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Puppy Love: The couple’s dog, Bingsu, named after the Korean shaved ice dessert, made a special appearance at the wedding.
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Serene Space: Kristina and Michael transformed Virginia House’s loggia, or covered outdoor corridor, into a Korean wedding ceremony space. They rented traditional Korean decor and accessories from Insadong Hanbok in Annandale, including these paneled folding screens.
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All in the Details: The invitations were designed and purchased from wedding planning website The Knot, Kristina’s heels were by Vera Wang, her engagement ring is from Diamonds Direct, her wedding band was acquired at Jared, and Michael’s band is from Revolution Jewelry.
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Traditional Dress: The bride and groom wore traditional Korean wedding hanbok (clothing), acquired from Insadong Hanbok in Annandale, for their unification ceremony.
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Wedding Dates: The Korean matrimonial ceremony featured traditional candy displays and bowls of dates and chestnuts that were playfully tossed at the couple to symbolize the number and gender of their future children.
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Floral Whimsy: Kristina, who owns floral company Fleuré Studio, did her own flowers, including this bouquet that featured butterfly ranunculus, apricot ranunculus, hellebore, sweet pea, jasmine vine, lisianthus, distant drums roses, spirea and chocolate cosmos.
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Set for a King: The reception featured family-style dinner seating with the tent, tables and chairs acquired through Rent-E-Quip. The bride designed the centerpieces through her floral studio.
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You May Now Kiss the Bride: Kristina and Michael exchanged vows in Virginia House’s garden courtyard. Kristina designed the floral pillars to mimic natural plant growth. Her gown was purchased from BHLDN, and Michael’s suit is from Generation Tux.
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All Smiles: While getting ready, the bride wore a robe from Nordstrom given to her by her bridesmaids. The bridesmaids’ robes were purchased from online retailer Shein.
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Hold Me: Kristina Oh and Michael Kregel shared their first dance as husband and wife in front of friends and family at Virginia House during their April 2022 wedding.
Kristina Oh and Michael Kregel found each other in 2019 using the dating app Hinge. By their second date, they knew they belonged together. “Neither of us expected to meet our ‘person’ online, but [we knew] almost immediately,” Kristina says. The couple got engaged in 2020 at a scenic mountain overlook while hiking near Charlottesville.
The owner of Richmond floral company Fleuré Studio, Kristina specializes in whimsical, garden-inspired design. So, when she came across Virginia House as a potential wedding venue, she was captivated by the romantic English Tudor manor and its stunning grounds. “I fell in love with its Old World, European garden look,” she says. The couple said their vows in the garden courtyard. They incorporated the bride’s Korean heritage by also having a paebaek, a Korean unification tradition that is typically held after the main wedding ceremony.
During a tented outdoor reception, guests were treated to a buffet dinner featuring bistro beef medallions, tomato-basil chicken, smoked gouda pimento macaroni and cheese, herb roasted potatoes, and edamame succotash. Dessert included a butter pecan cake from Donna’s Baking Creations and a selection of cupcakes from Carytown Cupcakes.
The bride says the paebaek was one of her favorite moments of the day, during which she and the groom paid respect to their parents and older relatives, who then offered words of wisdom about marriage. At the end, the groom gave the bride a piggyback ride as a gesture of his everlasting devotion. “Everyone enjoyed it,” Kristina says. “There was a lot of laughter; it was very lively.”
Coordinator: Kerri Johnson, Elle Loren & Co.
Florist: Fleuré Studio (owned by the bride)
Caterer: MOSAIC Catering + Events
Dessert: Donna’s Baking Creations; Carytown Cupcakes
Hair: Avenue 42 Salon
Makeup: Hannah Elvington
