“It’s ironic to say this, but after almost 1,000 weddings as a wedding planner and event designer myself, there wasn’t any official or romantic proposal,” shares Mary of the lead up to her engagement to Johnny. “We both had children of our own and past relationships. After seven years together, we decided on making our future together official by tying the knot.”
Most of all, the couple wanted their families, especially their children, to come together to celebrate and enjoy the special day. “I knew that many people we knew, including my staff and vendors, had very high expectations as to what to expect for our big day, but in the end, I just wanted everyone to enjoy our special day and have fun,” shares Mary.
Being a wedding planner, event designer, floral designer and decorator with over 15 years of experience in the industry, Mary says planning her own wedding was both easy and difficult at the same time. “It was easy since most of the things I needed were at an arm’s reach, and difficult because of my job’s intense nature which demanded a lot of my attention,” she explains.
Although the planned outdoor wedding ceremony needed to be moved indoors due to unexpected rain, they still got the wedding they always imagined. “The flowers and décor were magical,” shares the bride. “The biggest bonus was that I was able to have everyone I love in the same room to share our commitment and witness the vows we had written to each other.”
They opted for a traditional Chinese wedding reception at Happy Garden Seafood Restaurant, with 500 guests and a lot of food that included a full 10-course meal. “I had a Hollywood Glam 1920s theme with colors of black and gold, and all white flowers,” says Mary. “All the lace, crystals, pearls and feathers came together just as I’d envisioned.”
Besides sharing their vows and melting into their first dance together as husband and wife, Mary says she loved dancing with all her kids, family and friends the entire evening. “I was very grateful that I was able to enjoy my wedding without having to worry about anything,” she says. “I had amazing family, friends, staff and incredible vendors to help with all the behind-the-scenes magic and breaking down everything at the end of the night. I danced the night away without a care in the world!”
— Darren Elms
