Who says a winter wedding needs snow?! We are here to disprove this myth! Suyao and Rui …

… gave my company, A Day Like No Other, a mere three months of planning time – intense and exhilarating! – and that took us to December 15. Right in the middle of winter in California. Since they had chosen Villa Montalvo, a spectacular mansion and park on the SF Peninsula, there was no snow to be expected – possibly rain, though. BUT we made it through a glorious wedding day without rain, with sun and with lots and lots of great atmosphere. Have a look!

Busy as these two are (they met at a job interview – with Rui interviewing candidate Suyao – and now they are both working long, long hours at the same company!), we pulled everything together in a whirlwind, and in no time, Wedding Day was upon us.

Suyao and her bridesmaids had their hair and makeup expertly done by Tiffany of Design Her Image…

… and then the bride got into her dress …

… with the help of her bridesmaids.

All that she still needed were her bridal bouquet (from Green Petal Designs, like all floral decor throughout) and the rings…

Groom Rui and his groomsmen had been getting ready next door…

… and so both bride and groom were ready for their “First Look” in the beautiful Italianate Garden of Villa Montalvo. Their photographers (Toanven Group) and videographers (Dreambook Productions) captured every precious moment.

And now… off to their wedding ceremony in the Oval Garden behind the mansion!

Everything was ready for them, with a beautiful swirl pattern of rose petals on the aisle.

Guests began arriving, greeted by a custom Welcome sign. The ceremony musicians (Amethyst Trio) began to play…

…the bridal party took their positions, the groom was waiting…

Here comes the bride, escorted by her Dad…

The ceremony was officiated by a longtime friend of the couple.

Just married!

Off to more photos!

Guests were meanwhile enjoying cocktails, and the teams of A Day Like No Other, of our caterer (Le Papillon) and our florist (Green Petal Designs) were hard at work to get everything lined up for dinner. Venue manager Caitlin Dieni supported us all throughout the day and evening.

Suyao and Rui presided from their extra-special Sweetheart Table:

Guests were dining from “Limoges” china and gilded flatware from Hensley Event Resources, and after dinner, they were treated to an extraordinary wedding cake (by Satura Cakes).

For this occasion, the bride had changed into a stunning short red dress that allowed for free movement – for their highly choreographed, perfect First Dance to music provided by Henry Kim of Big Fun Disc Jockeys.

With this, the dance floor was officially open for everyone, and the concluding part of the evening consisted of dancing, dancing and more dancing! The newlyweds stole away for a few nighttime photos…

There was, however, one more highlight to come: a festive Grand Send-Off to a stunning vintage limousine (by Elegant Journey).

A fitting start to their lifelong journey together, don’t you think? Our best wishes on your way, Suyao and Rui!

And HERE you can see it all live:

Nana’s and Raymond’s courtship had been long and anything but straightforward… Fate definitely played tricks on those two! Having known each other for more than a decade, having lived and studied on the same university campus for several years without even being aware of one another, striking up a friendship – then ending up on different sides of the continent, until finally, at long last, they did find one another. As Nana said in her vows – she suddenly realized during their long-distance relationship that she wanted nothing more than being with Raymond, even if it meant moving from Boston to San Francisco. From then on, nothing held the two back any more. Fast-forward to wedding planning: Here is where my company, A Day Like No Other, came in. After all that wait time, Nana and Raymond jumped into preparations in high gear!

After eight months of high-intensity planning and more than 600 emails back and forth, all our hard work came to fruition last Saturday on a perfect Bay Area September day – sunny, warm, blue skies, a slight breeze. A dream!

For Nana and her bridesmaids, the day started with hair and makeup services by Wowpretty Salon – owner Jira personally took care of the bride who otherwise never, ever wears makeup… and transformed her into a classic beauty with an embellished updo and a very natural-looking makeup.

This style fit perfectly with the gorgeous wedding dress Nana had chosen at Novella Bridal Salon: heavy ivory silk duchesse in a ballgown style, its only embellishment (in addition to its perfect proportions) a long row of tiny buttons running the whole length down the back of the dress and unto its impressive train.

With that, Nana became a modern-day Grace Kelly!

What else?

Bridal slippers…

… and the rings, of course!

Nana’s bouquet, as well as the bridesmaids’ bouquets, boutonnieres, ceremony decor and centerpieces, had been created by Marie Krick of San Francisco Bay Blooms, in a summery palette of ivory, peach and orange, with David Austin roses the stars of the flower lineup …

… and with her updo, dress and flowers Nana resembled a fragile porcelain doll!

Of course, Raymond and his groomsmen were likewise dressing up for the occasion!

For their ceremony and reception venue, Nana and Raymond had chosen the Peacock Gap Clubhouse (on the Peacock Gap golf course with endless views of green rolling hills) in San Rafael. Fittingly, the bride traveled to her First Look location in an embellished golf cart!

