STEPHANIE-ANN YU & MATTHEW ZEHNER STEPHANIE-ANN YU & MATTHEW ZEHNER
STEPHANIE-ANN YU & MATTHEW ZEHNER
October 29, 2016 Beverly Hills, California Photographed by Birds of a Feather
Stephanie-Ann Yu was just about to delete her profile on a popular dating site when she received a notification. “Staying away from the cheesy lines, I asked her what she did in marketing,” reveals Matthew Zehner of his message to the woman with the beautiful smile. Divulging her intentions to cancel her account, the two exchanged numbers to continue their conversation. Discussing her task of creating a new social media strategy for her company, Matthew offered his help to Stephanie. “He sent me a brief plan that he thought up – and it was a good one,” she remembers. “From that moment, I knew how genuine he was about seeing me, so we decided to meet up.” Both note how immediately comfortable they were with one another. “We had a ton to talk about,” Matthew says.
Before asking for the hand of his beloved a year-and-a-half later, the soon-tobe-groom felt compelled to speak with Stephanie’s parents. “Since her dad wasn’t available, I told her mom what I was planning,” he explains. Matthew was overjoyed when she gave her blessing. “About an hour later, I received a voicemail from her father,” he adds. “In case Stephanie might have been listening, he just said, ‘Proceed as planned – thank you,’ and we all still laugh about it.” Matthew got on bended knee during an outing at the famous Getty Museum in Los Angeles with a stunning six-prong solitaire diamond ring – having covertly determined her preferences several months prior.
The choice to host their ceremony in a church was simple, as both bride and groom had been raised Catholic. Guests found their seats amongst the pews and took in the beauty of the house of worship whilst awaiting the couple of honor. “My mother wanted to have my father, rather than my bridesmaids, ride with me to the church,” Stephanie details. “I thought it was a bit odd at first, but I’m glad I went along with it – to have that brief moment with my dad was something special.”
The bride made her way down the aisle in a fitted trumpet gown featuring sparkling embellishments and carrying a grand bouquet of cascading blush peonies and ivory orchids. Meeting her sweetheart at the altar, the two exchanged traditional vows before 150 loved ones. At the conclusion of the service, Stephanie and Matthew made their exit to the reception in a rented 1937 Packard car. “We wanted to really encapsulate the classic Beverly Hills feeling,” muses Matthew.
“We wanted to really encapsulate the classic Beverly Hills feeling.”
The newlyweds hosted their celebration at a nearby luxury hotel. After mingling at the Old Hollywood-inspired cocktail hour downstairs, revelers took a quick elevator ride to the top floor to begin the festivities. “The space offered one of the best unobstructed views of the city – I think our guests forgot to take their seats once they saw!” laughs the bride. Nevertheless, attendees eventually peeled themselves away from the vista to gather around the ethereal tablescapes, which had been designed around a “pink – with a touch of sparkle” motif in mind, affirms Stephanie. Each table featured rosé-colored linens, gilt décor accents, and romantic arrangements comprised of blush roses, hydrangeas, and orchids – blooms that also lined the sweetheart table.
“Throughout the reception, we had our DJ play a mix from a playlist that Stephanie and I had created very early on in our relationship – we called it SOTD, or ‘Song of the Day,’” Matthew tells. Following scrumptious fare, lively dancing, and excellent toasts from both fathers and the bridal party – “everyone still compliments the speeches!” exclaims Stephanie – friends and family enjoyed slices of the four-tiered wedding cake featuring blush, silver, and gold accents. The groom shares, “It flew by so fast. I’m so glad we have videos and photos to remember the day.”