A Contemporary, Cultural Wedding at Hei La Moon Restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts

LeiLei Hien (31 and a clinical IT project manager) and Lanay Ros (30 and a quality engineer) blended their Chinese, Cambodian and American cultural backgrounds for their mid-summer wedding in Boston. Self-proclaimed foodies, the pair let their palettes guide the way when choosing a venue. “A 10-course, family-style Chinese dinner was a must-have for our families,” says LeiLei. After sampling the menus at several local spots, the pair settled on Hei La Moon. The festivities kicked off with a traditional tea ceremony at LeiLei's home with the couple’s closest families and friends, followed by a Western ceremony in the Boston Public Garden. After exchanging vows, the newlyweds whisked guests off to the Leather District restaurant for an unforgettable meal and lots of celebrating. Sticking with the day’s cultural theme, they chose a red and gold color palette with pops of mint green, plus plenty of symbolic details like double happiness, dragons and phoenixes. The couple switched up their outfits throughout the evening to incorporate their respective Cambodian and Chinese backgrounds, with LeiLei donning both a classic qipao and a regal, gold Cambodian gown. Understated centerpieces with classic blooms allowed guests to interact with ease and provided plenty of room for the couple’s topnotch feast. Post-dinner, LeiLei and Lanay surprised their families and friends with a photo booth and karaoke, plus a candy bar packed with sweet treats for their younger guests. A tip for the taking from LeiLei: “Hire a day-of planner, if nothing else. I considered one, decided to DIY and relied on family to help with any issues that came up. But there’s nothing like a professional to handle the surprises that might arise. It might seem like a lot, but it’s really not in the grand scheme of total wedding costs. You have less than 24 hours to enjoy this day — don’t lose your time putting out the fires, but instead in enjoying the day.”