Bride: Hebah Hussaina
Groom: Wilson Tu
Q: How did you two meet, and what was your first impression of each other?
We met in school when we were both in our undergraduate degrees at the University of British Columbia. Both of us were volunteering together to support incoming UBC students’ transitions to university in the Faculty of Science. We didn’t have very great first impressions of each other, actually! Hebah thought Wilson was “too cool for school”, and Wilson thought Hebah was a “teacher’s pet”. But once we actually sat down and talked to each other, we realized we had a lot in common.
Q: Describe your wedding day for us. Did you have a favorite part of the wedding?
Our wedding day was simultaneously the most perfect and the most exhausting day! We had our Mehndi celebration the day before, so we were exhausted from that and had to wake up early to get ready. Despite all of that, it was extremely exciting, and we were simply so overjoyed to be married to each other and have our dearest family and friends around us. Our favorite part was the reception, and specifically sitting with our families while they watched a special video that we had prepared for our parents.
Q: Tell us more about your reception.
Our reception was hosted at the Aria Banquet Hall, which was fantastic in helping us with the preparation and execution! We were very focused on the little details in our reception, from the name cards at each table to our little ‘wedding magazine’ we created. We also incorporated different elements of both our cultures throughout — for example, having red and gold as the central color theme, as they are regal colors in both our cultures. We really tried to focus on our gratitude for each other and our families at our reception, where we did our best to incorporate special moments dedicated to our families and friends who are near and dear to us.
Q: How did both of you choose your wedding attire? Were there any special considerations or sentimental elements?
Throughout our different ceremonies and events of our wedding, we wanted to ensure that there was representation from both of our cultures! We both wore outfits that were traditionally Chinese, Indian, and Western.
Q: Were any specific traditions or customs particularly important to include in your wedding?
During all of our events, we ensured to integrate components that represented our individual and shared cultures. For example, at our reception, we played the “Joota Chhupai” game, and at our Taiwanese event, we went around to each table to greet every single person!
Q: Where did you honeymoon?
We went to Thailand (Chiang Mai), Indonesia (Bali), and Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) this summer for a couple of weeks!
Q: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
We wish we had taken the time to enjoy the food at our wedding more!
Q: What do you love the most about one another?
Wilson: Hebah’s kindness and ability to actively listen to everyone around her and make them feel heard & special.
Hebah: Wilson’s patience, kindness, and consideration for everyone around him.
Q: How does it feel to be married, and what are you most looking forward to in this new chapter together?
We love being married!! It has felt so special being able to have new experiences with each other, such as travelling the world. We are so excited to travel more, grow our family (we recently adopted a cat!), and share life’s beautiful moments with each other.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding, what would it be?
There can be a lot of pressure to “get it right”. Make sure to incorporate elements, traditions, or experiences that feel like “you” and are important for you, as it can be really easy to lose yourself in the overall wedding planning process!
