It has only been 2 days since our wedding, already some memories are fading, so I thought to take this time and write down some of the things I remember just so I will always remember them even in the years to come.

The first thing I want to remember forever is that everything went perfectly that day. We were on time for everything listed on the schedule if not earlier. There were no trouble getting cupcakes like we anticipated from Trophy, and the decorations were wonderful even though I’d only explained to Aimee and Cathy the day before the wedding.  What others told me about that day going by quickly was so true, but some moments linger more than others.

Parents get really emotional when their baby is about to get married the next day, and the day before my wedding was not an exception to this rule. We all went to bed after practicing the dance for hours grumpy and the tension was so high. But my wonderful husband continues to be my anchor when I’m upset, that charming calming effects of his.

We woke up the next day getting ready for my appointment for Gene Juarez in Bellevue. Ri drove me to the salon and we said our temporary goodbye, I was thinking “the next time we see each other would be for our first look!” Two hours of makeup and hair styling later, I was waiting at the front door for Ling Ling to come pick me up with Julie already inside the car to go to Willow’s Lodge in Woodinville.

We’ve checked out Willow’s Lodge before, that’s when we first placed our reservation because it is so quiet and clean. However, since the checkout policy for the Willow’s Lodge was set at 12pm, they couldn’t really give us any confirmation on the availability of the room when we intend to arrive.  We even called the day before the wedding and were told that all the rooms were booked that night so they really can’t guarantee that the room would be available at 1230pm on the day of. But when I was waiting for Ling Ling to pick me up, Lindsey from Willow’s Lodge called and informed me that our room is prepped and ready. Yay! We head to Willow’s Lodge to find Cathy, Bob, Aimee, and Rocky parked outside since they’ve just dropped off Stephanie. We head into our room and began feasting on yummy Vietnamese sandwiches that Ling Ling had picked up. (Side story of Ling Ling asking me what food do I have in mind during our rehearsal dinner at Facing East, I totally blanked out and seriously did not consider the fact that we do need to put some food in our stomachs. But as resourceful as she is, she managed to get us yummy sandwiches.)

Photographer Joni and 2^nd shooter Heather arrived promptly at 1230pm and they began their work right away taking detail shots of the jewelry and our dresses. The girls got into their gorgeous chiffon dresses then they helped me get into my dress. Cameras are snapping photos, someone was zipping me up, Stephanie was trying to tie the ribbon around my waist and the knot in the back, Ling Ling and Julie fluffing my train (or tail as I call it). I remember them telling me that I look pretty. We went outside to take some bridal portraits and it started to rain. Joni was being such a trooper, she was so considerate and told me that as soon as I start to feel uncomfortable with the rain, we can head inside.

We went to Novelty Hill where they had concrete backgrounds to take some photos with the bridesmaids. Joni even prepared white cute ruffled umbrellas for us to use. It was really cold and windy, and I will forever be thankful that these 3 girls took their jackets off for me that day. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words, and I’m sure they’re screaming ‘I love you’ back, too.

The boys surprised us by being on time (a round of applause, please) to the UW campus after dropping off the cupcakes they picked up at Trophy to the Zoo. Joni had Ri and I hold hands around a pillar outside of the Suzzallo Library for the first look. Then she had him closed his eyes and turned to face me. I was so nervous that he is not going to like it, the dress, the makeup, the hair. But I was wrong (thank God!). When he opened his eyes, he had the biggest smile on his face and he looked into my eyes and told me I am beautiful. I had successfully tricked him into believing I would be wearing a fluffy dress and he was thoroughly pleasantly surprise. We then proceed to take photos around UW campus (Red Square, pathway to the fountain between Mary Gates and Forest Resources building, EE building, even the staircase underneath the Kane Hall).

We arrived at the zoo a little before 5pm, then the frenzy of family portraits began at the beautiful Carousel. We also thanked our parents for raising us by putting our foreheads to the floor 3 times. Mom and dad came out with tears in their eyes, we got up with giant fat red envelopes in our hands. We started to head to the Tundra Center (bumped into PJ on the way in), I sneaked in the prepping room and waited there, hungrily and anxiously, until the ceremony began. I looked out the slits in the door and saw that pom poms were hung exactly the way I had imagined it, the guest book table was decorated exactly the way I would have done it. Then I saw someone in jeans, apparently I yelled “who is that guy in jeans??!!!” and someone told me it was Kevin. Ohh, go figure, it’s Kevin. I guess it’s ok if it’s Kevin then, hahaha.

Ceremony went by so quickly. I remember asking dad to make sure I don’t fall or trip walking down the aisle. I remember asking Theresia to fluff my train. I remember dad told me we will alternate foot in walking down the aisle, but he totally wasn’t doing it. We made it to the far end and he said “I, Eric with my wife, Nancy, will give this woman to be married today”. Ri hugged dad and we are standing in front of the crowd. The family band of Boudreaus and Kriegers started the worship singing “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redmond and “Our God is Greater” by Chris Tomlin. I remember a glitch that Jim didn’t know the power point slides weren’t automated. We sang, loudly and in one voice, I remember thinking “not having mics is a good call”. It reminded me of the “Amazing Grace” we sang at the end of the Summer Worship Concert in 2010 with no mics. The message from Pastor Admand followed with humorous references to the Garden of Eden and it was time for us to exchange our vows.

