A Romantic Wedding at the George Peabody Library in Baltimore, Maryland
Winnie Nham (27 and a communications manager) and Darren Liang (31 and a director of organizational efficiency) planned a romantic, glamorous affair that exuded personality and charm for their spring wedding in Baltimore.
The Peabody Library in historic Mount Vernon offered the ultimate backdrop for the soiree with its rich history and awe-inspiring architecture, complete with intricate stone work and impressive high ceilings. From start to finish, the day was truly a labor of love, with the couple’ family and friends pitching in to bring Winnie and Darren’s vision to life. From the musical performances to the gilded animal figurine escort card holders and vintage books, so many of the day’s noteworthy elements served as a peek into the strong support system surrounding the couple. Winnie also tapped into her own creativity to give the decor an extra dash of personality. “I run an Etsy shop as a side business and designed, printed, letterpressed and calligraphed all of our wedding stationery,” she says.
Sharing and honoring their Chinese-American heritage was crucial to the couple and before the traditional Western ceremony in the library, where an airy fabric backdrop and flickering candles set an undeniably romantic and ambient tone, Winnie and Darren hosted a traditional tea ceremony. For their Western ceremony, the friends that introduced the couple officiated and Winnie’s brother and cousin performed classical pieces that spoke to memories from their childhood. “These days, couples seem to be erring on the side of modern music for their ceremony,” says Winnie, “however, I am a violinist in a local philharmonic orchestra and Darren grew up playing piano competitively, so classical was the only way to go for us.”
After saying “I do,” the newlyweds kicked the celebration into high gear with a cocktail hour complete with a rolling dim sum cart serving up traditional and fusion Chinese plates and dishes that spoke to their Maryland roots, like crab soup and oyster shooters. Tables were draped in champagne linens with gilded dinnerware, flickering candles and elegant pink bouquets adding to the overall romantic, refined aesthetic. As a late night snack, guests were treated to freshly baked cookies and shots of milk—the perfect night cap. To end the night, Winnie and Darren sent guests off with pretty packages filled with dan ta, Chinese egg tartlets, a childhood favorite.
A tip for the taking from Winnie and Darren: “Our wedding day was a complete reflection of who we are as individuals and as a couple. We agreed early on that everything we brought into our wedding elements and design should serve the purpose of bringing some aspect of our personalities and interests to light, rather than being incorporated for the sole purpose of paying lip service to what ‘should’ or ‘should not’ be done in a wedding. This is the truest and best advice I can give any future couples.”