Professional tennis player Carol Zhao and DoorDash co-founder Andy Fang both attended Stanford University at the same time—Andy even lived across the fall from one of Carol’s bridesmaids during freshman year—but it wasn’t until they both graduated that they connected. After Zhao sustained an injury in the spring of 2019 on the tennis circuit, she returned to San Francisco, where their paths finally crossed. “I had no idea that what felt like a career misfortune at the time would be the impetus to the start of our relationship,” Carol says. “Now, it feels like it was fate.”
Their first date took place at the Biergarten in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. “What started out as a simple conversation over drinks turned into a multi-hour affair that spanned multiple bars in the neighborhood,” Andy says. “And even a chicken ramen dinner!”
After they started dating (and Carol recovered from her injury) the tennis calendar kept Carol traveling close to 10 months a year, so it took serious planning for Andy to lock down a time and place to propose. “In February 2023, I decided to propose in Austin, Texas and also looped her parents into my plans,” Andy remembers. “When I arrived, I pretended all of us were going out for a nice dinner but surprised Carol with my proposal. Afterwards, we celebrated together at a nearby Mexican restaurant, Suerte.”
“I loved that it was simple, intimate, and private,” Carol says. “Just the two of us in that moment.”
The couple’s wedding was on Saturday, July 20, at the Belmond Villa San Michele in the hills of Florence, Italy. Florence was one of the first cities Carol’s parents traveled to after they got married, and Andy had always wanted to realize a family trip to Europe that he’d planned to take in 2020, but that fell through due to the pandemic. “Since our guests were coming from various places around the world, we felt more comfortable offering Florence as our wedding destination,” Andy says. “And we couldn’t be happier about that decision!”
They had around a year to scout locations, visit sites, taste menus, and plan the itinerary, but it was no small task. Their planners—Colin Cowie Events—ensured they stayed on track. It was important to the couple that they spend meaningful time with each guest, so they curated the events and guest accommodations with connection and community in mind, and they worked with Cowie and his team to plan every aspect. “They were an amazing partner to help shape our wedding celebration and make it come to life,” Carol says. “During the wedding weekend, the Colin Cowie Lifestyle team was extremely detail-oriented and catered to any need we had. The level of service was a cherry on top of an already amazing weekend.”
