Christopher + Rhiannon by The Curries

The challenge was finding the balance of red

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

We’re both long-time residents of Toronto who recently relocated to Hong Kong after falling in love with the city during a visit. We debated it for a brief 10 minutes and quickly sold our belongings and relocated within the year. Rhiannon is a violinist and teacher here, dedicating her time to reshaping how young children learn and experience music. Chris is an entrepreneur establishing his foothold in this new and spirited city. When we aren’t treasure hunting through the many corners and layers of the city, we’re escaping to the outlying islands, guiding our wonderful dog Juno through as many beaches and mountains as she desires.

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

After a bit of cat and mouse, the two of us finally agreed to go for a walk on a cold Toronto evening by the water. What was meant to be a quick date turned into many hours, then many months, then many years. We were both so different from one another, yet found ourselves endlessly gravitating towards each other’s interests and perspectives.

Wedding

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

It was very important for us to ensure our friends and family attending didn’t feel like spectators. Each of them meant a great deal to us, and we wanted to ensure each of them understood that and felt they were a part of the celebration. This wedding was as much about them as it was about us.

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).

The colour red means a great deal to Chris; he felt it was deeply rooted in his heritage and was always a symbol of celebration to him. The challenge was finding the balance of red and having it feel like it belonged and was part of the existing Tuscan environment we were in. Our florist did an amazing job of making that come true for us.

It was also important that the stationery felt personal and carried characteristics unique to the two of us. We incorporated our Chinese zodiacs, the rooster and the hare, throughout our stationery in a manner that represented our personality as well as Chris’ culture. We were also so happy to have personalised room cards, escort cards, menus, and of course a cigar bar courtesy of our pup Juno, for our guests.

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

We love design, and it was a very rare instance where the two of us were able to combine elements of what we loved together. Our vendors were also critical, and we were so fortunate to find individuals who saw past the surface of what we were asking for. Once we found the right ones, we did our best to leave control and creative expression to them. It was one of the best decisions we made because every one of them created something well beyond our own creativity.

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

We feel incredibly lucky to say that we truly had the best experience with every single one of our vendors. Each of them took the time to get to know us personally, and by the end of the weekend, it genuinely felt as though they were part of the celebration with us.

We absolutely fell in love with our band, Blue Flame Band. They brought such an electric energy to the evening and had every one of our guests on the dance floor until the very end of the night.

Our photographers and videographer, The Curries & Philip White, were an absolute joy to work with and somehow managed to make us—a traditionally camera-shy couple—feel completely comfortable and at our best throughout the entire weekend. And of course, Guidi Lenci, our caterer, and Borgo Corsignano, our venue and accommodation, were exceptional. From beginning to end, both we and our guests felt incredibly well taken care of. Every detail was thoughtfully handled, and they played such an important part in making the entire weekend feel as special and effortless as it did.

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

For Chris, he was looking specifically for a double-breasted dinner jacket with a shawl lapel. And The Anthology in Hong Kong was able to bespoke a wonderful tuxedo for him. The jacket had a wonderful shawl collar and a two-button design, which they paired with an exaggerated, unlined bow tie that flowed and sat naturally throughout the evening. Rhiannon fell in love with her wedding gown designed by Valentini Spouse, an Italian wedding designer. She loved that the lace tied into the Tuscan theme and especially loved that the bolero helped create two different looks so effortlessly. She also wore a second dress made by Sau Lee. It was important to Rhiannon to use and represent a Hong Kong designer, and she fell in love with Sau Lee’s play on traditional and modern cheongsams.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Our rings are from Astera, based in Hong Kong. The husband-and-wife-owned business does amazing work with bespoke pieces, and we were really happy with all of our visions coming to life.

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?).

Stationery was a big element Rhiannon wanted to focus on. She really loves going to weddings where there are personal touches, and we made a constant effort to use our stationery intentionally throughout the weekend.

Chris is a hobby photographer and loves capturing the in-between moments throughout our life in Hong Kong. Finding wedding photography to capture the subtler details and the hundreds of instances we’d miss was essential for us.

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

As much as we tried, we could not contain the sillier parts within our relationship. The ceremony felt incredibly high-stakes, but when we met at the end of the aisle, all of the seriousness of that moment fled. We giggled, messed up our words, and completely let go of any urge to be perfect. That is a big highlight for us, and we will carry this as a reminder to be authentic and true to ourselves.

The eve of our wedding night was also a highlight. We had our tea ceremony followed by a BBQ-karaoke party! Watching all of our friends and family fully submerge themselves in song and dance was truly special. We will cherish that feeling of community and love for a very long time.

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

We’re still fairly new to marriage, but we think choosing each other over and over again is a good representation of who we are and how we navigate it together. Acts of service have always been a big part of our relationship, and when it comes to any “special rituals,” one that immediately comes to mind is our habit of sharing freshly cut fruit. It shows up in all kinds of moments; on hard days, during difficult seasons, when we’re celebrating something, marking a milestone, or sometimes for no reason at all. One of us will cut up fruit and serve it in one of our favourite bowls we’ve collected while travelling over the years. It’s such a small thing, but somehow it has become one of the ways we take care of each other, celebrate each other, and make even the most ordinary days feel a little more special.