When Constance Su and Austin Montgomery first locked eyes, neither could have foreseen that 10 years later, they’d be celebrating their love surrounded by cherished family and friends – in a museum. It was a moment in the autumn of 2014 – Austin returning from a cappella practice, Constance laughing with mutual friends in the living room of his on-campus house. “Austin remembers it keenly,” Constance says with a smile. “I, however, do not.”
But just weeks later, their mutual friend group ventured into a 14-acre haunted corn maze in Michigan. By chance – or perhaps destiny – Constance and Austin ended up in the same pod. “He impressed me by immediately finding the exit,” she recalls. That night marked the beginning of a whirlwind courtship filled with serenades and scones. Austin played original songs on his many guitars and keyboards, while Constance baked increasingly elaborate cakes for his house parties. They were 20 years old, in love, and convinced they’d have to part when Constance graduated and moved to New York. But one tearful evening, they realised they didn’t have to say goodbye. “And the rest,” she says, “was history.”
Eight years later, Austin orchestrated a proposal that was nothing short of cinematic. “I had dropped hints,” Constance admits. “I wanted it to be private, captured by both a photographer and videographer, and most importantly, a total surprise.” He planned a hike through golden waves of little bluestem grasses to a clearing beneath a solitary oak tree. As Austin leaned his backpack against the trunk, a hidden photographer and videographer – posing as a couple – got into position. “He got down on one knee and looked deeply into my eyes,” Constance says. “I blacked out and cried many tears of joy.” The ring was flawless. After a lakeside photoshoot, Austin whisked her away to lunch. “I had the biggest smile on my face,” Constance shares. “We reminisced about our many years and adventures together.”
Their wedding planning journey began with a nine-month search for the perfect venue. Austin, raised in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, had grown up just fifteen minutes from the Detroit Institute of Arts. “It’s a grand, beautiful museum,” art enthusiast Constance explains, “the first in the USA to bring over Van Gogh and Matisse.” The Rivera Court, with its 27 fresco panels and glass ceiling, felt like a natural choice.
Though they briefly considered European venues, unpredictable weather and accessibility concerns led them back to the Detroit Institute of Arts. “It felt different from the current wedding zeitgeist, but it was perfect for us.” Their planner, Ann Travis, brought the vision to life with an aesthetic that was “bright, artistic and architectural.”
The celebrations began the day before the wedding, on Constance’s birthday. A rehearsal dinner at Highlands on the 72nd floor of the GM Renaissance Center was followed by a Chinese tea ceremony and a welcome party at Townhouse Detroit. Austin surprised his bride-to-be with a birthday moment she’ll never forget. “He lifted a giant present box to reveal a three-tiered cake with cascading sugar bougainvillea and a sparkler on top. I felt so special.”
The tea ceremony was deeply meaningful. “We gave speeches to our parents and grandparents, thanking them for their tireless love,” Constance shares. Her mother’s toast was especially moving: “May you walk hand in hand, leaning on each other down life’s long roadì May you grow old side by side, fingers ever entwined, savouring every precious ordinary day together.”
On July 26, 2025, beneath the glowing Rivera Court ceiling, Constance and Austin said their vows surrounded by 140 guests. The ceremony began with Constance walking down a grand staircase to a song Austin had recorded for her. “I turned to look at the room and was absolutely overwhelmed. Not just by seeing Austin and all our friends and family, but by the sheer beauty of the florals. I kept thinking, ‘I can’t believe this is MY wedding.’”
The theme of the wedding was colour – bright, joyful and deeply personal. “I love fashion and always wear bright colours,” Constance tells Dream Weddings. The design was inspired by Impressionism and post-Impressionism, honouring the Detroit Institute of Arts’ legacy and Constance’s own painting style. Their stationery was custom designed with motifs from Monet’s Water Lilies, and their save the dates featured a painting of the venue.
The florals were a masterpiece. The bride’s bouquet centred around fuchsia roses – often gifted to her by Austin – accented with sweet pea. The venue arrangements featured hydrangeas, alliums, larkspur, bells of Ireland, asparagus fern and bougainvillea. “Balls of allium make me feel so happy,” Constance smiles. “I’ve loved them since I was a child.” Two giant urns of cherry blossoms flanked the escort card table, adding a final flourish.
