In November 2022, Emily Chaplain and Dennis Shin threw an intimate dinner party for 14 of their dearest family and friends. The day began in ornate Hanbok ensembles (Korean formalwear) for a traditional tea ceremony, a nod to the groom’s Korean heritage. Then, the vibe transitioned to a sparkling, Old Hollywood-style dinner party in a New Orleans mansion. See how beautifully this creative couple planned and pulled off a small Southern wedding with splendid Korean flair.
Let’s relive this intimate wedding day at Heirloom Estate in New Orleans with Emily and Dennis.
“Emily and I met 10 years ago in Brooklyn, New York,” Dennis says. On their first date, they walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and played pool all night, so it made sense that Dennis would plan a magical wintertime proposal on the same iconic bridge. “We were living in two cities (New York and Osaka) but had been separated for many months due to Covid restrictions in Japan,” Dennis explains.
Due to strict Japanese health regulations, Emily could not see Dennis unless they married. “It was a tough time being away from each other,” Dennis adds.
“I had been looking at rings for years and had already gotten her parents’ permission years before, so, during one of my visits home, I knew I HAD to propose,” Dennis continues. He convinced Emily to dress up for a fake brunch with a “wealthy jeweler friend” of his mother’s. “I went to great lengths to talk about how she does cash dealings in fine jewelry and may just hook us up with a crazy good deal on a wedding ring gem,” Dennis recalls.
Dennis works as a theme park producer in Japan. In New York, Emily worked as a professional papermaker for Pace Prints, a gallery specializing in limited fine art editions.
“Begrudgingly, Emily said yes,” he says. In a cab downtown, Dennis got a fake text that the fake brunch was canceled and suggested they hop out and walk across the bridge since it was (amazingly) right there. “As we were walking toward the middle, we just happened to run into our dear friend Taylor who was holding a bouquet and an engagement ring,” Dennis says.
Emily is from New Orleans and went to college in Memphis. Dennis is from Chicago and went to college in Los Angeles.
“The moment was beautiful. New York skyline. Idiot tourists. Angry people yelling. People trying to sell you fake gold. And a bustle of taxis in traffic,” Dennis says. “I got down on one knee and immediately started to cry and sputter incoherent babble.” As Dennis asked Emily to marry him, the chaos around and the honking cabs below just went silent. “Emily was laughing the whole time, totally and completely caught off guard.” After she mustered a yes, they soaked up the New York moment around them. Onlookers applauded, and the cab drivers below honked their horns for the couple.
Instead of a months-long engagement, they legally married a few days after at a virtual city hall ceremony. They wanted an intentional, small celebration that they could plan themselves. Emily grew up in New Orleans and had recently helped plan a bachelor party for one of Dennis’s friends in the Garden District. “The homes are magnificent in New Orleans,” Dennis points out, “So we went all in on that idea again.”
They booked a grand Greek Revival mansion constructed in the 1880s that they found on Airbnb.
Dennis organized a live stream of their Paebaek ceremony for the friends and family toasting from afar. And the producer in him orchestrated some perfect on-camera moments.
The home featured original architectural details that blend traditional New Orleans architecture with luxurious modern amenities. With space for up to 25 guests, the estate was the perfect venue for a multi-part ceremony and an intimate dinner. Each room played a different function during the day. “Emily did all the leg work,” Dennis says of the decor and ambiance. “As an artist, she was very particular about the mood she was going for. Natural. Moody. Red.”
Emily is from New Orleans and went to college in Memphis. Dennis is from Chicago and went to college in Los Angeles.
The moody, red, vibrant aesthetic began earlier in the day when the bride, groom, and parents donned their Hanbok dresses. They performed a stripped-down version of a Paebek ceremony to celebrate Denny’s Korean heritage. “At the tea ceremony, our family members took turns sitting with us and giving words of wisdom,” Emily says.
This fun tradition of catching dates and chestnuts is supposed to represent how many children you will have.
“The best part, in my opinion, was the traditional piggyback ride, where Dennis carried me around the room,” Emily adds.
