Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
In January 2020, Grace Jun and Greg Lee connected through mutual friends. Despite living in a different state, the couple began to chat via text messages and phone calls. About a month later, Greg flew from Atlanta to New York City and started their first official date with Grace. "I asked her to meet for dinner at Via Carota in Greenwich Village," he recalled. "But, I was stupid and didn't realize how long to wait." They called Rosemary, but from the first date, "It feels like something is wrong."
Shortly after Greg returned to Atlanta, the pandemic stopped the trip. Therefore, the two arrange a date night through video and watch the beginning of the movie together while getting to know each other more and more. As travel became safer, they began to visit each other in person, and the relationship began to develop.
Then, nearly a year later, Greg finally booked New Year's Eve on Via Carota, no less. He took the opportunity to propose, and Grace responded loudly: "Yes!"
They held their wedding on August 26, 2021, combining their Korean culture with an impeccable sense of fashion (Grace is a professor of graphic design and the CEO of Open Style Lab, a company dedicated to making People of all abilities can access fashionable non-profit organizations). Every decision is made deliberately, especially the choice of suppliers. "[During the pandemic], many small businesses owned by ethnic minorities have been hit hard, and it is my goal for us to support this on special days," Grace said. She looks for local Korean companies for wedding planners and photographers, and Asian Americans for graphic design, fashion and music.
Read on to learn more about the couple's traditional white ceremony and their dream wedding, curated by White Collections Bridal Atelier and shot by Don Hwang Photography and Haseok Chung Studio.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Design is an important element of bridal wedding planning, from the typography on the invitation to the symbolic meaning of the color palette. "The design must be meaningful, beautiful and functional," she said. "The graphic design of our prints, invitations, menus and gift bags is very personal."
The typesetting including the names of the bride and groom in Korean and English is set with metal plates and pressed with gold leaf. "I like working with DWRI Letterpress because we know how to communicate with each other on printing and brand consistency issues," Grace added.
Photography: Don Hwang Photography
Photography: Don Hwang Photography
The two-day event started with a rehearsal dinner and a traditional Korean Paebaek ceremony in Crown Shy, New York City. They kept their decorations to a minimum—the ceremony project brought enough color and size without the need for additional flowers—and focused on the printing and graphics that make the wedding week more cohesive. Dinner starts with home-style appetizers such as watermelon salad and olive bread; the main course is grilled citrus marinated chicken with homemade chili sauce.
Photography: Don Hwang Photography
Photography: Don Hwang Photography
Under the ceremonial robes, Grace and Greg wore traditional costumes-slightly different. "Traditionally, the bride's hanbok consists of two pieces of pink or similar hanbok," Grace said. "But my design is exactly the opposite: bold mustard yellow and deep indanthrene blue." The chosen shades complement her skin tone better, but there is more. The bride collaborated with Agnes Jung, the chief designer of Hanbok Story: “She worked with artisans in Seoul and they told me [Korea] Hanbok textiles are colored with natural dyes, and the bold yellow and blue shades I chose Uncommon and rare."
Photography: Don Hwang Photography
Honoring your parents throughout the entire celebration-whether it is a free wedding or a Western wedding-is an important detail for the couple. "We are fortunate that our family has always supported our cause and life so it is great to be able to respect their sacrifice and hard work," Grace said.