First Look! That one “butterfly-fluttering” moment when the bride presents herself to her groom in all her finery…

While the couple was out for photos with their photographer Frank J. Lee and video team of Love Unique Studios, the Peacock Gap venue crew under leadership of events director Moira Gubbins, DJ Ron Israel of Spotlight Occasions, and my assistant Trisha and myself were busy putting the finishing touches on the setup. The ceremony area needed to be prepared, and florist Marie and her team adorned the wooden arbor with gorgeous summer flowers.

Soon enough, the first guests were arriving.  Ceremony time! Here comes the bride on her father’s arm…

… and then comes the moment for her Dad to “let go” and “give her away” to Raymond.

Officiant “Minister Maggie” (Maggie Beretz) had prepared a very personal ceremony text for the couple and conducted the ceremony in her typical warmhearted, charming way with a dose of good humor.

Nana and Raymond had both prepared their own vows in the format of a personal letter which they read to each other – for the very first time! – during the ceremony.

Just married – and giddy with happiness!

Time for many more photos with photographer Frank…

 

 

After conclusion of Cocktail Hour, guests were invited into the dining room. Even the escort card table had received a little sprinkle of rose petals in the couple’s wedding colors.

Tables were resplendent in ivory and peach…

The rest of the evening went by way too fast… with a surprise slideshow that the couple’s friends and families had put together for them, table visits and a lot of fun for everyone with the infamous “Shoe Game!”

What else? Cake cutting, of course! Krumbs Cakes had created a mouthwatering confection topped with fresh berries…

… and Nana and Raymond performed their official first task as husband and wife – cutting that cake – with bravura.

 

 

The cake was a huge hit – at the end of the evening not a crumb was left!

Once  Cake Cutting was done, Nana and Raymond enjoyed their First Dance as a married couple, and they actually performed a complicated routine. At the last moment, it turned out that this dance routine was hard to execute in Nana’s “big” wedding dress – so she quickly slipped into a simple short dress. It looked a bit plain without embellishment… but: we were surrounded by the most beautiful flowers! A ribbon and an exquisite orange rose were our friends, and voila: here they are!

The couple’s First Dance opened the dance floor for everyone, and the ensuing dance party to the tunes of DJ Ron Israel completed the evening. Guests agreed: it was beautiful. Everyone left with a big smile on their faces.

Nana and Raymond: may you forever be as happy together as on your wedding day, and keep dancing!

 

 

 

When Wuhong and Yingjian booked my company, A Day Like No Other, to help with planning their wedding, I found out very soon that they are a very special couple to plan a wedding for. For both bride and groom it was important to honor their Chinese heritage, but in a modern way. They both are very discerning when it comes to food and wine. AND we just had a scant three months for our planning!

Needless to say, it was quite intense! From securing a beautiful venue to brainstorming colors and design elements, we were quite busy day after day. And yesterday it all came together beautifully at Thomas Fogarty Winery, high above Silicon Valley, with endless views under a clear blue sky and a warming sun.

For Wuhong and Shelly, her Maid of Honor, the day began with hair and makeup services by “Princess Sarah.” Once done, bride, groom, their mothers and their children all boarded a white stretch limousine (from Charmed Limousine Service) to take them up a winding mountain road to their wedding venue.

There, my assistants Quan and Stephanie and myself were already busy preparing everything for the great celebration. The Melons Catering team was setting up tables and chairs and preparing food in the kitchen. Florist Katharina Stuart delivered gorgeous flowers and began decorating the ceremony area.

We set up our personalized signage – we had incorporated  Wuhong’s and Yingjian’s custom wedding logo…

into a design featuring Southern Chinese motifs and also created matching table numbers (all designed by A Day Like No Other.)The gift/and guest book table also got a little nod to Chinese traditions with an authentic vintage birdcage.

Meanwhile, Wuhong was getting dressed, including high heels fit for royalty:

… and with that, she was ready to present herself to her groom for their First Look.

Photographer Gavin Farrington and his assistant captured every precious moment – just wait until you see THEIR photos! For the moment, you have to make do with our snapshots…

Then the great moment had come – time for the wedding ceremony. Serenaded by guitarist Chris Adgar-Beal, Wuhong walked down the aisle, toward her expectant groom.

The ceremony was officiated by Rev. John Sullivan who included a Chinese Tea Ceremony and his blessings and congratulations spoken in Mandarin (!) into the very personal  ceremony.

 

Following the ceremony: Off to many more family photos – while guests were enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the open deck. When it was time for dinner, guests found their table assignments in a sea of escort cards…

and then the newlyweds made their Grand Entrance:

Everyone then sat down to a veritable culinary feast, and the newlyweds of course presided over the congregation from their elevated Sweetheart Table.

More deliciousness was awaiting guests after dinner with a gorgeous dessert buffet and wedding cake by La Vie Douce Design.

But the party was by far not over yet! The couple performed their (well-rehearsed) First Dance to “La Vie en Rose,” sung live by the groom’s daughter, to the music provided by DJ Henry Kim of BIG FUN Disc Jockeys.

A dance performance by the “bridal team” (of junior bridesmaids and groomsmen) followed to entertain the guests…

… then funny games and, to conclude the evening, a festive sparkler send-off for the newlyweds.

It was a spectacular celebration! Congratulations and our very best wishes to Wuhong and Yingjian!