David Hou and Alvina Wong were both born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area; but, serendipitously, they first met over 6000 miles away in Hong Kong. Alvina was there on holiday and David had just relocated for work, when a mutual friend sent them messages on Facebook suggesting they meet.
Not knowing what to expect, David showed up to meet Alvina at the train station; and even though he was a few minutes late, he flashed his signature “big cheesy smile” which, according to Alvina, “won her heart over from that very first day.” The initial attraction was mutual, as he also recalls seeing “the most beautiful face” and having an indescribable feeling in his chest that let him know Alvina was someone special.
“HE WON HER HEART OVER FROM THAT VERY FIRST DAY.”
While the two were dating, David relocated to Singapore for work, but had some friends in Hong Kong who helped him set up a special surprise for his then-girlfriend. After a dinner at SPOON, which overlooks the Hong Kong skyline, he convinced Alvina to take a walk along the harbor, even though it was raining.
During their stroll, they came across a group of singers performing on the street–that is, singers who were also David’s friends and waiting for him to perform with them. As part of the surprise, the group sang “Marry You” by Bruno Mars, and David chimed in for the very last verse, which was modified to include a marriage proposal. He planned the proposal to take place on December 12, 2012, because twelve is Alvina’s favorite number.
When it came to the wedding preparations, the couple says “We wanted to ensure that our wedding exuded romance and elegance, but was also fun and whimsical–this was truly a blend of our visions.” Alvina, for example, always had a vision of celebrating the day under a giant tent with chandeliers and beautiful drapery. David’s first request, however, was to wear a bright orange tuxedo as a nod to one of his favorite movies, “Dumb and Dumber.” “As a compromise, we celebrated with our family and friends under a gorgeous tent, and the groom on our cake topper and flip-book cover donned orange tuxes,” says Alvina.
Culture was also an important factor behind the design and inspiration for their wedding, and they wanted to blend old cultural traditions with a modern Western setting, as a symbol of their Chinese-American heritage. “We incorporated the Chinese ‘double happiness’ character, traditionally used as a symbol of marriage, in our save-the-date cards, customized champagne flutes, and background for our sweetheart table,” Alvina describes. “We also selected colors of coral and gold, as a modern twist on the traditional Chinese wedding colors of red and gold.” Shortly there after the couple traveled to London, Paris and Santorini, Greece to celebrate their wedded bliss.
Other Chinese elements they wove into their big day include the tradition of the groom picking up the bride by playing Chinese “door games,” as well as a traditional tea ceremony. “We were particularly excited to use the tea set that Alvina’s parents used during their wedding tea ceremony,” says David. Since they met in Hong Kong, the couple also brought in Hongry Kong–a San Francisco-based food truck specializing in Hong Kong specialty snacks–for their cocktail hour.
WEDDING TALENT
Location and Cake: Rosewood Sand Hill, Menlo Park, CA; Event Design and Planner: Dream A Little Dream Events, San Francisco, CA; Floral Design: Lydia’s Flowers, San Francisco, CA; Stationery: H2 Cards, San Francisco, CA; Calligraphy: Michele Papineau Calligraphy, Oakland, CA; Makeup: The Glamourist, San Francisco, CA; Wedding Dress: Vera Wang; Bride’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo; Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss