1. Real Weddings

Mie & Byron: A Ballroom Wedding in Boston, MA

Personal touches and crimson hues complemented Mie and Byron's sophisticated wedding. The Bride Mie Asakawa The Groom Byron Powell The Date June 11

Personal touches and crimson hues complemented Mie and Byron's sophisticated wedding. The Bride Mie Asakawa The Groom Byron Powell The Date June 11 A training seminar for work led to much more than computer expertise for Mie and Byron. Though the two worked in the same department of the same university, separate buildings had been enough to keep Mie, who was a help desk specialist, and Byron, a desktop specialist, from meeting. Once they did, however, the attraction was instant. “We hit it off right away and were much more interested in each other than the training class,” says Mie, who’s now 25. The two started emailing daily and hanging out after work. A year after they met, Byron, now 28, surprised Mie with a trip to Negril, Jamaica, where he proposed by the ocean.

At each place setting, small gold frames served as both place cards and favors. Mie and Byron later sent guests small photos (to put in the frames) with their thank-you notes.
The Couple
The Rings
At the reception, deep red floral arrangements on brass pedestals were a luxe contrast for the gold molding and shimmering chandeliers.
Mie's maids wore dresses by Jim Hjelm. “At first I started picking dresses, but my bridesmaids and I were definitely not on the same page,” the bride says. “In the end, they found the dress, and I knew it was the one the minute I saw it. It had a unique side pleating that matched the inverted side pleating on my wedding dress!”
The top three tiers of Mie and Byron’s wedding cake were white cake with vanilla buttercream, while the bottom was chocolate with vanilla buttercream. Red roses and deep burgundy peonies sat between each tier. “Byron and I ate cake every day until we left for our honeymoon and even ate cake when we returned almost two weeks later! It was the most delicious cake we have ever had,” Mie says.
Mie carried a bouquet of red roses, her maid of honor carried ivory roses with green hydrangeas, and her three bridesmaids held a mix of red and ivory roses with green hydrangeas.
The Ceremony Decor
The First Dance
Mie accented her gown with her grandmother’s pearl earrings and necklace.
After their ceremony, Mie and Byron hopped into a horse and carriage for a ride to the Boston Public Gardens -- a special request of the bride’s.
The ceremony unfolded in the Mansion’s Louis XV ballroom with another major contribution from the groom: Byron wrote the entire ceremony himself. We didn’t want the ceremony to be too religious, and of course we wanted it to be meaningful to all, the bride explains. It was probably the most memorable part of the wedding for us.