Austin’s godfather, Jef, officiated the ceremony with humour and heart, beginning with the iconic “Mawwiage is what bwings us togeder tooday” line from The Princess Bride. The couple wrote their own vows, which moved guests to tears. “We re-read them almost every night for weeks after.”
Austin’s vows were poetic and profound: “Before you, my future was a pencil sketch. Meeting you brought forth a flood of vibrant colour, clarity and certainty.” Followed by, “I vow to master the language of your innermost experience as if it were my own.”
Constance’s vows were tender and joyful: “Austin, your soul is so special. You are sunlight in every room you enter. Because of you, I’ve walked the last 11 years of my life in the sun.”
The music was also deeply personal. Constance walked down the aisle to Blue Spotted Tail by Fleet Foxes, arranged and recorded by Austin in 2014, three months after they met. “Hearing his voice reverberating in the high ceilings of Rivera Court was so special.” Their recessional was Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun, and their grand entrance to the reception was Life in Technicolor II by Coldplay.
The newlyweds’ first dance was to Can’t Take My Eyes off You by Frankie Valli. “Austin is an incredible dancer,” Constance shares. “We ended up with five over-the-head lifts!” She danced with her father to Concerning Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings, and Austin danced with his mother to Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
The reception featured a nine-piece band, a jazz trio for cocktail hour and a pianist for the ceremony seating. In the final hour, a close friend – one of New York’s top DJs – took over and elevated the energy.
Constance wore a Nicole + Felicia halter ballgown, chosen for its museum-worthy silhouette. “I wanted to look like I could have stepped out of one of the paintings,” she reminisces. For dancing, she changed into a short, high-neck Selkie dress with Edwardian sleeves. Though she brought her Jimmy Choo Sabine heels for photos, she secretly wore five-inch platform sneakers under her gown. “I was really comfortable all night.”
Guests were treated to custom macarons in shades of pink and purple, tied with iridescent ribbon. The couple’s monogram, inspired by the crest of Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como, adorned menus and cocktail napkins.
One of the most magical moments came during Constance’s outfit change, when LED wing dancers joined her on the dance floor. “I felt like I was walking through starlight,” she says. “It was such a cool way to incorporate fairy lights in a museum setting.”
Her younger brother Andrew piped guests into dinner in full Scottish regalia, honouring Austin’s heritage. “It was the most unique thing,” Constance says. “Not many brides have a Chinese American bagpiper brother!”
Reflecting on the day, “Walking down the aisle looking at the florals and listening to Austin’s voice will be a memory I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.” From the speeches – her father’s sweet parallel to her parents’ own college romance, to her mother’s poetic blessings – to Austin’s best friend’s tribute to his enduring imagination, every moment was deeply personal.
After waiting three weeks to attend a close friend’s wedding, the couple set off on a honeymoon to Indonesia, diving in Raja Ampat and Komodo, then relaxing in Bali at Four Seasons Sayan and Buahan. “It’s the top of any diver’s bucket list.”
“If I had to describe the day in three words, they would be: moving, beautiful and personal.” And truly, it was all that – and more.
DRESS: Nicole + Felicia
VEIL: Noononthemoon.com
SHOES: Jimmychoo.com
ENGAGEMENT RING & WEDDING BANDS: Frankdarling.com
HAIR: Facetimebeauty.com
MAKE-UP: Vera Marit-Kilickan
GROOM’S SUIT: Alandavid.com
GROOM’S SHOES: Zegna.com
EVENT PLANNER: Anntravisevents.com
VENUE: Dia.org
PHOTOGRAPHER: Ktmerry.com
VIDEOGRAPHER: Oldnorthfilmcompany.com
FLORIST: Flowersfordreams.com
STATIONARY: Invitationsbycaitlin.com
CAKE & GIFTS: Bellaedolcecakes.com
CATERER: Culinaireintl.com
ENTERTAINMENT: Cancelmondayband.com
