A SmogShoppe Wedding with Tropical Disco Energy in Los Angeles

Priscilla (she/her) and Marie (she/her) have been making things together since the beginning. Homemade cured meats on a first date. An aperitif they’ve brewed every year since they started dating. A two-month trip through Asia tracing their families’ roots. So when it came time to get married, making things together was exactly how they did it too.

Their SmogShoppe wedding in Los Angeles was Tropical Disco from the first beat to the last, built around a bead curtain they sourced and strung themselves, personalized photos for every single guest, and a homemade Vin d’Orange poured as the welcome drink. Planner Katie Hall of Best Day Ever LA and photographer Vivian Chen helped bring it all to life, but the vision was entirely theirs: a celebration of two queer women of color, living fully and out in the open, surrounded by every person who mattered.

They call it the coming out party they never had.

How They Met

We met on a dating app in the middle of the pandemic, bonding over a shared love of eggs. A week later, we had our first date over video and talked for hours. When we finally met in person at Golden Gate Park, we wandered to the bison paddock and spent five hours walking, talking, and stopping for pineapple buns and boba. Marie sent Priscilla home with a charcuterie board of homemade cured meats, then called her, and we talked for another four hours. The rest, they say, is history.

Over the next four years, as the world opened up, so did our relationship. We had our first restaurant date nearly a year in, then started traveling, locally at first, then across states, and eventually on a two-month trip through Asia, sharing where our families are from. Along the way, we both came out to our families and supported each other through it. It wasn’t always easy, but it deepened everything between us in a way we wouldn’t change.

How They Planned a Wedding That Actually Felt Like Them

We’re not the type to do anything half-heartedly, so from the start we decided every part of our wedding had to spark joy. Nothing out of obligation. Every choice had to feel right for us.

That meant questioning everything and defining the why, which took time (and tested our patience as logistics-minded people). What kept us grounded was having a clear vision and shared values. We actually wrote them down and revisited them whenever we felt stuck or overwhelmed.

We also kept coming back to the guest experience. One big decision was offering a babysitting service so parents could fully enjoy the day. It added to the cost and guest count, but it mattered to us, so it stayed.

A SmogShoppe Wedding with Tropical Disco Energy – photo 1

A SmogShoppe Wedding with Tropical Disco Energy – photo 2

Why They Left San Francisco for a Los Angeles Wedding Venue

We knew we wanted something lush and full of tropical plants, without spending most of our budget on decor. That search took us from San Francisco down to LA, where we found SmogShoppe.

It had everything we were after. Palm trees, that iconic LA feel, and space to create the kind of experience we wanted for our out-of-town guests. Being able to bring in our own vendors, like Best Day Ever LA for planning, Nick Floral for florals, and Fundamental Catering + Events, was a huge bonus too. It meant we could really make the day our own.

How They Tackled the Wedding Budget

Our biggest advice: spend on what actually matters to you. If it’s not important, question if you need it at all. And if it’s necessary but not meaningful, don’t pour too much time or money into it.

Because we kept coming back to our why, it was easier to cut things that didn’t feel like us. For example, florals weren’t a priority, so we scaled back there and splurged on our bar, serving our homemade aperitif, something we’ve been making together since the start of our relationship.

We tracked everything in a spreadsheet. Vendor quotes, expected vs. actual costs, and payment timelines. It helped us see how each decision impacted the budget and made sure we were always prepared for what was coming next.

How They Built Their Guest List

SmogShoppe’s capacity gave us a firm limit, so that became our starting point. From there, we were really intentional. Every single person on the list was discussed and advocated for.

There were definitely hard conversations, but by the end, we both felt clear on why each person was there.

Why They Chose Vivian Chen as Their Wedding Photographer

Priscilla used to dabble in wedding photography, so she had a strong point of view going in. Style and aesthetic mattered, but so did connection. We wanted someone who understood our vision and who we’d feel completely at ease with, knowing we’d spend the whole day together.

