1. Real Weddings

Mari & Derek: A Destination Wedding in Calistoga, CA

Although Mari and Derek both grew up and currently live in Hong Kong, their romance began long-distance. Mari was in Hong Kong visiting her parents wh

Although Mari and Derek both grew up and currently live in Hong Kong, their romance began long-distance. Mari was in Hong Kong visiting her parents when she was introduced by a mutual friend to Derek. The Bride Mari Saito, 32, human resources The Groom Derek Hinden, 34, property investor The Date October 1 The two clicked, but three days later Mari returned to Los Angeles, where she was living at the time. “After months of long-distance communication and courting,” Derek says, “I flew to L.A. to visit her.” The couple’s first official date was a visit to Napa Valley, and after Derek proposed a few years later on a boat in Hong Kong harbor, they decided to return to the place their romance had begun for a destination wedding.

The couple’s cake also incorporated their butterfly theme and color scheme. The three-tiered square cake was made of two different flavors: lemon poppy and chocolate caramel.
The tables burst with color—each was topped with topaz cantaloupe linens, coral napkins, sunburst orange chargers, and red wine glasses. After dinner, the party moved to the site’s “wine cave,” which was decorated with sofas, candles, and pink- and burgundy-colored lights to create a comfortable, loungy mood.
After the ceremony, Mari and Derek changed into Japanese kimonos (in honor of the bride’s heritage) and joined their guests in a traditional sake barrel “cracking” ceremony (in which the couple breaks open the sake barrel with a mallet) during the cocktail hour.
The reception chairs were dressed with pink floral arrangements.
After sending their guests home with Japanese umbrella and fan favors (along with CDs of some of their favorite tunes), Mari and Derek spent a few days in Big Sur relaxing and reflecting on their perfect, personalized destination wedding before they returned home.
The Boutonniere
The Menu/Food
Since the couple wanted their flowers to have a wild look, Mari carried a bouquet of ranunculuses, miniature callas lilies, Japanese maple, and garden roses in varying shades of pink and cut to different heights.
The area was decorated with 1,000 handmade origami cranes, which are a symbol of longevity. For a creative way to include their guests in the wedding, the paper butterfly RSVPs that each guest returned were displayed on the tea table.