Andrea Tsang and William Åslund, who met at a supermarket in Shanghai, where they both live, decided to host their August wedding in his home city of Stockholm. “It’s convenient for his family, of course, but also exotic for the guests flying in from all over the world,” Andrea says. The two love the archipelago, and when they went looking for venues, Finnhamn checked all their boxes.
As for their wedding looks, the couple wanted a whiff of old glamour and something that would look nice in the low summer sun. They had discussed a “20th century country house party” aesthetic at some point. Andrea chose a long-sleeve, open back gown with a long veil and changed into a Nanushka champagne dress before the reception. And William wore a classic, midnight blue tuxedo with patent leather shoes.
On August 24th, 2019, on top of an old inn, the two were married in a secular ceremony officiated by a former diplomat. Once wed, the service was followed by a traditional Hong Kong-style tea ceremony.
Dinner was served in a rustic boat house by the water. The chef was Spanish, so the dishes were a crossover of modern Spanish and traditional Swedish summer food.
“Swedish weddings are known for back-to-back speeches, and we had quite a few!” Andrea remarks. Dear friends balanced embarrassing anecdotes with pure love, and the standout toast came from William’s mum. It was delivered in English and brought upon floods of laughter and tears.
As people are finishing their dessert, the power went out and the whole island became dark. Lanterns were fetched and everyone headed to the main building by candlelight. A generator powered the sound system until the electricity came back a few hours later. “Everyone was having a great time, and it didn’t bother us one bit to dance by candlelight!” Andrea says. The two had their first dance to “Just the Two of Us” by Bill Withers.
The newlyweds had planned on a road trip in California this October, but they have decided to postpone a while longer due to COVID-19. Andrea adds, “They who wait for something good never wait too long, right?”
