Haixia and Guy
Ogunquit, ME
the details
The Venue:
Arrows Restaurant
The Bride:
Haixia Lin
The Groom:
Guy Weichenberg
vendor resources
Venue, Catering, Flowers & Cake
Arrows Restaurant
Ogunquit, ME
arrowsrestaurant.com
Stationery
Smudge Ink
Charlestown, MA
smudgeink.com
Dress
Jenny Lee
Los Angeles, CA
jennyleebridal.com
Photography
David Murray Weddings
Kennebunkport, ME
davidmurrayweddings.com
Music
Encore!
Portland, ME
encorrrr.com
Dual Personality
At an event decked with Chinese lanterns, starring a bride adorned in two handmade Asian gowns, and highlighted by tea imported from Beijing, an observer may assume just another themed wedding. But when Haixia and Guy began planning their spring 2007 garden wedding in the graceful country atmosphere of coastal Maine’s Arrows Restaurant, they refrained from forcing their wedding into a pre-selected mold. A simple yet elegant décor scheme mirrored their natural aesthetic towards modern minimalist designs, and they built the menu and focal point of the evening around their innate love for hosting dinner parties. They never intended to plan a “unique” wedding, and perhaps because of that, their personalities were able to shine through.
Ceremony - Built from Scratch
Treating their ceremony with the attention that many couples only reserve for the reception, Haixia and Guy crafted their civil service from the ground up. They spent hours searching online for readings that held special meaning to them. In the end, they selected a passage from the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage, which they found to be a beautiful testament to the fundamentals of marriage. Haixia then read a hand-written tribute to both sets of parents, thanking them for the impact they’d had on both their lives.
Menu - Mix and Mingle
Haixia and Guy planned their menu as if hosting a dinner party, something they love to do. “We wanted a party focused on good food and mingling, so Guy and I meticulously discussed courses and wine parings with our coordinator at Arrows,” Haixia explains. The meal was highlighted by lobster prepared four ways and a salad of fresh greens from the Arrows organic garden. Haixia chose butlered mini-desserts to encourage mingling after the meal.
Gowns - A Wedding Wardrobe
Because the big day revolves so much around the big dress, many brides are opting for more than one. As Haixia puts it, “For a girl, weddings are a great excuse for fun clothes.” She chose an American-style gown by Jenny Lee for the ceremony. For the reception, a seamstress made a black embroidered gown to honor her father’s Chinese background and another styled after her Vietnamese mother’s own white lace wedding gown.
Favors - A Gift from China
Haixia and Guy wanted favors that were more than meaningless trinkets; they found theirs while on a trip to Beijing to visit Haixia’s parents. They brought home authentic Chinese tea created by artists who hand-tied jasmine scented green tea leaves around a dried flower blossom that actually blooms when water is poured over it. A waiter demonstrated the blooming tea during the reception, and delighted guests each took home a packet and mini tea pot.
Escort Cards - Making it Personal
Although escort cards rarely top the list of most memorable wedding details, Haixia turned theirs into a thoughtful way to honor friends and loved ones. She wrote a personal note to each guest and enclosed the notes in mini-envelopes stamped with the table numbers. They hung the envelopes from an apple tree adjacent to the entrance using decorative ribbon and clothespins.
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