Give us the scoop 😉– how did you two meet?
Joe and I share a traditional modern love story - meeting online! In December 2013, we connected on Tinder and started a text conversation that was the start of our forever story. After a few phone conversations and a FaceTime chat to confirm there would be no unpleasant surprises, we finally agreed to meet in person in NYC where I was living (Joe was living in Connecticut at the time). We planned a date for the following Friday, not initially realizing that the date was February 14, 2014. We decided to not let Valentine’s Day deter us and enjoyed the hallmark/romantic holiday together.
Obviously, y’all put a ring on it 💍– tell us your engagement story!
Within our first year of dating, Joe moved in with me into my cozy NYC studio apartment. A true test for any relationship is living together in a small NYC studio apartment and we passed the test. :)
After over 4 years of dating, it wasn’t a surprise that a marriage proposal was in the works. We talked about getting engaged and one evening at home, Joe shared with me that his grandmother wanted him to give me his great-grandmother’s diamond and use it to make my dream engagement ring. Recognizing the significance of this gesture and wanting to make sure I got the ring I always wanted, he wanted to include me in the ring designing process. So, we worked together in designing my engagement ring.
He still wanted to go through the process of formally getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him, so he planned that part on his own (I was anxiously waiting since I knew he had the ring!).
During a 2018 family vacation in Italy, Joe got my sister, future brother-in-law, god-sister, and parents involved to help him find the perfect spot in Italy to propose. On a sunny summer day in Positano, Joe got down on one knee and I said “Si, Signore!”
You both had a vision for your wedding 🔮– how did you come up with ideas?
Joe and I love the modern industrial theme and wanted to play up the industrial feel of our venue with lots of greenery and candles.
We love the classic-ness and elegance of the color black and used that in our wedding invites and place cards, and decided for a classic color choice for our wedding party as well.
The men were all in modern black tuxes and my ladies were dressed in long navy bridesmaids dresses. To complement the simplicity of my wedding gown and the navy bridesmaids dresses, I opted for unconstructed floral bouquets full of greenery and some cream and burgundy flowers to tie it all together.
Tell us about your fams 👨👩👧👦
Although we decided on a non-denominational wedding ceremony, we wanted to recognize each of our families’ cultures - my Chinese American background and my husband’s Jewish heritage. We decided to pull in a few cultural traditions from each of our respective heritage.
For our invitations, we had a modern black printed invitation with a double happiness stamp on the back.
During the wedding ceremony, we incorporated the Jewish tradition of “breaking the glass” and at the beginning of our wedding reception we did the horah.
Following the cutting of the cake, we had our Chinese tea ceremony em-ceed by one of my cousins who helped explain the tradition and custom to many of our guests.
Location, location, location 🎯 – where did you get married?
We were looking for a modern industrial wedding venue in the greater NYC area that was between New Jersey (where my family lives) and Connecticut (where Joe’s family lives). The Loading Dock in Stamford, Connecticut was the first venue we saw and we immediately fell in love.
We loved the modern industrial feel, the brick wall in the ceremony space and the flexibility of the space to really make it our own. In addition, The Loading Dock is managed by Abigail Kirsch Catering which is a renowned catering company in the area known for its amazing service and food. We, and our guests, were not disappointed!
Girl meets dress 💃🏻 – how did you learn about East Meets Dress (EMD) and why did you choose an EMD cheongsam?
After endlessly searching on Google for a modern cheongsam, I came across EMD’s website. When I was reading about how this company started, it really resonated with me and I knew I had to order a cheongsam from here.
Although the dresses I saw on EMD’s website all looked amazing, I really wanted to design my own cheongsam. I found a picture of a cheongsam that sparked my inspiration and used EMD to help me design my own cheongsam.
It was great to see it all come together and loved wearing it on my wedding day. All of my guests loved the cheongsam and l received many compliments.
Putting your own spin on things 💕– How did you make your wedding more unique and personal to you two?
One of the most simple ways we personalized our wedding was to write and read our own wedding vows. We knew long before we got married that we wanted to write our own vows and it really added a special touch to our wedding day.
Although first looks are pretty popular in today’s wedding scene,
I wanted the first time Joe saw me in my wedding dress to be when I walked down the aisle.
However, I wanted us to have some fun photos together, so we did a “no-look” first look!
The big day 👰🏻– How did everything go on your wedding day?
Amazing! We had 250 family and friends come from all over the country to celebrate with us in December 2019 and it was a great way to start off the holiday season.
Seeking your wisdom 🙋🏻♀️ Do you have any advice for other brides planning an Asian-American wedding?
1. Have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process - there may be moments of stress, but don’t let those moments overcome you. Wedding planning should be just as fun as the actual wedding itself. Remember to enjoy the journey!
2. Incorporate traditions but make it your own - don’t be afraid to add your personal touches to it.
3. Use online RSVPs - It may seem less traditional, but for the modern (& digital) brides out there, it is an easy and more cost-effective way to gather your RSVPs. We used Appy Couple to create our wedding website and their RSVP function is seamless. The fee for Appy Couple is worth it as their website designs are much more impressive than the free websites and were up to my standard. Guests were also impressed!
Special Thanks:
- The Bride & Groom: Rachel (@rsit200) & Joe
- Photographer: Jimmy Chu Photography (@jimmychuphotography) | Website
- Venue: The Loading Dock (@loadingdockevents) | Website
- Florist: Enza Events (@enza.events) | Website