A Korean Picnic-Inspired Wedding at Holy Korean Martyrs' Catholic Church in Baltimore, Maryland

Ann Lam (a violinist) and Aaron Huang (a doctor) met one evening at a gathering of mutual friends at a local Chinese restaurant. “I was one of the last people to arrive and my sister had saved a seat for me, right next to Aaron,” says Ann. “In retrospect, it's amazing that we even met; Aaron dislikes Chinese food and I almost stayed home that evening.” The two hit it off and it wasn’t long before Aaron proposed.For their wedding, the couple wanted the day to feel relaxed and fun. They decided on a “Korean-food picnic in San Francisco” theme, which allowed them to keep things casual, celebrate their backgrounds and share their new city with their family and friends in Baltimore, where the event took place. Both the ceremony and reception were held at Holy Korean Martyrs’ Catholic Church, a place of significance for Ann, who grew up attending services there every Sunday. The priest that performed the ceremony had known Ann since she was a child and came all the way from Dublin, Ireland for the wedding. Ann’s best friends, all musicians, played the music for the ceremony. “Their performance were so heartfelt and moving. It was a special moment to be able to share with everyone,” says Ann. To bring their picnic theme to life for the reception, Ann and Aaron decorated the tables with classic red gingham tablecloths and bright red and yellow blooms arranged in Mason jars. The escort cards were made using jam jar lids and food was served buffet style, allowing guests to fill their plates with an array of mouth-watering eats while mixing and mingling. The couple used compostable dinnerware and silverware and served wine and beer from the Bay Area. For dessert, Ann and Aaron decided to skip the traditional wedding cake, opting instead for an assortment of pies, including blueberry, pecan and Baltimore Bomb from Baltimore-based Dangerously Delicious Pies. As lovers of gypsy jazz, the couple hired the Hot Club of Baltimore to perform at the reception, instead of a traditional DJ. Guests danced the night away to swinging Django Reinhardt tunes.