Does the idea of lots of planning + deciding on the perfect details kind of make you want to elope? Well, this wedding might inspire you to keep planning a wedding, but by having it at a restaurant with great food + design, there isn’t really much else you’ll need to worry about! We hope it will inspire those of you big on minimal design + great food.
Yvonne, the bride, is a talented photographer + graphic designer, so her style was clearly seen in every aspect of the wedding. But when it came to decide between an intimate celebration and a larger affair, she + Young (her groom) had different opinions about what felt right. She says, I honestly envisioned that I would get married in a courthouse with just our families as witnesses. I dread being in front of large crowds. Young, on the other hand, is a little more outgoing and has always wanted to have a larger wedding. So we compromised, and kept it kind of small (91 in total).
Less is always more in my book, so no wedding party and going the restaurant route was a great decision for us. The Optimist itself is beautiful so no need for much décor, the food is great, and the staff was so helpful we didn’t need to do any set up. My vision was to keep things minimal, the day isn’t about how grand the centerpieces are or what dress I was wearing. It’s about the union of Young and I and capturing that moment and our emotions.
Big thanks to the photographer behind today’s Atlanta wedding, Kaitie Bryant, for sending this one our way!
Major love for Yvonne’s bouquet by Legendary Events filled with dahlias, roses, ranunculus, anemones, trumpet vine + more.
Our Favorite Memory
The ceremony. I was so nervous; my flowers were completely trembling in my hands. I cried of course, but wasn’t a complete wreck and on the floor as I imagined. We went back and forth searching for an officiant for our wedding, but we are so happy that we ended up asking Young’s brothers to officiate. They gave a wonderful speech that only someone as close as family would be able to tell and were cute and quirky, which made it fit perfectly in our wedding.
So, not only do I think less is more, I’m pretty practical, and I like coffee. I’m also a fan of mini things. So of course mini coffee bags were the perfect wedding favors. If I was already going to design and print my own coffee labels, I should just make the label include each guest’s name, lunch choice, and table number. Two in one. Perfect. We bought coffee at Costco and our two friends helped us fill the bags.
Our Musical Choices
Our Advice
Don’t stress about the small stuff, the details are important but it’s not what the day is all about. Get a great photographer. You’ll be grateful 30 years from now that you did.
Featured in This Wedding
Mignonne Handmade
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Other Vendors in This Wedding
Photography: Kaitie Bryant Photography // Venue: The Optimist // Florals: Legendary Events // Wedding Dress: J.Crew // Hair Stylist: Fashion Taipei Studio // Groom Attire: J.Crew — Ludlow Suit // Paper Goods: Bride — Yvonne Lin // Catering: The Optimist // Officiant: Lee Chang and Jay Chang, Groom's brothers // pr manager: Ashlyn Stallings — astallings@rocketfarmrestaurants.com // event coordination: Kaylen Isabella at The Optimist // onsite event coordination: Abbey Pietrobon and Theodora Kastritsou // cupcakes: The Optimist
