Ziyue & Hannah’s Serene Garden Wedding in Central Ohio Featured Elements of Taiwanese Tradition

Ziyue and Hannah said “yes” to forever in a serene garden wedding ceremony, surrounded by their closest friends and family.

The couple first met as teenagers when their churches hosted a joint retreat. “I always thought she was gorgeous,” admits Ziyue. Still, the pair didn’t really connect until college, when they ran into each other at a wedding they were both working—Hannah doing makeup and Ziyue emceeing.

When it came time to propose, Ziyue knew Hannah would want a photographer present to capture the moment. He also called in Hannah’s friends who lived out of state to further surprise his future bride.

Ziyue popped the question on the campus of Ohio State University by Mirror Lake, a spot he and Hannah often took walks through.

The couple spent the rest of the day celebrating their engagement with their friends, and ended the evening with Hannah’s out-of-state friends who had gathered at Ziyue’s home.

On July 5, 2024, the couple said “I do” in a serene garden ceremony at the Brookshire, a romantic wedding venue in Central Ohio. Before the ceremony, the couple held a traditional Taiwanese Tea Ceremony as a way to honor their elders and formally mark the merging of their two families. “This ceremony allowed both of us to express our appreciation and to thank our families that raised us,” said Ziyue.

Following the emotional tea ceremony, the couple gathered with their guests for their traditional Christian ceremony, complete with a teaching from their pastor. The outdoor ceremony space was decorated with understated white florals and eye-catching drapery, creating the perfect romantic ambiance for the couple to exchange their vows. The reception was similarly stunning, adorned with floor-to-ceiling florals and drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the ceremony space.

The couple finished the festivities off laughing and dancing with their loved ones, and snacking on ramen from their late-night ramen bar!

Learn all about the couple’s serene garden wedding ceremony and gorgeous reception below!

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• Couple: Ziyue Wang + Hannah Tsai
• Wedding date: July 5, 2024
• Wedding location: Ohio

Quick Facts:

• Gifts for one another: Hannah gave Ziyue a boudoir book
• Ceremony entrance song: Canon in D (Pachelbel’s Canon)
• First dance song: Electric Love

The Tea Ceremony…

How did you meet?

Ziyue: I met Hannah when we were kids in high school. Our churches did a joint retreat. We were never close, although I always thought she was gorgeous. It wasn’t until college years that we reconnected at a mutual wedding where I MC’d and she was doing makeup, and both of us were finally single.

Tell us about the proposal.

I had contacted India ahead of time because I knew Hannah would want the occasion photographed, and also to help arrange some flowers at the site beforehand. I told her out-of-state friends ahead of time. I got permission from her parents and proposed in the spring at OSU, where she and I both had always loved to take walks around Mirror Lake. She ironically thought that the flowers that India set up were originally some sort of memorial, and we had a great laugh when she realized what was happening! After the proposal, we had a night packed with seeing all her friends and ending at my condo, where her out-of-state girlfriends had gathered.

Describe your wedding attire. What was the wedding shopping experience like for you? 

I wore a floral blue tuxedo and had a classic bow tie. Hannah wore a Wtoo dress that she bought from Rebecca’s Bridal in Louisville, KY, with a cathedral veil.

Hannah: To be very honest, it was both fun and overwhelming (and at times, exhausting). I didn’t really have the luxury of time, because I lived in Kentucky for school, but our wedding was in Ohio. We had to be pretty efficient with our time and selective with which venues we chose to tour due to the time constraints. However, it was fun to tour venues and figure out florals (which was my personal favorite part of wedding planning). I didn’t get to sample the food, but Ziyue got to sample the food with his sister, which was fun for them. He’s the bigger foodie between the two of us!

Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?

Ziyue: Honoring our elders and parents was something we knew we weren’t going to skip over. There isn’t much space for that in a traditional ceremony, so we had a second ceremony in the morning. This was in the form of a classic Taiwanese Tea Ceremony. This ceremony was held at a friend’s home. Hannah’s aunt led the ceremony in Mandarin, and Hannah and I served tea to our parents and grandparents. This ceremony signified both a formal merging of families through this marriage and Hannah’s “leaving” her family to join mine to form a new family. Lots of tears were shed. This ceremony allowed both of us to express our appreciation and to thank our families who raised us.

What is your best memory from your wedding?

I loved the little moments of joy with family and hugs. The dance floor was also super fun.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?

The most practical advice we got was to start by figuring out the “Big Three” first, and then go from there. The Big Three are Budget, Guest Count, and Venue, in that order. This was a great jumping off point to start wedding planning because it can get so overwhelming so fast!! And remember, guest count is the biggest factor in wedding costs.

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Vendors:

• Tea Ceremony & Getting Ready Venue: Joie de Vivre
• Ceremony & Reception Venue: Brookshire Event Venue
• DJ: DJ Matt Carmona
• Florals: Fiori Florals Design Studio
• Photography: India Jade Photo