Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
Our wedding day was magical. We are both very cultural people. In fact, we visited a monk before our wedding day who told us that we needed to get married between 1 and 3 PM. We took this very personally! It was the main reason we chose the date and time-frame for our ceremony.
Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette?
As for colors, we didn’t necessarily have a specific theme or palette. We both really wanted to incorporate the color maroon because we thought it would look nice against the green forest.
Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
We didn’t utilize any decor! We thought nature would be the prettiest decor we could find.
What were the florals like in your wedding?
I really wanted dried florals so I could have them forever. I actually ordered them online! I asked for lots of color and wildflower-like florals.
Did you personalize the day in any way? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
I purchased customized cufflinks for James of our dog and cat! Since they couldn’t come with us on our wedding day, we both really wanted to honor them. It was a surprise for James. He loved them!
I also purchased white sneakers (I’ve never been a fan of heels), and fun personalized hangers off of Etsy.
Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look?
James purchased a maroon suit. We both loved the color. I purchased my dress from Zara! I wanted something very simple, lightweight (since we’d be walking a lot), and something I didn’t mind getting dirty. I also purchased a white blazer coat to keep me warm in the rain.
How did you meet?
We met at work! James was working for the sales side of a wealth management firm. It was my first day as an intern for the operations side of that firm. James came back from teaching a retirement course and was hauling the teaching material to his office behind my new desk. James noticed my makeup, and how pretty I was right away from the entrance of the office. But I was on the phone and did not introduce myself when James walked by me.
After passing me 3 times, James asked the office manager who the new girl was and why she was so rude and didn’t acknowledge him! The office manager told him to go introduce himself instead, and so he did. James walked up to my desk, reached out his hand, and says, “Hi, I’m James,” with a grin. I shook his hand, smiled back, and finally introduced myself.
What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
The ceremony! Like I said, we visited the monk beforehand who gave us a very significant date and time to get married. We consider it a sign of good luck.
Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
Stay true to you. Don’t feel the pressure to invest in very expensive or grand decorations. We had simple decor and attire, and it was absolutely perfect for us. The pressure to plan an extravagant wedding is real, but don’t let that distract you from what you truly want to do on your wedding day!
