Jorce We all know that Valentine’s first date is usually a bad idea, but fortunately, Nina Kim and Kenny D’Amica are not worried about this. The two met on OKCupid in the week after Valentine’s Day in February 2014, avoiding a first date of forced romance, but talking non-stop in the bar area of a restaurant in Chinatown, San Francisco. Unbelievable city view.
The SF couple suddenly raised questions when they moved from the Bay Area to Portland in December 2016. The couple dated for two years. “We and our dog were on the Oregon coast and stopped to watch the tidal pool and the lighthouse at Yaquina Head,” Nina said. “Kenny suggested going down the stairs to the beach!” The couple didn’t want to plan a wedding to take over their lives, so they chose to participate for a long time – nearly 17 months! – This way they can balance, work, personal life and plan without any additional pressure. “This allows us to really research and plan and provide us with major supplier bookings one year before the wedding,” Nina explained.
Although the couple thought it was a big wedding at a grand reception, a smaller event won the victory. On May 18, 2018, they invited 50 guests to celebrate with them. First, they went to San Francisco’s landmark ceremony, ending in the history of the City Hall, and then held an outdoor reception at the Stapafé Cafe, a Neapolitan-style restaurant that skipped traditional wedding food and switched to pizza. “We hope that our ceremony is short and sweet, and our reception is a peculiar pizza party,” Nina revealed. So how does the couple combine everyone’s favorite Friday dinner with the temptation of the wedding? Take a look at the photos taken by Hannah Costello!
Nina’s Rime Arodaky wedding dress with silk tulle and crepe, embellished embroidered flowers at the neckline and waist. “I used to shop with my sister, my mother, and even my brother, and tried a lot of clothes without finding what I wanted,” Nina said. “When I went alone, I finally found what I wanted!” The bride likes a low waist and a comfortable silhouette. She wears a pair of custom Bryr clogs underneath her dress for added comfort.
The couple did not attend the wedding, but let their brothers and sisters stand next to the ceremony. “My sister is a bridesmaid, my brother is my brother, and Kenny’s sister is his best woman, and his brother is his best man,” Nina explained. Her sister wore a mustard yellow off-the-shoulder Jenny Yoo dress, while Kenny wore Anthropologie’s floral dress.
All three women have whimsical bouquets, including buttercups, hawthorns, and peaches, dusty pink and white poppies.
Nina’s grandmother was a flower girl, and was escorted to the aisle by the couple’s friend Alex, who served as a ring. Alex’s fiancee Kate presided over the ceremony. “We want to write our own vows, but I can hardly pass the traditional vows,” Nina said. “We tried it a few times at home and it became hard to understand every time!”
While waiting for the reception to start, guests enjoyed a drink at the couple’s favorite date night, Mission Bowling. At the same time, Kenny and Nina are accepting traditional Korean clothing. “When we visited my family there, we made our clothes in Seoul, and we have been changing. We recalled this trip and dreamed when we would go back,” Nina said.
The courtyard of the StableCafé Café is the perfect place for the couple to meet outside, and the on-site cheese school means that every pizza is delicious!
