It was a very profound and moving day I learned a lot about myself, my husband, and about the love that is shared between us. The journey was a wonderful one (though at times stressful). The day began with a Chinese tea ceremony in San Jose, followed by a western ceremony in Berkeley in our backyard (where we recited our own vows). The day ended with a much larger reception in San Francisco at the Rincon Center (Yank Sing).

I’ve gotten some messages from folks who want to understand what happens at the Tea Ceremony, so I will discuss briefly. Basically, the tea ceremony is when the groom and his family brings over food, wine, and other goodies, and that all gets divided with the bride’s family (and the roasted pig too). The symbolic gesture represents two families coming together. That is also the time when the couple serves tea to the elders (basically all older relatives), and your relatives will give you money and/or jewelry. It’s a bling fest, really. We got diamond necklaces, gold chains, and lots of red envelopes. This is to help you start out your life and to remember your relatives by.

We also wanted to have a western ceremony in Berkeley, however, so after we bought our house, my husband and I did all the landscaping with the help of our parents (planting flowers, putting down the pavers, etc.), and we worked hard to make our backyard beautiful. It was such a wonderful achievement. We recited our own vows, which made our wedding day even more meaningful.

As for the reception, my husband and I wanted to have a double happiness theme, with red infused everywhere. We also wanted to have a Chinese banquet, but did not want to sacrifice the beauty of a western wedding reception, so we chose Yank Sing, despite the expense (don't worry, I will elaborate below).

I had a vision about my wedding day, but didn’t find tons of brides posting all the details as to how one goes about executing an elaborate wedding day which honors Asian traditions and cultures. I’m not sure why that is, but here is to my first attempt. We did our best to negotiate our cultural backgrounds, but also made sure that we did everything we wanted to and infused it with our own vision. It is hard and stressful because weddings are often about our families as well. It is a careful balancing act, but somehow we made it.

I will try my best to give you details, but you will have to bear with me. I will try, at some point, to add a DIY section, as well, as I did make a lot of things myself (ceremony programs, menus, name cards, STDs, ceremony arbor, etc.). So check back since I will update as I remember tips and secrets of this wedding planning journey. If you can’t wait, feel free to email/toast me, though I can’t guarantee an immediate response.