Wedding Inspiration: A Los Altos Garden Party With Epic Asian Eats

Wedding Inspiration: A Los Altos Garden Party With Epic Asian Eats

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For Alfred Tobias and Nam Thi, a good friendship led to something more. "I joke that Nam waited until I got a job to make sure I was making money before he committed," Tobias laughs.

The couple got engaged over dinner and cocktails during a weekend trip to San Diego; for their wedding, the San Jose–based pair selected a venue that would also feel like a getaway.


Wanting a garden wedding, they took to the Los Altos History Museum, just a short drive down the coast from their home, the courtyard leads to wooded space where you could easily forgot you are in downtown Los Altos. At night, glowing bistro lights added the right amount of ambiance. Their one requirement: an uncomplicated agenda.

"Our ceremony was 15 minutes, then straight to cocktail hour and reception," explains Tobias. "We also went without a wedding party to keep things fairly light and straightforward."

To accent the garden setting, Tobias and Thi played off the venue with simple decor and rustic, whimsical touches in a palette of pale blue, peach, and gray.

"We chose wood based furnishings—we didn't want anything too flashy or extravagant that would distract too much from the venue's aesthetics." Most of the decor was either DIY with inspiration from Etsy, including the picture frames and signs, or sourced by the guys themselves. The table numbers and menus were created through Minted.

The couple wed in a lush arbor immersed in foliage, adding just a floral curtain and hanging glass vases along the aisle. At the reception, centerpieces bloomed with blue hydrangeas and delphinium, blush-toned garden roses and dahlias. Guest tables were swathed in gray linens with periwinkle napkins and wood chairs. Keeping with the rustic flair, they sat at a dark farmhouse sweetheart table draped in matching blooms.

Then it was time to feast. At dinner, an array of Korean and Japanese-inspired eats were served, including japchae noodles and a variety of sushi. They even had a gelato bar with Asian-influenced flavors including taro, pandan, and green tea. Afterwards, they took to the photo booth with "LGBT-inspired props," and come sunset, the string lights turned on to elevate the romance factor.

"The first dance occurred at twilight a few minutes after the sun went down—it was a moment for us. We danced to John Mayer's acoustic cover of Beyonce's XO, and it really captured the mood of the evening."

Floral designer: Fractal Flora

Caterer: Greenfish Catering

Cake: Satura Cakes

Event planner: JL Events

Photobooth:Memorify Photobooth

Photographer: Kat Ma Photography

Video:Collideskope

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