A Seattle Chinese Garden Wedding with Lion Dancers and a Two-Day Celebration

Cindy & Michael

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Cindy and Michael booked me before they even had a venue.

Most couples do it the other way around. They find the venue, then search for a photographer. But these two wanted to make sure we could work together first, then chose Seattle Chinese Garden based on my availability. That meant the world to me, and it also told me so much about how intentional they were going to be about their celebration.

Together, we created a two-day experience that honored their Chinese heritage, celebrated their community, and showcased the Pacific Northwest landscape where their love story began.

How Cindy & Michael’s Love Story Led to a Seattle Chinese Garden Wedding 

Cindy and Michael’s love story feels like fate. They met on a dating app in Seattle, which isn’t all that uncommon for many couples. However, what made this connection unique is that both Cindy and Michael grew up in the same city in Colorado. 

Not only that, they had both left Colorado to live in Asia during the same years of their lives and then returned back to their home state. Yet somehow, they never crossed paths until Seattle brought them together. Their first date was supposed to be coffee, but it ended up turning into the two of them spending an entire day together. 

As their relationship grew, they told me it felt less like getting to know someone new and more like reacquainting with someone they’d known all along.

Maybe you believe in something bigger than us leading us where we’re meant to be. Maybe you don’t. But in their case, the evidence was pretty convincing.

The Couple and Their Decision to Plan a Seattle Chinese Garden Wedding 

When Cindy first reached out, she wrote: “We want to share an extraordinarily special day, with the people we love and care about, in a beautiful natural setting. Our love story started here, and we want to capture that magic.”

Even though many of their guests were traveling from out of town, Cindy and Michael chose to get married in Seattle because they wanted everyone to experience the stunning Pacific Northwest scenery they’d fallen in love with. But they also wanted to honor their Chinese heritage, so they needed a wedding venue that could hold both.

Seattle Chinese Garden gave them exactly that. With its traditional Asian architecture and gardens surrounded by Pacific Northwest greenery, it was close enough to the city for guests’ convenience and beautiful enough to feel planted in the middle of a lovely natural scene, like something straight out of National Geographic (their words, not mine 🙂).

Their venue was just the foundation, because how they wove their culture into every detail is actually what transformed their Chinese Garden wedding into something incredible.

Your venue sets the tone for your entire experience. For more inspiration, check out this guide to our favorite wedding venues in Washington and across the U.S.

From Five Outfit Changes to a Hong Kong Night Reception, This is How to Plan a Chinese Garden Wedding in Seattle

A Chinese Garden Wedding Ceremony and Lion Dancing

When they sent out wedding invitations, Cindy and Michael included a request I’d never seen before: they asked their guests to wear traditional attire from their own cultures, with photo examples showing what modern Asian wedding outfits could be.

And people showed up in Vietnamese Ao Dai, Korean hanbok, and traditional dress from cultures across Asia!

The ceremony took place in the gardens, with the traditional architecture framing them as they exchanged vows. Then, following the ceremony, Cindy and Michael changed into their traditional red Qun Kwa for the lion dancing! The lion dancers came through – drums beating, blessing the couple with good luck and chasing away evil spirits.

After the ceremony and lion dance, everyone headed to the reception area drinks and dinner. Cindy and Michael changed back into their original wedding attire for this part, but they still had lots of outfit changes planned for the evening ahead.

Hong Kong Nights, Neon Signs, and Non-Stop Celebration

For their reception, Cindy and Michael chose the theme “Hong Kong at night.” The reception space was filled with neon lights, creating that vibrant urban energy they wanted. They served Chinese-inspired food and had heartfelt toasts, dancing, and – of course – outfits changes!

After dinner and speeches, Cindy changed into her third dress (the one she’d chosen to wear later for nature photos on the Oregon Coast). Then came the surprise: a choreographed dance! Their friends had no idea they’d been taking dance classes for months to prepare for this moment.

But Cindy and Michael weren’t done. During the surprise dance, they did two more outfit changes, then they hit the dance floor with their guests, and by the end of the evening, Cindy had changed into her final look: a red Cheongsam (Qipao) to close out the celebration.

Between the lion dancers and the neon signs, the outfit changes and the surprise choreography, every intentional detail at their Chinese Garden wedding told the story of who Cindy and Michael are, where they came from, and the community who celebrated with them.

Day Two: Nature Photos on the Oregon Coast

Cindy and Michael wanted a two-day celebration – one day for their Seattle Chinese Garden wedding with their community, one day for just the two of them in the Pacific Northwest nature they love.

The day after their wedding, we drove down to Manzanita on the Oregon coast. Cindy wore the jellyfish-inspired dress from the reception, and we spent a few hours on the cliffs with the Pacific stretching out behind them.

The focus of each day was completely different, which changed how I photographed them. Day 1, I stepped back and documented their celebration as it unfolded. Then, on day 2, I leaned in and guided them through the landscape, helped them move, and created more intentional compositions.

While each day looked very different from each other, both days mattered equally because both told their story.

Meet the couple & from this Seattle Chinese Garden wedding!!! 🙂😘

Meet The Best Chinese Garden Wedding Vendors:

Photographer: Henry Tieu Photography

Venue: Seattle Chinese Garden

Planner: Events by Genevieve

Videographer: Amour ‘N Motion

Florist: Emerald City Flowers

Cake: Alewa Bakeshop

Hair & Makeup: Christy K Makeup & Hair

Dress Shop: I Do Bridal

Suit Shop: The Bespoke Clothier

Vow Books: Krisanna Elizabeth

Catering: South Seattle College Catering

Reception Venue: Brockey Center at South Seattle College

More Washington Wedding Inspiration

Planning a Cultural Wedding in Seattle?

Cindy and Michael’s Seattle Chinese Garden wedding still inspires me. They didn’t choose between honoring their heritage and showcasing the Pacific Northwest landscape they love. They made room for both. A wedding that celebrated culture and community, followed by nature photos on the Oregon coast. They trusted me to step back and document their wedding day as it unfolded, then lean in and guide them through their coastal adventure session.

The Pacific Northwest (and venues like Seattle Chinese Garden) gives you space to honor your heritage while celebrating this region’s natural beauty. Whether you’re planning cultural traditions with PNW scenery, a multi-day experience, or you need a photographer who can document both candid cultural moments and editorial nature photos, I’m here for it!

If you’re in the early planning stages, these wedding planning questions can help you understand what matters most. Ready to start planning? Learn more about our process or contact us by visiting the link below.