On the day of the wedding, the ceremony was intimate—short and sweet. Once guests were seated, live music by Isle of Klezbos started to play. “They’re a very East Village, queer Jewish band, and we chose to walk down the aisle to ‘Til There Was You’ by The Beatles,” Masami says. The couple’s close friend Christine Lee officiated the wedding, and she walked in first, followed by Masami and Laura’s mom Gaby Longhi Chautin, hand-in-hand, and then Laura and her dad Lee Chautin following.
The couple shared their vows, and Laura made a joke about how when she first met Masami, they told Laura that they learned English from Simon Cowell. From then on, Laura knew Masami was her soulmate. Masami described their first date and the awkward language barrier that led to an immediate spark and desire to hang out every day.
“[During the service,] I felt completely at-ease,” Laura says. “I had been prepping myself to feel like a complete nervous wreck, but I actually was so calm and happy.”
“I looked at the guests and immediately thought, ‘Wow, everybody looks fabulous!” Masami says. “And, this is the most stylish and gay wedding ever!’”
The ceremony ended with a celebratory breaking of glass and a recessional walk to “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole.
“[During cocktail hour,] we did a Japanese wedding tradition called Kagami-biraki,” Masami says. “It is a ceremony performed at celebratory events in which the lid of the sake barrel is broken open by a wooden mallet, and the sake is served to everyone present.”
The food was done by Yudai Kanayama who owns restaurants Izakaya and Dr. Clarke. He brought back his famous Katsu sandwich for the night. There was also sushi, Japanese fried chicken, and sashimi from Hokkaido. Friends Noah Koch and Bettina Yung sourced and assembled the food, and Katie Kimmel made ceramic “Bentos”—a.k.a. the couple’s dog—that were styled amid the food. “The most exciting part was our martini open bar,” Masami adds.
The dessert table was the English part of the ceremony. Laura asked a few of her British friends to stuff their suitcases with all of her favorite sweets and biscuits. Partybus Bakeshop also made a delicious Victoria sponge cake, and friend Jojo Kim made a detailed showstopper of a cake topper that depicted Laura, Masami, and Bento.
The night culminated with a cutting of the cake and a dance party made possible by DJ Haruka Salt. “I have never seen so many people dancing their hearts out,” Masami says. “It was so much fun. Haruka knew exactly what to play and so flawlessly—it was the best night of our lives! I loved getting text message from friends the next day saying ‘I’m so hungover and still dreaming about sushi last night!’”
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