Emily Huang, director of corporate communications at Louis Vuitton, and Michael Sweeney, patent attorney at Foley & Lardner, were “party friends” while both attending UCSB. Ten years later, they reconnected in New York and got together with friends for a weekly Tuesday night dinner—one night, it just clicked for them. After dating for two years, he proposed at a drive-in movie theater in Los Angeles.
Before they started dating, Emily and Michael had their first solo hangout at the Paramount Drive-In Theaters, while they were both visiting California for the holidays. The night he proposed was the two-year anniversary of their first kiss, so they planned to go back to the drive-in for a bit of romantic nostalgia. Michael made sure they got there at least 30-minutes early, so they were the only ones there to see The Kid Who Became King.
Before the film, the screen started playing clips of The Bachelorette, “Jackson” by Johnny Cash and June Carter, and more clips of all their favorite movies. “He basically made a 15-minute reel of romantic clips from my favorite things that are inside jokes between us and spliced in pics of us,” Emily says. “Then towards the end, he came over to my side of the car and got down on his knee, recited a poem he wrote, and proposed. It was the most romantic and magical moment.”
While researching for a freelance job, Emily came across pictures of a wedding in San Miguel de Allende and loved the colors and feel of the town. Once they visited Casa Chorro, they knew it was where they could host their own celebration. “The Spanish style architecture and the lush environment was everything,” Emily says. To help plan everything, they hired Monserrat Guerrero.
For her bridal look, Emily knew she wanted something simple, comfortable, and chic—an open back was essential. At LOHO Bride, she fell in love with the A La Robe Amanda dress and paired it with Loeffler Randall Camellia sandals. The groom looked handsome in a navy Paul Smith suit with a light blue tie.
In the garden on a sunny August day, Emily walked down the cobblestone aisle with her father, while “Mystery of Love” by Sufjan Stevens played. “The second I saw Michael, I could tell he was crying, and it was so sweet,” the bride says. “Two days after the wedding, I realized I had forgotten my bouquet, but it didn’t matter! The setting was absolutely beautiful.”
After being announced as a married couple, everyone gathered around the pool for a cocktail hour, followed by a dinner reception. “We didn’t eat anything, but we heard the food was delicious!” Emily says. They served tamales, esquites, fresh handmade tortillas made on-site, guacamole, steak, fish, and churros for dessert.
Then the newlyweds had their first dance to Kendrick Lamar’s “Love,” followed by Michael recreating the music video to Childish Gambino’s “Summertime Magic” and dancing for his bride. Once the dance floor started, it didn’t stop until the very end. To keep up momentum, jello shots and iced coffee were served.
“It was honestly the best night of my life,” Emily says. And the festivities ended in an iconic way—everyone jumped into the pool!
