On a bright and sunny October morning, guests filled the church near her grandparents’ home. “It was a place woven into my childhood, where we celebrated Christmases, baptisms, weddings, and even the farewells of loved ones,” shares the bride. The couple decided to see each other for the first time at the church as an 18-person chorus sang. “A moment that felt like falling in love all over again,” remembers Andrea. “As I walked down the aisle and met his gaze, all nerves disappeared. It was a reaffirmation of our love, our commitment, and the life we were about to build together.” The bride notes that exchanging the rings was a particularly profound moment for her during the ceremony. She shares, “What a weird feeling how a simple piece of metal can bond us—our Cartier Alliance 1895 bands, each engraved with a simple yet profound promise: ‘Always’ on his, ‘& Forever’ on mine.”
The newlyweds and their guests then headed to the family home, which was perfectly curated for a party. “The flow of the evening was designed to encourage movement and discovery,” says Andrea. “Guests were greeted by a martini bar hidden in what used to be the kitchen pantry, where they could see the heights and dates of my cousins marked on the doorframe.” Live jazz from the solarium drifted through the house, while a Vivian Suter painting provided a focal point in the softly lit room. “Even though both of our grandparents are no longer with us, there were moments when it felt like we were pulling off a little mischief and getting away with it,” Andrea adds. Cocktail hour took place in the back garden, where lush greenery, white florals, and checkered floors created a relaxed space for conversation. “Later, guests were led to the front garden for dinner, where the tables—dressed in Portuguese linens and embroidered napkins featuring our monogram—sat beneath the rose gold hues of my grandmother’s Chinese flame trees,” says the bride.
The music was a standout element of the celebration for the couple. “From Cornelia Murr’s ethereal live set during lunch to our first dance to ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Elvis Presley (a surprise by Benjamin), each song was intentionally chosen to create a feeling, a memory in the making,” shares Andrea. “Some guests felt confident and free to play the solarium piano at different moments.” After pizza was served at midnight, the party was brought down to the basement, which had been transformed into a hidden nightclub. “The lighting was warm and intimate, and the music curated by Arman Nafeei set the perfect mood,” the bride shares. “Seeing our friends and family dancing, laughing, and completely immersed in the moment was pure magic. We danced until 5 a.m.!”
Most of all, Andrea remembers the love in the air the evening of her wedding. “Everyone was the main character, and the stories we heard made us feel like we had created something timeless,” she says. “This day wasn’t just about beautiful details; everyone felt safe to be themselves, and it had meaning, history, and love.”
