Valley wedding industry feels hit from Desert Trip concert

Christopher Lutz and Jan Gonzalez planned their dream wedding: dream destination, dream weather.

?”We thought October is a great time. The desert is starting to cool down, sunset is amazing, it would be perfect,” Lutz said.

Then they got some news that turned their dream into a nightmare.

“We found out that concert was happening the same date,” he said.

First, they lost a block of rooms they reserved for guests at a local hotel, because they didn’t sign a contract.

“We counted our blessings that we reserved a house. We found the house through Vacation Palm Springs,” Lutz said.

Here’s how Christopher and Jane actually found out they didn’t have a place to stay, though.

“We were just checking our bank statement and we found out there was a cancellation. We didn’t hear from the vacation company,” Gonzalez said.

Vacation Palm Springs tells me they did inform the couple about the cancellation, though. The company says it cancelled the reservation because the pair planned their wedding at the home, which isn’t allowed. The couple says they never planned on having their wedding at the home, though. They say they always planned to have it at Mission Hills Country Club.

This isn’t the only complaint about the consequences of Desert Trip.

“It has a serious affect on hundreds of businesses that would normally be doing business in the month of October,” Richard Cadieux of Joyful Weddings and Events said.

Some event planners say Desert Trip blind sided them, too, such as Cadieux. To understand his stress, one must understand wedding season in the desert.

“April used to be the number one month for weddings but the concerts that have taken over have usurped that money, so the next month that is a big earning month for vendors is October,” he said.

Once news of the concert broke, hotels booked full in hours.

“People aren’t able to book rooms so brides literally tried to move their wedding date, every vendor who had been booked is looking at cancellations, loss of income. They may rebook for future dates when we would already be busy so it’s a loss of income, cut in half,” Cadieux said.

Also, prices of rentals skyrocketed.

“Some of the venues I represent are open but all the hotels are booked or rates triple so it makes the destination difficult,” Kip Serafin of Locations 760 said.

If guests can’t find an affordable hotel, they’re forced to change their RSVP.

?”For three nights a house that sleeps 14 was $2700, then we realize they cancel it with our our knowledge and posted it now it’s worth $8000 to $10,000 for the weekend,” Gonzalez said.

Chris and Jan found a new home for them to stay in, but their guests continue to look. All this hassle, hurting an industry Cadieux says benefits the valley more than the festivals.

??”The events industry, there are local businesses that reside here and the month of October I know it’s about $33 million spent in the area. Spent by the baker, the videographer at the local flea market, it circulates,” Cadieux said.

Not everyone in the wedding industry feels the hurt.

“We havn’t turned down any weddings. We have six a weekend still,” Gregory Goodman of My Little Flower Shop said.

Everyone seems to agree this concert will do wonders for the valley though. They just wish it came with more notice.

“We want The Convention of Visitors Bureau to take a look at working with Goldenvoice in bringing concerts in September. It’s an addition instead of a detraction,” Cadieux said.

“They should have advertised it a year ahead. If you give people time to plan it won’t interrupt life moments like weddings,” Lutz said.

But despite the glitch, they’re still getting hitched.

We reached out to Goldenvoice, the promoter of Desert Trip, but they did not comment on this story.