An Ethereal and Magical Big Day That Had “An Outdoor Vibe Without Being Outdoors”

For Sally and Andy, their Madison Hotel wedding, “was ethereal and it was everything that I wanted and more,” says Sally.

Their Story

“Did anyone order chicken?” Those were the first words that Sally Li heard from Andy Kang, who was dressed as a Popeyes chicken employee at the 2018 Halloween party in San Francisco, where they met. “I laughed and after a while we started talking and instantly hit it off,” says Sally, 31, originally of Montville. But Andy, 32, originally of Ridgefield, soon returned to his home in Portland, Oregon, while Sally was living in San Francisco. On the West Coast, they bonded over their New Jersey roots, being foodies with elite status on Yelp, their mutual friends, and the separate trips they had taken to the Patagonia region. They dated long distance, making frequent visits to each other’s city, as well as taking a road trip down the California coast and trips to Japan and Coachella. About a year after that first laugh over poultry, Andy relocated to San Francisco. Sally loves that Andy is smart, very patient and makes her laugh. “I’m a little serious,” she says. “He balances that out with his silliness and ridiculous comments at the most unexpected times. He has a very generous and big heart, he takes care of his family, he takes care of me and he is a really, really great person.”

The Proposal

On June 26, 2021, Andy told Sally to wear something nice and suggested they go to the Presidio, the park near the Golden Gate Bridge, and to a nearby happy hour. They arrived at a quiet spot where Andy got down on one knee, with a photographer capturing the moment. Afterward, he surprised her with a delicious dinner at Lazy Bear, a Michelin-starred restaurant. “He was somebody I envisioned a future with and there’s nobody else I could have wanted this with,” says Sally.

Their Madison Hotel Wedding

The couple tied the knot on February 12, 2022, in the conservatory at the Madison Hotel. Sally loved the feeling of the space, with its hanging greenery, high ceilings, beautiful chandeliers and abundance of natural light. Especially during sunset, “it was dreamy,” she says. “It gave an outdoor vibe without being outdoors.” The 120 guests enjoyed dinner and dancing to a mix of electronic dance music and pop and rock tunes. Sally loved her Maggie Sottero gown, which featured a sweetheart neckline and floral lace designs. The couple made their grand entrance portraying Pokémon characters. As Pikachu, Andy “battled” one of his groomsmen on the dance floor. Victorious, he swept his bride (wearing an Ash Ketchum hat) off her feet and onto the dance floor. “It was unique,” says Sally. “It was special and memorable for me.” Then they performed a choreographed first dance to “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman. The entire wedding, which the bride planned from California, “was ethereal and it was everything that I wanted and more,” she says.

Favorite Moment

As a surprise, Andy sang Ed Sheeran’s romantic “Perfect” to Sally. “At the end, he brought me up to the middle of the dance floor and sparklers went off,” says Sally. “It was a very magical moment. It’s every girl’s dream.”

Advice

“The wedding goes by in a blur,” says Sally. “Make sure that you take a step back and remember what it’s like.”

Honeymoon

After a getaway to the Maldives, the couple is home in Los Angeles.

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