Mandarin Oriental Wedding
Have you ever heard the song lyric saying, “If you want to find love, you know where the city is?”
Well, besides being so romantic, this quote couldn’t resonate more in Kevin’s mind.
Eight years ago when Kevin was visiting his friend in New York City, he met Olivia Li. And it was love at first sight.
Only one look, and a genuine and timeless bond was born.
Kevin and Olivia strengthened their connection during several weeks of distance before finally seeing each other again in Taiwan for New Year’s Eve for their first official date.
After a memorable dinner with a view on the YangMing Mountain, Olivia and Kevin ended the evening (and the year!) with a New Year’s kiss, ready to start a new year and a new life together.
Many travels and shared memories later, Kevin surprised Olivia on the last day of a romantic trip in Italy. The couple was standing on a beautiful rooftop with an incredible view of Venice when Kevin proposed.
And that is how, eight years later, traversing from one global city to the next, Olivia and Kevin got engaged, ready to begin a new chapter of their fairytale.
In honor of their love story, the couple would celebrate in three cities with three celebrations, Each a significant chapter in their life together.
Thus, the first ceremony took place in Taiwan as a private and intimate wedding, allowing Olivia and Kevin to get their official marriage license in the locale of their first date.
The second wedding was in the heart of where they first laid eyes on each other. “The big, official celebration” was planned, designed, and executed by LLG Events at the Mandarin Oriental New York, overlooking the iconic Columbus Circle, with all of the couple’s family and friends.
The multicultural wedding combined Olivia and Kevin’s Asian roots with their American Western lifestyle. The first Chinese tradition punctuating the wedding was the date choice. Indeed, Chinese culture ensures that their wedding falls on an auspicious date by consulting their lunar calendar.
Olivia explained, “March 16 is a very good day. So much so that in Asia, all of the venues are booked on this day.”
The wedding day began with a beautiful sunrise and Olivia waking up in her luxe suite overlooking the hustle and bustle of New York City. Yet, she could not have been more calm and peaceful.
Following a morning of champagne and macaroons, Olivia and Kevin entertained a very special family tradition: the tea ceremony.
This ancestral Chinese custom represents the significant moment where both families become one new, blended family. The tea ceremony, called Cha Dao, is also the moment for the soon-to-be-married couple to show respect and gratitude to their parents and relatives for all their love and care. It celebrates purity, stability, and fertility wishes to the newly married couple (often in the form of red envelopes). For this occasion, Olivia donned a traditional red and gold dress ornate with dragons and phoenixes, symbols of good luck and prosperity.
In addition to three cities and three celebrations, Olivia also stunned in three dresses throughout her special day. The next was a chic white lace and blush tulle Galia Lahav dress, perfectly matching the reception color theme and the hundreds of flowers embellishing every table and aisle of the grand ballroom.
It’s in this princess ballgown that Olivia surprised Kevin for their memorable First Look set against the Manhattan skyline on the Mandarin Oriental’s private 38th-floor rooftop.
After sharing a first kiss and a dance, the couple took to the streets to model for an unforgettable photo shoot in Columbus Circle on the edge of Central Park. Stopping taxis and tourists alike, it was a true fashion shoot in the streets.
Following, the couple made their way back inside to tie the knot amidst a striking floral structure, in front of all their family and friends. They walked out hand in hand, their love tied together forever.
To kick off the reception, Olivia changed into her third dress - an elegant long sleeve Galia Lahav dress. Before taking sunset photos together, Olivia and Kevin shared a first dance in the middle of the reception floor.
As night came and the city lights started to twinkle, guests enjoyed a delicious dinner with a view before taking to the dance floor and the photobooth. The night concluded with Olivia changing back into her traditional Chinese dress to cut the cake and bid her guests farewell.
The next celebration will occur where Olivia and Kevin got engaged. Exchanging their vows again in Lake Como, Italy, they will enjoy a fun ‘buddymoon’ before taking off together for their honeymoon trip.
Ultimately, the two found love in the city and will now carry it with them across the world.
We Could Not Have Produced This Event Without The Help Of Our Amazing Vendors:
Planning, design and execution: LLG Events
Venue: Mandarin Oriental New York
Photographer: Lilly Red
Floral decor: Tantawan Bloom
Bridal attire: Galia Lahav and Bridal Reflections
Grooms attire: Ermenegildo Zegna
Hair and makeup: Anny Chow
Videography: Maru Films
Stationery: Beautifully Lost
Entertainment: On The Move
Cake: Ron Ben Israel
Photobooth: Mir Mir