We cannot get enough of Emily’s outfit changes throughout the day. Dennis’ mom coordinated the Hanboks for the Paebaek ceremony and the beautiful decor (the background panel, table, etc.). “She drove from her home in Chicago to New Orleans with all of it!” Emily says of her mother-in-law.
Emily wore a traditional red robe for the ceremony over a formal Hanbok.
Beneath the red robe, Emily had on a pink and purple Hanbok, which matched Dennis perfectly during their nontraditional “first look.”
When they changed for dinner, Emily slipped into a gown by Watters. “It was actually the first dress I tried on! I knew I wanted something satin and Old Hollywood-esque. I tried on a million dresses after but never found anything else like it,” Emily says.
This magnificent photo session by photographer Linka Odom captured the couple and their families in traditional hanboks on the balcony.
“We felt that since the event was so small and we live far away, an intimate dinner party where we could talk to everyone felt right,” Emily adds. During golden hour, guests picked from a spread of small bites and sipped on the “Satsuma Swirl,” a signature cocktail made of local vodka, fresh squeezed local satsuma juice, ginger syrup, and a splash of soda.
The appetizer spread on the porch, catered by Faubourg Farms, consisted of praline bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with satsuma goat cheese; crostini with whipped feta, fig balsamic reduction, fried shallots, and edible flowers; and personal shrimp in’ cheesy grits bites!
When it was time to plan the menu, they called on a friend at Faubourg Farms who, along with his chef mother, put together a classic, three-course New Orleans meal with a Korean spin. The salad was local Bibb lettuce, arugula, pecans, goat cheese, pepitas, apple cider vinaigrette, and edible flowers. Course two was their take on Jajangmyeon — homemade noodles, black soybean sauce, chargrilled pork, and vegetables.
Rich center florals and warm candlesticks adorned the long dinner table.
Last but not least was Chicken Mosca à la Grande, a popular local recipe where chicken is lightly fried and served in a rich oily sauce with a lot of garlic served over a local carrot soufflé. The night finished sweetly with a creme brûlée topped with whipped cream and kumquat. And they also did wine pairings throughout the meal.
This lemon blueberry cake from Cypress Cakes had a lemon curd filling and edible pressed flowers on the outside. “I requested reds and pinks, and the cake was incredibly delicious,” Emily adds.
Dennis repainted cat figurines from Sailor Moon to look like their cats, Betty and Willow. “He also found two figures in Japan that looked like us!” Emily says of the cute figures on the cake table.
We were shocked and impressed to learn that the couple and their families arranged the stunning flower displays themselves.
“I love creative projects and was determined to make something for the wedding,” Emily says. “Plus, [doing the florals] was a budget-conscious choice because my vision would have sent us over budget. It was a family effort! I researched how to do it and ordered bulk roses and a ton of greenery online.”
Three days before the wedding, Emily went to a few grocery stores with her mom, sister, and Dennis to pick up filler flowers. “We processed the flowers two days before the wedding, and everyone worked on arrangements the night before,” Emily says. “Dennis was an amazing collaborator and a natural.”
“I would NOT recommend leaving the flower arranging until the night before!” Emily adds. “It was my first time, so I was afraid to make the arrangements too far in advance. But two to three days before would have been fine because the roses still looked good for almost two weeks after. It also takes a lot of time, and you need a group of people to help!”
“Everything went perfectly,” Emily said, “except we wondered if we were sick with the flu the whole time. So we would take breaks and gargle salt water together. It was cute.”
At the dinner’s end, they laughed that their “send-off” was staying up to escort Emily’s drunk uncles out of the house. When we spoke to Emily and Dennis about their day, they had just returned from a two-week Italian honeymoon in Venice, Puglia, and Malta. Dennis’ work brought them to Japan, where they live now.
Thank you for sharing your wedding story with us, Dennis and Emily. And thanks to Linka Odom for the most epic digital and film photos.
RESOURCES
Ceremony & Reception: Heirloom Estate in New Orleans
Photographers: Linka Odom Photography & Eyoel Kahssay Photographer
Flowers: Emily Chaplain (bride)
Hair and makeup: Gabby Helbach
Bride’s gown: Watters Designs from BHLDN
Catering: Faubourg Farms
Cakes: Cypress Cakes
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