After a full ten years of courtship, Deanna and Jeffrey took the plunge and decided to get married, and they brought my wedding planning company, A Day Like No Other, on board right at the beginning. We had about a year to put together a celebration for their 300 guests, and of course the two wanted it to be extra special!
They would have their ceremony in their home parish, but then, for their reception, we would “put on the glitz!”
Finally, on my birthday (!!), it all came together in a memorable celebration. Have a look…
For Deanna and her bridesmaids, the Great Day began very early with hair and makeup services …
… expertly done by bridesmaid Merica and by the Mother of the Bride herself! (Just the first one of so many personal touches at this wedding… you’ll see).
Photo credit: Jutta Lammerts
Florist Natasha Kolenko delivered the most beautiful bouquets for bride and bridesmaids, soft and feminine, with unexpected touches like bicolor lilies and snowberries, the handles finished with antique silk ribbon…
Photo credit: Jutta Lammerts
The gentlemen got matching boutonnieres…
Photo credit: Jutta Lammerts
.. and while the ladies were busy with hair and makeup, the gents helped one another with their bow ties…
Deanna meanwhile got into her breathtaking, form-fitting lace dress with the help of her Maid of Honor…
Photo credit: Jutta Lammerts
… slipped into her golden high heels…
… donned her jewelry…
… and was ready to head off to Church! They had chosen their home parish, Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara, where Church Coordinator Genevieve Van Tuyl organized the processional and guided the bridal party.
And here comes the bride, escorted by her parents… 
One hour later: Just married!
Photo credit: Jutta Lammerts
Off they went to many more photos by Tuan and Bradley of Tuan B. & Company and video footage by Kien Nguyen of Kien Pictures! (Have a look at that beautiful wedding movie here!)
Meanwhile, frantic preparations were underway to get their reception venue ready for their reception: Dynasty Seafood Restaurant in Cupertino, a fixture for fine dining in the local Asian community. Terry Dudley and her team from Fine Linen Creations transformed a standard dining room into a fantasy of golden glitz and glamour – with miles of draperies, uplights, linens, gilded chairs and and and…
an impressive walkway for the couple …
… a custom white dance floor personalized with the couple’s names in gold script …
… a Sweetheart Table fit for royalty, complete with gilded thrones …
… a matching dessert table…
… and a dramatic flower wall as a “selfie backdrop!”
My assistant Myrtle Ventura and I were busy setting out the various decor elements, completing the candy bar, and putting finishing touches on the table settings with beautiful centerpieces by Natasha Kolenko in the center of the traditional “Lazy Susans…”
The groom’s cousin Bernard Balaoing, a professional DJ, had offered his services “within the family” and was busy putting together a sound system and stage lighting.
Then the dining room doors opened, and guests simply marveled at the golden opulence awaiting them.
More cousins of the bride’s and groom’s pitched in as greeters at the sign-in table. Anna Tran and Jamal Fedalizo, friends of bride and groom, performed MC duties throughout the evening (on a professional level, at that!)… so there was lots of help from friends and family to make this celebration both perfect and very personal.
After cocktails, guests were treated to a traditional 10-course Chinese banquet accompanied by an open bar. Entertainment? Plenty. Jacqueline, the sister of the bride gave the first song performance of the evening…
… followed by a dance performance by the Flower Girl (yes! At a mere four years of age she mustered the courage to step on the dance floor and dance in front of 300 guests!), and another song performance by the groom’s talented cousin KC Frando…
In between, the couple changed into Vietnamese attire as a nod to the bride’s heritage…
What else? Cake cutting, of course!
What a glorious cake that was… Another piece of edible art from Gabrielle Feuersinger of Cake Coquette, pale yellow, flecked with edible 24 karat gold and decorated with artistic sugar flowers…
… accompanied by a song performance by the bride’s aunt. Two very musical families, indeed!
Throughout the evening, caricature artists Michael Rosenthal and his Dad, working as a duo, sketched caricature drawings of all guests – as special wedding favors for the guests to keep.
Photo credit: Jutta Lammerts
The waiting line literally wound “round the block!” And the newlyweds got THEIR portraits done even without sitting for the artists – Mike can do that from afar and just from an iPhone snapshot, adding the serious “BLING” on the bride’s finger, of course, with a big arrow pointing to it. So much fun!
The couple’s First Dance…
… followed by Father-Daughter, Mother-Son and Money Dances…
… opened the dance floor to the crowd, and then there was no stemming the flood any more. Dance, dance, dance!!
At the conclusion of the event, nobody wanted to go home. Everyone agreed – that was, hands down, one of the best parties ever!
Wishing you, Deanna and Jeffrey, many more parties and a lifetime of happiness!
Deanna and Jeff’s Wedding Highlight from Justin Thach on Vimeo.
Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!
♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure! ♥