1. Real Weddings

Tao & Jo: A Cultural Wedding in Toronto, ON

A little family matchmaking brought Tao and Jo together. Tao's cousin and Jo's brother were friends from business school, and they introduced the two

A little family matchmaking brought Tao and Jo together. Tao's cousin and Jo's brother were friends from business school, and they introduced the two while Tao was backpacking through North America. The Bride Tao Cheng, 35, an architect The Groom Joseph (Jo) Lo, 34, a phone company director The Date July 7 Soon afterward, Tao and Jo were meeting up around the globe and dating long-distance after Tao returned home to Australia. After a Christmas proposal and a move to Canada, the couple began planning a modern, cultural celebration that included two Chinese tea ceremonies, a civil ceremony, and a reception at one of the best restaurants in Toronto. The wedding also featured a healthy dose of red, symbolic of good luck and good fortune in the Chinese culture.

After finding their table number among six boards set up on easels, guests could write the number down on origami flowers passed out by Tao's niece and Jo's cousin.
At each of their parents' houses, Tao and Jo performed tea ceremonies -- a Chinese tradition that serves as a formal introduction of the bride and groom into each other's families -- before their civil ceremony and reception.
The birdcages were used as a decorative display for mini chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. Leftovers were packaged in red and white Chinese take-out boxes for a sweet send-off.
A deep pink bouquet of Red Aranda orchids, burgundy peonies, burgundy cordyline leaves, and green ruscus with a deep red ribbon wrap complemented the maid of honor's burgundy dress. She also wore a red rose wrist corsage.
Traditional Chinese paper lanterns were strung from trees outside the restaurant.
At the last moment, Tao bought three large birdcages in Toronto's Chinatown, spray painted them gold, and created tiers inside that were wrapped in Japanese paper.
The Centerpieces
Guests' names were printed on both sides of a tent card so that people sitting across the table could easily identify a new face. Each card featured a pale pink, rice grain pattern, which also appeared on other stationery elements.
Inside the restaurant more than 450 red origami cranes hung in front of a painted mural map of Canada.