A Lush Brooklyn Wedding Inspired by Disney's ‘Up’

What started with a private screening of Up lead to a stunning wedding day inspired by the film for Tiffany Bui and Will Pan. Here’s a little backstory: The pair first met in college during the spring of 2007. They had mutual friends and crossed paths quite often. But for the most part, they maintained their distance. In fact, that distance was so discernible that Tiffany always thought Will held negative feelings toward her. It turned out the opposite was true. “He harbored this crush but acted all aloof and even avoided me for two years,” Tiffany discloses. 

Will finally decided to bridge that gap two years after their first encounter by asking Tiffany to watch an early viewing of Up with him. “I was so nervous,” Tiffany reveals. “I thought he hated my guts! What would we talk about?” Much to her surprise, Tiffany discovered that she actually enjoyed Will’s company. The Pixar movie leant the perfect finishing touch to their first time alone. Going forward, the duo found themselves “talking or texting each other every day, sometimes nonstop until 4 a.m.”

Two months later, the twosome went on their first official date, complete with a detailed itinerary and map that Will created. “I was tickled by his thoughtfulness,” Tiffany reminisces. Their evening began at the Southern Fountain in Madison Square Park, transitioned into Brasserie Les Halles, and ended at Black Hound. 

Nearly 10 years later, on Christmas morning, Tiffany woke up to a dazzling diamond ring. “It was perfect because it was such a pure moment shared between the two of us,” she reflects. Without hesitation, Tiffany accepted the proposal, excited to wake up to Will’s face and her ring many more mornings to come.

During their engagement, the two set out to orchestrate a wedding that captured “the romance and adventure” of Paradise Falls in Up, while recreating their experience watching the movie for the first time together. Despite this clear vision, it wasn’t a linear process executing it. The couple intended on hosting their wedding in the summer of 2020, but once the pandemic hit, they decided to postpone it for another year. “What was happening around the world was stressful enough,” Tiffany explains. “We didn’t want to attempt to weather the storm and put our family and friends at risk.”

Then, they found out that their original venue wouldn’t reopen its restaurant in time for the wedding. So, they shifted gears and settled on 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. “An example of ‘everything happens for a reason,’ it turned out that 1 Hotel’s roots in nature and sustainability better fit with our vision,” Tiffany notes.

Tiffany and Will finally tied the knot on August 7 in Brooklyn and invited 110 guests to celebrate their ethereal, floral-filled nuptials. Keep reading to uncover all the details of their special day, planned by Sojourner Auguste of Erganic Design and photographed by Sasithon Photography.

To replicate Paradise Falls, Tiffany and Will selected a vibrant color palette of jewel tones including shades of purple, pink, red, and orange. The couple introduced their wedding theme with an elegant invitation suite, featuring a watercolor illustration of New York City’s skyline. Since the city was their first date spot and their future wedding backdrop, it only made sense to highlight it on their invitations.

For his wedding attire, Will donned a classic black tuxedo from Suitsupply. He personalized his outfit by having his collar engraved with the pair’s private nicknames and by wearing his Omega watch, a birthday gift from Tiffany.

Will’s groomsmen sported matching black tuxedos from The Black Tux and emerald green bow ties from OTAA for a cohesive look.

Tiffany requested natural and minimal makeup since she doesn’t normally get glam. “Aliana Lopez is a true artist,” the bride says. “She instinctively knew how to enhance features, embrace my love of color, and balance it with a gorgeous glow.” For her hairstyle, Tiffany selected a sleek updo to show off her gown. “I always imagined wearing my hair down, but that changed once I found a dress with a jewel bow on the back,” Tiffany admits.

The bride looked ravishing in a custom Reem Acra A-line gown with lace and tulle fabric, floral embroidery, sheer detailing, and a beaded bow. To give the dress a meaningful touch, Tiffany tucked a sparkly number “eight” in between the layers of fabric to signify her wedding date. “After trying on close to 60 dresses, I felt most comfortable and confident in it,” Tiffany illuminates. “Ms. Acra further customized it to reflect my personality and style, and that just about sealed the deal.”

To channel the wedding’s vivacious jewel tones, Tiffany carried a colorful assortment of dahlias, garden roses, ranunculus, and lisianthus wrapped in ribbon. 

