Inside a Bridal Designer's Whimsical Tropical Wedding in Thailand

A beautiful fusion of love, style and tradition unfolding along the shores of Hua Hin

Inside Bridal Designer Mia Ateliers’ Enchanting Seaside Wedding in Thailand

In the tranquil coastal town of Hua Hin, Thailand, Australian bridal designer Mia Ateliers wove a wedding where heritage, nature, and artistry converged in perfect harmony. Against the shimmering ocean, Mia blended her Chinese roots with contemporary elegance—spilling lush grasses and cascading drapery framed an intimate ceremony, while a dessert table of madeleine croquembouche and delicate shell meringues became a tableau of edible poetry. Every detail, from the floral arrangements to the flowing fabrics, felt like a brushstroke on a living canvas. Mia herself embodied movement and grace in two custom gowns from her namesake label, each an ode to ballet’s fluidity with whisper-soft tulle, romantic drop-waists and intricate, unexpected details. As the evening drew to a close, the couple’s last dance unfolded beneath a night sky illuminated by chandeliers and fireworks—a dazzling finale to a celebration as timeless as the tide

Inside Bridal Designer Mia Ateliers’ Enchanting Seaside Wedding in Thailand

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

Travis and I met 16 years ago when we were still in high school. He was a subscriber to my blog when I was an exchange student in Finland. We never intended to meet until he asked me out a year after subscribing to my blog. Over the years, our love has grown through different seasons of life. From long-distance calls to shared morning routines, every moment has built the foundation of our relationship. Travis used to travel from Sydney to see me every Friday and would leave on Sunday night for a good two years until he relocated to Melbourne.

^{The Proposal}

We got engaged on a trip to Bali just before the lockdown. Later, we welcomed our beautiful daughter, Jacque. She is four now, and it felt special to have her at our wedding, as I know she can understand bits of it now.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

A seaside wedding in Hua Hin, Thailand, blending Chinese heritage, marine-inspired elements, and modern elegance. We focused on intimate touches, meaningful traditions, and a cohesive aesthetic that reflected who we are. We had the table custom-made for us in Bangkok and transported to Hua Hin. The table seated 40 people in one giant circle, symbolizing reunion in Chinese (团圆). Our wedding had a coastal marine theme, which was reflected in everything from the dessert table—including a stunning madeleine croquembouche and seashell meringues as decorative desserts—to my bridal outfit and Travis's attire. He wore fisherman shoes on the welcome drink day, the 25th, and Bottega Veneta leather woven shoes on the wedding day, the 26th.

^{The Location}

I flew to Bangkok one year before the wedding date to scout for venues, but nothing stood out to me. It wasn't until five months before the wedding that we discovered VALA Hua Hin through a late-night TikTok scroll and instantly fell in love. It offered a beautiful and intimate setting by the sea, and since all our guests were flying in, we knew it was essential to provide them with comfort and top-notch hospitality.

^{The Ceremony}

It was a heartfelt, intimate gathering where we exchanged vows in front of our closest family and friends. The ceremony dress was designed and made just seven days before the wedding. Even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, my dearest mum and I were still in the hotel, hand-sewing the dress, as I wasn’t feeling right about wearing the original one. I’m so grateful to my mum for being the rock of everything!

^{The Reception}

A special part of our celebration was having all 40 guests seated at one giant round table, symbolizing 团圆 (reunion), a cherished value in Chinese culture. The tablescape featured marine-inspired details, madeleine croquembouche, and meringues. We also played a 1-minute flashback video of our 16-year journey, projected onto drapes—a nostalgic and emotional moment shared with those who have influenced our lives.

^{The Special Touches}

We had custom silk scarves designed with elements meaningful to us, which were gifted to our guests and placed on their seats. They used them for the welcome twirls as we entered the reception. We also provided interactive acrylic photo frames—guests took Polaroid pictures at the welcome area and placed them into the frames as keepsakes. My dresses featured qipao-inspired fastenings (盘扣) and subtle nods to traditional craftsmanship and my Chinese heritage.

We gifted our guests lottery scratch cards in envelopes labeled "For richer, for poorer" to entertain them while waiting for the reception to start. We also played a 1-minute flashback video of our 16-year journey, projected onto drapes. It was a nostalgic and emotional moment shared with those who have influenced our lives—many of whom were with us at the wedding. The video reflected all the years we spent together. Our seating chart was also projected onto the drapes, allowing for any last-minute changes without worrying about updating our stationery.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

The final dance ended with fireworks in the sky under the chandeliers. It felt like a blur of happiness.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

The wedding dress was inspired by ballet dancers, featuring whimsical tulle pleats and a dropped waist with a dainty bow belt across my waist. The special touch was my veil, which had pink embroidery, with part of my vow sewn onto it: "My soul has found its home within yours," placed across the side of my face, and on the back, it read: "From this day forward, I vow to stand by you, till death do us part." It felt so special.

My reception dress was a custom gown made from over 200 meters of silk tulle. It featured cut-outs creating a skin-tone illusion and a qipao-inspired fastening (盘扣). Designed to be light and floaty, it was inspired by the movement of the ocean, with hand-pleated details. For the welcome drink, I wore a linen mini dress adorned with seashell pebble appliqués for a natural, coastal look. Jacque, our daughter, wore blue satin ballet flats and blue ribbons. She was wearing my "something blue."

^{The Groom's Look}

Travis wore a suit from Suitsupply and Bottega Veneta shoes, with all alterations done by me. Inside Bridal Designer Mia Ateliers’ Enchanting Seaside Wedding in Thailand

Our Advice

^{For The Planning Process}

Be intentional with your guest list. We loved celebrating with those closest to us, and the intimacy made it even more special. Trust your vendors—a good team makes all the difference.