An East Meets West Wedding at the Riverside Inn in Leland, Michigan

Wei Zuo (29 and an instructional consultant at the University of Washington) and Travis Bond (28 and in quality assurance) got married in Leland, Michigan, not far from where the groom’s parents live (his sister was married in the same town). The location was special, but so was the theme. Chinese culture blended with classic Western elements in an “East meets West in northern Michigan” theme, Wei says. The color red—associated with happiness and good fortune in Chinese culture—was a prominent color throughout the day, as seen in Wei's Chinese dress, the lanterns, the decor, and the cake. After the couple exchanged vows at Leland Community United Methodist Church, friends dressed in traditional Chinese lion costumes led the wedding party and guests in a procession down the street to the reception at the Riverside Inn. “The lion dance has been part of Chinese culture for thousands of years,” Wei says. The dance is performed at weddings, festivals and celebrations as a symbol of power, wisdom and good fortune. At the reception site, guests sipped on signature Shanghai Rose cocktails and ate pork and vegetable rolls, ahi tuna nigiri with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce; Double R Ranch beef carpaccio with fried capers; whitefish croquettes; and braised pork belly on skewers. Wei changed into a traditional red gown for the cocktail hour and dinner. Once seated, colorful chopsticks adorned place settings (doubling as a favor for guests to take home), menus were printed in both English and Chinese for Wei's out-of-town family, and guests dined on glazed sea bass, beef tenderloin, fava bean and edamame confit, and roasted potato medallions. “There were no regrets on food choices,” Wei says. “They represented both an Asian and northern Michigan theme and were executed fabulously.” Wei changed into an outfit comfortable for dancing, and she and Travis got the party started with a choreographed salsa. The “ballroom-worthy first dance had the crowd cheering,” she says. After a night of dancing, guests were invited to take home a mini bamboo steamer basket filled with cake truffles in Chinese five-spice, lemon-rosemary raspberry and hazelnut praline, just another way to incorporate Eastern culture. It can seem like a lot of decisions and preparation when you're planning your wedding, but Wei says to enjoy those moments; it's part of the fun. And on your wedding day, don't sweat the small stuff. “Just let what happens be a part of the day’s story,” Wei says. —Chrissy Sorenson