Despite moving in the same circles and having friends in common for years, Joe and Brian only officially met one week before the COVID lockdown. In retrospect, “COVID eliminated so many distractions and gave us time to prioritize the relationship and get to know one another. Remote work helped. Fewer happy hours helped. It was the definition of a silver lining.” Brian orchestrated the private proposal at their favorite restaurant in 2022, under the guise of his birthday celebration. After spending Christmas together in Palm Springs and enjoying great summer weekends in Provincetown, these two DC politico grooms decided to invite everyone to the place that captured both aesthetics: the gayest little resort town in Sonoma County, Guerneville, California. Keep scrolling to see how this unbelievably touching wedding day came together with the help of O Frabjous Day Events and captured by Kayla Lilli Photo.
A redwoods oasis
Joe and Brian chose to host their wedding day at boon hotel + spa, Chef Crista Luedke’s modern oasis in the redwoods for their celebration due to its ethos, relaxed vibe, and sublime food and drink.
A post-ceremony tea dance
Taking a page from LGBTQ+ history, the grooms chose to change up the traditional schedule by having a tea dance directly after the ceremony. With a nod to David and Patrick of Schitt’s Creek, their first dance was to Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best.” The excellent DJ Whit from Heart of Gold DJs kept the tunes spinning as guests enjoyed bespoke cocktails like the “Ptown Punch” and “Palm Spritz,” with passed appetizers by the pool.
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Palm Springs and their favorite divas
The design elements brought the Palm Springs golden and coral touches to the overall look, supported by rentals and florals by Feather Flower Farm. To personalize their day a bit more, the grooms named their long guest tables after their favorite Recording Divas, Broadway Queens, Disney Villains, and Golden Girls!
Golden hour toasts from friends and family
Before the family-style dinner on the lawn, friends and family gave touching and hilarious toasts while they raised their glasses to the grooms. Then, as the sun began to set, guests tucked in to a fantastic spread by Chef Crista and her team.
Desserts, show tunes, and espresso martinis
Eschewing a traditional cake, the grooms chose to serve treats that highlighted their individual backgrounds: potica (a Croatian nut roll) from Joe’s aunt and gooey butter cookies from Brian’s mom, offered with three flavors of ice cream. The guests then moved to cabaret tables for the enthusiastic singing of show tunes as if they were in a Ptown piano joint, fueled by espresso martinis from the bar.
Join the grooms for “afters”
When the official festivities concluded, guests who were up for more dancing were invited to hop on shuttles to take them to a local bar for “Afters.” It was, as the grooms put it, “Simply the Best.”
