Give us the scoop 😉how did you two meet?

Devan and I met during graduate school in New York City. For our first clinical placements, we were placed together at the very last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.  After our first day, we went to Trader Joe’s where we bonded over our Californian connection and the rest is history! 

Obviously, y’all put a ring on it 💍tell us your engagement story!

I knew my husband was going to propose sometime soon because we had shopped for the ring together, but I didn’t know how he would do it.

I couldn’t help but anticipate a proposal with every little thing we did together. Somehow Devan still managed to surprise me!

After going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium one day and since he had not proposed, I had accepted that that was not the day. But he caught me off guard and proposed when we stopped by a small beach on the way home! 

You both had a vision for your wedding 🔮how did you come up with ideas?

We wanted to express our creativity and DIY as much as we could. We looked to Pinterest for ideas, and really just chose what felt right. After many late nights and help from family and friends, our vision came to life. 

Tell us about your fams 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

My family is Taiwanese and Devan’s family is Japanese (his mother’s side), and Caucasian (his father’s side). It was important to us to honor both of our cultures.

We folded 1001 cranes, included peonies on our wedding cake, took pre-wedding photos at a Japanese garden with Devan in a Kimono and Alice in her red qipao, and showed off the beautiful qipao during the reception. 

Location, location, location 🎯where did you get married?

We got married at Redwood Canyon in Castro Valley. The venue was stunning and offered so many photo opportunities. We were impressed by the staff and drawn to their customizable packages since we wanted to DIY our own decor and the freedom to choose our own vendors, but we ended up using most of Wedgewood's vendors since they were not only wonderful but well priced when packaged.

Girl meets dress 💃🏻how did you learn about East Meets Dress and why did you choose EMD for your custom dress?

I came across East Meets Dress as I was searching for a qipao with a modern twist. I resonated with the founders’ story and loved being able to choose every detail, from the shade of red to the type of lace, the back details, length of train, everything!

Putting your own spin on things 💕How did you make your wedding more unique and personal to you two? 

We were able to make it unique with all of our DIY projects.

The big day 👰🏻How did everything go on your wedding day?

I didn’t know until it was resolved, but on the morning of our wedding Devan found out one of his groomsmen could not make it. His childhood friend saved the day and stepped in as one of our groomsmen. Somehow they managed to get a suit rental within a couple hours!

Other than that, our day was seamless and we now have a better understanding of what it feels like to be floating on Cloud 9!

All of the people we love were in one place and there are not many things better than seeing our friends and family enjoying themselves. 

Seeking your wisdom 🙋🏻‍♀️do you have any advice for other brides planning an Asian-American wedding?

It is easy to get carried away with Pinterest or Instagram expectations and you may get many different opinions from friends and family. But in the end it’s YOUR day and what’s most important is that your decisions feel right to the two of you!

------

Special Thanks:

• The bride and groom: Alice (@aljih) & Devan (@devanrealogb)
• Venue: Wedgewood Redwood Canyon (@wedgewood.redwoodcanyon) | Website 
• Photographer: Darci Terry (@darciterryphoto) | Website
• MUA: Jessie Hoang (@Beautybyjessiehoang) | Website
• Flowers: Farm Girl Flowers (@farmgirlflowers) | Website

More to love:

• A Beautiful Chinese and Jewish-American Wedding with Modern Industrial Touches
• Customize your cheongsam with these 30 ideas
• How These Two Beautiful Brides Celebrated Their Love With Pride