Lily & Ryan’s Asian-inspired wedding at Tavares Pavilion on the Lake in Tavares, FL
Asian Inspired Elegant Classic Wedding at Tavares Pavilion on the Lake in Tavares, FL | Orlando Wedding Photographer & Wedding Videographer
A wedding with cultural significance
As a Taiwanese-American myself, it was so much fun to be a part of fellow Taiwanese Lily’s special day with husband Ryan! Bride Lily and I met at the birthday party of one of her bridesmaids, a mutual friend, and on our friend’s recommendation Lily quickly signed to work with us for her wedding photography.
As a mixed-race couple, Lily and Ryan knew they wanted to include both of their family backgrounds into their wedding day (much as Amy and I did for our own wedding). It was so sweet to see little reminders of Asian culture throughout their wedding day: using the Mandarin “謝謝” (“thank you”) on signage, handing out ChiaTe pineapple pastry as party favors (so good), or giving what are known as “紅包” (red envelopes enclosing cash gifts) for their vendor tips. And where white is associated with weddings in the West, in the East red is a traditional wedding color that signifies luck, joy, and prosperity—so Lily and Ryan included red touches throughout their decor and attire (see photos below)!
Shining down on our love
Lily & Ryan truly had a gorgeous wedding day at Tavares Pavilion on the Lake! Their sunshine-filled special day began with the bride, her mother, and the bridesmaids all getting ready in the wedding venue’s bridal suite. The girls shared so many sweet moments during this time together, from praying over Lily as a group to sneaking in a few rounds of their favorite card game before walking the bride down the aisle. Before the main event began, Lily and her dad held a heartfelt first look moment on the grand staircase where the wedding ceremony was soon to take place. And as for the groom and his men, the gents wrapped up their preparations and headed outside for some photos as guests started arriving for the wedding ceremony.
Lily & Ryan had a special and meaningful wedding ceremony to signify their new life together. One touching moment they included was a ceremonial washing of feet, representing service and humility for one another as a reflection of Christ’s washing His disciples’ feet while He was here on earth. I truly love when couples include religious traditions or meaningful moments like this in their wedding ceremony as a way to represent the values they aspire to share in their new marriage.
Tavares Pavilion on the Lake in Tavares, FL
Truly a picturesque wedding venue, Tavares Pavilion on the Lake in Tavares, FL is exactly what it sounds like—it’s a pavilion built directly on a lake! Sitting majestically at the end of a paved pier along the edge of scenic Lake Dora, this space is actually owned by the city of Tavares, which makes it an incredibly affordable wedding venue—yet without lacking any of the elegance and charm of a formal wedding venue.
The building is quite simply laid out with two spacious open rooms—the main hall below, where the wedding ceremony takes place, and the spacious gallery above, commonly used for wedding receptions. The two rooms are connected by a grand sweeping staircase against the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake, making a dramatic backdrop for exchanging vows or taking elegant bridal portraits, and a second staircase at the back. The wedding venue also holds separate elegant getting-ready spaces for both the bride and the groom, making this affordable wedding venue truly all-inclusive. The perfect backdrop for a picture-perfect, sophisticated and classic wedding!
Let’s get this party started
Now that the bride and groom had said “I do”, it was time to party! We took family portraits on the grand staircase as guests found their way upstairs to the wedding reception space. Once inside, Lily & Ryan made their entrance and the festivities began with sentimental toasts to the happy couple from the best man, the maid of honor, the father of the bride, and the father of the groom, followed by a moment of prayer by the officiant.
After making the rounds to greet their guests, Lily & Ryan stepped outside for golden hour bridal portraits along the serene Lake Dora. Making their way back inside, the newlyweds held their first dance together followed by heartfelt first dances with the bride/father of the bride and groom/mother of the groom. Lily’s first dance with her dad was especially heartwarming: they danced to a Chinese song that brought so many tears to their guests’ eyes!
After dancing the night away, it was time to send Lily & Ryan off into their happily-ever-after! Following the send-off, guests headed back downstairs to head home for the night but Lily & Ryan snuck back into the empty wedding reception space for a final “private first dance” with just the two of them. Once they had enjoyed this quiet moment together, it was finally time to send them off to their honeymoon as the Author Made team packed up for the night.
Congratulations again to Lily & Ryan—what a special, beautiful, and flawless wedding day!
Vendors:
Wedding Photographer & Videographer | Author Made Photo and Video
Wedding Venue | Tavares Pavilion on the Lake, Tavares, FL
Wedding Planner | White Rabbit Event Planning
Catering | Pisces Rising
Cake | Publix
Florals | Something Borrowed Blooms
Hi, we’re Author Made, a wedding photographer / videographer studio based in Orlando, FL specializing in wedding photography and videography packages for small, intimate, micro weddings and elopements throughout Central Florida. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer or wedding videographer near you who understands and values the unique needs of smaller-scale weddings (we had a small wedding, too), we’d love to have the honor of capturing your wedding day.
If you’re interested in capturing your wedding photography or videography with us, please contact us - we would love to help your special day be all it can be!