Richard and I have practiced our vows exchange more than 5 times without any hint of sobbing days prior to the wedding. So you can imagine my shock when he actually started to get choked up when he was reciting his vows in front of the guests. When I asked him about it later that night, he said “sometimes things don’t hit me until I’m in the moment. I didn’t really understand my vows to you until that moment I was saying it, then I realized the extent of our promises to each other.”  Everyone at the wedding expects the bride to cry, but rarely do they expect the groom to cry, at our wedding, you get both. Phil was prepared enough to have tissue as he handed Ri one and me one. We took our first communion as husband and wife together as the family band sings in the background. I remember Pastor Admand saying “from this day forward, every time you partake in communion, remember the first time you take communion right now”. Then the ‘you may now kiss the bride’ part came and the ‘I now pronounce you husband and wife’ part followed. We hugged our family members, and walked out to “Marry You” b Bruno Mars.

I’ve often been told during the months before the wedding that professional photographers don’t really like to be taking photos of you and the guests like they are some sort of a photo booth. This is where the awesomeness of Joni comes in! We stayed at the front of the Tundra Center and guests can come take professional photo with us. Thank you so much, Joni, we’ve come to love you for your photography skills and your personality.

Dinner starts in the Taiga Viewing Shelter. I guess I didn’t leave enough ribbon in length for the pom poms. But the mason jar centerpieces looked amazing. And Rita was right, people took the felt figurines that I made with gladness. I was so hungry, I ate my pomberry salad and then they gave me a serving of steaks, but I think I stole most of Ri’s salmon.

There was not enough time at the reception! The childhood video played and everyone seems to enjoy it, then the toasts. Phil was the first up as the best man, he gave such a good toast that I wished I had designated someone to record them. Ling Ling started crying before her first word even came out, hey, but that’s Ling Ling right there for you. References to sleeping in 14 hours a day and obsession with animals popped out. She also mentioned that God had given me to her as her best friend in answering her prayers. Bob said that they’ve been hosting students for 10 years now, but some of the reasons why they kept doing it were because of their experience with me. How he was expecting to host someone who is quiet and mostly keeps to herself, but if you know me, that’s not who I am. Richard’s mom went up next, she told a beautiful story of when Ri was a kid, he loved bunnies, and now he’s grown up and married a bunny. She thanked my parents for raising me and gave me to Ri and their family. Next the woman who can’t talk without a pointer in her hands and power point slides ready (my mom) was up. She listed out my good qualities starting in kindergarten to 3^rd grade, then she said, as a mom, if she keeps going on the guests will most likely have to spend the night there. Ri then thanked everyone for coming to be with us on this special day, especially those who have traveled far to be with us.

We were going from table to table to thank them for coming, but we got interrupted at table 4 because Coba the 19-year-old Spectacled Owl came in. Ohh, I love owls. I was mesmerized, along with other guests, with the stories and habits of owls. We even got to see how fast Coba can resize his pupils in response to the flash lights. I could probably stay there all day asking questions about the owl. He even flapped his wings before we took a photo with him. *totally in love*

We quickly went back to the Tundra Center to cut the cake, and then changed for the first dance. I thought it went really well, my dad was the best dancer. We didn’t miss a step beside the “tap tap” part, and just so everyone knows, he never really got that part right. I gave my bouquet to Amy and Gary Arnold who have been married for 41 years. The shoe game was next, Jax asked a whole bunch of questions, and we got 4 wrong. So the punishment was to come up with 4 different creative way of kissing. (XiaoQi posted videos on Facebook, thank yo XiaoQi!) We exited promptly at 945pm with the well wishes of our friends and family under a bridge of glow sticks. :)

Ahh! It was overall very successful. I’m so pleased it turned out the way it did. I wish I had more time to talk to people, but I think we’ve pretty much everyone at least for a little bit. Thanks to Pastor Admand and Jinnie Wong for officiating us without much advanced notice, and in providing marital counseling so willingly. I want to thank my amazing Matron of Honor Ling Ling Zheng for literally planning with me from the beginning and throwing me a big bridal shower, my two gorgeous bridesmaids Julie Javier (traveled all the way from Japan) and Stephanie Boudreau for being my sister. Big thanks for Richard’s Best Man, Phil Luo, he probably couldn’t have pulled a lot of things off without you, and thank you for the bachelor party in Vancouver, B.C.. Thanks to groomsmen Matthew Marone and Jonathan Yockey, you all looked very sharp in your suits. Gratitude to all those who helped with decoration, worship, and execution of events- Bob and Cathy Boudreau, Aimee and Rocky Krieger, Jack and Theresia Song,  and Jim Wang. Major props to photographers Joni and Heather! Thank you both for documenting professional our day so we will have images to remember our memories by! Last but definitely not least, thank you to family old and new. My mom and dad who think they are giving a daughter away, my sometimes overprotective brother, I love you all. My aunt and cousin traveled from California to be there with us, too.  Thank you to my new mom and dad and a new sister, Karen, who are so accepting of me. Richard and I are extremely blessed to have each and every one of you at our wedding.