Before the weekend
My experience with weddings in America was fairly limited. I know the general formula: nice venue, emotional ceremony, dinner, dancing and at least one family member who takes over the dance floor. But when my boyfriend’s uncle invited us to his wedding in Palm Springs, I realized this would be a little different. Not because it was a gay wedding, but because it was my first gay wedding. What followed was a weekend of desert sunshine, poolside drinks, a beautiful wedding on a golf course and a nine-hour drive that somehow felt worth it.
On Friday morning, we packed up the car and started the long drive from Northern California to Palm Springs. Nine hours in a car sounds dramatic when you first say it out loud, but after enough snacks, playlists, and debates about what music to play next, you eventually accept your fate. By the time we arrived, we were exhausted.
The first order of business was checking into the hotel and ordering room service. There is something incredibly satisfying about eating a hotel burger in bed after sitting in a car for an entire day. No sightseeing. No exploring. No ambitious travel plans. Just room service, a shower, and sleep. Honestly, it was exactly what we needed.
The Wedding Day
Saturday was what I imagine Palm Springs was designed for. The weather was perfect, the sky was completely clear, and pretty much everyone seemed to be outside. We spent most of the day by the pool, alternating between tanning, swimming and making frequent visits to the pool bar. I’m not saying the pool bar became an important part of the day, but I’m also not saying it didn’t.
The best part was how relaxed everything felt. Nobody was rushing around or stressing about schedules. It felt less like a wedding weekend and more like a mini vacation that happened to include a wedding. As the afternoon rolled around, everyone headed back to their rooms to get ready for the ceremony.
The wedding itself took place on a golf course, which turned out to be a beautiful venue. The mountains sat in the distance, the grass looked impossibly green against the desert landscape, and the evening light made everything look like it had a built-in Instagram filter. Since this was my first gay wedding, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. But once the ceremony started, I realized there wasn’t much to figure out.
It was simply two people who loved each other, surrounded by family and friends who were excited to celebrate them. The ceremony felt genuine and personal, which is probably why it was so enjoyable to watch. There was plenty of laughter, a few emotional moments, and none of it felt forced or overly formal. It felt like a reflection of the couple themselves.
One thing that stood out to me throughout the evening was how happy everyone seemed to be. Not just the people getting married, but the guests, too. There was a real sense that everyone was there because they genuinely cared about the couple.
After the ceremony came dinner, drinks, speeches and dancing. As with most weddings, people who had never met before suddenly became friends by the end of the night. Conversations flowed easily, everyone was in a good mood and the entire evening felt relaxed in the best possible way. Eventually, after a long night of celebrating, we made our way back to the hotel.
Post-wedding Blues
We met up with family for what can only be described as a “hungover brunch.” Nobody looked particularly energetic, coffee was working overtime and conversations moved a little slower than they had the night before. Still, it was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. There is something nice about that final meal after a wedding when everyone gets to sit together, laugh about the previous night and enjoy a few more hours before returning to reality.
Unfortunately, reality arrived in the form of another nine-hour drive home.
As we packed up the car and left Palm Springs behind, I found myself thinking about how much fun the weekend had been. Not because it was packed with activities or because anything particularly dramatic happened, but because it was simple. It was a weekend spent with family, good weather, good food and a celebration of two people who have so much love for each other.
After the weekend
Looking back, what I remember most isn’t the drive, the pool or even the golf course. It’s how happy the entire weekend felt. And while I still wouldn’t volunteer for a nine-hour car ride every weekend, I have to admit this one was 100% worth it.