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Love Stories

  • By Sari Lehrer
  • Published Summer 2006
Lee Hsieh & Debbie Kan
  • The Mandarin Oriental
  • New York, August 27, 2005
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leedebbieThe Location

Our search for the venue was very fun and stress-free. We were able to narrow our choices down to just a few hotels based on the location and style we wanted. Ultimately, we chose the Mandarin because it offered a modern and elegant space with a spectacular view. And since we wanted to have a little Asian feel to the wedding, the Mandarin was perfect for that, too.

The Ceremony

Unlike other weddings, the evening started with the cocktail hour. Guests enjoyed an hour of great drinks and hors d'oeuvre before being invited into the beautiful ceremony space where the New York City nightscape served as the backdrop. A pair of modern Lucite pedestals framed the altar area. The pedestals elevated large glass cylinders containing arrangements of white hydrangea with some tropical leaves. The aisle runner and altar area were covered in a beautiful white silk dupioni. Gardenia flowers placed as aisle markers filled the room with a beautiful and delicate fragrance. Having enjoyed great drinks and food, the guests were in great spirits, creating a strong energy going into the ceremony. As I walked down the aisle, guests were so excited that they began to cheer and applaud. By the time Debbie and her father walked down the aisle after her bridesmaids, the room was roaring.

The Scene Change

In China, the "changing-dress" tradition is practically a must-have element. So, on the wedding night, Debbie wore four different dresses: her wedding dress, a light pink dress for the first dance, a green dress for dinner and cake-cutting, and a Chinese-style dress (or chi-pao, as it's called in Mandarin) for the rest of the night. She picked out her wedding dress for its simplicity and elegance; the light pink dress because it looked nice during the dance; and as for the other two dresses, I think it's just because she liked them. Also, pink and green were almost (we didn't really spend a lot of effort to match colors; it just happened that all the colors blended into the space in a harmonious way) the "theme colors" of the night.

The Décor:

Debbie and I like to explore the lounge scene in New York. And with the help of our wedding planner and florist, we transformed the room into a loungelike space. Wonderful glowing lamps with modern drum shades made the dining room more intimate and sophisticated. Around the base of each lamp, a trio of modern glass vases held lavender flowers-all roses, calla lilies, orchids, and hyacinths. Because of the shape of the containers, the flowers were all on a slant, giving it a chic and modern feel. The table linens were a gunmetal-gray silk dupioni. The chair covers were two-toned, the front being the same color as the tablecloth and the back a lighter shade, creating interest and depth to the room. On each plate, the guests found a beautifully printed deep-purple menu card with silver print alongside a stunning orchid bloom and silver ribbon. Ottomans were located around the edge of the dance floor for guests who didn't want to dance but wanted to feel like part of the action.

The Highlight:

Definitely the dancing. People got on the dance floor right from the start! The band was phenomenal, and everyone had endless energy that night. Debbie, my dad, and I were even thrown into the air at one point.