Tell us a little about yourselves!
We’re both engineers who grew up in the Bay Area. Brian is into stand-up comedy and plays basketball. Connie writes short stories and does film photography. We met during the pandemic, and spent a long time getting to know each other remotely before we finally went on a first date. As a couple, we like to make TikToks and hype up other peoples’ jokes. We’re also parents to a cat named Paloma.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We wanted something intimate and simple, and not in front of too many people. San Francisco City Hall has really beautiful lighting, and we were able to invite a small group of guests to hear our vows. For our reception dinner, we picked Buddy because it had a charming retro decor and the space was so cozy.
How many guests did you have?
34.
What was your budget?
We were aiming for 10k and ended up around 18k.
Tell us about your outfits.
Connie: I didn’t feel that comfortable wearing all white, or a traditional white wedding dress. I knew I wanted something with an interesting but elegant shape. Jacquemus is known for their sculptural designs and the knit texture of the dress was perfect for a less traditional look. The veil also had a beautiful beaded design that added more dimension to the look. For the reception, I definitely wanted to wear brown, a color I feel most comfortable and grounded in. The U dress from Fyoocher nicely incorporated sheer lace with suiting fabrics, as well as a bowties that felt very classic and feminine. I paired them with some brown slingbacks to match the Manolo's I had with the white dress. Finally, I love a fur collared jacket. Brian: When picking my suit I knew I didn’t want just a standard tuxedo. Connie and I do love earth tones, especially brown, and we spent a long time finding the right shade, a warmer mid-tone to show up nicely on film. A friend recommended this suit store in Oakland called Chookhare + Sons. We wanted a more 70s style suit, picking out a double-breasted vest and going with a wider pant leg. For the kicks it only made sense to tie it all together with a monk strap shoe.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
Our wedding was an opportunity to show ourselves to our friends and family, as individuals and as a couple. We kept it small because we wanted to engage with each of our guests, as well as foster connections between them. We tried to create an experience the two of us would enjoy, and hoped our guests created lasting memories with us and each other.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Nostalgic elements like film photography, photos of our family legacy, and aspects of our Taiwanese and Filipino cultures. We sent our guests a moody earthy color scheme and added some fun and funky elements in the florals. Connie’s mom sewed little ‘zongzi’ wedding favors in honor of the Dragon Boat festival. We set up wedding photos of our grandparents, and group photos of our families overseas, to have them here in spirit. We also wanted our guests to mingle between groups. To do this we created 'suggested connections' for each guest and provided some icebreaker questions for them to meet someone new. This kept our reception fun yet intentional, and helped foster the connections we wanted.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Think about what you truly value for your wedding, what do you want to achieve? What sacrifices will you have to make? We wanted to express our creative side and connect with our guests, so we had to downsize on the number of guests. Use your values as anchors for deciding on what you want out of your wedding, as well as how your guests will experience it.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We were really lucky to work with vendors that we’ve worked with creatively before, and connect with their recommendations. Our florist Found Floral, photographer Sincerely, Sini, and stationery vendor Goods Gang have done projects together so putting together our vision was exceptionally seamless. Thank you team!
Photographer : Sincerely, Sini @sincerelysini | Ceremony Location : San Francisco City Hall | Reception Location : Buddy @buddythebar | Styling : by the Bride | Planner + Flora : Found Floral @found.floral | Makeup : Janet @muajanet | Hair : Juliann Lam @juliann.hair | Catering + Beverages : Buddy @buddythebar | Stationery : Goods Gang @goodsgang | Bride’s Ceremony Dress : Jacquemus @jacquemus | Bride's Reception Dress : Fyoocher @fyoocher.ca | Bride's Reception Jacket : Saks Potts @sakspotts | Groom’s Suit : Chookhare + Sons @chookhare | Wedding Rings : Danica Stamenic @danicastamenic | Bride's Ceremony Shoes : Manolo Blahnik @manoloblahnik | Bride's Reception Shoes : Dolce & Gabanna @dolcegabbana | Groom’s Shoes : Suit Supply @suitsupply | Veil : Ofrenda @ofrendastudio
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