Janice & Patrick: On the wings of Heritage, Tradition, and Love 傳承、傳統與愛的美好融合

Photography: Tim Chin
Ceremony Venue: McGill Birks Chapel, Montreal • Reception Venue & Banquet: Holiday Inn Montreal Centreville Downtown • Wedding Planner: Janice Kwan
Day Of Coordinator: AmazingWedding1314 • Hair and Makeup Artist: Shierly Tjipto, Boudoir Studio MTL
Tea Ceremony, Florals, Photo Booth, Decorator: AmazingWedding1314 • Live Illustrator: Ana Araujo Art • Band & DJ: Back in the Daze
Sweets Dessert Table: WingSo’s Kitchen • Custom Fortune Cookies: Wings Noodles • Cake: The Bride’s 婆婆
As Featured in The Art of Celebration Annual Edition No.1

“Despite our different upbringings, both our childhoods were filled with Chinese food. As such, including a Chinese banquet was the first thing we settled on for our wedding.”

— Janice & Patrick

In a harmonious celebration blending tradition and festivity, Janice and Patrick embarked on a journey to honour their diverse cultural heritage. Their love story, sparked during a Valentine's Day grocery run for a dumpling-making party, culminated in a heartfelt proposal amidst the pandemic. From historic venues like McGill Birks chapel to vibrant Chinatown settings, every detail of their wedding reflected a fusion of Chinese and Canadian influences. The couple made sure to include fortune cookies from Janice’s family business, Wings Noodles, which has serviced the country for decades. Traditional ceremonies, personal attire choices, and a culinary journey bridged generational and cultural divides, creating a joyous tapestry of love and tradition.

Patrick and Janice, both engineers, met in university and bonded over shared experiences. Despite different cultural backgrounds, both had rich histories with Chinese heritage, rooted in family traditions and culinary delights. Patrick, fluent in Japanese and Cantonese, had a diverse upbringing spanning Osaka, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, while Janice, a fourth-generation Chinese Canadian, struggled at times to connect with her heritage. Their wedding planning prioritized honouring their roots, evident in their choice of venue—a Chinese-themed hotel in Montreal's Chinatown—and traditional ceremonies like the Chinese tea ceremony and the Japanese sake ritual.

Personal touches included wearing family heirlooms like Janice's Por Por's (grandmother's) silk dress and her mother's wedding gown. The reception featured a blend of Chinese and Japanese-themed décor, with a banquet dinner showcasing Chinese Canadian classics alongside traditional dishes. The lively atmosphere was accentuated by interactive entertainment, bridging the gap between generations and cultures. As their special day unfolded, smiles, laughter, and joy filled the air, epitomizing the harmonious fusion of tradition and celebration that defined their wedding. Beautiful portraits by Tim Chin were captured in Montreal’s historic Chinatown.

“Despite our different upbringings, both our childhoods were filled with Chinese food. As such, including a Chinese banquet was the first thing we settled on for our wedding. From there, it was easy to select the Montreal Chinatown Holiday Inn as a reception venue. Unlike a restaurant where you might have to share the space, or a hall that only supports western-style catering, the Chinese-themed hotel had everything we wanted for our vision. Chinatown also represented a special place for me and my family. It is where the Wings Noodle factory was started by my late Gung Gung (grandfather) and his brothers, just as WWII broke out. Wings is still running today, known for its noodles, fortune cookies, and sauces.”—Janice & Patrick

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