Allow us to brag about Vivian Chen. Priscilla was drawn to the sense of movement in her work, how each image feels like a moment unfolding, like you can almost see what happens next. Beyond that, Vivian made us feel safe as a queer Asian American couple. She’s Taiwanese American herself, incredibly organized, and not afraid to take the reins when needed. She even asked for a VIP list ahead of time. She was crucial to making our day what it was, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Where the Tropical Disco Wedding Theme Came From

We saw our wedding as the coming out party we never had. From the moment guests arrived, they were stepping into our world, one that centered us as two queer women of color and celebrated living fully and authentically. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker became our guide in shaping that experience.

The actual theme came from a concert by Jacob Collier. The room went dark, a single light hit the disco ball, and it scattered glimmers everywhere. We looked at each other and knew. Tropical Disco.

The DIY Details That Made It Personal

We had a few DIY projects that really brought our personalities into the day.

The bead curtain was a big one. We wanted guests to feel like they were stepping into a completely different world. We sourced iridescent materials online and got some handy friends to help bring it to life.

For wedding favors, we printed photos of us with each guest from different points in our lives and handwrote notes on the back. We knew we might not get as much time with everyone as we wanted, so this was our way of making sure each person felt seen and important. It was a lot of work, but people kept them, which meant everything.

We also made a video telling the story of our relationship, ending with a message to our guests – our chosen family. As it faded to black, our first song started, and we went straight into our dance.

What They Wore

Priscilla had a loose idea and found her dress straight away. It just felt right. Marie took a little longer. Traditional dresses didn’t feel like her, and a suit wasn’t it either (too restrictive, too hot for summer in LA). At a bespoke shop, everything clicked. A jumpsuit and a custom cape with a phoenix design, a nod to her Vietnamese heritage.

We both changed halfway through the reception. Priscilla leaned into her masc side with a vest and flowy pants, while Marie went full sparkle in a gold sequin dress with a high slit.

How the Day Unfolded

We walked down the aisle to “I’m Alive” by Celine Dion. Priscilla was escorted by her 92-year-old grandmother, and Marie shimmied and twirled down the aisle, showing off her custom phoenix cape.

We served our own Vin d’Orange as the welcome drink, something we’ve made together every year since we started dating, with Cali Craft Cocktails helping bring it to life. Instead of traditional favors, we gave each guest a photo of us together with a handwritten note.

No cake (we don’t like it). Instead: a Hawaiian shave ice truck from Brian Shave Ice, which was perfect in the LA heat. We asked everyone to wear bright colors and patterns, and the dance floor turned into a rainbow swirl under two disco balls, with DJ Dazzler keeping everything moving.

There was also a surprise instant ramen bar to keep the energy up, right through to the final song, “This Is What Dreams Are Made Of” by Hilary Duff.

The Moments That Stayed With Us

Our first look. Priscilla saw Marie’s cape for the first time and thought, “Wow, I’m marrying a queen.”

The ceremony. Marie walking down the aisle to “I’m Alive,” feeling the LA sun, locking eyes with Priscilla and thinking, “All of my loved ones are around me and I’m marrying my person. I’m free.”

The reception. This one moment in our first dance where we turned to face our guests. Our dance instructor (who 100% knew what she was doing) built it in, and it hit us hard.

And the dance floor! Everyone jumping under the spinning disco ball, singing along to “Golden,” with DJ Dazzler keeping the energy high, and Marie literally glowing in her sequin dress.

Their Los Angeles Wedding Vendor Team

Vivian Chen, our photographer, and Katie Hall from Best Day Ever LA, our planner and coordinator. Both absolutely key to how the day came together.

Lauren from Fundamental Catering + Events had guests raving about the food (seriously, the best they’d had at a wedding). Her team even packed us meals to go when they noticed we hadn’t had a chance to eat.

Porter Gulch created our custom rings, bringing our ideas to life with those California coast ocean vibes we wanted.

And Sarah from Cali Craft Cocktails didn’t blink when we said we wanted to serve our homemade aperitif, kept the drinks flowing, and made sure there was never a long wait at the bar.