Mexican and Taiwanese Details Create a Beautiful, Red-Forward Wedding in New York
Lena and Kuei’s modern love story started on a dating app, which eventually led to a romantic first date that came with a bit of a surprise. “Kuei asked me out to dinner, but what he failed to mention until just a few hours before our date was that he had chosen the night of his birthday. And to make it even more special, he willingly drove nearly two hours from Phoenix to Tucson just to spend his birthday with me,” Lena says. This selfless gesture sealed the deal for her. “From that first night, his thoughtfulness and dedication made it clear this was the start of something truly unforgettable,” she adds.
One year later, Lena and Kuei were at the Walt Disney World Resort at the EPCOT theme park. “After enjoying some wine together in the France Pavilion, Kuei asked me to be his forever park buddy. He made it official with a stunning marquise-cut diamond fit for a Disney princess, turning our favorite place into the setting for the best chapter of our story yet,” the bride reminisces.
The couple’s New York City wedding started at the iconic The Plaza Hotel, where Lena and Kuei got ready together with their daughter, Eva, who’s all-red outfit was inspired by her favorite fictional New Yorker, Eloise. Lena was styled by Kim Stokes from Gold Leaf Brides who dressed her in a bespoke, cascading veil and dazzling white Eva Lendel wedding dress, while Kuei donned a custom black suit from Ralph Lauren.
Since Lena is the owner of a multicultural wedding planning studio, creating a deeply personal celebration that honored her Mexican heritage and Kuei’s Taiwanese roots came easy to her. The intimate ceremony was at the Belvedere Castle in Central Park, which included a small group of their friends and family and was officiated in English and Mandarin. There was even a violinist there who played music from Selena Quintanilla, a famous Mexican-American singer, and Tersea Teng, a popular Taiwanese singer, during the ceremony.
After saying “I do,” the duo had a photo shoot on the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and inside the New York Public Library. Lena then changed into a long-sleeve, lace piece by Claire Pettibone for their Chinatown photo session, which leaned into a rich and moody vibe and inspired by the color grading from classic Asian films like In the Mood for Love and Oldboy. “Think saturated tones, deep crimson reds, rich amber lighting and dramatic cinematic contrast to give every moment a timeless, storybook feel,” the bride explains. (Red is also a significant and symbolic color in both of their cultures, so it really was the perfect fusion.)
The reception was at the couple's favorite Korean BBQ spot, where their loved ones rejoined them for tasty dishes, soju and a red-and-gold, heart-shaped cake that had the Chinese double happiness symbol at the center. The night ended with Lena and Kuei giving out the cutest wedding favors. “Each guest got a little Chinese take-out box filled with Taiwanese and Mexican candy as they departed the restaurant,” the bride says.