To commemorate Lunar New Year (which happens to be my favorite holiday!), we wanted to highlight a recognizable aspect of Lunar New Year traditions featured in this beautiful wedding: the Lion dancers. They are often seen during celebrations of the year. We believe it’s an excellent way to bring your culture into the marriage and impress your guests at the wedding. In 2019, it was featured on Bridal Musings. This wedding is enjoyable and festive…
Two gorgeous grooms, chic Roman and Greek style, awe-inspiring pictures, adorable pups, tea ceremonies, lion dancers live ball pits, painters, Mariachi…we have A LOT to talk about today!
Let’s say that Justin Jo and Justin’s Bay Area wedding is the kind of wedding we wish to attend. It was full of cultural traditions, unique wedding vendors, elegant décor, and a delicious wedding meal planned with the most meticulous craft and attention to detail. Each detail was considered by the elegant San Fran couple & their extraordinary team of wedding planners.
We could continue to talk about the many things we love about the details (click through our gallery pictures, and you’ll get the picture!). We were especially impressed by the variety of vendors. To bring their cultures in a fun manner, the couple was welcomed into the reception by Chinese Lion Dancers and then were enthralled with Mexican Mariachi. To entertain the guests (and show how great this wedding was), the reception was adorned with an interactive Ball pit-themed photo booth.
Not only did the couple receive the most memorable photos from Jordan Voth and a film vignette by Robert Michael Films, however, but the couple also employed a live artist to create a beautiful wedding ceremony.
Our Love Story
Justin and I were employed at Facebook as employees in separate departments at the same level. We were just a few feet from one another, and it didn’t take long before we got to know each other. We became good friends pretty quickly and remained in contact for over a year before we realized we shared the same values and that we wanted to grow our relationship.
Justin and I had a two-year relationship, adopted a dog, and bought an apartment together. Later during the winter, I got engaged to Justin in Union Square while ice skating with our families.
The Venue & Planning
The venue we chose, Rosewood Sand Hill, perfectly incorporated elegantness and a comfortable environment. It also included the natural beauty of California with world-class food and service. The staff at the kitchen is the primary reason we chose our venue! We knew we’d please our guests with the quality food and service the Rosewood could provide.
Our wedding team, Crystal and Maribel from Amazae Events, were an honest and caring couple. This was the company’s first huge-scale wedding, and they handled every aspect with such attention to detail and care. They made the wedding day so easy for us!
The Wedding Style & Attire
The wedding colors were white, green, and ivory, with gold and silver accents. We wanted a simple and natural aesthetic with some Grecian and Roman designs to create the overall look.
We were wearing identical Brunello Cucinelli Tuxedos but in different hues. Jo was wearing an edgy tuxedo and bow tie in black. Justin had an all-black tuxedo and a bow tie in white.
The Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony is a tradition of Chinese customs to respect our elders from our families who have played a significant role in shaping us into the individuals we have become today. It was crucial to us to include some elements of traditional Chinese culture from both our cultures.
Photography & Videography
We were looking for a photographer who could effectively capture the outdoors and whose color palette was muted and dark. Many wedding photographers specialize in creating airy, bright, vibrant, warm, and inviting photos. We wanted our images to be soft and look more moody and even editorial. The moment we received our pictures and albums confirmed our initial thoughts and proved Jordan’s exceptional talent. In addition, Jordan was one of the most pleasant people we’ve seen and has a great attitude that radiates from his personality. He made us feel relaxed and was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with!
We knew we would choose Robert Michael Films to design our wedding when we first saw the work in his portfolio! Rob’s editing style, artistic design, and composition are awe-inspiringly stunning. We were awestruck when we watched our final video. Rob captured the emotion from the day in a tender manner that was real and authentically us. Rob created a stunning video scene that beautifully captured the romance on our special day. It was a pleasure to collaborate with Rob!
The Cultural Ties
Justin wanted to incorporate his Chinese and Mexican traditions into our wedding, so we did it through entertainment. We included Lion Dancers and a traditional Mariachi band that surprised guests. Instead of having the DJ announce “the married couple for the first time,” we had the lion dancers ring the gong, then start playing drums to signal our entrance at the reception! Then we walked out with the lions, and they took us to the head table. The guests loved every minute of it! The Mariachi was played later in the evening, throughout the meal and dessert. The cultural aspects created an enjoyable, unforgettable, and fun evening!
