Cindy Ho doesn’t remember when exactly she met David Gathers, as the duo worked together for several years before any sort of relationship formed. At the time, their jobs didn’t leave much room for romanticism, anyway. “I was a clinical supervisor and psychologist at Rikers Island Correctional Facilities, where David was an officer,” Cindy shares. “We both worked at mental observation units with incarcerated psychiatric patients.” Yet eventually, despite the at-times intense work environment, a spark formed. The two began dating in April 2017.
Two years later, David was set to deploy to Afghanistan with the US Air Force. But, there was one thing he had to attend to before leaving for six months: He proposed in August 2019. Needless to say, Cindy and David are busy. So when it came to wedding planning, they enlisted the help of the renowned team at Colin Cowie Lifestyle, whose founder has worked with celebs from J. Lo and Ben Affleck to Oprah. “The most difficult part was to articulate what we wanted or what we were looking for,” Cindy admits. “But [our planner], Heather Mueger, helped us along the way, and extracted the essence of us as individuals and as a couple accurately and beautifully.”
It began with a venue search, and Heather prepared a slide deck of various venues, with 620 Loft & Garden topping the list. “It immediately caught our eyes because of the beautiful garden scene in the middle of Manhattan!” Cindy recalls. “Although we never envisioned our wedding to be outdoor since we know how New York City weather is, 620 is so beautiful and unique that we were willing to risk the unpredictable weather in May.” The venue kicked off the vision. “We wanted to create a garden oasis in the center of the city.”
The rest of planning went similarly, Heather providing the couple with a choice of her top vendors in each category. “She kept our style in mind, as well as our cultural backgrounds: Taiwanese and Jamaican,” Cindy shares. “Integrating elements of our cultures throughout the wedding was very important to us.”
They tied the knot on May 8, 2022, in front of 72 guests. Keep scrolling to see all the lovely details, as planned by Heather Mueger at Colin Cowie Lifestyle and photographed by Jenny Fu Studio.
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
The first tuxedo David tried on was from Ralph Lauren Purple Label and he loved the way it looked; however he couldn’t quite justify the price tag. Reluctantly, he moved on and found a more affordable option—but the universe had other plans. A dry cleaning mishap left him without a tuxedo the day before the wedding. “So, David phoned Ralph Lauren to see if the tux [he loved] was still there, and it was!” Cindy remembers. “They did a rush alteration and we picked up the tux Sunday morning, hours before the wedding.”
He accessorized with a pair of meaningful Montblanc cufflinks gifted from Cindy. “David didn’t get to meet my stepdad, who was an extraordinary man and only used Montblanc pens when he was alive,” Cindy shares. “I wanted David to have something that has association with my stepdad.”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
“I was actually determined to wear a more modern and fitted dress to go with the NYC theme, which meant no lace,” Cindy remembers. She tried on countless gowns, and was leaning toward a modern Pronovias—but she made one last appointment at Monique Lhuillier. “I went to Monique and declared that ‘I couldn’t wear something with lace,’ but the consultant, Mona, convinced me to try on a few of their signature lace dresses. I was sold that I needed to wear a lacy ballgown! I knew this was the one because I felt so beautiful and girly and could totally see myself getting married in this dress.”
Her accessorizes were as symbolic as David’s. “All of my jewelry was designed by Jenny Wu, our family jeweler in Taiwan,” she says. “There was a pearl set with my wedding dress because it’s a tradition in our family to wear pearl jewelry on our wedding day. Another set in ruby was a gift from my deceased stepdad. My mom dreamed days before my wedding that he picked out something red for me to wear.”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
“I wanted David to be the first person to see me in my wedding gown,” Cindy says. “Our first look was special because it made it real to us that we were getting married—that we were becoming husband and wife in front of our families.”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
We wanted to ensure the iconic location was featured.
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
For the ceremony, the couple intended to pay homage to the city they love. With a venue nestled in Rockefeller Plaza overlooking St. Patrick’s Cathedral, how could they not? “We wanted to ensure the cityscape and iconic location was featured, so we kept the arbor simple with pink florals and branches, and elegant white chairs,” Cindy says.
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Cindy’s mom walked her down the aisle as a string quartet played “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
The couple recited traditional vows, then jumped the broom. They sealed it with a kiss and processed out to an apt tune: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
We kept everything minimal so that the pops of blue and pink really stood out.
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
While the palette had been largely bright pink and blush for the ceremony, blue and white hues were incorporated into reception decor. “The reception space is entirely white, and we kept everything minimal so that the pops of blue and pink really stood out,” Cindy says. Her one DIY for the event? “Each napkin was hand tied with a blue chiffon ribbon.”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Their first dance was a family affair. David’s uncle John took the mic with band Souled Out to croon Luther Vandross’ “Buy Me a Rose,” as the newlyweds swung around the floor.
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
The couple’s red velvet cake was handpainted with a blue floral design and featured sugar cherry blossoms in white and light pink. It was just before cake cutting that the bride changed into her final gown, a vibrant red Jenny Packham design. “I picked the dress for its color and fit: Red is the festive color in Chinese culture, and brides wear red on their wedding day.”
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
The outdoor space was flipped post-ceremony to serve as a cool lounge area for guests, who moved in and out of doors to snap pictures despite the May chill. They sipped signature gin gimlets and cucumber ginger mocktails and posed among the decor and flora, illuminated with pink and blue lighting.
Photo by Jenny Fu Studio
“I hadn’t seen my whole family together for close to three years because of the pandemic, so our wedding brought everyone to me,” Cindy shares. “It was the first time that both sides of the family met, so it was very special.” Even the bride and groom’s bond grew stronger while planning for the big day. “I thought the process was a great way to learn even more about each other.”
