Mark + Vivian’s Wedding
Mark and Vivian’s wedding was by far the most jam-packed, minute-to-minute, activity-filled wedding day we had this summer. Add to that lots of short distance driving, a few detours, a whole slew of laughing moments… all in the course of 10 hours.
After the bride and groom each got prepped in their respective locations, Mark and the groomsmen came over to Vivian’s house to begin the big day. As cantonese wedding customs go, the groom had to “break into” (thankfully, this was done figuratively) the bride’s house. Once the men had entered, the bridesmaids had to administer a few different “tests” for the men before the groom can see his bride-to-be (Note: she was hiding in a separate room with her mother). Often times, these tests are a combination of physical, dexterical and comical tasks. Then, Mark had to profess his love for Vivian through a speech– in Cantonese– in the hopes that Vivian would accept his proclamations. Eventually after much effort, Mark was finally allowed to see his bride for the first time that day.
We continued to an awesome, funky location that Mark and Vivian selected for the bridal party photos– the Whippany Railway Museum. Although the train cars were inaccessible on the inside, we had a good time climbing around and on top the trains for some good shots. The ceremony took place at CCCNJ, followed by the reception at The Birchwood Manor. Soon after, we went through the traditional Chinese Tea ceremony with red envelopes and all. Did we mention cocktail hour included a roasted suckling pig, as well as all you can eat lobster tails and oysters? The Manor’s food was phenomenal, and their grounds were equally great for photos. They topped off the night with speeches, food, and a whole lot of dancing. One of the highlights of the night was learning how far the guests traveled to attend to the wedding; not only did friends come from all over the U.S.A., but there were friends and relatives who came from as far as Hong Kong and Singapore. Enjoy the photoset, and congrats again to Mark and Vivian on their new marriage.
Vendor Information:
Ceremony: Chinese Christian Church of New Jersey http://www.cccnj.org/
Reception: The Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ http://www.birchwoodmanor.com/
Bridal Party Photos: Whippany Railway Museum http://www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.net/
