Lilian and Gao had an Thornewood Castle Intimate Wedding with their closest friends and family located in Tacoma, Washington. They had their wedding planned in early 2020 and decided they still wanted to tie the knot on the day they had planned with whatever number of guests would be allowed to attend amidst the pandemic and still do it safety! They spent lots of time creating a beautiful day and trying to allow some of the normal things to still occur in a manner that was allowed. Friends and family recorded toasts and sweet messages that they played via video during their ceremony. They had their cake and dinner prepped into to go containers for their guests to take with them. Overall it was a beautiful intimate day to celebrate the union of this lovely couple!

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About the venue: Thornewood Castle is a 500-year-old Tudor Gothic historic mansion located in Lakewood, Washington.  In 1907, Mr. Thorne purchased a 400-year-old  Elizabethan manor in England and had parts of it dismantled and shipped piece by piece to be included in the main house. A famous architect, Kirtland Kelsey Cutter, was in charge of this most interesting Tudor Gothic project. The three acres of grounds and lakefront can be enjoyed from a breezy summer porch, the sunken garden, the beautiful loggia, and our private dock and beach. Our sunsets over the lake are a sight to see! The “secret” sunken English garden was designed by the Olmsted Brothers and exists today much as it did when the Thornes lived here. The Castle offers over 27,000 square feet of living space, graciously arranged under one tile roof, and boasts 54 rooms, including 22 bedrooms and 22 baths.

Vendors: Venue: Thornewood Castle // Photography: Rebecca Anne Photography Associate // Coordinator: Jennifer Vandeventer of Elements NW // Catering: Crescent Moon Catering // Cake: Spilled Butter Desserts // Hair and Makeup: Christy Kao Makeup // Officiant: Janine Goehler from Life Time Memories // Dress: Oleg Cassini