Wedding | Thuan & Rooz

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met in college through mutual friends in 2015 and bonded instantly over art, music, and fashion. We stayed friends for three years until a spontaneous call from Rooz led to us spending a Christmas together. We've been together ever since. We have two dogs, Trooper and Leia, and love spending time camping, traveling, hosting friends, and watching baseball games.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We knew we wanted to get married in California since most of our friends and family live there but finding a venue was challenging. With our intimate guest count, traditional ballrooms and large hotels didn't feel right. We wanted a private venue that could host our families for the weekend and allow for a natural flow on the wedding day. After reading through countless recommendations and lists online, we turned to Google Maps. When we say we scoured all of California for a venue, we mean it. We zoomed in and out over every scenic destination before we stumbled upon Stonepine Estate - a serene retreat tucked in the mountains of Carmel Valley.

How many guests did you have?

50 guests - just our closest family and friends. Studio Thao captured our day.

Tell us about your outfits.

We found most of our wedding wardrobe around the globe and with the help of a few friends. Rooz found his tuxedo at Gucci in Tokyo, Japan and his welcome party look at Acne Studios on a separate trip to Sydney, Australia. Fun fact - our adorable nephew and ring bearer, Oliver, was on both of these trips.

Thuan's friends, YinYin and Douglas, were her unofficial stylists who helped curate her looks. Thuan wanted something that was comfortable but dramatic, which led to Nicole and Felicia's collection of stunning capes. At her first bridal appointment, the Nicole and Felicia SS25 Look 25 was the first thing she tried on, and that was it! Leading up to the wedding, YinYin helped Thuan dial in every detail from head to toe - from accessories and shoes to everything in between.

The reception look, however, was much harder to land. Thuan and Douglas spent a weekend shopping all over Los Angeles and almost went home empty handed until the Bottega Veneta team at Melrose Place pulled out a sequined halterneck dress. It had never been on the runway and didn't even have a product image at the time - just a sketch - but it was perfect.

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

The most important aspect for us was intimacy. Our guest list was always 50 people and that never changed. We wanted to ensure that we could be present and spend time with each and every person -- and we did!

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

It was important for us to represent our Persian and Vietnamese cultures. We decided to do this through a traditional Persian Sofreh Aghd ceremony and a Vietnamese dinner menu. Rooz's mom and aunt sourced items from Iran and worked closely with our planner to design a modern Sofreh Aghd. During the ceremony, our cousins rubbed sugar cones over us, and we shared honey to symbolize a life filled with sweetness. For dinner, our caterer thoughtfully put together a menu that celebrated bright and funky Vietnamese flavors alongside a San Francisco classic - garlic noodles. Everything blended together beautifully and felt reflective of our cultures.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Trust your gut (this is a better guide than a mood board will ever be) and choose vendors who you would genuinely enjoy talking to as a friend. Their energy carries through the entire process and into the wedding itself.

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

We loved our entire wedding team but we want to give our flowers to Kigen of Shihara, who has been part of our wedding story from the very beginning. On a trip to Japan in 2023, we discovered Shihara and Kigen helped us with Thuan's engagement ring. Shihara sources unique diamonds and designs one-of-one rings around each stone. We weren't even shopping for engagement rings at the time, but the ring we stumbled upon happened to be Thuan's exact size -- it was meant to be! The moment was so spontaneous and serendipitous that we couldn't leave the store without giving Kigen a big hug.

When we returned to Japan a year later, Kigen helped us design our custom wedding bands. From our very first unexpected visit to the creation of the rings we would later exchange at our wedding, Kigen's kindness, patience, and thoughtfulness guided every step. We will always be reminded of his care and dedication when we look at our wedding rings.

Photographer: Studio Thao @studiothao | Planning: Pattern Parties @patternparties | Floral: Celestial Petals @celestialpetals | Ceremony & Reception Location: Stonepine Estate @stonepineestate | Rentals: Theoni Collection @theonicollection | Makeup: Julie Dy @julie_dy | Catering: H Jackson Events  @hjacksonevents | Bar: Honey & Rose Bartending @honeyandrosebartenders | Cake: Schubert's Bakery 

@schubertsbakery | Stationery: Rooz & Thuan @roozriahi @_thuan | Entertainment: Pure Ecstasy Music 

@pureecstasymusic | Ceremony Dress: Nicole & Felicia Couture @nicolefeliciacouture | Reception Dress: Bottega Veneta @newbottega | Suit: Gucci @gucci | Welcome Party (Groom): Acne Studios  @acne

studios | Welcome Party (Bride): Vivienne Westwood @viviennewestwood | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Shihara @shihara | Ceremony Shoes (Bride): Jil Sander @jilsander | Reception Shoes (Bride): Bottega Veneta @newbottega | Accessories: Tiffany & Co @tiffanyandco