Crystal Fountain Event Venue

Crystal Fountain Banquet Hall was the perfect venue for this couple to house a supersized fusion wedding merging Chinese and Greek culture. Talk about to large family-oriented cultural backgrounds merging to create one hell of a party. With fusion weddings many couples like to tone the customs down. These two embraced them to the full extent. Their Chinese tea ceremony was very intimate, but their Greek Orthodox Ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church was massive. Their reception at Crystal Fountain was filled with activities including a dragon performance, table toasts, and a pig dance. Surprisingly, their portrait session at Galluci Winery was incredibly windy for a spring wedding. However, kudos to the hairstylist who worked on the bride because her look did not budge.

Greek Orthodox Wedding

St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church was a very impressive church to work out of. I very rarely go shoot natural lighting in a church, but this one was made for it. The procession is a little different than Western weddings. Typically, the groom waits for the bride at the front of the church with her bouquet and they walk down the aisle together. However, since the bride was of a different background, she opted to walk down with her father. Following that, they exchange rings at the beginning of the ceremony. The priest blesses both rings before placing them on the third finger of their right hands. Next, the wedding sponsor swaps the rings between the bride and groom to symbolize their future connection.

The bride and groom are each given one white candle to hold for the remainder of the ceremony. When they light these candles, it signals the Sacrament of Marriage. The crowns symbolize the couple’s marriage as a blessing from God. Similar to the rings, they swap crowns between the bride and groom three times as well. The significance behind performing these rituals three times is the holy trinity. So the couple sips wine three times, and walk around the altar three times. Making circles around the wedding altar is a symbol of infinity and the couple’s eternity together. Finally, the officiant removes the Stefana crowns and says a prayer for the newly married couple.

If there is a first kiss, it’s often quick and unannounced. In fact, the highlight was after the ceremony when everyone attending the ceremony joined the couple for a “My Big Fat Greek and Chinese Wedding” style group photo.

Chinese Tea Ceremony

They had both their Chinese tea ceremony and reception at Crystal Fountain. Their beautiful cocktail hour space in the lobby had gorgeous soft lighting for the ceremony. The tea ceremony begins for the groom’s family, followed by the bride’s family. It is an ancient ceremony to honour your elders. As always, these traditions differ from family to family. And even more so when it comes to a fusion wedding like this. As a rule, the tea serves in order of hierarchy. So starting with grandparents. Then parents, aunties/uncles, elder siblings, and finally cousins. The tea set is often a gift. If the bride has a dowry, they will include a tea set for the ceremony. The tea is usually infused with lotus seeds or even red dates to symbolize fertility. The bridal party will usually help with pouring the tea and cleaning cups during the ceremony.

Traditionally, the couple serves tea whilst kneeling down, but some modern families prefer to bow instead. Either way shows respect to your elders. Following the tea ceremony, gifts are given to the bride and groom. They can usually be red envelopes containing money. They can also consist of jewelry handed down from mother-in-law and female relatives to the bride. For this wedding, the groom’s parents provided him with his grandfather’s bracelet. It was a deeply sentimental gift that brought him to tears.

The second shooter was Azita Ziaei.

Theron Henry of Powerpack Images captured the video for this wedding.

 

bride prep wedding ring
bride prep wedding dress
bride prep wedding jewelry
bride prep wedding bouquet
bride prep wedding dress
bride prep wedding getting dressed
bride prep wedding veil
bride prep wedding portrait
bride prep wedding reveal
bride prep wedding with dad
groom wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
groom wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
first look wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
groom's first look wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
family wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
bride wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
bride and groom wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
bridesmaids wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
groom wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
romantic wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
romantic wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
couple walking wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
bridal bouquet wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
romantic wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
romantic couple wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
under the veil wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
couple wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
couple wedding portrait at Galluci Winery
decor wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
book wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
candles wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
candles wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
rings wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
bride down the aisle wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
bride down the aisle wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
giving away the bride wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
ring exchange wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
first kiss wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
signing marriage document wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
group photo wedding ceremony at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
bride prep Chinese tea ceremony at Crystal Fountain
bride and dad Chinese tea ceremony at Crystal Fountain
dress Chinese tea ceremony at Crystal Fountain
Chinese tea ceremony at Crystal Fountain
Chinese tea ceremony at Crystal Fountain
Chinese tea ceremony at Crystal Fountain
Chinese wedding portrait at Crystal Fountain
family portrait at Crystal Fountain
groomsmen portrait at Crystal Fountain
bridal party portrait at Crystal Fountain
head table decor wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
place setting decor wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
name cards decor wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
cake decor wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
bridesmaids entrance wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
groomsmen entrance wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
grand entrance wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
couple's first dance wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
Dragon dance Chinese wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
dragon dance Chinese wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
maid of honour speech wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
cake cutting wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
breaking break Greek wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
pig dance Greek wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
pig dance Greek wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
pig dance Greek wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
toasts wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
father daughter dance wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
mother son dance wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
table toasts wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
brother speech wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
kissing game wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
kissing game wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
parent's speech wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
kissing games wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
couple's speech wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
dance party wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
dance party wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
dance party wedding reception at Crystal Fountain
dance party wedding reception at Crystal Fountain