple currently planning their day, "Planning-wise, our advice would be to stay true to who you are as a couple. There are so many decisions to make when planning a wedding… choose the things that feel authentic to you as a couple. Ignore “popular” wedding trends. Avoid using Pinterest, Instagram, or TikTok for inspiration. Respectfully disregard your family’s requests. The planning process is way more fun when you focus less on making the day “perfect” and instead have it be a reflection of who you are as a couple!"

bride and groom standing on golf green grass setting mountains in background hugging

They add, "For the reception, the best piece of advice we were given was to stay together the whole time. Try not to separate, because once you lose each other it is hard to meet back up (everyone wants to talk to you!). So stay together so you can have the full experience together."

bride and groom hold hands showing off wedding bands rings

After the celebrations, the couple jetted off on honeymoon to Maui which they would highly recommend.

exterior wide shot bride and groom standing on golf green grass setting mountains in background

Congratulations Shelby & Matt! A very special thank you to the couple and to Chris J. Evans for sharing this gorgeous black tie wedding with One Fab Day. There are also plenty more amazing photos from their special day to check out in the gallery below!

Thinking of tying the knot abroad? We have so many Destination Real Weddings for you to check out!

Suppliers 

Photographer + Videographer //
Chris J. Evans
|
Wedding Dress Designer //
Vera Wang
|
Bridal Boutique //
Summer Colony Living
|
Bridal Shoes //
Badgley Mischka
|
Jewellery & Wedding Rings //
Scott Reising Jewelers
|
After Party Dress //
Retrofête
|
Wedding Submission Services //
Published + Pretty
|
Groom’s Suit //
Art Lewin
|
Stationery //
Minted
|
Flowers //
Vaso Bello
|
Planning/Design //
Grace and Gold Events
|
String Trio //
Cedarchest Music
|
Rentals/Decor //
Bright Rentals
|
Rentals/Decor //
Signature Event Rentals
|
Rentals/Decor //
Adore Folklore
|
Lighting //
Modern Media
|
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