Locals are getting married at this Richland restaurant. Here’s who got hitched in February

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and it seems love is in the air in Tri-Cities. The entire month has a variety of events, from romantic dinners for couples to speed dating.

February is also a great time to get married. You’re not quite at the busy season for weddings yet, but some time has passed since the winter holidays.

Though we’ve only had two weekends in February so far, both have seen weddings at The Emerald of Siam, restaurant and venue in Richland’s Uptown Shopping Center.

February weddings at The Emerald

On the first day of the month, Aaron and Taylor Thompson got married at The Emerald of Siam. According to owner Dara Quinn, the ceremony was completely spontaneous. The couple brought their own officiant, and two Emerald servers were recruited as witnesses.

A week later, Christian and Teresa Iturriaga got married at The Emerald of Siam. They coordinated with Quinn three days prior.

A photo from the Thompson wedding was posted to The Emerald’s social media accounts, but the Iturriagas had not seen the post.

Christian Iturriaga told the Herald in an interview that he’s known Quinn for about six or seven years, and the couple had recently come to the decision to get married on their one-year anniversary. After some discussion, they decided The Emerald was the perfect place, and reached out to Quinn, completely independent of the wedding the week before.

While The Emerald can be rented out for special occasions, both couples opted for ceremonies during regular business hours.

The Emerald of Siam weddings

Quinn told the Herald that over 42 years of business, seven weddings have been held at The Emerald of Siam, to her knowledge. Just recently, two Emerald employees, Dylan and Sarah, got married at the venue, in November.

The Emerald has also seen “multiple proposals and first dates,” according to Quinn. One couple came in recently for their thirtieth anniversary, after having their first date at The Emerald of Siam when Quinn’s mother, Ravadi, was still running the show.

But two weddings just one week apart is something rare.

An Emerald of Siam wedding

The Iturriagas described their wedding day as “perfect” in a call with the Herald. Both in their 40s, the couple got married on their first anniversary. But they’ve known each other much longer than that, and have been in each other’s lives for over three decades.

“We’ve known each other for so long that there’s no secrets,” Christian Iturriaga said during the interview. “We know that we fit together perfectly.”

The couple said their love story has been years in the making, that they had both been searching for the right person through years of friendship together.

“It just took us a while to realize, ‘It’s you,’” Teresa Iturriaga said.

Once they decided they would get married on their first anniversary, the Chilean couple had to start planning. They said they wanted a small, cozy venue for their wedding ceremony, something with a familiar atmosphere, where they and their guests could feel comfortable.

They’ll be holding a big party in Chile with their family and friends later on, so this ceremony was all about them. The Iturriagas are injecting their personalities into their wedding plans, both the upcoming party and the recent ceremony.

Christian Iturriaga is a frequent patron at The Emerald of Siam. He follows a handful of regional bands that perform there, including Los Caipirinhos and Bad Habit. On top of knowing Quinn for several years, he’s a big fan of the venue. The couple loves live music and the punk scene, so they said The Emerald “felt right.”

They had a small ceremony, with only about 20 people there in person. The Emerald of Siam provided an ideal space for their ceremony, even offering the stage area to the Iturriagas. The couple had a handful of friends and family on Zoom, watching from across the country and around the world. Using the stage gave everyone the best view of the ceremony.

The couple was not charged for their tables, according to Quinn, as they held their ceremony during the slower part of the day and ordered food with their party right after.

The Iturriagas told the Herald that Quinn was very accommodating, and was willing to help them execute their plans for the day. They followed the ceremony with food and drinks, complete with a traditional toast.

“We’re really grateful to Dara for allowing us to do that,” Christian Iturriaga said. “The Emerald will have a special place in our hearts forever.”

The couple said they highly recommend The Emerald for any events, calling it the “perfect place for any kind of gathering.”

Teresa Iturriaga said The Emerald had everything they needed, plus a really nice house wine.

Do you know another Tri-Cities location we should feature for Valentine’s Day? Do you have questions about living in Washington state? Let the Northwest Service Journalism Team know here:

This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.