An Italian-Inspired Wedding on a California College Campus

Vivian Yuxi Shen and Andrew Ahn are both lawyers—who met at New York University and got engaged after Vivian graduated from Cornell Law School—so it's no surprise the pair of academics chose to marry on a college campus in Pasadena, California on August 18, 2018. "We fell in love with the Athenaeum's Roman peristyle and Hellenistic design," Vivian says of the private academic club, which was Albert Einstein's residence at Caltech.

Th couple inspiration from the club's Greek and Roman influence and designed an Italian-inspired wedding just east of Los Angeles. They hired Alexis Eskenazi of AE&Co. to plan and design the summer celebration and credit her with keeping the process as stress-free as possible. "Alexis really understood our vision and executed it with precision and ease," says Vivian. "In fact, the only hard part was the seating chart. With friends and family coming from all over the world and so many different circles that didn't all intersect, figuring out who to sit together was a puzzle!"

Vivian and Andrew ultimately envisioned Italian elegance, pairing neutral backdrops and elegant textures with richly colored flowers straight out of the Tuscan countryside. Keep scrolling to see how they brought a European vibe to their Pasadena wedding, as photographed by Scott Clark Photo below!

To kick off their wedding weekend, Andrew and Vivian welcomed guests to Pasadena at their rehearsal dinner. The bride paired a vibrant red wrap dress with matching earrings and modern white mules.

"I tried on a number of dresses with mixed fabric and intricate appliqués but all that detail felt distracting," says Vivian. "When I put on this simple Reem Acra gown, I could see myself and my personality coming through." The classic dress featured a structured neckline, a full satin skirt, and a dramatic train. Vivian wore a necklace from her mother that she shortened into a choker to show off the dress's unique shape, and carried a soft bouquet of white and blush roses and ranunculus.

To match the stately setting and his bride's elegant gown, Andrew kept things classic in a black Giorgio Armani tuxedo.

Vivian describes the ceremony setting as "dreamy." The ceremony took place in a manicured garden, below towering trees and surrounded by arched porticos. The space was filled with mismatched chairs that enhanced the Italian wedding vibe, which the bride describes as dreamy.

Vivian walked down the aisle with her mother. "It was so special to share that moment with her," she says. As part of their ceremony, Andrew and Vivian asked guests in the front rows to pass the couple's wedding bands, set on moss pillows, and bless the rings with good wishes before the couple exchanged them.

Andrew and Vivian gravitate towards light and refreshing drinks, so their signature cocktail was a glass of Champagne with a splash of St. Germain that paired perfectly with the al fresco lounges at cocktail hour.

For the reception, Vivian changed into a strapless Roland Mouret column dress with an origami neckline and structured peplum. The slit in the skirt showed off her white Gucci platforms. "I chose a platform and block heels for maximum height and stability!" she says.

The reception took place in the central courtyard, with tables creating a U shape around a central dance floor. Delicately patterned linens were paired with ornate chargers and colorful centerpieces on each table.

On the dinner tables, lace-patterned linens created a tone-on-tone backdrop. Lush centerpieces of roses, scabiosas, and peonies were surrounded with fresh grapes and stone fruit. "The tables were absolutely decadent," says Vivian. Crystal chandeliers provided light and a touch of sparkle in the middle of the action.

Baker Lori Stern created the couple's charcoal-hued wedding cake, which was topped with fresh blooms. "We also couldn't skip her gorgeous flower shortbread cookies!" adds the bride. "We had them individually wrapped and passed them as a sweet thank you while guests were departing."

"We had so much fun dancing that I completely forgot about the bouquet toss!" says Vivian. In fact, she and Andrew only left the dance floor to hit up the Polaroid photo booth, where guests also left notes on the back of their photos for the newlyweds.