Tiffany accessorized with a Cartier Love bracelet and a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet from Will. “I love jewelry, and I believe that what makes it special is not the single moment it commemorates but all of the moments, big and small,” the bride illuminates. To complement the crystal bow on her dress, Tiffany flaunted glittery accents on her nails. “I’ve only ever trusted Kesang Gurung with my nails since 2014, so this was a no-brainer,” she uncovers.

The bridal party rocked emerald green chiffon and lace dresses by Self-Portrait and carried the same eye-catching bouquets in a smaller size. 

Sticking with the color scheme and floral theme, Will wore a boutonniere made of orange ranunculus. 

The couple reserved an intimate first look at the Southern Fountain in Madison Square Park, the same spot where they met for their first date. After the ceremony, the duo returned to the park to sign their marriage licenses and celebrate their newlywed status with Shake Shack. 

Arrangements of dahlia, garden roses, ranunculus, lisianthus, stock, lace flowers, and seasonal greenery lined the aisle and formed an altar. The lovebirds were so pleased with how the floral elements turned out, thanks to help from their wedding planner. “Erganic Design collaborated with us on every step and realized our vision down to the smallest detail,” Tiffany illustrates. The bright hues enlivened the stark room and popped against the black ceremony chairs, which encapsulated the magic of Paradise Falls.

Both of Tiffany’s parents escorted her down the aisle while “1, 2, 3, 4” by the Plain White T’s played in the background. “We heard this song on the radio right before Will’s first ‘I love you,’” Tiffany explains. The bride also wanted “Here, There, Everywhere” by The Beatles to guide the processional. 

Tiffany and Will decided to write their own vows, which were full of anecdotes from Up, Harry Potter, and The Notebook. “We’ve been together for 12 years, so there was a lot of material to work with,” Tiffany laughs. During the vow exchange, Will surprised Tiffany with a list of 88 reasons why he loves her. “We laughed, we cried, and we laughed again, as if no one else was in the room but just us, reading letters to each other,” the bride remembers.

After Will’s godfather pronounced them husband and wife, the newlyweds walked back down the aisle to the tune of “Married Life” by Michael Giacchino from Up.

At the reception, towering floral arrangements in jewel hues stood on gold stands and lined the center of each table in contrast with the dark chairs and linens. A ceiling covered in fairy lights gave the room a cozy, romantic ambiance. 

The other reception tables housed low floral centerpieces, which were surrounded by plum taper candles. The duo had each place set with knotted indigo napkins and ornate gold plates. “Every aspect of our wedding was a reflection of us,” Tiffany says. “We had guests tell us they saw our personalities shine through.” 

The pair served an abundance of food inspired by their travels to Spain, which included deviled eggs stuffed with bacon and a raw bar stocked with crab legs and mussels. “It just made sense to curate a menu that reflected flavors we encountered on our adventures in Spain, our favorite travel destination,” the bride expresses. Guests washed down the mouthwatering appetizers with specialty cocktails from 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. “Pomm of My Hand” was a pomegranate and citrus-infused vodka drink, and “Driftwood” was a twist on the classic Old Fashioned.

Tiffany and Will’s grand entrance into their reception was influenced by the Chicago Bulls, Will’s beloved home team. To top that off, “My maid of honor surprised us with a money gun, showering us with fake hundred-dollar bills,” Tiffany shares.

The twosome and their guests spent the evening dining by candlelight and listening to heartfelt toasts and speeches.

During one of Tiffany’s favorite moments from the night, Will broke out in song and serenaded his bride. He performed Nat King Cole’s “L-O-V-E” out on the dance floor. Tiffany notes, “I often shared or sang love songs to him.” It was Will’s turn to return the favor. A hanging installation of greenery and flowers brought the outdoors in and made the moment even more picturesque. 

After Will sang his version of “L-O-V-E,” his friend Nicholas Miguel picked up the performance and continued singing while the couple swung around the dance floor during their first dance.

At the end of the night, Tiffany changed into a sparkly mini dress with black ribbon sleeves from Carolina Herrera to take to the dance floor.

Dessert was a five-tier white cake decorated with a cascade of striking sugar flowers. The lovebirds chose lemon cake with lemon curd, strawberry buttercream, and fresh strawberries for the flavor.

Tiffany and Will couldn’t have imagined a better evening, and that’s not because every moment transpired flawlessly. “Don’t get caught up in the idea of a ‘perfect’ wedding,” Tiffany advises other couples planning their nuptials. “At the end of the day, all that matters is love, your future spouse, your family, and your friends. Without them, everything else is meaningless.”