Set at a private estate built by the bride’s parents, fitness instructor and Sports Illustrated model Katie Austin’s wedding to her groom, Lane, was a dreamy blend of Tuscan romance and desert glamour. Inspired by the ambiance of a countryside villa, the ceremony unfolded beneath airy, feathery trees under a natural arch of white florals and ceramic vessels, grounded in soft, organic greenery that felt straight out of the Italian countryside, just with a little Palm Springs sparkle thrown in.
“If you know Katie and Lane, you know that celebrating them couldn’t be easier,” says Cathy O’Connell, Co-Founder and Creative Director of COJ Events, who planned the Tuscan villa-inspired affair.
The Details
The vision for the day was “Italian meets modern Palm Springs,” as described by the planning team, and that concept carried through every single detail, starting with the invitation suite. Clean, elegant, and effortlessly chic, the stationery set the tone for the romantic, sun-soaked celebration to come.
The Fashion
For her wedding gown, Katie wore a Dana Harel lace gown with a nude illusion underlining. She paired the look with Jimmy Choo heels and matched her mom, Denise Austin, in diamond drop earrings from Happy Jewelers for a sentimental touch. Katie’s bridesmaids complemented her bridal look in matching Show Me Your Mumu dresses in a buttery yellow that popped against the desert backdrop.
The Couple
The pair, who have attended 29 weddings together since meeting on the dating app The League in 2020, knew exactly what they wanted when it came to their own nuptials, and it showed in every thoughtfully curated detail.
The Ceremony
For their 230-guest wedding, the grand ceremony layout featured rows of wood chairs converging toward a stunning floral altar by Luna Design Studios, framed by the dramatic backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It was both intimate and editorial, exactly the kind of scene that makes you want to book a flight to Palm Springs immediately.
The I Do’s
Katie walked down the aisle to Taylor Swift’s “You Are In Love” before being officiated by Lane’s stepbrother and officially pronounced husband and wife, cue the happy tears.
The Cocktail Hour
For cocktail hour, guests sipped on Katie and Lane’s signature drink, prickly pear margaritas, alongside French 75s and Hugo Spritzes, an effortlessly chic trio that leaned right into that Italian aperitivo mood. To find their seats, guests picked up their own message in a bottle. Tucked inside each one was a handwritten note from the couple, the ultimate personal touch and easily one of our favorite details from the whole day.
The Reception
One of Katie & Lane’s nonnegotiables for the wedding day was that no guest would ever go hungry, so swiftly after passed hors d’oeuvres, guests sat down for a family-style dinner. Once the dancing kicked off, the couple surprised guests with a late-night spread of a french fry bar, chicken tenders, soft pretzels, and, in true Southern California fashion, In-N-Out sliders.
The reception itself was nothing short of show-stopping, with crystal chandeliers and lush greenery arbors framing candlelit tables, all surrounding a twinkle-lit dance floor where guests danced the night away before and after a family-style Italian dinner.
The Celebration
“The most important thing was to create the loving and magical energy. We wanted our celebration to be filled with joy, not only from us, but everyone attending,” Katie shared in an interview with People magazine. For the reception, Katie changed into a Kyha dress, then into a handmade, embroidered Patbo minidress for dancing and the afterparty, because everyone knows a great wedding deserves at least two showstopping looks.
Two years later, Katie and Lane are getting ready to welcome their first child, a baby girl! We cannot stop obsessing over Katie Austin’s wedding day, and honestly, we can’t wait to see what’s next for this gorgeous family.
For more Tuscan-inspired wedding magic, check out An Italian-Inspired California Wedding at Tivoli Villa.
