Happy Labor Day friends and readers! Here’s to a lovely end-of-summer long weekend – we hope yours is perfect! Enjoy every ray of sunshine, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow for the unveiling of our newest Fashion Report!
photo by Richard Israel
Joyce and John’s amazing wedding celebration in China was absolutely gorgeous, and it also beautifully solved the tricky issue many couples face – whether to hold the western wedding they’d dreamed of, or the traditional Chinese ceremony their parents favored. These breathtaking wedding photos show us a portrait of the ancient Chinese city of Xi’an, filled with artifacts and architecture, the vibrant spirit of the day, and the the downright dreamy fashion of the bride. Joyce had three dresses on her wedding day to accommodate the variety of ceremonies and receptions that were on the agenda. What could be more fun than that?
John and Joyce’s talented wedding photographers, Chris + Lynn Photographers, had a ball traveling to China for the wedding, and loved every moment they spent with Joyce and John. They wrote: When we photographed our first wedding almost a decade ago, did we ever imagine we would end up in…China?! Not in our wildest dreams. But this year we found ourselves working with a dream couple, John and Joyce, in the ancient imperial city of Xi’an, home of terracotta warriors, huo guo, and some pretty epic karaoke bars.
Everything about this couple’s wedding was lavish, from the ceremony stage surrounded by Greek sculptures and roses to the abundant wedding day banquet and entertainment. But according to the dictionary, lavish not only means splendid and grand, it also means generous. And that describes John and Joyce perfectly. The attention and love they gave to their friends and family from around the world knew no bounds; they planned site-seeing tours, organized club-hopping, and shared meals with them every night (they even provided us with a personal interpreter!). The week almost seemed like a celebration of all the people they loved in their lives!
And with each other, all they are is giving. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place when John and Joyce said their vows with each other at the ceremony, describing how each of them gives the other encouragement, love and respect every day.
The Goals: From Joyce – We wanted to have all the people who we love, and that have touched our lives, to be with us and to have fun at our wedding. We had many of our guests come from out of town. We held the wedding in Joyce’s home city of Xi’an but we had many friends and family come from Vancouver, Hong Kong & Taiwan to come celebrate with us. It was very important to us to be great host and show everyone a great time as many of our friends and family have traveled a great distance to attend our wedding.
We held our vows in the morning before the Chinese Ceremony, outdoors. Xi’an is a beautiful place in the Spring and all the plants are vibrant and green. Our Chinese ceremony was very traditional with a Chinese tea ceremony and a couple of speeches by our parents. We followed that with a lunch reception for 300 guests, and then finally an evening reception. It was much more intimate. We wanted a night under the stars with our close friends and family and had just over 100 guests attend the evening reception.
The Design: Our design inspiration was “East Meets West”, as our decor and design was mainly western influenced but had hints of oriental with lanterns and evening entertainment. For our colours, we went with a deep velvet red with accents of gold and chocolate brown. Red is the traditional wedding color in China, but we decided to go with a deeper red than usual as it beautifully complemented the chocolate brown and looked luxurious.
Because John and I we grew up in Canada, we wanted a standard western ceremony where we said our vows to each other in front of friends and family. But our parents wanted us to follow Chinese tradition of having a Chinese ceremony at noon. As a compromise with our parents we decided to have two ceremonies.
The Look: We had a variety of ceremonies and receptions, so I had several dresses! I chose my wedding dress because it was so elegant, and I’d been looking for one that was off-white, more of a grey colour. I went with a white Qipao for lunch as I’m currently really into lace. I loved the fine stitching details on my red Kuan for the tea ceremony. Lastly my evening dress – I just fell in love with the colour, and I really liked the one shoulder design of the dress. I kept my make-up as elegant as my dresses, with a very simple, light touch. I wanted to look back at my pictures and see my natural self.
The Moments: There were so many amazing moments…when we said our vows to each other; when my dad walked me down the aisle, giving a speech to my father at our Chinese ceremony; watching our love story in a film prepared my Michael Y Wong Films. And when my husband stated, in his vows, that he would hold my shopping bags for me in good times!
The Pros: Please visit Joyce and John’s page in our Real Wedding Library for all of the details on their talented wedding team!
Thank you Joyce and John for sharing your stunning wedding day with us!
