Corinne Ung and Tom Quane were both working for a Fortune 500 company when they met in Paris, France in June of 2015. Although the two were in the world’s most romantic city for work purposes, an executive organized a happy hour for the company’s ex-pats to connect.
“Tom tried to impress with his fashion sense and athletic ability by showing me pictures running a race in a full American flag business suit,” says Corinne. “I thought he was smart, kind, and did not take himself too seriously, while he saw me as a girl that could hold her own with quick sarcasm and an energetic personality.” After sneaking away for a few secret dates along the Seine, the two became an official couple.
The proposal took place two years later in November, when the couple was visiting family in New York City for Thanksgiving. “I thought we were meeting a friend before dinner at a rooftop bar that overlooks the Empire State Building,” Corinne shares, “but to my surprise, he got down on one knee to ask me to marry him. To make the night sweeter, both of our families came up the stairs to toast and celebrate with us.”
“AFTER SNEAKING AWAY FOR A FEW SECRET DATES ALONG THE SEINE, THE TWO BECAME AN OFFICIAL COUPLE.”
During the wedding planning process, Corinne and Tom brought Elle Ellinghaus of Elle Ellinghaus Designs on board to bring their vision to life. They opted for a longer engagement, as Corinne had her heart set on a June wedding and a bridal bouquet of peonies. She adds, “Throughout the process, we kept the guest experience at the forefront of nearly every decision we made, which resulted in minimal stress and allowed everyone to kick back and just celebrate, filling our wedding day with palpable love and excitement.”
When the wedding day arrived, the bride and groom were married in front of 240 guests at Christ Lutheran Church in Baltimore, Maryland and hosted their reception at the Four Seasons in Harbor East. Corinne wore an elegant Oscar de la Renta ballgown with a custom bow, and Tom sported a classic Ted Baker tuxedo. For her “something blue,” Corinne also carried a handkerchief passed down to all the brides on Tom’s side of the family, with all their names embroidered on it in pale blue.
The reception décor was inspired by the concept of “timeless, ladylike romance with a bit of edge.” As a nod to Corinne’s roots, the couple’s favorite dim sum dishes were served during cocktail hour, and there was a lion dance to symbolize prosperity, longevity, and good luck.
“Our two favorite moments of the day were quiet moments together: when we danced in the ballroom before our guests entered and sneaking a minute in the corner of the room to look at all of our favorite people in one spot,” Corinne reflects. “The day went off without a hitch – except maybe our flower girl taking three steps into the church, face planting on the ground, and refusing to move.”
The newlyweds capped off their wedding experience with an incredible honeymoon in Tanzania, where they spent time on safari and relaxing on the beach. “Having both done a bit of traveling on our own, it was special to check off a new continent together,” Corinne says. “It was unlike any trip we have ever been on, especially waking up in the middle of the night to an elephant outside our window and seeing a lioness take down three wildebeests in 20 minutes.”