Photography: Don Hwang Photography
In front of the colorful decorative background panels, many traditional items displayed on the Korean mahogany table laid the foundation for the modern white white ceremony: wooden ducks, chestnuts, dates, silk-wrapped money envelopes and yellow wine gold cups.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Grace met almost all of her bridesmaids through Open Style Lab, so it is fitting that their wedding preparations pay tribute to the mission and values of the non-profit organization. "My bridesmaid Lea-she can't be from Korea-delivered our bridal party red and cream pajamas overnight, designed by a Seoul brand called Big Biba Collection," Grace said. "These pajamas are perfect because they not only fit my bridesmaid's various sizes, but also have Parisian patterns. This is the first time we have promoted Open Style Lab together." In order to make her skin natural and long-lasting beauty The makeup was ready, and the bride used the serum from Korea's overall skin care line Sulwhasoo and the instant detox mask from Caudalíe.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
One of Grace's bridesmaids (and her partner at Open Style Lab) was unable to hold flowers due to a numb arm. As their company's mission, the two created a solution: "She tied an adaptive bouquet holder around her waist and neck to support her arms," Grace said. "I did it for her twice, the first time was at her own beautiful wedding."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
On an important day, Grace chose the Marthe dress from Vera Wang's Fall 2019 collection. "I fell in love with the fringe lace and neckline details," she said. "It has a long dress. In a venue as big as Oheka Castle, it really makes me feel greater than life." Her veil is custom-made beads, and her hair is coiled into a high bun to keep it. The weight of the pearl shows the high neckline of the skirt.
She matched this look with earrings and diamond tennis bracelets presented by the groom's family. Even her Louboutins have been deliberate: "In many Asian customs, red is a symbol of luck, so the iconic red sole is perfect." She also likes the brand's "Wear my shoes for a mile" campaign to justice And fair promise.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Grace has been to Oheka Castle several times for tea and brunch with her mother since she was 13 years old. "This also happens to be a wedding venue, so this is deliberately chosen by my mother," Grace said with a smile. For her mother, Oheka Castle represents part of the American dream—relaxation—and symbolizes why she immigrated from Seoul to Long Island in the 1980s. "Going to Oheka for brunch is the moment when clothes become fashion, and fashion becomes an experience," Grace recalls. Therefore, many years later, it created a stunning and suitable environment for the portrait in her wedding dress.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
As far as he is concerned, the groom is wearing a black Canali tuxedo with satin lapels, Drake grosgrain silk bow tie and Salvatore Ferragamo calfskin Oxford shoes, looking very capable. He presented a rose gold IWC chronograph watch to the bride's family, a traditional gift for the groom in modern Korean weddings.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
The outdoor ceremony space of Oheka Castle is simply magnificent. The ritual decoration focuses on simplicity, with white flowers-lisianthus, roses and hydrangea-fresh green plants and faint purple. "Aisle runners have a lot of white roses and babies, giving it a light and airy atmosphere," Grace said. "We tried to maintain the Gatsby atmosphere of the castle and praise the scenery outside where the ceremony was held." (Shhh...If the venue looks familiar, the reason is as follows: This is Taylor Swift's "blank space" filming her. Video place.)
One of the couple’s favorite moments of the day was when Grace was walking down the aisle with her father, she “walked slowly and carefully, and provided her with all the support she needed to make sure she didn’t stumble ."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
After "I do", the newlyweds retreated to Gary Clark's "Setting Sail", which was the opening song of the Amazon "Modern Love" series. "We have a live band that makes the world different," Grace recalls. "Keyboard, bass, drums, guitar, two female singers, two male singers and a saxophone player."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Look at everything in perspective and don't let any stressful situation be caught between you.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Although the bride and groom encountered some obstacles due to Covid, they managed to stay calm throughout the planning process. "I'm really lucky to have Greg," Grace shared. "He pays great attention to details, so the guest list and reception plan are the easiest to manage."
Her advice to others to marry? "Keep the right attitude and don't let any stressful situation affect your relationship. Things may be unpredictable (such as a pandemic!) so try not to stress each other over any detail or drama, and thank your friends for being here in this special In the days, gather with your family to celebrate your relationship."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
The bridesmaids chose their plum red dresses, and the best man wore a tuxedo with silk bow ties, plum blossom squares and custom sunglasses. "I try to give my bridesmaids as much freedom as possible to choose their dresses," Grace added. Various white flowers make up bouquets and corsages.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
The wedding signs and escort cards are also printed with metal plates and combined with the unique serif fonts unique to Bookman Type and DWRI Letterpress.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
To match the invitation envelope, the wedding guest book is rendered with plum blossoms. This color was chosen because of its cultural significance: "Many Korean aristocratic families wear fuchsia, including scholars," Grace said. "Our two families have strong educational values."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
I was greatly inspired by knowing the tailoring and seams of hanbok, so I added a high waist line to this white dress.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
Grace put on another dress for the reception, which she customized with NOEL Studio, a Korean factory located in the clothing district of Manhattan, where she learned a lot of sewing techniques. "I want something simple and refined," she said. The details such as pearl beads on the top edge of the bust exude elegance and cultural significance.
