Candace & Jason: A Special Day in Yorkville of Heritage, Tradition, and Love 瑰麗時光：傳承・儀式・摯愛交織的一天

Photography: Whitney Heard Photography
Ceremony Venue & Reception Venue: Park Hyatt Toronto • Wedding Planner: Rainbow Chan Weddings
Cinematographers: Hidden Light Films • Florist: Neroli Design • Hair and Makeup Artist: Windy Chiu • Cake: Yue's Cake Boutique • Officiant: Monica Lee
Chair Rentals: Detailz Couture • Linen/ Table Rental: Chairman Mills • Drape: Eventure Design • Band/ Audio DJ: The Digs • Dance Floor: DFD Event Solutions
Tree Rentals: Green Films • Sofa Rental: Contemporary Furniture Rentals
As Featured in The Art of Celebration Annual Edition No.2

“Our shared cultural identity as Canadian-born Chinese were foundational values that underpin our relationship, so we made sure our celebration struck a balance between both aspects.”

— Candace & Jason

Candace and Jason’s story began in the autumn of 2019. Their mutual friend, Monica, recommended Jason’s cozy little restaurant in Baldwin Village to Candace when she was looking for a venue for her 30th birthday celebration. Candace and Jason first connected over email and later again in person when she dined in to discuss details. From their conversations evolved from a friendly and professional tone emails, to Instagram, and ultimately led to WhatsApp. Finally, after a few weeks of chatting, a date was set, and Jason took Candace to House of Chan for a Chinese-Jewish dinner. It was a fitting setting: they both grew up in that neighbourhood and Candace’s last name was Chan!

On their second date, Candace broke the news that she had signed a work contract and would be moving to New York in a month. It was devastating to hear, but with their fresh romance tainted lenses, they only thought about how to make their relationship work, not whether it would..

Without a real plan, Candace and Jason headed into 2020 with high hopes and preparation for the future constant travel between New York and Toronto.

Both families share a very similar background. Their parents moved from Hong Kong to Toronto in the 1970s to build a new life in Canada. Like many Canadian immigrant families, they’re proud Canadians, yet still hold their native culture near and dear.

When it came to their wedding, it was important for them to proudly display their Chinese heritage while honouring their culture and customs.

There were two important elements that held deep meaning for Candace and Jason, as well as their families. They began the day dressed in full traditional Chinese wedding attire (Qua & Ma Qua) and kicked off the celebrations with the classic Chinese door games. In this playful tradition, the groom must earn his way to the bride by completing a series of challenges set by her friends and family—proving his dedication and worthiness.

Following the door games, they held a traditional Chinese tea ceremony in the Terrace Room at the Park Hyatt. It was important to both Candace and Jason that the tea ceremony was just as elegant and significant as the Western ceremony and reception, especially since the event was traditionally considered the main part of the wedding ceremony.

The wedding planner helped bring the couple’s vision to life with a beautifully styled setting: a red couch with gold-accented pillows was set against a Chinese backdrop featuring the traditional double happiness, and framed with white and blue florals which was the couple’s contemporary reinterpretation of the Chinese porcelain and ceramics that they remembered from their childhood.

Candace and Jason envisioned a classic, timeless, and elegant wedding that remained intentional in its simplicity, allowing the larger celebration to still feel intimate. The top priority was creating a meaningful experience for all guests. In many ways, the wedding served as a reunion for family and friends who had traveled from around the world—some of whom hadn’t seen one another in over a decade or two. With that in mind, they thoughtfully planned the itinerary and designed the festivities to encourage connection and conversation throughout the day and into the night under an evening glow.

When Candace and Jason first started looking for a wedding venue, their priority was finding a downtown space that could accommodate over 200 guests—something contemporary with plenty of natural light, yet still warm and inviting. Ironically, one day while walking down Yorkville, Candace pointed to the exterior of the Park Hyatt and said, “Wouldn’t that be a great space? Why can’t this be our wedding venue?” A quick Google search showed it was a residence, so they moved on. A few months later, they realized it was actually the newly renovated Park Hyatt. As soon as they toured the updated space, they fell in love. The airy, welcoming reception hallway made for the perfect entrance, and they imagined the guests trickling in, sipping cocktails, and enjoying live music in the background. The ballroom, with its blank canvas, gave them the freedom to create an intimate and warmly lit reception in the heart of downtown Toronto.

While the wedding gown is often the focal point, Candace’s evening dress held just as much significance, if not more. In the evening, she changed into a Cheongsam that once belonged to her late grandmother (Popo), tailored with a modern silhouette to reflect her own style while preserving a connection to the woman she held so dearly in her heart. The look was completed with pearls—gifts from Jason throughout their relationship—and served as a quiet homage to her grandmother’s elegance and free spirit. Just as her Popo once danced the night away in her youth, Candace wore the Cheongsam to do the same on her wedding night.

It was important for Candace and Jason to spend as much time as possible with their family, knowing that the wedding day itself would be a whirlwind. The couple began the festivities the night before by treating their mothers and sisters to manicures and massages at Stillwater Spa. Afterwards, they hosted their rehearsal dinner in the Terrace Room, which opened onto the rooftop patio and welcomed the perfect sunset breeze. Having an entire wing reserved for the family the night before and the night of the wedding added such a meaningful touch—it truly made the venue feel like a home away from home.

Candace and Jason also wanted their celebration to flow seamlessly throughout different areas of the hotel. The bi-level suite served as the bridal room and was the perfect setting for the door games—fun, lively, and interactive—with the bride and her family watching the playful chaos unfold from above. They fell in love with the breathtaking views from the Terrace Room. It served many roles throughout our celebration: from hosting the rehearsal dinner, to welcoming their extended family for the tea ceremony, to transforming later into a lively space for the after-party for their friends with unobstructed views of the Toronto skyline.

Coming full circle, they returned to the Park Hyatt a year later and stayed in the Presidential Suite. As they walked through the hallways, they reminisced about the special moments from their wedding weekend a year ago, and watched while another couple got engaged and another said, “I do.”

Candace hoped that she would feel a deep connection to her family when looking back at the photos and videos of the day. As she walked down the aisle, Candace wore a pair of earrings—one half from her mom and the other half from her late grandmother (Po Po)— combined to create her “something borrowed.” She also carried a bouquet with orchids, a small nod to her dad, who lovingly cared for the flowers in their family home. What meant the most to her though, was being walked down the aisle by both her mom and dad. Each of them wore a suit, to reflect the symmetry of the two unwavering pillars of support who had always stood beside her.

Ultimately, Candace and Jason wanted their wedding to be authentic and a true reflection of who they were as a couple. Family and their shared cultural identity as Canadian-born Chinese were foundational values that underpinned their relationship, so they made sure their celebration struck a balance between both aspects.

Like most couples, the biggest challenge was trying to fit everything they envisioned—photos, cultural traditions, speeches, dinner, and dancing—into such a short day. Throughout the planning process, during the wedding itself, and even as they reflected afterward, one thing became clear: they always wished for more time. More time to be alone together, more time with family, more time with friends, and most of all, more time to truly soak in the moment and all the emotions that came with it.

The couple’s favourite moments began with the quiet morning spent with family and close friends, where time seemed to slow down, allowing them to fully savor every moment. This was followed by their private vows, a chance to be completely present for one another. Then came the realization that everything had gone perfectly, without a hitch. That feeling was euphoric knowing it was the best day ever... until the birth of their daughter. They only wished she could have magically been there to share that special day too!

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