Our wedding dress code is cocktail / formal. In honor of Ben's Chinese heritage, the grooms will be wearing red at the wedding. Red is a very important color in Chinese culture; it symbolizes happiness, joy, and prosperity. Traditionally, the color red is reserved for the happy couple. We kindly request that guests avoid wearing outfits that prominently display this color to avoid confusion.

For guests staying at our hotel block, we will be running shuttles at the start of the night to the venue and at the end of the night to the hotel.

Our wedding ceremony will feature many elements of a Jewish wedding. For guests who aren't familiar with Jewish wedding customs, we've outlined them below.

Ketubah signing:

The couple will meet to sign the ketubah or brit ahuvim, a contract that outlines their commitment to one another.

Chuppah:

The marriage ceremony is conducted under a marriage canopy, known in Hebrew as a chuppah (literally, “covering”). It consists of a square cloth, usually made of silk or velvet, supported by four staves. The chuppah represents the home that the couple are establishing together.

Sheva Hakafot (Seven Circles):

This is symbolic of creation and the establishment of holy space.

Sheva B'rachot (Seven Blessings):

The blessings are: Wine, Creation of the world, Creation of humankind, Humankind made in the divine image, Hope for redemption, Hope for happiness in marriage, Hope that happiness in marriage will spread to others.

Breaking of the glass:

There are many interpretations for this ritual. One we ascribe to is that the act is a benediction wishing for the couples' marriage to last for all the time it would take to gather the broken shards of the glass.

Blessing of the bread (Hamotzi):

It is recited any time that bread is consumed.

Hora:

The hora is a traditional dance performed at Jewish weddings where the newlyweds and their parents are, in turn, lifted into the air while their family and friends dance in circles around them. Here is a nice FAQ on the Hora: https://www.heyalma.com/how-to-hora-harder-better-faster-stronger

Three Bows

First, the couple bow to heaven and earth to pay respect to gods and ancestors. Next, the couple bow to their parents to thank them for taking care of the pair until that point. Finally, the couple bow to each other as a sign of mutual respect.

Tea Ceremony

A common element of weddings in China, east/southeast Asia, and the global East Asian Diaspora is the tea ceremony. At the tea ceremony, the couple serves tea to their parents & in-laws and thanks them for the efforts and sacrifices they've made in raising them and their families. It also symbolizes the joining of the families and the families' wishes for the couple to have a happy & prosperous life together. While tea ceremonies are often conducted more privately before / after the weddings at someone's home, we wanted to share this tradition with everyone. We will therefore be performing it during our cocktail hour for everyone to experience.

We ask that all guests be vaccinated & updated on their boosters. Also, much as we would love to celebrate with you, we ask folks to please stay home if they are sick for your health & the safety of all guests.

If we misspelled your name on your save the date or if you'd prefer for us to use a different name on your invitation & name card, we apologize! Please let us know ASAP and we will ensure it's fixed.