Starting 2025 off with a destination wedding feature! Who doesn’t love sunny San Diego??

G & E met in San Diego, so the city holds a special place in their heart. We knew right away that a wedding honoring their families and Chinese & Western cultures, and hosting the celebration in “America’s Finest City” were important priorities to G & E. And so, we worked diligently with G & E for almost a year to plan every single detail of their epic and beautiful destination wedding. We navigated our planning journey around 3 different cities, time zones, and schedules - and came out on top of it all!

“Modern and industrial” were key themes in our design. We handpicked a gorgeous warehouse venue that allowed creative freedom for creating and designing the space as we saw fit. Excited by all the possibilities, we got to work building multiple mockups and concepts, gathered samples and swatches, and negotiated and reviewed dozens of quotes and proposals, all while revisiting the budget at every turn.

Inspired by Japandi aesthetic, we intentionally selected minimal and modern flowers, décor, and colors. Our colors were natural shades of ivory & beige and blush pink, with pops of maroon. The blush pink and beige brought in delicate and feminine attributes (complementing the Bride perfectly) and the pops of maroon-red tied in the Fall season, as well as G & E’s Chinese heritage. For the tablescape, we picked out high quality linens in neutral colors. Delicate Japandi-esque florals were arranged in gorgeous ceramics and the candles were neutral in color.

We knew that with a smaller guest count in a big space, we did not want guests to feel overwhelmed or empty. And so, with the open warehouse floorplan, we thoughtfully “closed” off certain spaces to allow for maximum guest flow throughout the event and also made sure that conversations could flow easily at each table. We also carefully curated a lounge space with natural woods for a more comfortable guest environment. Designing and installing custom drapery, market lights, and Chinese lanterns helped bring together this elegant affair.

On the day-of, reassured by our healthy timeline, the Bride and Groom enjoyed a relaxed getting-ready experience at the hotel. Meanwhile, we worked with amazing Photographer Amy Huang to capture all of the Couple’s meaningful details in thoughtfully-designed flat lays worthy of any luxury wedding editorial.

The Bride wore a fabulous Modern Chinese dress, while the Groom wore a handsome custom Western suit. In lieu of a typical Ceremony, we decided to host a private Chinese Tea Ceremony and Vow Exchange for the couple’s families. Certain “traditional” Western Ceremony customs were still maintained, while also honoring Chinese culture with the Tea Ceremony.

After an intimate Ceremony, all the guests arrived for Cocktail Hour in the most perfect warm California weather. The weather and setting were absolutely perfect - it was a warm and sunny weekend in San Diego. We entertained guests with an open bar, delicious Japanese sweets, and fresh farm-to-table selections. At the end of the night, G & E closed out the wedding day with their guests in a flurry fun, underneath the twinkle lights.

It was such a sweet weekend, celebrating with G & E and their loved ones. Congratulations again and Happy Anniversary!

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