This chic Vancouver micro wedding features a beautiful Chinese tradition

Chic City Wedding With Chinese Traditions in Vancouver – Natalie Hung Photography 14

Chic City Wedding With Chinese Traditions in Vancouver – Natalie Hung Photography 27

For the many couples planning micro weddings in 2021 (and we know there are plenty of you!) we’d imagine you’re searching the depths of wedding blogs to see real-life examples of how gorgeous these tiny weddings can be.

Embracing their small guest list, Diana & Chris held their intimate, Vancouver micro wedding at the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa. Taking photos around the prettiest parts of this gorgeous Canadian city, then retreating to their romantic hotel soiree for the evening, their small event featured big romance thanks to gorgeous styling, lush florals, embellished fashion and the intimate setting.

Also, included in their celebration was a traditional Chinese tea ceremony (one of our favorite traditions to share on Bridal Musings!) We love how planner & designer Honour and Blessing set up the space for this moment, gifting the couple a gorgeous backdrop for beautiful tea ceremony photos, which often is a sadly overlooked moment for wedding photo opportunities.

Photographed by Nadia Hung, we’re sure this chic intimate wedding will help bolster the notion that your micro wedding can be this gorgeous, too!

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Chic City Wedding With Chinese Traditions in Vancouver – Natalie Hung Photography 7

“We entrusted all the design and vendor selection to our planners. We wanted them to create something that is minimal and with less focus on us as we don’t like too much attention on ourselves.

The photography was recommended by our planner who thought it would be a good fit. We also like her photography style and we trusted our planner’s decision. ”

– Bride Diana, the planning & photography

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Chic City Wedding With Chinese Traditions in Vancouver – Natalie Hung Photography 1

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The Florals & Styling

For Diana and Chris, we created a colour palette with creams and lighter tones for a feminine and dreamy touch, and added in some darker and bolder tones to create a romantic autumn atmosphere. Setting the tone with the invitation suite, we went with a personalized monogram of the couple’s initials in a dusty purple tone with calligraphy for a classic and timeless style. To bring a special touch from the wedding day, we used a miniature version of the painting from the reception room to style along with our invitation.

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The Dress & Local Vendors

Sharing the joy and love not only with their family and friends, our couple also supported local small businesses through their wedding. For her dress, our bride chose a local bridal designer to design and create a blush wedding gown adorned with delicate lace. Finished off with a long row of buttons at the back and a flowy veil, it was the perfect elegant and timeless style for our bride.

For the gifts for their guests, we proposed handmade soap and chocolates. From a small local company, the soap was created in a unique dome shape with swirls of gold within shades of pink and purples. The chocolates were also handmade from a well loved local chocolatier.

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“My favourite moment was when the elevator doors opened and my husband saw me in my dress for the first time. I didn’t expect for him to be standing there right when the doors opened and the look of happiness on his face was priceless.

My favourite detail of the wedding was the entire design by my planners. Even though it was a difficult time during Covid they made my small wedding look amazing. It was all so beautiful and unique. I loved the colours they chose and the flowers that complimented the setting. The design was very warm and inviting and I never knew the very small details such as the colours of the candles could make such a big difference to the look.”

– Bride Diana, favorite moments

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The Tea Ceremony

An important part of the celebration was the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. For the ceremony, we hung the traditional double happiness symbol along with some floral arrangement on the back of the chairs for those to who the couple will be serving tea. Two floral arrangements by the chairs to tie the decor with the rest of the reception but also to bring a touch of modern style to the tea ceremony.

Designer Tip: we moved the floral arrangements later on in the tea ceremony so it would be easier to pass the tea to the couple.

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The Vow Ceremony

For the ceremony, the couple wanted to keep it as minimal as possible and wanted to focus more on the reception. They also weren’t that comfortable with having too much attention on themselves. Therefore, instead of having an arch or hanging arrangement surrounding the couple, we designed overgrown floral arrangements to go at the ends of the long tables as the focal point.

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The Reception

For a warm and inviting atmosphere, we chose to use long tapered candles in varying heights and shades which was complemented by the low natural floral centrepiece. Tying it all together are the handwritten calligraphy on escort cards, personalized menus, and gift tags. Our couple wanted to ensure that guests have a wonderful experience, from the beautiful decor to the details they will see when they find their seat.

For the wedding cake, we wanted something that’s remarkable and special but not take away from the rest of the decor. We chose to have a two-tiered cake, adorned with wispy translucent petals that give it a unique and feminine touch.

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“My tip is to not be afraid to ask for help. Whether from a family member, friend or wedding planner, you don’t have to do it alone! It can be nerve-wracking with a lot to do and the uncertainty of the next steps but with support, it won’t be as stressful.”

– Bride Diana, advice to other couples