Summer Palace

Forbidden City

Great Wall

Exploring Beijing

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Our Story

Photos

Bridesmaids

Everyone knows Mary is a creative genius, but her greatest attribute is how caring and selfless she is. I am beyond lucky to call her my sister.

Mary Zhang

You can always rely on Gaoqi to find the best solution in any situation while she relentlessly pursues perfection. My dream Chinese wedding could not be possible without her.

Qi Gao

When you need to both rant but also hear logical sound advice, no one is better than Jenny. I can't imagine making it through undergrad and medical school without her. She's also great for impromptu ophthalmology consults, even during brunch at Denny's ;)

Jenny Mi

If there was ever a vascular surgery nerd who bleeds for the specialty, pun-intended, it's Kirsten. There is also no person more genuine and empathetic than her. I'm forever grateful for her encouragement and support as I navigated the final challenging chapter of residency.

Kirsten Concha-Moore

Groomsmen

Dave is a smart, thoughtful and competitive person who will always take care of his friends unless there is a competition involved. As house "mom" in college, Dave was there to keep us all in line and make sure the house was neat and tidy. 

David Cable

Thomas is always willing to help out a friend no matter what problem you are facing. If you want someone to help you evaluate the pros/cons of a choice, Thomas will help you figure out the best option and how to get there.

Thomas Anderson

If you ever need help finishing those half baked ideas, Tim is your guy! He is always up for an adventure and willing to jump head first to help out a friend in need. 

Timothy Hartnett

Ryan is always down for a good fellowship; doesn't matter if it's on the golf course, the slopes or parking lot of a softball field. Always reliable and making sure that the entire group is having a great time. And no, I am not just saying that because he is my legal guardian. ;)

Ryan Maxwell

Wedding Party

Q + A

Passport and Travel Visa

Passport

A valid passport is required to travel to China. The passport must not expire within 6 months of the trip dates. Please apply for or renew your passport ASAP as it can take a couple months for processing.

Travel Visa

Visa-Free Option There is a new 10 day visa-free transit policy for traveling to China. Here's how it works: If you are only traveling 10 days or less in China, you do not need to obtain a travel visa ahead of time. However, you MUST stop at another country or territory after you leave China prior to flying back to the U.S. It is unclear if layovers satisfy this requirement, so to be safe it would be best to stay at least a day in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, (no travel visa needed for these 3 territories) or any other country on the way back to qualify for this visa exemption. <a href="http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/qz2021/202412/t20241217_11495647.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click for more info</a> Obtaining a Chinese travel visa Allow at least a few months for the application and processing of your travel visa. There are 2 options for obtaining a travel visa to China: 1. Apply in-person at a Chinese Embassy or Consulate location: If you live near or are traveling to Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Chicago, you can go in-person and apply for the travel visa <a href="http://losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/visa/chinavisa/201803/t20180309_5421798.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click for visa processing time and fees</a> 2. Apply for a travel visa through any number of processing services such as YWPW Chinese Visa Service. As of January 2024, you do not need to submit flight/hotel information or an invitation letter to apply for a visa. <a href="https://visa.ywpw.com/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website for YWPW Chinese Visa Service</a>

GENERAL TRAVEL INFO

<a href="https://mychinavisa.com/china-visas/china-tourist-visa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click here for Essential Travel Tips</a>

What forms of payment are accepted in China?

China has been shifting towards a cashless system, so WeChat Pay and Alipay are apps you will download and predominantly use to pay for items. U.S. credit cards will be able to be linked to these apps. <a href="https://wildchina.com/2023/12/guide-to-using-alipay-2024/ https://wildchina.com/2023/12/guide-to-using-alipay-2024/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click here for WeChat Pay and Alipay Set-Up Guide</a>

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast We have reserved a hotel block of 900 CNY (no additional taxes or fees) per night (1 king bed or 2 double beds) that includes breakfast everyday. The tour bus will leave from this hotel every morning. Please let us know if you decide you want to book this hotel since we have to coordinate the bookings. The payment for the hotel will be paid individually through the Alipay app.

