Wedding at The Paine Art Center & Gardens | Oshkosh, Wisconsin
I married the love of my life, Junior, at the Paine Art Center & Gardens in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is a historic estate museum with lush flowers and greenery. This unique venue is one of the few places that reflected a timeless, European style that I adore. After touring the venue, we knew this was the place for us to marry. At the heart of it all, what mattered the most was the man standing at the end of the aisle and the people witnessing this sweet, sweet day.
We chose not to do a first-look, but we wanted to have an intimate moment together before the ceremony began. With our eyes closed, I excitedly met with Junior at the garden gates. We prepared our hearts for the day through prayer. I felt nothing but an overwhelming feeling of love and joy.
The Ceremony
The ceremony space was a dream. Traditionally, the venue has a specific spot for outdoor ceremonies, but I requested to have it right behind the estate in the Great Lawn. I had an asymmetrical installation with varying pink florals and greenery. Clear acrylic chairs surrounded the area for a modern touch.
The Hmong mindset is that the father is the one to give his daughters away. My dad passed away years ago and the next person that I wanted to walk me down the aisle was my mom. She was hesitant because of the way our culture thinks, but it turned out to be a very special moment for the both of us.
The Reception
Our florist designed a beautiful sweetheart table installation where crisp, white chandeliers hung down from. The table had pink hand-made candles from Korea, gold accented dinnerware, and simple white table runners. I wanted to have a neutral-toned linen color and found BBJ La Tavola’s Tuscany linens. The linens also had a hint of green that warmed and freshened up the reception room.
Junior was blindfolded and had to guess which hand was mine. He is holding his final pick in the image above. The night continued with fun dancing and laughter from our beloved family and friends.
Vendors
Photography: Whitney and Matsaya / Venue: The Paine Art Center / Florist: JJ’s Floral Design and Events / Dress: Annika Bridal – Anna Kara / Hair: Hnubhli Designs / Makeup: Jenna Hayes Makeup Artistry / Stationery: Amelia Niu Studio / Rentals: Event Essentials / Linens: BBJ La Tavola / Coordinator: Liz Yang Xiong / Cookies: Liz Cookie Co / Candles: Hjem
