You all know the drill, it’s  Real Weddings Wednesday! Today we’re celebrating Sarah and George’s amazing church wedding. With three amazingly beautiful gowns to represent different cultures, dreamy outdoor photos, and a fun wedding party, make sure to scroll below for more!

Black and white photo of the bride smiling out of the window. Close up photo of the bride's indigo flower bouquet.

Black and white photo of the groom fixing his sleeves.

Tell us a little about you and your beloved.

George and I met in San Francisco in 2013 at a 90’s dance party my sorority was hosting. We spent the next day together in Golden Gate Park and a week later he asked me to be his girlfriend. Then the rest was history! In 2020 he had this whole extravagant plan to propose to me at the park in front of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco (where he asked me to be his girlfriend) but instead, out of nerves, he proposed to me in the middle of my cousin’s living room (without anyone knowing he was going to propose at that time)! It was still very sweet and intimate and we continued to drink more wine to celebrate! Throughout the wedding planning, we made sure we communicated with each other about what we wanted. We both agreed that we wanted to have a church ceremony and to incorporate both of our cultures in the wedding (I’m Vietnamese and he’s Armenian with his family being from the Republic of Georgia). I was the main orchestrator in all the planning and he was my personal cheerleader and also the eye for decorations in the reception hall.

Church venue with a statue of Jesus on the cross behind the altar.

Black and white photo of the bride and groom exchanging vows at the altar.

Bride and groom kissing at the altar after saying "I do".

Groom leading his wife out of the church and smiling while their guests celebrate them.

Newlyweds posing with both of their families outside the church for photos.

What was the best part of your wedding day?

The whole day was perfect and exactly what we wanted for our wedding, but I would say the most amazing part was our outfit changes. It felt so great to see everyone’s reactions to our Vietnamese ao dais and Georgian wedding dress and chokha.

Bridal party celebrating as the bride and groom kiss.

Bride and groom facing an arch that overlooks a town below.

Bride sipping a drink and holding a hand in the air.

Groom dipping his bride on a set of stairs.

Bride and groom smiling at the camera together.

Bride and groom laughing inside the bride's veil

Bride and groom kissing in the shadows.

What advice would you give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?

It helped a lot to plan ahead and get things checked off my list early on in the timeline. Also for the wedding day, I just lived in the moment and if things didn’t go as planned I didn’t stress over it. That’s what bridesmaids are there for; mine helped me to relax and enjoy myself and I knew I could rely on them if anything went amiss. Also, Etsy is a lifesaver in buying personalized decorations and wedding favors!

Reception venue photo with chairs and round tables.

Bride and groom having their first dance as a fog machine lights up the floor.

Bride and groom sitting at their table during the reception.

Bride and groom dressed in cultural blue and gold attire.

Anything that you would have done different if given the chance?

Honestly, the day really went as we were hoping for. There were small things I wish I’d known like how the DJ played the full songs for all our dances (first dance, father/daughter, mother/son) instead of cutting them down to a minute and a half. Or that some guests didn’t get to try our cake if they weren’t seated at their tables; had I known I would’ve asked the emcee to announce that cake was being served. Otherwise, the night was perfect and thankfully all our guests had just an amazing time as we did.

Black and white photo of groom holding up his bride and laughing.

Photos courtesy of and copyright Danielle Alysse Photography used with permission.

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