Hotel Block

More travel details will become available in the months leading up to the wedding.

Travel

Check-in to hotel We have reserved a hotel block of 900 CNY (no additional taxes or fees) per night (1 king bed or 2 double beds) that includes breakfast everyday. The tour bus will leave from this hotel every morning. The payment for the hotel will be paid individually through the Alipay app.

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

Complementary 3-Day Beijing Group Tour

Monday June 16, 2025All day complementary group tour with all wedding guests to explore the Summer Palace. Specific details about the schedule will be communicated via WeChat in a timely fashion.

Evening - Monday June 16, 2025Olympic Park Water Cube and Bird's Nest Night Lights Optional stop after Summer Palace for those who have the energy to continue exploring Beijing. Everyone else will be dropped off back at the hotel. Those who choose to explore Olympic Park will have to find their own transportation back to the hotel (taxi, subway, etc)

Beijing National Aquatics Center

Tuesday June 17, 2025All day complementary group tour with all wedding guests to explore the Forbidden City. We will pass through Tiananmen Square before entering the Forbidden City. Specific details about the schedule will be communicated via WeChat in a timely fashion.

Evening - Tuesday June 17, 2025Houhai "Rear Lake" Night Lights Optional stop after the Forbidden City for those who have the energy to continue exploring Beijing. Everyone else will be dropped off back at the hotel. Those who choose to explore Houhai will have to find their own transportation back to the hotel (taxi, subway, etc)

Houhai

Wednesday June 18, 2025All day complementary group tour with all wedding guests to explore the Great Wall of China. Specific details about the schedule will be communicated via WeChat in a timely fashion.

Great Wall of China

Evening - Wednesday June 18, 2025Liangma River International Waterfront Night Lights Optional stop after the Great Wall for those who have the energy to continue exploring Beijing. Everyone else will be dropped off back at the hotel. Those who choose to explore the Liangma River Waterfront will have to find their own transportation back to the hotel (taxi, subway, etc). There are night cruises that you are welcome to individually book.

Liangma Bridge North Alley

Thursday June 19, 2025No planned group events. You are welcome to explore Beijing! Some attractions are Olympic Park (Bird's Nest, Water Cube), Temple of Heaven, Beijing Zoo (pandas!), Buddhist temples, Yuanmingyuan Park (Old Summer Palace), Wangfujing Avenue (shopping), just to name a few (pictures below)

Wedding Program

Evening - Thursday June 19, 2025Check Into Crab Island Resort Courtyard Hotel Arrive at Crab Island Resort Courtyard Hotel (北京蟹岛绿色生态度假村), which is on the same property as the wedding venue. Please let us know if you want to come on the group bus from the Marriott or if you want to travel there yourselves. We can take your luggage, so you don't have to worry about that after checking out of the Marriott. We will have dinner with friends and family on Crab Island near the courtyard hotel at 7:00PM. All are welcome, but if you want to continue exploring yourselves, feel free. Within each courtyard there will be 4-9 rooms with either a large single bed or 2 double beds. Each courtyard also has a small shared hot spring. This is not a luxury hotel, but it's a cultural experience to stay in the type of homes that the ancients did. The property is overall beautiful and full of photo opportunities. North of the courtyards is also a hot spring resort. Pre-wedding ceremony traditions will occur within one of the courtyards. The wedding procession will then start at the courtyard with horse and palanquin to the venue which is a 1 km walk away,

Xiedao (Crab Island) Resort - 蟹岛绿色生态度假村

Friday June 20, 2025Ceremony and reception details to follow.

Wedding

We would love to have all guests not flying out early in the morning to have Saturday brunch with us! Time and details to follow.

Saturday Brunch

Beijing Map

<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1jo2SqCvT-0thTugL7AgtVQBE4fChlo8&amp;usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MAP LINK</a> Google Map of all tour and wedding related locations