A Moody, Comfortable Wedding | The Bridal Collection Real Bride

Marteene knew Oanh was “the One” when she was driving around on her lunch break and couldn’t help but envision their life together.  It had only been five months, but she knew that their connection was real.

SOMEBODY’S GOING TO FALL IN LOVE

How did you meet? 

Marteene chuckles as we asked this question.  She and Oanh were in the same cohort in grad school, spending an enormous amount of time together.  She joked that there were only four of them in their class, so it was a matter of time before one of them fell in love.  Luckily, the two of them developed a natural friendship that slowly progressed into something more.  As a same sex couple, they were both uncertain who would make the first move, but Marteene joked about egging Oanh on and feeling over the moon the moment Oanh first kissed her.  Fast forward one year, they knew it was something serious.

THE DOUBLE PROPOSAL

How did you get engaged?

Marteene felt like their two year anniversary would be the perfect time to pop the important question to Oanh.  However, because Oanh is extremely hard to surprise and knowing that they both wanted to propose to each other, she was not quite sure how she would make the moment perfect without raising eyebrows in Oanh’s mind.  She originally planned to wait awhile, but when their two year mark hit and she already had the ring in hand she knew she had to beat Oanh to the punch by asking her first.  Fortunately, with some help from a good friend, Marteene disguised the proposal with a Friends-inspired, at-home proposal with blankets, candles, and lights – creating an intimate and romantic setting.  When it was Oanh’s turn to propose, she shocked Marteene during a sunrise hike.  She looks back now at how much she complained about the early wake up call and being a little too tired to hike while not realizing she was climbing up to the best moment of her life.

A COMFORTABLE WEDDING

What was the wedding planning experience like?

Describing their relationship seems very generic to Marteene, but she would not have it any other way.  She explained their relationship as very easy going, fun loving, adventurous, and always wanting to make everyone feel comfortable.  It was very important to the couple to incorporate these characteristics into their wedding day.  Even down to their bridal party, everything was about comfort.  So much so, they let their bridesmaids select their own gowns.  They got the big details out of the way early and slowly collected more specific items like a tic-tac-toe game and special candle sticks.  Overall, Marteene had a positive planning experience, noting that it was not stressful until about a month before.

SLOW DOWN!

How were you feeling on the day of?

On their day of the wedding, having all their loved ones in one place at one time made Marteene feel both excited and anxious.  As a same sex couple, she and Oanh decided to walk down the aisle. Oanh went first, followed by Marteene.  As Marteene and her parents walked hand in hand down the aisle, her dad whispered “slow down.”  Looking back, she laughs that the whole day seemed like a blur no matter how hard she tried to remain present and to take everything in.  When recalling the day, there is no doubt that her favorite moment from her perfect day was hitting the dance floor at the end of the night while surrounded by all of their best friends.

GOOD LUCK AND EVIL SPIRITS

Tell us about the dancing lions at your ceremony.

During the ceremony, the Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center performed a Vietnamese lion dance.  In Vietnamese culture, a lion dance is a wedding tradition because it symbolizes good fortune and rids evil spirits.

“IT WAS AMAZING! YOU HAVE TO GO THERE!”

Talk about your dress shopping experience.

Marteene hadn’t tried on wedding dresses and wasn’t sure what she wanted or what would look good on her.  She chose The Bridal Collection because of the experiences her friends shared with her about their time in the store when preparing for their own special days.  She knew she wanted her mom, sister, and aunt involved in the shopping experience and for it to be memorable for all of them.  Marteene worked with stylist Susan to find the perfect dress that would pair nicely with Oanh’s red gown.  In the back of her mind, she wanted something unique and nontraditional to match with their moody wedding vision.  Her love of lace and floral goes so far that most of her friends consider her the “hippy friend.”  After an abundance of nearly perfect gowns, she adds that she kept joking with Susan to stop bringing her so many amazing dresses because she loved them all.  When she finally put on “the one,” it was an effortless comfort that she could enjoy all day long—and the two-tone would compliment Oanh’s red gown—making her feel completely and totally herself.

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