Laura + Omar by Kristin Lin Photography

Our wedding was inspired by the redwoods.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We fell in love over a shared love of people, travel, and curiosity. We come from different cultures and worlds: Omar from a Puerto Rican family full of music and dancing, and Laura from a Vietnamese immigrant family shaped by resilience, loyalty, and deep care.

Our careers have taken us in very different directions – Omar works in humanitarian response with UNICEF, and Laura invests in early-stage technology companies – but from the moment we met, we both felt an unexpected sense of familiarity, as though we had found a home in one another. Even years later, we still look at each other and ask, “Who are you?!” amazed by how naturally we fit together and how closely our values, ambitions, and sense of adventure align.

Perhaps that spirit of adventure is what brought us together most. Whether surfing in Costa Rica, hiking through Patagonia, or simply trying a new dance class in New York, we love learning, exploring, and embracing a little Type II fun together.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met at a climbing gym in Brooklyn (shoutout Vital!) in May 2023—more specifically, in the gym’s sauna.

Looking back, we’re still amazed by how unlikely it was. Omar almost never used the sauna during the day, but a rainstorm had derailed his planned long run. Laura wasn’t even a climber; she had simply stopped by with a friend for a quick sauna session.

As odd as it sounds, it was less a sauna encounter and more a lively conversation among strangers. The discussion drifted from exercise recovery to life in New York and, somehow, surfing. What caught Laura’s attention was the way Omar engaged with everyone around him. He was genuinely curious—asking thoughtful questions, listening closely, and making every person feel included.

For Omar, it was Laura’s quiet confidence that stood out. Despite being an avid surfer herself, she spent most of the conversation asking questions rather than talking about her own experiences. There was a humility and warmth to her that felt rare.

By the time we left, we were both hoping the conversation wasn’t over. We exchanged numbers and went on our first date the very next day: a rendezvous in Tompkins Square Park.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Our wedding was inspired by the redwoods. To us, these trees symbolise resilience, wonder, and the kind of growth that happens through deep connection. Their roots intertwine beneath the surface, helping them weather storms together while growing into their own distinct shapes.

We chose our venue because it featured a beautiful fairy ring of redwoods. A fairy ring forms when an older tree falls and nourishes a ring of younger trees that grow around it, a powerful reminder that we are shaped and sustained by those who came before us. It felt like the perfect way to honour the family, mentors, and loved ones whose care and sacrifices helped us become who we are.

The redwoods were so breathtaking that we kept the ceremony design intentionally simple. Aside from a single floral arrangement, we let the trees speak for themselves.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

One of our favourite parts of planning was finding ways to celebrate with the different communities that have shaped our lives. Rather than having a single event, we embraced several celebrations, each reflecting a different part of our story.

We hosted a traditional Vietnamese banquet in Florida, held a tea ceremony that blended Vietnamese and Puerto Rican traditions, and gathered many of our closest friends in Costa Rica for a five-day “friendmoon” filled with surfing, shared meals, and time together.

For the wedding itself, we kept things intentionally small—just family and our closest friends. We wanted it to feel less like a production and more like a gathering, and that’s exactly what it became.

Our advice to couples: don’t feel bound by tradition. The most meaningful celebrations are the ones that reflect your values, relationships, and community.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

We were incredibly fortunate to work with so many talented vendors, but our photographer, Kristin Lin, deserves special mention. Kristin was one of Laura’s closest friends long before she became our photographer, which made working together especially meaningful.

What makes Kristin’s work so special is her ability to capture not just how a celebration looks, but how it feels. Her images are deeply human—full of intimacy, emotion, and the small moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. She has a gift for documenting people as they truly are.

We spent an afternoon with Kristin before the wedding for our engagement photos, and her calm, thoughtful presence immediately put us at ease. On the wedding day, having a dear friend behind the camera was an incredible gift. Kristin captured our first moments as a married couple, quiet moments with our families, and countless memories with friends—all with remarkable sensitivity and care.

Somehow, she managed to be everywhere at once while blending seamlessly into the celebration.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

We travelled to Vietnam to create our wedding outfits, but the trip became about much more than clothing. Laura’s dress was designed by Olivia Ng Bridal, and Omar’s black suit was made by Tien Tailor. Laura worked with Olivia for several months before the trip, and once we arrived in Vietnam, we spent a few days in fittings to bring every detail to life. While there, Laura also had a red áo dài (traditional Vietnamese dress) and several other garments made for the wedding festivities.

The trip to Vietnam was about much more than the outfits. It was an opportunity to spend time with Laura’s extended family and for Omar to experience Vietnam for the first time. We made so many memories during that trip – eating, exploring, and connecting more deeply with Laura’s family and culture. By the time we returned home, the experience had become woven into the wedding itself, adding another layer of meaning to our celebration.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

We knew we wanted rings that felt personal, so we were drawn to working with independent designers who could help bring our ideas to life. For Laura’s engagement and wedding rings, we worked with Emi Conner Jewelry. We managed the entire process virtually, and Emi guided us through every step—from design iterations and stone sourcing to sending a resin model so we could see the ring taking shape before it was made.

Laura was looking for something delicate yet striking, vintage-inspired with modern touches, and had a clear vision of what she wanted. Emi translated those ideas into something that felt uniquely ours. The process felt deeply collaborative, and the final three-ring set was even more beautiful than we had imagined.

For Omar’s ring, we worked with Ken & Dana Designs to create a distressed two-ring rose gold band. We loved the balance of texture and simplicity and appreciated being able to customise every detail until it felt just right.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

The venue was at the very top of our list. We wanted to gather our family in a place that reflected who we are. Standing among the redwoods in the fairy ring, we were reminded that marriage is both intimate and ancestral—two lives growing together, supported by roots we can and cannot see, and becoming part of a larger story.

Omar and I often say that “food is love,” so creating a memorable meal together mattered enormously to us. For the reception, we wanted dinner to feel like one big family meal. In both of our families, people come together around food, and some of our favourite memories have been made in the kitchen or gathered around a dining table. We found HOME in Soquel and were drawn to its commitment to fresh, seasonal, farm-to-table food. We shared a family-style dinner in the restaurant’s backyard, which created exactly the warm, communal atmosphere we were hoping for. As a family-owned business, HOME embodied so much of what mattered to us, and even its name felt like a perfect reflection of the feeling we wanted to create for the day.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

Our favourite moment was at the end of our ceremony. After exchanging vows and saying “I do,” we invited all of our guests into the redwood fairy ring to encircle us. We wanted our first moments of marriage to be shared with the family and community that had raised, supported, and loved us throughout our lives—our new family as a couple being an extension of the ones we came from.

Standing together beneath the redwoods, surrounded by everyone we love, we shared a poem that is deeply meaningful to us. Then our officiant—Laura’s sister—looked at us (surrounded by everyone) and said, “Laura and Omar, you are now husband and wife.”

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

To us, marriage is a unique partnership. It’s a commitment to hold space for the full range of being human: joy, growth, uncertainty, adventure, and even suffering. It means loving ourselves and one another with acceptance and without fearing that growth undermines who we are – individually or together. Against this unconditional backdrop, marriage is also about a shared horizon and agreeing to sail toward it together, guided by a joint set of core values.

Marriage is also about family and friends. There’s an intergenerational merging of families, stories and cultures. It’s about honouring the family histories that came before us while creating new stories together. Part of this story was the communal affirmation before family and friends in Santa Cruz. We committed to living as fully as possible. We also affirmed some simple rituals: staying curious, holding space, adventuring often, loving always, and reminding one another – with wonder – “we’re stardust. And this life we’re living is a miracle.”