Real Weddings
A Spiritual Celebration
Couple walking with arms raised, rose petals in air
Photographers, Yi Xia, Qing Xi and Li Chengwei

Tracey and Nate seamlessly reflected Chinese culture in a western-style wedding.

Tracey and Nathan met in Singapore, when she was an anchor for CNBC Asia and he was with Credit Suisse. He had a car—a relative rarity in Singapore because of exorbitant license fees—and a friend joked that he could be her chauffeur. “He was younger than me, but between the car and the British accent, I thought, Well, I can at least go for a ride,” Tracey says.

Tracey Chang and Nate Zhang knew their wedding had to reflect their Chinese-Western heritage. The bride, a New Yorker, and the groom, a Briton, were both raised by Chinese parents, and the couple has made Beijing and Hong Kong their home. “I loved putting Chinese culture into a western-style wedding,” Tracey says.

The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin, in the bride’s hometown, was happy to do just that. The bilingual CCTV anchor had friends coming from the States, and the groom, a financier, had a number of guests arriving from the United Kingdom. “We wanted them to learn about Chinese culture,” Tracey says. “With The Ritz-Carlton being such a global brand—that’s part of what I appreciate about them—it was the perfect place for our wedding.”

Tracey Chang

The first time I went to The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin was for afternoon tea, and when I walked in, I thought, I’ve got to get married here.

Couple at banquet hall
Couple holding hands walking down aisle

The bride wore five dresses throughout the event: a Monique Lhuillier, a Pnina Tornai, a Sherri Hill Couture, a Tarik Ediz, and a gown designed by the bride that was customized by a local designer.

Groom striding

Nathan’s tuxedo was custom-made by a shop in Hong Kong, along with that of his father and soon-to-be father-in-law.

Bride and two friends laughing
Bridal party

In Chinese culture, the bride waits at her home for the groom to bring her out, and the bridesmaids try to block him. "The Bridal Party had fun with that", says Tracey.

Father Daughter dance

Tracey embraces with her father during the father-daughter dance.

Chinese custom dictates that when couples marry, they have a tea ceremony that marks the beginning of their family life together; each person kneels down before their beloved’s parents to offer them tea. “You say to the father, ‘Dad, may I give you some tea’—and that’s the first time you call them Dad,” says Tracey. “We call it the name changing.”

Couple walking with arms raised, rose petals in air
The iconic Rolls-Royce angel shines on the silver hood of the sports car.

After the homecoming ceremony, the couple arrives in a Rolls Royce provided by the hotel.

Banquet photo with ?Table Two? sign

The couple wanted to have Asian banquet served western-style, in part because serving in the Chinese tradition would have necessitated removing the stunning centerpieces.

Table with flowers

In a traditional Chinese wedding banquet, dishes for the 14 courses would be served on rotating platters. The couple wanted guests to have their own servings, so The Ritz-Carlton staff made some menu swaps.

Ceremony dais

The bride had always wanted a wedding with light, delicate hues, but Chinese weddings tend to be vividly colored, with plenty of red. Tracey worked with the designer to find a shade of pink that gave a nod to the traditional scarlet.

Tracey Chang

It can be difficult to eat in China if you’ve got food allergies, but The Ritz-Carlton people were super accommodating to our needs.

Black and white photo of couple

The bride (Miss New York 2009) counted among her guests former Miss Hawaii, a well-known hula dancer who performed at the wedding and brought the crowd to their feet. “Usually everybody leaves weddings here around 9. We stayed until after midnight!"

Your Love Story
Begins Here

Your once-in-a-lifetime celebration deserves a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Learn what sets weddings at The Ritz-Carlton apart, from our breathtaking venues to our legendary service.