How did you meet?
Not many people know this, but we initially met on Tinder in 2015. Little did we know that one single swipe would lead to nine years, eight apartments in seven different cities, six trips to Hawaii (and counting), five different countries together, four cars, three school degrees, two continents, and one beloved pear tart recipe.
When we met, Andrea had just moved to San Francisco after transferring from community college to SF State. Zach had recently graduated from Santa Clara University and was working at a law firm while applying to law school. From our first date at Sakesan Sushi on Clement Street (where Andrea literally jumped in front of Zach to break the ice), we talked for hours, eventually ending up at Twin Peaks talking about all of the fun things we wanted to do. That night, “The List” was born, where we compiled all of our fun adventure ideas and date night plans. Over the next year we were inseparable, only living 15 minutes away from each other with so many fun things to do and see together.
Eventually life butted in. Zach went off to law school at UC Davis, Andrea finished her Bachelor’s degree in Geography, took some time to work, and enrolled in a Master’s in City Planning program at UC Berkeley. But despite life getting busier, and living anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours away from each other, we never forgot “The List”.
When did you become engaged, and how?
September 8, 2022. We had traveled to Hawaii for a friend’s wedding and decided to celebrate our 7 year anniversary while we were at it (September 4th). We had a full day planned with a couples massage at the Andaz resort in the morning, a road trip up the coast stopping at Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop, ending with dinner at Merriman’s Restaurant. After dinner we went to the beach where Zach got down on one knee to propose just as the sun was setting. It was picture perfect.
#WeddingGoals
We planned the wedding over a span of two years, carefully selecting each detail. At the end of the day, we just hoped that everything would run smoothly. Some key items were good food (and cake), beautiful weather and venue, fun music and vibe, and overall a good time for our guests.
How did planning go? Best moment? Worst Moment?
We had a long engagement to allow plenty of time for planning. This allowed us (some) breathing room to think out the finer details. Our favorite moments included: catering tasting at the venue, cake selection and tasting with the bakery, and a last-minute surprise from the venue that we could have the ceremony on the lawn in the garden, which is what we wanted all along but were told was not available that late in the year.
How would you describe the ceremony?
Everything about our ceremony was custom-made by us. We worked with our officiant to tell our own unique story. We honored our different faiths and upbringings by incorporating readings and music unique to each family. Lastly, each of us wrote our own vows, shared only during the ceremony. Not even our family knew what we were going to say. Despite this, the vows complemented each other as perfectly as we complement each other every day.
Any memorable moments from your reception?
In our speech, we remarked how special it was to see so many of our loved ones from every facet of our lives together in one place. We realized this would likely be one of the only times this unique mix of people would be together, and we wanted to savor every moment of it.
Did you have any special cultural features to your wedding or factors that celebrated the heritage of you or your family?
In addition to the unique elements of the ceremony, the lion dance to kick off the festivities was a highlight, and an important way to honor Zach’s late mother’s Chinese heritage.
Any funny or unexpected wedding moments that happened throughout the day?
Aside from locking ourselves out of our house the day before the wedding, thankfully everything ran smoothly.
Special Dances:
First Dance Song: “A Sunday Kind of Love” by Etta James
Father/Daughter Song: “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
Mother/Son Song: “White Sandy Beaches of Hawai’i” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
In honor of his mother, Zach danced with a family friend who has been like an adopted grandmother to him.
Cake Cutting Song: “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin
Last Dance Song: “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC
What was the best part of your day – from each spouse’s perspective, please?
We both think that the first look, wedding vows, and reception were the highlights. Seeing everyone have such a good time was really special and meaningful after such a long planning process.
What was your favorite detail from your wedding day?
Some of our favorite details were the little things that had their own stories – Star Wars cuff links Andrea had gifted to Zach for one of their first anniversaries, Zach’s watch that was a gift from his late mother, Andrea’s pearl earrings that were a gift from her Mother from high school, and our wedding bands that were engraved as if they were two parts of one whole.
#VendorRaves
Our day-of coordinator, Viktoriya, was fantastic. Everything went smoothly and seamlessly with her help. Because of her we were able to enjoy the day without stressing. Our photographer, Wendy with The Freckled Photographer, was also amazing! Communication before, during, and after the wedding and her attention to detail were exceptional. Lastly, special shout-out to Sparkle Bridal Couture for their amazing selection of plus-size dresses and friendly and inclusive staff and service.
Looking back, what do you think your guests will remember most about your wedding?
Our special vows, the fun lion dance, and the fact that we had a brunch wedding.
Advice from the couple:
Give yourself time and grace. What worked best for us was dedicating one day a week to wedding planning, where we would sit down together and talk through what all needed to be done. As far as venues, be open to any and all venues. Prices change based on what day and time, so be open to unconventional choices if you are on a tighter budget and don’t want to compromise on quality.
What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
Thankfully there’s not much we would change. There are always small things you think of after it’s all over (starting hair and make up earlier, or practicing our first dance more) but at the end of the day we trusted our vendors and our planning decisions to make the day go smoothly. By the time the final day came around, we figured we’d done everything we could to plan the day of our dreams, and thankfully it went off mostly without a hitch!
