Immediately after he got down on one knee, Sophie Matthews and Tim Baumann celebrated their engagement with a beautiful lunch in Palm Springs. During the meal, Sophie called Colony29 to set up a tour of the venue, since she knew they both wanted to get married in the desert. “We wanted to have a beautiful, outdoor dinner party with good food, music, and wine,” Sophie says. “While some family members may have preferred the ceremony in a church, it wasn’t a high priority for us.”
“I was engaged by September with a wedding date for the following November,” Sophie remarks. “In my mind, I had plenty of time but every sales associate at any bridal boutique would soon tell me otherwise.” The bride-to-be thankfully ended up finding the classic yet modern Alyne gown by Rita Vinieris from Kinsley James Couture Bridal in time and paired it with monogrammed Mansur Gavriel shoes.
Bridesmaids complemented Sophie well in Reformation dresses in blush, champagne, and a floral print. And Tim looked handsome in a tuxedo and a Rolex that was gifted to him by his future father-in-law. “It was incredibly sweet and thoughtful, yet I walked away wondering what was wrong with my wrist…” Sophie jokes.
On November 16th, 2019, guests arrived to Colony29 and were greeted with margaritas. The couple’s nephews walked down the wrong aisle and created a moment of chaos, but they loved the lapse in seriousness. Then Sophie walked down the aisle with her paternal uncle, who is also her godfather, and met Tim and their officiant, a close family friend, for their short ceremony. “We were giggling the entire time, looking at each other and thinking, ‘This is crazy, it’s finally happening,’” the bride remembers. “I put Tim’s ring on the wrong hand.”
After saying, “I do,” cocktail hour started and everyone found their seats via mini bottles of olive oil that their planner, Aubrey Huffman, meticulously poured. “Tim and I are both Greek-American, so we wanted some culinary element to our decor,” Sophie says. The delicious plated dinner was followed by the couple’s first dance to their favorite song, “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by the Mamas & The Papas.
Dancing took over the rest of the night. “My legs and back were in bad shape the next day from jumping up and down all night,” Sophie remembers. “That probably says more about my dancing skills than anything else, but it was the big party we hoped to have.”
The after-party kicked off in the pools and jacuzzis on the compound with 20 of their best friends. “I had heard from a lot of brides that you have a certain sadness after the wedding but not this one,” Sophie shares. “The relief was tangible and I think an even better indicator that we’re a good fit because we both were eager to go back to our regular lives, this time married.”