Chinoiserie Wedding at the Asian Art Museum 2012-05-07
It has been nearly a year and a half since Minnie and Brian's gorgeous Chinoiserie wedding at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Because BRIDES magazine picked it up almost immediately, and didn't schedule for it to be published until earlier this year, we weren't allowed to blog about it for an entire year. It was certainly hard to keep such a beautiful wedding under the radar, but alas, we had to, and BRIDES magazine gave it a lot of love in a 6-page spread in February 2012. I'm thrilled to finally be able to share details of this wedding on my blog!
When I first started working with Minnie and Brian, they were moving across the country from New York to Los Angeles, and decided to host their wedding in San Francisco. Minnie flew out to meet with me, and we spent hours chatting over lunch. She was so incredibly sweet and genuine, and it was very enjoyable getting to know her. By the end of lunch, I felt like she had become a good friend, and I couldn't wait to start planning her wedding with her.
Throughout the process, Minnie and Brian remained involved with the planning mainly via email. They struck me, and all of the vendors, as a couple that truly respected all of our professions. They were trusting, appreciative, and extremely cooperative throughout the whole process. Their gracious personalities made all of their vendors more than eager to go the extra mile to ensure that their wedding was perfect.
And a perfect day it was...
Minnie and her two attendants got ready in a luxurious suite at the St. Regis Hotel in downtown San Francisco, where Taylor Pham and her associates performed their magic on the girls with just the right amount of makeup to keep them glowing and natural.
It was a chilly, windy, and rainy day, but Minnie and Brian's spirits casted a sunshine on everyone. The way that they look at each other makes you understand what it really means to be in love. The underlying "love bird" theme that Gloria Wong designed for them couldn't be more fitting. They simply adored one another to no end!
They decided to brave the weather and had their portraits done at Yerba Buena Gardens, with the ever so lovely Lisa Lefkowitz. The overcast actually made for great natural lighting!
After their portrait session, they were whisked away in a vintage rolls royce to the Asian Art Museum, where Reverend Ed Holt married them under a woodsy canopy by Hunt Littlefield.
Minnie and Brian held their wedding ceremony inside the North Court of Asian Art Museum. We had precisely 1 hour to transform the space, full-on with pipe and drape, woodsy canopy, branches and birds down the aisle, ambient lighting, and an awe-inspiring, intricate hand painted aisle runner. Yes, it was an adrenaline soaring, blood pressure rising kind of intensity, and the entire team worked seamlessly together to make it happen!
Guests were handed handkerchief programs by ushers, which came in handy for many who shed tears of joy as the vows were exchanged.
After the ceremony, guests were invited to go up the grand staircase, where they enjoyed an hour of hors d'oeurves and cocktails in the Loggia.
During the cocktail hour, Golden Gate Strings kept the ambiance alive with their upbeat repertoire, and guests got to write their well wishes for the newlyweds, which were then pinned onto a "tree wall".
When it came time to reveal the majestic Samsung Hall, we pulled the drapes back and delighted guests with a stunning room decked out in a Chinoiserie inspired design. The soft ambient lighting, the sculpted vases, the tall branches, the letterpress menus....every detail came together so exquisitely.
The 3-course meal by Componere Fine Catering had guests raving about it being the "best wedding meal ever," only to follow suit with an extraordinary dessert spread filled with goodies like petite creme brûlée, Componere's own chocolate malt Indian-style Kalfi, meyer lemon tartlets, and french macarons.
Ofcourse, we always think through all the details ahead of time, so for those who were too full to enjoy the sumptuous desserts, we provided custom to-go boxes for them. A lovely tea station was also set up with a selection of Minnie's favorite teas, along with Minnie's favorite Krispy Kreme doughnuts. And....to top it all off, Butterfly Cakes created a 4 tier masterpiece, elevated on a custom riser made by Hunt Littlefield!
The guests danced the night away with music by DJ Ron Grandia, and towards the end of the evening, Minnie changed into a simple, yet stunning red dress as a nod to Brian's Chinese heritage.
Congratulations again, to this sweet, charming couple!
Kudos to a magnificent team who worked so well under intense pressure(!!) :
Event Planning + Production: Jubilee Lau Events
Event Design + Styling: Gloria Wong Design
Venue: Asian Art Museum
Catering: Componere Fine Catering
Photography: Lisa Lefkowitz Photography
Videography: Weddings on Film
Floral Design: Hunt Littlefield
Makeup + Hair Styling: Mimi & Taylor
Lighting + Drapery: Enhanced Lighting
Officiant: Rev. Ed Holt
Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Golden Gate Strings
DJ + MC: Ron Grandia
Cake: Butterfly Cakes
Custom Wall Flats: Blueprint Studio
Gold President's Chairs: Hartmann Studio
Tabletop Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Paper Goods and handkerchief: Lucky Luxe
Shuttle buses for guests: Pure Luxury
Vintage Car: Classic Convertible Wine Tours
Linens: La Tavola Linen
Runners: Wildflower Linens
Photobooth: Party Booths!
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