Besides the all-important wedding day, there are a few other events surrounding your wedding that will need planning, and they can be just as fun, memorable, and beautiful as the big day itself! One such event, the rehearsal dinner, is usually held the night before the wedding. It is an opportunity to welcome guests, thank your loved ones for supporting you, and to kick off the festivities! Today, I have a few planning tips and ideas to get you started, illustrated with Michèle Waite’s beautiful images of Kate and Tony’s celebratory dinner at The Corson Building.
Purpose: The rehearsal dinner can serve several purposes! Following the actual rehearsal, where the business of fine-tuning and practicing the wedding ceremony took priority, the rehearsal dinner is a time to unwind and enjoy the anticipation of the next day! It also is a “welcome dinner” of sorts for any special out-of-town guests that have been invited. Many of your guests (and even the two families) may be meeting for the first time, so it is a time for introductions, mingling, getting to know each other. Maybe most importantly, the dinner is an opportunity to thank your families and bridal party for supporting you throughout your wedding planning and upcoming marriage.
The Hosts: First things first…who pays for the rehearsal dinner? Traditionally, the groom’s family hosted the dinner as the bride’s family was footing the bill for the wedding. All of the “rules” surrounding wedding planning have definitely loosened over the years, including the rehearsal dinner, but this is still a good place to start. One great benefit to this is that it gives the groom’s family a chance to be part of the planning fun and feel included, even if they aren’t as involved in the wedding.
The Guests: Anyone that is participating in your wedding and was part of the earlier rehearsal is traditionally included on your guest list. Besides your wedding party and immediate family, you may want to invite a larger circle of family members, any out-of-town guests who traveled a long way to be at your wedding, or close friends that are not in your wedding party. The wedding day is busy, so the rehearsal dinner is a great way to get a little more time with loved ones and to connect with people who you don’t get to see as often as you’d like.
Location: The rehearsal dinner is a great opportunity to introduce out-of-town guests to one of your favorite local spots. You could hold your dinner at one of your favorite date restaurants, or just choose a type of cuisine that is a local specialty. Kate and Tony selected the Corson Building, which specializes in farm-to-table dining, so their guests enjoyed the bounty of the season and local farms. The party doesn’t have to be at a restaurant though. A relative’s beautiful home, a favorite park, a boat that offers cruises on a local waterway, or a museum are just a few ideas of alternative venues.
Design: First and foremost, the rehearsal dinner should be unique and different from the wedding and reception. In my own experience in event design, I’ve met with a lot of groom’s families that are planning the rehearsal dinner, and the first thing that they tell me is the color palette of the wedding, or a particular motif that is guiding the design of the wedding. I try to offer some alternatives in this case; the last thing you want your wedding to be is a rerun or look recycled from the night before! This is your chance to use that OTHER color palette that you loved, or bring in the custom calligraphy place cards that were beyond your budget for the larger wedding guest list, or include the moss and acorns that your outdoor-loving fiance had his heart set on!
Toasts: After everyone has dined, the evening often includes toasts to the bride and groom, though it seems to vary by region how elaborate and involved the toasting can be. I’ve attended several rehearsal dinners in the south with 3+ hours of toasting and the opportunity for any guest to speak. (And I have to say, many of them have taken that opportunity! Settle in for a long evening of spontaneity, laughter, and tears!) In the Pacific Northwest, toasts tend to be short and sweet, and are usually just offered up by parents and maybe a few members of the wedding party. The traditional time for the bride and groom to say a thank you to everyone, and distribute any gifts they are giving to their wedding party and parents, is immediately following the toasts.
Favors: Though they are certainly not required, I’ve seen some very thoughtful couples plan a sweet little care package for their guests as they head out the door at the end of the night. A cute bag with a few scones, homemade jam, and a little good morning note make a lovely and easy breakfast for guests staying at hotels or in a hurry to get to scheduled events the next day. You also could do a tiny, delicious truffle for everyone to enjoy as a special “nightcap”, just as luxurious hotels leave a chocolate on the pillow.
Final words of wisdom: Make it an early night! Everyone should get a good night sleep before the big day tomorrow.
The Talent:
Photography: Michèle Waite Photography
Floral: Steven Moore Designs
Stationary: Dolce Design
Venue and food: The Corson Building
Thank you for sharing your celebration with us, Kate and Tony!
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