Judy Pak always adds a little pep in our step with her arsenal of images. They never fail to reach off the chart levels of gorgeous and this New York City Hall ceremony followed by a lovely reception at Frankies Spuntino is one of our favorites to date. It’s a beautiful spread of laid back elegance along with a line-up of scrumptious Nine Cakes that have stolen our sweet loving hearts. See it all in the FULL gallery.
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From the bride… Pittsburgh, London, and Beijing. These three places seem unrelated at first, but over the past 10 years, they have formed the main chapters of our journey together. We first met in Pittsburgh while studying architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. After graduation, our common pursuit for further education led us to London. From London, our careers brought us to Beijing. As we moved from one place to another, we grew accustomed to seeing friends come and go. We did not know where life would take us, but we learned to embrace its unexpected turns as they can become your greatest reward. Being in China opened our eyes to many things — we realized that life will always change, but at least we have each other. Thus, we wanted to continue the journey as husband and wife.
There were many options when we were deciding where to get married. We wanted a small and intimate ceremony with just our immediate families, who’d be meeting each other for the first time. So we picked the US – where it all began. We then narrowed it down to the New York City Hall. It felt perfect for us — classic, spontaneous and romantic! Traveling from China for our wedding, we were excited, knowing that the City Hall is a piece of NYC that will always be there and about to become something we cherished. For the reception, we wanted something out of the ordinary yet inviting with great food and a relaxing atmosphere. We were drawn to Brooklyn for its personable, charming, neighborhood feel and its unique vendors. After coming across Frankie’s Spuntino, we knew it would be perfect with its brick stable, backyard garden, long tables with wood chairs and, of course, the rave reviews of its food.
One thing I never anticipated for our wedding was that we would have to plan everything from overseas, making every decision without having a chance to visit any venues or meet vendors. We followed our instincts and chose vendors who not only matched our style but who were friendly, accommodating and easy to work with via email. Thankfully, we couldn’t have been happier with all of the choices that were made. One of my favorite memories from our wedding day actually took place on the sidewalk outside our venue. As we returned from our morning photography session in the neighborhood, we saw our guests starting to arrive and gather outside the venue before it opened. It was surreal to see our loved ones come from around the world and gather in one place — I became overwhelmed with emotions and a sense of joy I’d never felt before. This joy was the highlight that set the tone for our perfect wedding day.
Wedding Photographer: Judy Pak Photography / Second Photographer: Angela Austin / Ceremony: New York City Hall in New York, New York / Reception: Frankies Spuntino in Brooklyn, New York / Flowers: Seaport Flowers / City Hall Bouquet: Whole Foods / Wedding Cake: Nine Cakes / Bride’s City Hall Dress: Custom-Made in Taipei from Valentino Fabric / Bride’s Reception Dress: Shiatzy Chen / Hairpieces: Amie Noel Designs / Hair: Franca’s Hair Studio / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Wedding Paper Goods: DIY / Wedding Favors: The One + Ri Xing Typography