HOW DID YOU MEET?
We met on Bumble! I was in medical school at California Northstate University and Hunter was at UC Davis for a post-baccalaureate pre-med program. It was about 9 or 10pm on a weeknight before winter break and I just increased my distance range. Because of the holiday break, we chatted virtually for about a month before finally meeting in person.
WHEN DID YOU BECOME ENGAGED AND HOW?
Read their full engagement story, written by Hunter, on their wedding website: zola.com/wedding/hunterandlily2025
#WEDDINGGOALS
Cavaignac was the wedding venue of my dreams. I always knew that I wanted an outdoor garden wedding in a place that already had its own natural beauty. I absolutely did not expect to find somewhere as special and precise to my deepest wishes. From the European farmhouse to the tree-lined drive to the rose wall, I felt like every corner of the property had been pulled straight from my imagination. We also wanted food to be a priority in our wedding. Throughout my life, shared meals have been at the heart of my family’s connection. We wanted to create a space where people not only felt nourished but also experienced the belonging that comes from gathering around a table together.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF WEDDING PLANNING?
Communicating the vision we had in our heads into words and delegating tasks so that we weren’t overwhelmed by all of the decisions. Kendall was super helpful in narrowing down the choices and somehow just getting the vision right away.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF STAYING WITHIN YOUR BUDGET AND HOW DID YOU MANAGE IT?
We didn’t have any issues staying within budget. Kendall helped us significantly with setting up our expectations in the beginning, and we did a lot of research upfront to help us understand what to expect.
SPECIAL DANCE SONGS
First Dance: “All Your’n” by Tyler Childers
Father/Daughter Dance: “Top of the World” by the Carpenters
DID YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL CULTURAL FEATURES TO YOUR WEDDING OR FACTORS THAT CELEBRATED THE HERITAGE OF YOU OR YOUR FAMILY?
In Chinese tradition, white is typically seen as a funeral color and red is the color of choice for weddings. As such, I made sure to include red in several ways in my wedding outfit, including the ribbon on my bouquet in the cathedral, my veil on Saturday, and my red French tips on my nails. I also tried to incorporate more color in my table décor including red fan menus and a decorative tangerine at each table setting.
ANY FUNNY OR UNEXPECTED WEDDING MOMENTS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE DAY?
One of Hunter’s football friends from Holy Cross took Mandarin while in college and he displayed “很好” (very good) in large text with strobe lighting on his phone for my mom on the dance floor. It was so funny and impressive that he still remembered this from college.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR DAY – FROM EACH SPOUSE’S PERSPECTIVE, PLEASE?
Lily: I am glad that we took time to do some private words to each other. Hunter and I find that our most sincere and special moments tend to be when we’re alone so we don’t feel the unavoidable pressure there is to perform when in front of a crowd.
Hunter: The speeches captured the depth of love within our families and the connection we share. Each person who spoke illuminated a different facet of our relationship, and with every speech, we felt more completely seen.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DETAIL FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?
Our outfit change to our Chinese outfits was a fun surprise for everyone. Hunter had a red Tang jacket and I had a custom made qipao from China. We topped it off with some retro Shanghai style inspired sunglasses.
#VENDORRAVES
Kendall was absolutely essential to getting this wedding done; I relied on her creatively, logistically, and emotionally. Mai is an exceptionally talented artist; I don’t typically like getting my makeup done by other people and I even considered doing my makeup myself but Mai absolutely blew me away and I’m so glad I went with her. My family and I have been going to Jing Jing since we moved to Sacramento in 2005 and it was so special to be able to have them as part of our special day. Hunter and I are generally not big on taking pictures, but Jordan beautifully captured our day and I am deeply grateful to have these beautiful memories to look back on. Jin Chen with Sweet & Joy Floral went above and beyond my expectations; I didn’t have a clear vision with my florals and she captured the essence of what I wanted with pretty minimal direction on my part and was so receptive to feedback – a consummate professional!
LOOKING BACK, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR GUESTS WILL REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR WEDDING?
Definitely the speeches. Everyone absolutely blew us away by their thoughtful and beautiful stories they shared on the day of. I cried so much my lash extensions fell off! Also, many people have told us they’ve never eaten so much at a wedding and are still dreaming about the dim sum (which my mom is definitely happy about because she was worried people would go home hungry!).
WHAT TIPS OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING TODAY?
Don’t feel bad asking for help. People want to help for the most part but they don’t really know how to since this is a huge personal project. Definitely delegate tasks and reach out to people you know you can depend on for small tasks; it’ll help decrease the stress significantly.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE?
We definitely wish that we had more time on the dance floor! We had a time cut off at 10pm because of city noise regulations. If we had the chance, we probably would have started the wedding earlier in the day.
