A Romantic, Rustic Fall Wedding at Zingerman's Cornman Farms in Dexter, Michigan

Mary Lin (28 and a senior software development engineer) and Eric VanBuhler (28 and a senior software development engineer) planned a food-filled fall wedding that combined traditional elements from their respective Taiwanese and Austrian backgrounds.

A few days before the wedding, Mary and Eric honored her heritage in a private Chinese tea ceremony. After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds made their union even more official with a log-sawing tradition common in Austrian weddings. “The act represents the first obstacle a couple must overcome in their marriage,” Mary says. “It was fun to see the juxtaposition of us in our formalwear sawing through a log!”

“I instantly felt relaxed and at peace when we toured our venue,” Mary says. “The farm was everything I had ever imagined.”

Mary clutched an autumn-inspired arrangement of plum dahlias, black scabiosas, pink thistle, white rice flowers and pepperberries, all of which were tied together with single piece of gold rope. “I added a beautiful pin that belonged to Eric’s grandmother to the bouquet,” she says of the sentimental finishing touch.

The couple took a DIY approach to their kraft paper stationery, which was all custom designed.

Prior to personally greeting each of their dinner guests, Mary traded her tulle gown for a traditional Chinese qipao, while Eric changed into a navy tangzhuang. “My qipao was very special to me since my mom and I went on a mother-daughter trip to Taiwan to pick it out,” Mary says of the embroidered dress.

A vanilla chiffon cake was topped with custom wood characters created by a family friend.