His friends talked him into attending the country concert, and though Walker obliged the guys’ night out, he never dreamed he would meet the woman he would marry. “Essentially, I grabbed a beer from Walker’s beer bucket, and we spent the rest of the concert talking to each other,” Meghan says. “I had never been so captivated by someone before. I just wanted to spend hours listening to him talk.” Walker thought she was just as amazing, and a couple of years later, he proposed to Meghan at his family’s Texas ranch. 

The couple had a clear vision for their wedding day, which was executed with the help of Cathy O'Connell of COJ Events. They knew they wanted a destination wedding, and since both had meaningful ties to the Coachella Valley, La Quinta Resort & Club seemed like the perfect fit. The luxurious Waldorf Astoria property boasts gorgeous architecture, amazing accommodations, and vast offerings for both fun and relaxation – an ideal getaway for their loved ones traveling from afar. “It checked off all our boxes,” smiles Meghan. 

The bride was intent on incorporating as many personal details as possible. To help accomplish this, she opted to take the invitations and paper goods into her own hands – literally. “Every paper good had a wax seal with our logo, which I handmade,” she notes. 

Meghan sought out a distinct look for the ceremony: an outdoor chapel in Spain. To achieve this look, a nine-foot wooden cross was arranged at the end of the aisle, marking the spot for the vow exchange, and guests took their seats in rented church pews. In an effort to keep the music both timeless and to showcase their personalities, a harpist played modern tunes. “We wanted it to feel youthful and romantic, not too stuffy,” explains the bride. 

Instead of using a basket and pillows for the flower girl’s petals and the rings, the couple’s niece and nephews used cowboy hats belonging to Walker, his dad, and his grandfather to sprinkle blooms along the aisle. The couple’s pup Lulu also served as an honorary wedding-party member. On the back of the programs, the bride and groom briefly shared their familial connection to the desert: Meghan’s great-grandfather built the first 18-hole golf course in the area and Walker’s uncle was part of President Ford’s Secret Service and remained on detail after his term when the late president chose to settle in Rancho Mirage.

Meghan looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder lace dress highlighting a sweetheart neckline, complemented with a bountiful bouquet of amaranths, bougainvilleas, dahlias, eucalyptuses, jasmine, kumquats, lemon leaf, ferns, Japanese andromeda, poppies, ranunculuses, and thistles. Walker confides that the moment he saw his bride-to-be was the most memorable part of the day. 

Meghan shares that they’ve attended dozens of blush-toned nuptials together, so during the planning, she really sought out to have the look of the celebration represent the style of herself and Walker. “I wanted our wedding to be unique and to reflect us,” she confirms. Though there wasn’t a designated color scheme for the reception, the bride opted for pops of blue throughout the décor. “I wanted it to feel like a courtyard in a Spanish villa and the ambience to be romantic and elegant, but very relaxed.” she describes. 

Loved ones found their seating assignments by way of Talavera tiles as escort cards, which served double duty as favors because they could later be used as coasters. An enveloped area framed with twinkle lights introduced the dinner space. Long and round tables were bedecked with colorful florals arranged as if they were freshly picked from a garden. Flowers were placed in Spanish pottery and vases in a natural fashion, in lieu of overly manicured arrangements. Each place setting showcased a gold-rimmed charger plate, a light-blue linen napkin, and a fresh kumquat. 

Dinner was superb, and the groom was proud of the menu they decided on: duck, beef short ribs, sea bass, and truffle pasta. “We loved all the options, and especially thought the duck was a unique selection for a wedding dish,” confides Walker. 

Just as they had taken time to curate their ceremony music, they carefully selected favorite classic rock songs for the nighttime entertainment. “Basically, we wanted the kind of music that would make our friends and their parents dance, and I think we got the right result,” says the groom.  

The happy evening was just as magical as the first time Meghan and Walker met: full of lively music and great conversation. “I was surprised at how quickly the day went by,” admits Walker. “Our wedding was an amazing experience.”