All Things PINK for This Black Tie Summer Fête at the Seclusion
Pink is one of my favorite colors and coincidentally, my dresses, design, and decor were an ode to this color palette. My wedding design and decor were very much inspired by my reception party dress by Hermione de Paula. The pretty pink floral print pushed me to lean into PINK throughout all aspects of my wedding! My vision for our wedding reflected my minimalist but chic style. I opted for organic and textural blooms that were whimsical. An English garden party and Black Tie fete were the vibes I wanted to curate.
I wanted fashion to take a front seat, selecting designers from all over the world for my dresses throughout the weekend, having custom couture pieces for myself, and bespoke tailoring pieces for Evan's attire. To kick off my wedding weekend, I wore a Jacquemus piece to our bridal party brunch followed by a made-to-order piece from Turkish designer Gul Hurgel for our Welcome Party. Again, as part of leaning into the pink theme, I fell in love with a blush pink Katherine Tash gown from her 2024 collection. The lustrous sheen of the gown and beautiful draping added texture and interest to the classic minimalist style that Katherine Tash is so known for. My last and absolute favorite piece throughout the weekend was my couture Hermione de Paula set which consisted of a romantically draped bodice paired with sheer pink lace shorts. It was incredibly special to be able to wear this custom couture piece, knowing that I would be the only person to have ever worn this set. I worked with Alice and Mae to design my bespoke wedding veil. This gorgeous piece was textural and organic, with several hundred flowers layered in different ways to create a 3D-like feel. The maximalist style of the veil provided a great contrast to the clean lines of my bridal gown.
While I did not rely heavily on trends throughout my wedding, I enjoyed the mismatched bridal party looks that have been dominant over the past few seasons. Having been in my fair share of weddings, the sustainability of the mismatched looks drove my desire to allow my friends to select their gowns. I wanted them to be able to choose pieces that they would wear again in the future. Surprisingly, they all chose gowns that were similar in styles and textures. One guest commented on the "Bridgerton-like" vibes of their gowns which certainly aligned with my English garden party theme.
Evan's tuxedo was a bespoke piece from Ascot & Chapels, a bespoke tailoring house that uses traditional English techniques from the legendary suit makers of Savile Row. It was such an interesting process to choose specific design elements, such as the type of wool fabric, lapels, and pockets, down to details like our embroidered wedding date in the jacket. When a suit is custom-made and cut to your body, the fit is impeccable.
When Evan and I first met we connected over making and enjoying cocktails. We wanted this to be a central aspect of our wedding, thus, rather than having one specialized "his and hers" cocktail, we opted to curate an authentic cocktail bar experience. We served 7 different classic cocktails on our bar menu in addition to a selection of wines and beer. Food is a central aspect of our lives as we both enjoy cooking and exploring new and different cuisines. As an ode to our diverse heritage and backgrounds, we incorporated elements of Vietnamese cuisine and Southern comfort food into our menu. The head chef at Blue Water Kitchen had extensive experience traveling throughout Asia and was the perfect partner for us when curating a menu that incorporated both of our cultural backgrounds.
I wanted to incorporate different design elements and textures for my wedding design and decor to create more visual interest. My florals were various shades of pink and neutral blush, while my linens incorporated elements of blush linen and airy ruffled pink tulle. I wanted to create an intimate dinner party vibe for my reception, thus some tables were candle-lit with a backdrop of ruffled blush pink tulle. Other design aspects juxtaposed minimalist ikebana-type florals with fruit-encrusted pearls to showcase their maximalist vibe. While I did not lean heavily into trends, the pearls were such a cute detail that photographed beautifully. Lastly, for our king's table, I wanted florals to take centerstage. A lush aisle floral runner played the starring role.
We decided to opt for our favorite cake from Whole Foods, their infamous Berry Chantilly cake. As the cake was simple, we got each table their mini cake so everyone could participate in the cake cutting!
Our music and ceremony were both carefully curated. Our officiant was a close friend who delivered a thoughtful and intimate ceremony. We were part of his wedding party and he was our officiant, and his wife was one of my beautiful bridesmaids! For the wedding processional, we opted for a custom, Taylor Swift instrumental arrangement that was produced by James Wong (@jameswong.kl). Both Evan and I love Taylor Swift so it only made sense to incorporate our love of music in this way. I surprised Evan by walking down the aisle to Elie Goulding who is one of his favorite artists. For our cocktail hour and dinner party, we recruited the help of our closest friends who curated a relaxed, country-day drinking vibe for cocktail hour, while the music selection during dinner completely changed the vibe to a more soulful mix of R&B and Samba. We danced the night away with a live band who worked the crowd and got everyone up and moving. Our last song, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" was a tribute to Evan's background and childhood which made it the perfect way to end the night.
My amazingly creative cousin Kathy (@the.oanh.co) helped me design my custom invitation suite. Using the floral print of my Hermione de Paula dress as inspiration, we designed a beautiful vintage blush floral invitation suite. We then utilized the same vintage print in our day of stationary to create a cohesive theme across various elements of our wedding decor.
