A Fabulously Modern Wedding at O’Donnell House in Palm Springs, California

Anne Friedman (46 and a marketing and communications coordinator) locked eyes with Kelli Johnson (41 and a registered nurse) at a Meetup-style event. “Kelli bought me a drink, and we exchanged numbers and met for our first date the next night," Anne says. "The rest is history.” Their outdoor ceremony and reception for 96 at O’Donnell House in Palm Springs, California, was similarly straightforward in its beauty. Anchoring colors for the day included coral, navy and silver. “The ceremony site offers a beautiful view of the mountains and is a gorgeous natural setting,” Anne says. The couple exchanged vows under a fruitwood chuppah decorated with succulents, orange and coral roses. The on-site reception offered impressive views of the city below after sundown. Instead of a traditional plated dinner with assigned seating, the couple’s guests enjoyed several action stations with different cuisines and were encouraged to mingle at high and low tables and lounge areas. “We did not want our guests to spend the evening watching us; we wanted them to enjoy the night with us,” Anne says. She and Kelli closed the evening with a sweet farewell—giving each guest a bag of caramel and chocolate-covered pretzels with sprinkles. —Carolyn Meers