An Elegant Botanical Garden Wedding In Vancouver

During a road trip through California in 2015, Grace had no idea that Kenny was planning an elaborate proposal. Kenny popped the question after a walk through Lovers Point Park in Monterey, before the couple returned to their hotel where even more surprises were in store for Grace. "I found the room decorated with candles, rose petals, a bouquet of roses, champagne, a wedding cake and a personalized photo album," recalls Grace. "As I flipped through the album, I saw on the last page a picture of Kenny proposing to me on the beach just moments before, and the selfie we took after! Kenny had planned the whole thing with my two best friends."

The couple knew that they wanted an elegant wedding complete with a romantic garden feel, and found the perfect venue in the UBC Botanical Garden. They chose the rest of their décor to complement the natural beauty of the gardens, and included white linens, gold cutlery and charger plates, and fairy lights to play up the intimate setting.

Since many of the wedding guests were travelling to Vancouver from out of town, Grace and Kenny took their wedding as an opportunity to showcase the west coast's finest food and wines. At dinner, guests were treated to a family-style buffet of the bride and groom's favourite local dishes, along with wines from the Okanagan Valley and beer from local craft breweries.

The biggest surprise of the night came when Kenny began entertaining the guests with his hidden saxophone skills. During the cocktail hour, the jazz band mentioned they were missing a member, and Kenny joined the band on stage in playing an Ed Sheeran tune. "His amazing performance surprised everyone, including me," says Grace."Before that moment, I had no idea he even played this instrument!"

Grace Hsu and Kenny Yung, July 1, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Photography courtesy of Nadia Hung.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: UBC Botanical Garden
Bridal gown: Watters Bridal
Bridesmaid gowns: J. Crew
Groom’s tux: Hugo Boss
Wedding planner: Spotlight Events
Caterer: Savoury City Catering
Flowers: Botany and Co
Stationery: Minted
Cake: A Elizabeth Cakes
Hair and makeup: Carol Hung Makeup Artistry
Music: Beyond Sound Entertainment, Jeff Groh