A Chinese Tea Ceremony Preceded This Couple's Classic Wedding in North Carolina

Although Emily and Sunny live in Washington, DC, the couple chose to return to Emily's hometown of Wilmington, NC, for their classic garden-inspired wedding with a color palette of white and green. In honor of Sunny's Chinese heritage, it was important to the duo to incorporate cultural elements throughout their celebration. "We knew we wanted a classic southern-coastal feel for our guests coming in from around the world. For us, that meant a lot of greenery and whites to complement the character of the Brooklyn Arts Center. Charyl made everything come together for the ceremony, reception, and cocktail by creating the dreamiest space. Before our wedding, we knew we wanted to incorporate my husband's Chinese heritage, and we found a way to hold a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony before exchanging our vows," Emily shares. 

When it came to the couple's priorities for the wedding, food was one of their main focal points. "My husband and I love food and drink so much. We host our friends often for bbq's and drinks nights. We knew we had to pull out all the stops for our friends and got so many compliments on our food for the wedding. Many noted it was the best wedding food they had ever had before. Being from the coast we knew there had so be a seafood bar - Pine Valley Market helped put together a phenomenal assortment of crab claws, shrimp, and ceviche. This was accompanied by Southern snacks like pimento cheese, pulled pork tacos, as well as chicken and waffles. Getting to choose a fresh catch fish as one of the main courses also struck a personal note with all of the guests. Our desserts, of course, included the classic wedding cake, but I love Key Lime Pie and Banana Pudding and I'm so happy those could also be included. As for beverages we had two classic cocktails renamed for our beloved Siamese cat, Toro, and made sure that there was always sparkling wine flowing. Sunny's love for bourbon and whiskey ensured that we needed a separate whiskey bar with special ice cubes and a curated stash of his favorites," Emily recalls.