Currently featured in the WS2012 Toronto/Eastern Canada issue, "Old Shanghai Glam" is a stunning Glitterati Style File inspiration feature which captures the beauty during a complex time of the legendary Chinese town, in the new setting of modern Toronto.

DESIGN OBJECTIVE

“Showcasing the diversity that Toronto celebrates, we brought together the east and west, and the old and new in a fashionable industrial twist. Every element in the florals, stationery, cakes, clothing and jewellery elude to a modern perspective of the industrious image of Shanghai—vintage record players, beautiful train stations & everything
hand–crafted.  Delicate imagery of florals and silks, dramatic sparkle from the dance clubs, combined with a dollop of European-influenced art deco architecture, design in Shanghai is full of exuberance that can be incorporated into weddings today. There are complimentary parallels between art deco design of the era and classical Chinese architecture which plays on symmetry and the elegance of geometric shapes.

 We designed a high-style tablescape, as well as some dramatic & romantic vignettes centered around Chinese traditions such as the tea ceremony, 24K gold bridal jewellery and favours, & gifting of cakes when invitations are handed out.
The shoot presents a luxe wedding-scape that any couple of any culture would find to be a stunning inspiration for their big day.”

– Deborah Lau-Yu, PALETTERA Custom Correspondences 

Above:
Red goblets, martini glass rental from: Exclusive Affair Rentals

Table accessories, Chinese chairs, place mats, lanterns, dishes, floral etc are all the concept of the EventDecorator.com team and are all inventoried items. Chinese details sourced from Dai Dai Crafts & Imports.

Below:
Antique dressing table and mirror, Chinese tea set, Chinese mural and dressing table accents, inventoried items from EventDecorator.com.  









“The invitation (shown above and below) is inspired by vintage jewellery cases of the 1930s era, but we’ve also given it a modern punch of colour and gold studs that we set into the wooden case. Hand-painted details are only the prelude for the luxe satin cushion on the inside, where the main invitation sits. It’s removable from the box, like a detailed family gem. It’s understated, but yet dramatically luxe as it is also gold-studded and foil-pressed in gold, on a backdrop of traditional red and black. It was inspired by traditional brush calligraphy on red paper for good luck.”

– Deborah Lau-Yu, PALETTERA Custom Correspondences






Above Left: A wooden Chinese screen (from EventDecorator.com) creatively displays mooncakes which double as escort/placecards. 





Above: Mini mooncakes with red lotus paste inside (for good luck). Each mooncake is presented in a red box with
foil-pressed art deco detailing, with guest names and table assignments handwritten in black ink.

“Lucky money pockets are deeply rooted in Chinese tradition. They come in pairs (just as anything else for special occasions), to represent ‘double the happiness.’ In this case, these are custom die cut and designed to match the rest of the stationery with the tiny red plum blossoms (representing the coming of love) and pressed in gold with the couple’s initials that have been abstracted into a relatively Chinese-inspired shape. Couples give them out to their helpers and parents give them out to their children to be wed. Specifically, during the tea ceremony, the new couple serves tea to each of their elders and each elder hands them a pair of lucky money pockets as a gift of good luck in their marriage.”

– Deborah Lau-Yu, PALETTERA Custom Correspondence

(Above) Cake and Mini Cakes: Konstadin Cadeau, Cakes By Konstadin


NOTE OF TRADITION
In traditional Chinese culture, both families made wedding announcements to their relatives and friends by sending out cakes along with wedding invitations. These cakes are known as “Dragon & Phoenix Cakes” and they usually are baked with dragon and phoenix imprints on the surface. Some styles have fillings made of lotus seed paste, red bean paste or green bean paste. The quantity of cakes to be sent would depend on the seniority of guest or relationship with the family. The tradition has since been modernized with bakery cards in lieu of actual cakes but we love the idea of reviving the time-honoured custom. 

– Deborah Lau-Yu, PALETTERA Custom Correspondence

 
Photographer:  Claudia Hung, Claudia Hung Weddings
2nd Photographer: Justin Wong, Claudia Hung Weddings
Concept, Art Direction & Co-Producer: Deborah Lau-Yu, PALETTERA Custom Correspondences
Co-Producer, Floral & Decor Design: Elizabeth Johnston, EventDecorator.com
Stationery (Invitations, Placecards, Menus, Lucky Money Pockets): Deborah Lau-Yu, PALETTERA Custom Correspondences
Cake & Mini-cakes: Konstadin Cadeau, Cakes By Konstadin
Make-up Artist & Hair Stylist: Joan Huang, Aglow By Joan
Custom Suits: Garrison Bespoke
Gown: Romona Keveza, Legends by Romona Keveza
Traditional Chinese Wedding Dress: Tian Art Asian Culture, Hazelton Lanes, Toronto
Bespoke feathered fascinator: David Dunkley, KC's Hats
All diamond & 24k gold jewellery: H&F Jewellery & Jade, First Markham Place, Unionville
Shoes: Casadei from Hugo Nicholson, Hazelton Lanes, Toronto
Red Goblets & Martini Glass Rentals: Exclusive Affair Rentals
Photographed on location: The Steam Whistle Brewery, Toronto