Tell us a little about yourselves!
We’ve actually known each other since high school. Despite going to different universities, our friendship grew through visits and travels together, eventually leading to a long-distance relationship that surprised us both.
Fast forward a few years and some significant life decisions later, we moved into our first place together in NYC. We’ve been so incredibly happy with the little life we have built in our tiny Chinatown apartment over the past couple of years. We love to cook, go to community gardens, and sing to our cat, Goji.
Isabella works as a residential architectural designer, while Zoe is an analyst at an urban design firm. Our family lives abroad (Zoe's in Taiwan/Shanghai and Isabella's in Bangkok), so we are planning a belated celebration all together on the other side of the world.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We loved the idea of honoring our relationship simply and unadorned. We live just a short walk away from the City Clerk’s office, so taking a little stroll down our neighborhood, something we enjoy doing usually, felt just right.
It was a Thursday morning, the weather was beautiful, and New York was as loud as ever. Familiar streets, but this time in our dresses, we were met with honks and thumbs up from garbage trucks and Chinese grocers, and congratulations from tourists. It was perfect. Our neighborhood and community are such a big part of our lives, and we felt so lucky to have shared the moment with them, even if they were strangers.
After the ceremony, we stopped at our favorite tofu shop on Mott Street for a mid-morning snack and made sure to visit Old Friends Photobooth to capture some analog photos as keepsakes.
How many guests did you have?
Just us at the ceremony as well as Studio Thao, our photographer. We had a picnic a few days later to celebrate and had 30 people attend.
What was your budget?
Just our outfits, most of which were second-hand, some flowers from the farmers market, and our photographer.
Tell us about your outfits.
We custom-designed our engagement rings at the Holden store in Soho and chose our wedding bands from Dunton Ellerkamp, a Brooklyn-based jewelry brand. The majority of our pieces were second-hand which we then took to get tailored at Mrs. Chen’s at 88 East Broadway Mall.
Isabella added personal touches like flowers in her hair that she made herself from her veil scraps, wore her grandmother’s jade bracelets, and carried a Taiwanese market bag she picked up when she and Zoe visited her family together.
Zoe wore a jade necklace her grandmother gifted her, a pair of baroque pearl earrings from Thailand where Isabella’s family currently lives, and carried a bouquet they arranged together using flowers they picked out the day before at the Union Square Farmer’s Market, they tied it off using the scrap fabric from Zoe’s dress.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
For it to be minimal stress, true to our wishes, and not anyone else's idea of what the day should be like.
The most important thing for us is the ability to be fully present on the day, be with each other, and have it captured to share with the people we love and love us.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Cultural elements were significant for us—Isabella is Viet-Chinese-American, and Zoe is Taiwanese. We each carried little tokens from home, and instead of something blue, we had something red, a traditional Chinese wedding color. Isabella had a red thread on her wrist, and Zoe wore a tiny red plastic ring they won at a street fair game on one of their first dates.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Prioritize what will make you and your partner truly happy. Focus on the aspects that matter most to both of you, and don’t feel pressured to conform to traditional expectations. Enjoy the process together—it’s about celebrating your love in a way that feels right for you.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Thao (Studio Thao)! She is amazing. She immediately made us comfortable and at ease in front of the camera. She was focused on capturing our day and giving us the space to be so incredibly happy.
Photographer: Studio Thao @studiothao | Flora: DIY arrangement Flowers from various stalls from
Union Square Farmer’s Market @unionsqmarket | Ceremony Location: Manhattan City Clerks Office (Manhattan, New York, USA) | Hair & Makeup: DIY | Catering + Beverages (at Picnic): Lucia’s @lucia.newyork | Cake (at Picnic): Ferrara Bakery & Cafe | Dresses: Reformation Via Depop @reformation via @depop (Isabella) & Meshki @meshki (Zoe) | Veils: Tulle veil w/ DIY tulle flowers | Tailoring: Mrs.Chens | Engagement Rings: Custom Holden @holdenrings | Wedding Rings: Dunton Ellerkamp @duntonellerkamp | Shoes: Kate Spade @katespade (Vintage from E-Bay @ebay) & Vintage Kitten Heels (from Depop @depop) | Jade Bracelets (Isabella): from her Grandmother | Bag: from Taiwan | Jade Necklace (Zoe): from her Grandmother | Earrings: from Thai designer | Photo Booth: Old Friend Photo Booth @oldfriednshotobooth
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