Wedding | Stephany & Michael

Tell us a little about yourselves! 

We met the old-fashioned way—at a bar in Koreatown back in 2015—and have been together ever since. Throughout our relationship, we’ve had so many serendipitous moments that felt like the universe was drawing us closer together. Both Mike’s and my families come from the same hometown in China, and, as fate would have it, his Mom even went to the same university as my Dad. We also come from musical families, though neither of us quite inherited the talent. 

Our very first date was at Grand Park in DTLA, which became an even more special place when Michael chose it as the spot to propose. On the night of our engagement, he surprised me by bringing together all of my close friends and family, and we celebrated by dancing the night away at the very same bar in K-town where we first met. 

From early on, we knew we wanted to get married on our ten-year anniversary, and that’s exactly what we did. We eloped with close friends and family by our side, and a week later, we continued the celebration with a night full of love, laughter, and dancing once again.

Why did you decide to get married where you did? 

After getting engaged, we toured many venues, but deep down we both knew we wanted to elope. Pasadena felt like the perfect choice. It’s where we often spend our weekends, and when we saw the beautiful architecture of Pasadena City Hall we knew it was the right place. The spot we chose upstairs had a stunning archway framing the view of the building across the way. Standing there felt as if we had been transported somewhere far beyond the U.S., yet it still felt so close to home.

How many guests did you have? 

During our elopement, we had just 14 guests, mainly our immediate family and closest friends. For our ceremony celebration, we were joined by about 90 loved ones.

Tell us about your outfits. 

Michael wore a Jack Victor suit paired with Zegna shoes, while I wore two dresses from Reformation and heels from The Row. We knew we didn’t want to go overboard on outfits, but we chose to splurge in just the right places.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding? 

Start by creating a budget, then build your guest list, and afterward put together a Pinterest or mood board to help define the vibe you want for your special day. And if it’s within your budget, hire a wedding planner. Once we brought Esther from NZ Moment on board, a huge weight was lifted off our shoulders.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate? 

Michael’s mom passed away when he was younger, and I wanted to find a quiet way to honor her. Her name was Iris, so I included illustrations of iris flowers on our wedding invitations and party signage.

Since I had chosen to include the iris, I also wanted to honor my own Mom. Her favorite flowers are orchids, so for my elopement bouquet, we chose a simple but meaningful arrangement of orchids that we created the morning of our elopement day.

Any tips for couples getting married? 

On the day of your ceremony, make it a point to stick together. So many people will want to celebrate with you, and it’s easy to get pulled in different directions. Stick together so you’ll share the same memories of the night. Take it all in because time really does go by so fast!

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about? 

Esther – NZ Moment: Esther was truly a lifesaver when it came to planning and coordinating our day. She genuinely takes the time to listen to your ideas and concerns, making everything feel seamless. Hiring her was such a weight lifted off our shoulders, and we couldn’t have done it without her. 

Erin – Thereafter Photos: Erin is not only an incredibly kind person but also a fantastic photographer. She made us both feel so special during our elopement and ceremony. She has an amazing eye for capturing the details and the meaningful moments that make the day unforgettable. 

Darvis DJ: David kept the night alive and the energy high! He has an incredible ability to read the crowd and get everyone on the dance floor. His energy was contagious and made our celebration so much fun.

Photographer: Thereafter Photo @thereafterphoto | Planning & Flora: NZ Moment @eventsbynzm | Bridal Bouquet: We made it ourselves | Ceremony Location: Pasadena City Hall @cityofpasadena | Reception Location: General Lee’s @generalleesla | HMUA: The bride | Cake: Jen G.Cake @jen.g.cake | Entertainment: Darvis.DJ @darvis.dj | Dresses: Reformation @reformation | Suit: Jack Victor @jackvictorofficial | Engagement & Wedding Rings: TA Jewelers @jamesvta | Shoes: (Bride) The Row @therow & (Groom) Zegna @Zegna