A Modern Tuscan Style Wedding with Cambodian Flair at Ponzi Vineyards

Lauren Megerdichian
March 9, 2019
Categories: Modern, Real Weddings, The Blog

Subtle pops of Cambodian culture, stunning Tuscan-inspired designs and one seriously crazy-in-love couple! This gorgeous wedding planned by J29 Events and captured by Sweetlife Photography truly has it all. Seventh Stem Floral Design Co. created the most heavenly arrangements of rose-latte colored blooms and silver dollar eucalyptus. Believe it or not, this is actually the couple’s 3rd wedding ceremony (how amazing is that?!) Keep on reading to see all the romantic details of the day unfold!

From Sweetlife Photography… David and Melissa’s love story has taken them around the globe! They met in New York City, have traveled to 16 countries together, moved to Singapore (and back again), and have had wedding ceremonies in 3 different countries! Their marriage is recognized in Singapore, Peru, and the U. S. They understand the importance of celebrating a good love story, and they’ve celebrated theirs BIG! They were first introduced by mutual friends in NYC and began to fall in love on their first date when David attempted to fit a whole summer’s worth of activities into one day in Montauk. David has about 25 visas to Cambodia in his passport from dating Melissa long distance. Melissa, originally from Oregon, knew David was the one (or really just fell in love with him all over again) when they were in Cambodia with her late-grandmother.

David never complained about being in the countryside with no electricity or the comforts that you would usually have while traveling. He didn’t have an issue with not speaking English for more than 42 hours, and he ate everything which all of Melissa’s distant family loved. He was probably the only Caucasian person many of the villagers had ever seen. When her grandmother expressed her love for him, it was game-over. David loves Melissa for everything she is and supports her love for her heritage. “He has a Cambodian heart”, Melissa often jokes, and he now eats more Khmer signature dishes than she does! They were engaged in Tuscany in 2016. After moving to Singapore, David planned a romantic trip to Italy, sharing with Melissa the best of what Italy has to offer: wine, food and a surprise engagement at Castiglion Del Bosco overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany. As Melissa’s girlfriends prepared for her bachelorette party, they gave David a series of fill-in-the-blank questions to answer including, “I knew I had found the love of my life when she…”. He answered, “No one moment but many times when I realized that all strangers love her.”

David and Melissa planned their Oregon wedding while living in Singapore and assembled the perfect local team to help them plan from abroad. Melissa is from the Portland area and has a couple of good friends in the wedding industry there: Kelley Kenyon of Seventh Stem Floral Design Co. And Paige Thammavong of Hey Halle. They joined David and Melissa’s team and were amazing resources for vendor recommendations. The first priority was finding a planner. Melissa and David interviewed several over Skype, but Shauna at J29 Events was the one. She always made time for the couple and went to bat for them on a variety of wedding planning fiascos. For other vendors it was a matter of choosing the best of the best. Melissa calls it ‘the dream team’. Photography was Jake & Anna Tenney, the husband and wife team behind Sweetlife Photography! David and Melissa met them initially over Skype and again in person during a planning trip to Portland. The couple considers it a blessing to have had Laura and her team at Hunt & Gather Catering for their special day (the food was amazing and working with Laura was a level of professionalism that is award-worthy).

For entertainment Jesse and his team at Event Team Entertainment did an extraordinary job rolling with the punches. Planning was a challenge given the differing time zones. Weekly calls with Shauna at J29 Events, along with the design board she created, guided them along and kept things moving forward. David and Melissa shared stories with Shauna of their travels and their love for life. Shauna knew that their celebration and party would be a fun one with lots of love and a great, positive energy. They were stuck between venues at the beginning, but once they were finally able to hone in on Ponzi Vineyards, it was easy to have the venue serve as the foundation for the wedding design: clean lines, various textures and surfaces, the beautiful view, etc. From there, they discussed (over many 6am PST Skype calls) their ideal color palette and favorite accent tones. David really wanted to incorporate natural elements such as wood or slate, while Melissa really wanted a roaming peacock (perfectly characteristic of her joyful personality, but sadly didn’t pan out) and really pretty flowers. Together, with Melissa’s rockstar friends, Seventh Stem and Hey Halle, and the rest of the amazing vendor lineup, their beautiful vision of nature + travel + good food/wine was brought to life, all with an elegant touch.

The wedding design was a blend of rustic Tuscany and Cambodian flair (what a unique blend!). So as to not create too much chaos by blending the two, they kept the fun pops of Cambodian color to cocktail hour held in a separate space and maintained the elegant, Tuscan feel for the ceremony and reception held on the great lawn. They were, however, able to add subtle Cambodian touches in signage and rattan baskets that also provided an extra element of texture in the overall design. The color palette was natural with elements of wood, and the florals were mostly greens and rose-latte for the accents (yes that is a color). It had a lot of style, and when the couple looks back at the solemnization they had previously in Singapore (again one of their 3 weddings they’ve had together!), they love that it had similar elements with eucalyptus and karaoke after-party vibes. A perfect mix of class and fun. Overall, the wedding vibe was fun and the feel was classy yet casual – perfect for their guests who traveled far and wide to celebrate such a special day in their lives. Melissa and David really wanted their guests to enjoy themselves and to be comfortable, a true nod to who they are as a couple. Their wedding reception took an unexpected turn just as Melissa and David were cutting their cake. David’s father suffered a sudden health scare. The couple handled the situation with grace and compassion, comforting David’s father until help arrived. The events brought an unexpected early end to the evening festivities, but once his health stabilized and he was recovering well in the hospital, David and Melissa enjoyed their first dance during their wedding after-party on the rooftop of Departure Restaurant & Lounge overlooking the city of Portland. There is no end in sight for David and Melissa’s globetrotting! The couple is currently planning a Patagonia honeymoon for 2019. They’re also considering plans for their 4th wedding ceremony, a traditional Cambodian celebration. Date TBD! Stay tuned.