Olivia Li and Kevin Hsieh met through a mutual friend when Kevin was visiting NYC from Indiana. Three days later, Kevin mentioned to their friend that he was interested in getting to know Olivia better, so they started chatting. The connection was immediate.
“We talked for two months and eventually decided to meet up for New Year’s Eve in Taipei, Taiwan, where Kevin is from,” Olivia recalls. “This was our first date! We went to Yangming Mountain for dinner and to see the city views. This was eight years ago, and the night ended with a New Year’s Eve kiss!”
“WE TALKED FOR TWO MONTHS AND EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO MEET UP FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE IN TAIPEI.”
The proposal took place during a July vacation in Venice, Italy. The couple were enjoying their last night on the balcony of their hotel with a glass of wine, overlooking the grand canal at sunset. There, Kevin got down on one knee and proposed with the commitment to make Olivia “the happiest girl.”
In terms of finding the right wedding dress, Olivia knew she wanted to be a Galia Lahav bride. “Everything looks so chic, romantic, and dreamy,” she describes. “I went to Bridal Reflections in Manhattan, which has the biggest showroom of Galia collections, and I tried on so many dresses.
On my second appointment, my consultant brought me the Alma gown and I was blown away by the intricate romantic details, yet how chic it looked with a modern touch of a blush undertone. I immediately fell in love. I played with the two pieces and went creative with how I can customize my look. I wanted to have pockets and wear it with a chic, effortless look. Once that was approved by our amazing designer, it was a done deal.”
The wedding took place at the luxurious Mandarin Oriental in New York City, where the couple hosted an elegant and romantic affair with a rustic twist. Tantawan Bloom also custom designed a beautiful tree for the escort card table, as well as an organic vine and garden-themed backdrop for the ceremony.
“Both of us are Asian Americans and we wanted to merge the West with the East,” says the bride. “We did a tea ceremony which is a Chinese tradition that dates back to the Tang dynasty over 1200 years ago. I wore a red and gold dress that had dragons and a phoenix on it to symbolize good luck and prosperity. The ceremony shows respect and gratitude to the parents for all of their years of love and care. We feel grateful to have a loving family and friends.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Mandarin Oriental, New York, New York, NY; Planner: LLG Events, New York, NY; Floral & Event Design: Tantawan Bloom, New York, NY; Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav; Bridal Salon: Bridal Reflections, New York, NY