"Visit the Hanbok Story and learn about the tailoring and seams of the Hanbok, which inspired me deeply, so I added a high waist line to this white dress," Grace said. "The high-waisted seams are designed to be straight and close to the bottom of the chest, and are decorated with transparent white beads with geometric shapes, which echoes the experience of wearing a hanbok."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
"We have a special selection of music, including a little jazz and k-pop," the bride shared. "We participated in BTS'Dynamite as a couple!" As the first dance of the newlyweds, Grace and Greg switched to Van Morrison's "Crazy Love", which was performed perfectly by their band The Eleven.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
When travel restrictions prevented Grace's bridesmaid from attending the wedding at the last minute, the couple knew her speech would be missed. "So Anna, one of my bridesmaids, and her husband Jose figured out how to magnify Lea's speech," Grace recalled. "These two MIT geniuses figured out how to connect speakers and microphones, prepare projectors and laptops, and coordinate all of them to comply with Korean Standard Time without even noticing."
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
The traditional mother-son and father-daughter dance and the rest of the time spent on the dance floor are a special memory for the couple. "Both of our parents had actions that we didn't realize," Grace recalled with a smile.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
For the wedding cake of the couple, Daniel Andreotti, the in-house pastry chef of Oheka Castle, made chocolate and pistachio candies with edible pearl beads, and the florist put fresh purple flowers on it.
Photography: Haseok Chung Studio
After their perfect wedding, Grace and Greg returned to Manhattan for a little month. “We stayed at the Baccarat Hotel, drank their famous afternoon tea, and went to eat near New York while being inspired by the Museum of Modern Art,” Grace said. Soon after, she moved to Atlanta—they officially began their lives.
Planner White Collections Bridal Atelier
Venue rehearsal dinner and Paebaek: Crown Shy; wedding and reception: Oheka Castle
Dave Park, the officiant of Mosaic Christian Leadership
Bridal costume rehearsal dinner: Hanbok Story; Wedding dress: Vera Wang; Veil and evening gown: NOEL Studio
Bridal jewelry Van Cleef & Arpels
Bridal shoes Christian Louboutin
Hair and makeup White Collections Bridal Atelier
Engagement ring David S. Diamonds
Floral design white series bridal studio
Tea Ceremony Rental and Planning Hanbok Story
Accommodation at Oheka Castle; Fox Valley Inn
Photography rehearsal dinner: Don Hwang Photography; Wedding: Haseok Chung Studio
A modern black tie wedding of an NFL couple on the rooftop of New York City
An Indian wedding that combines traditional and modern design in Santa Barbara, California
Exclusive: Jason Gotay and Michael Hartung's country music wedding in upstate New York
Intimate summer wedding in the backyard of friends in Yorba Linda, California
A simple and sophisticated modern wedding in Washington, D.C. is full of surprises
AAPI couple celebrate their love and tradition at the wedding
8 AAPI wedding dress designers celebrate
A family-centric Columbia-style beach wedding in Captiva, Florida
In the vows: AAPI wedding experts on love, tradition, culture and heritage
Boho ceremony and charming reception by a couple in Orlando, Florida
Kat and Thomas Jamieson’s elegant and intimate wedding in Nantucket
Elegant destination wedding in Mexico City, Mexico
A beautiful Berkshire wedding weekend full of Korean and Indian traditions
Flower-filled social distancing front yard wedding in Brooklyn
Everything you need to know about Korea's white ceremony
9 Korean wedding traditions you need to know