The service began at 4 p.m., and Stanley stood at the raised, wood altar as groomsmen and bridesmaids walked down the aisle individually. “When I walked down the aisle with my dad, I was able to see our 200 friends and family gathered together with white parasols,” Gloria remembers.
Their rehearsal dinner kicked off the festivities and was in the chef’s garden next to the vegetables and herbs. Their ceremony was on the hilltop overlooking the vines, and there were drinks on the Glasshouse Terrace. Dinner was served in the Glasshouse Barn, and everyone stayed at the resort. “Also, this is a bit childish, but Stanley got a real kick out of the fact that the venue was called Stanly Ranch!” Gloria jokes.
The couple chose decor shades of lavender, green, and gold for the ceremony decor to complement the picturesque lavender fields and vineyards at Stanly Ranch, and the Colin Cowie team transformed the Napa Valley venue with an abundance of florals and delicate greenery, setting an organic and ethereal tone. “The ceremony felt like a dream, and it all happened so fast!” Gloria says.
For the rehearsal dinner—where the theme was organic, farm-to-table, and whimsical—the bride wore a floral midi dress from Zimmermann’s fall 2023 collection. “I’ve always secretly been a huge girly girl so my favorite part of the outfit was the ribbon in my hair,” Gloria says. “I wore pansy cluster studs made of mother-of-pearl shell because the pansy flower is often associated with memories, love, and affection.”
Kina Grannis, the singer and guitarist from the iconic aisle scene in the film Crazy Rich Asians, performed during the ceremony. “We met her and her sister during a dinner celebrating AAPI creators in Los Angeles, hosted by our friend and Patreon co-founder, Sam Yam,” Gloria explains. “It was important to pay homage to the film and Kina given the cultural significance it played for AAPI representation in media. She sang a cover of ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ by Elvis Presley. I remember my dad whispering to me ‘Oh no, why did you choose this song?’ as I watched him preemptively rub his eyes to check for any impending tears. He was trying his best not to be emotional because this song was one that was extremely meaningful to us. My parents immigrated from Shanghai to Missouri, so I was born near St. Louis. Growing up, my parents’ window into American culture was through music. My first CD was Elvis Presley’s Greatest Hits gifted to me by my parents. I knew that this was the song I wanted, and it was true to us that Kina was performing the cover.”
For the ceremony, Gloria wore the long white version of the Monique Lhuillier Bon Bon dress from the fall 2023 collection. “I wanted to select a designer with an AAPI background, and I loved the romance of the flowy A-line dress,” she explains. “It was reminiscent of a blooming flower, and it matched the abundant florals during the ceremony. My earrings were a lush cluster of flowers and leaf-like gemstones, complemented by a single, dangling freshwater pearl. The winding silhouette of the piece reminded me of romantic garden pathways and looked like my wedding aisle during the ceremony. The piece is hand-assembled from Olive and Piper, also founded by an AAPI female founder.”