Weddingbee Blog

*Doesn’t it look like I have a swagger?*

I spelled out the specifics of a Vietnamese tea ceremony early on in my bee blogging days. Then, throughout my blogging days, I discussed ways that I would attempt a modernized tea ceremony. Everyone even reassured me when I started to lose faith in my vision and felt pressure to be more traditional than I wanted to be. I am so glad you all told me that. I did. I trusted my vision. I did it the way I felt would show respect and honor to everyone and would involve the most people. I’m here to report that it was an utter success. It was so incredibly intimate, heartfelt, and good gosh…it was emotional!

As the Brideswomen and I waited inside, Mr Hot Wings’ family processed from across the street to the villas. For those in need of the tea ceremony specs, they went in order from eldest to youngest…

• groomsmen with their bouquet gifts to the brideswomen
• grandma and her escort
• groom’s parents
• groom with bride’s bouquet
• tea ceremony gift bearers
• paternal aunts and uncles in birth order
• maternal aunts and uncles in birth order

My gift receivers (all my cousins) stood on one side of the door. My parents, aunts, and uncles stood on the other side, ready to great Mr Hot Wings’ familia. I’ve seen the procession done in so many different orders. This just happens to be the one we did.

*guest photo*

*guest photo*

Then came the gift exchange, from Mr Hot Wings’ cousins to my cousins. It was interesting to note that almost all of Mr Hot Wings’ cousins were ladies and all of mine were men. You can read about the modernized processional gifts in my previous post.

Everyone lined up to wait for Mama Hot Wings to come and escort me down to the ceremony. Look how excited Mr Hot Wings looks. Gosh, I love that man.

I’ll never forget the moment when Mama Hot Wings and I started walking down. We both instinctively reached for the other’s hand, smiled, and walked down. I was so utterly excited to go down and see my man. I also love this photo because of the way my mom’s and my ao dais are flowing. Aren’t they pretty?

And this is our official “first look.” It makes me giddy to see his dorky smile and the slight tension in his forehead. He loves me. It’s really happening, folks!

This picture cracks me up. Look how many pairs of eyes are on me. In the moment, I had no idea. I felt no self-consciousness, no fear, nothing. Looking at this picture, I’m so embarrassed. Look at all those eyes! Oh, to be a bride.

The wingmen had clearly become very comfortable holding the bouquets. Now give them to the ladies, wingmen.

And flowers were gifted.

Our first look continued. I was so giddy to touch his hand. It felt like forever since I last saw him.

*guest photo*

And it was official. The wedding day was here and Mr Hot Wings and I got to finally be together to enjoy our wedding day.

*All photos by the ever fab Hanssie Trainor unless noted otherwise.*

Do you need to catch up with the hotness?

• Spilling the Beans on Our Recaps
• With this Wing: Let the Recaps Begin
• With this Wing: Welcome to Our Wedding Weekend
• With this Wing: Let’s Practice
• With this Wing: Street Taco Rehearsal Dinner Details
• With this Wing: Wedding Eve
• With this Wing: Make Me a Hottie (Women getting ready)
• With this Wing: The Wingmen Clean Up Well (Groomsmen get ready)
• With this Wing: Tea Ceremony Prep
• With this Wing: Tea Ceremony Details
• With this Wing: Tea Ceremony Processional Gifts