A Dominican and Cambodian-American Wedding in Centerport, New York

Kanha and Jilson  hail from Cambodia and the Dominican Republic, respectively, and “it was important for us to have flowers and details that reminded us of that,”Kanha says. Their love for travel—especially to the Caribbean—also inspired the day’s theme. “Our goal was for guests to feel like they left New York and came to visit us somewhere far, beautiful and warm,” Kanha says. During the ceremony, they invited loved ones to participate in the Cambodian knot tying ritual, with each red string tied around their wrists symbolizing a marriage blessing.
“Our small guest book guitar is symbolic to us because the first present Jilson ever gave me was a guitar,” Kanha says. They plan to use it to teach their future children how to play. Jilson surprised Kanha with a lineup of songs significant to their relationship. “Each song was a reminder of all the moments that brought us to that day,” Kanha says.
Tropical-inspired blooms like anthuriums, pincushion proteas, heliconia, birds of paradise, palm leaves, monstera and ti leaves filled the property. “The terra-cotta tile roof, stucco exterior and unique ironwork made us feel like we had traveled to the Mediterranean," the couple says. The girls’ soft peach gowns fit right in with the day’s “tropical yet chic” color palette, Kanha says. Each carried a monstera leaf and blush anthurium.