A Vietnamese bride’s dreamy wedding on American soil

Teri Nguyen, originally from Vietnam but raised in Long Beach, California, had a fateful encounter with her American husband, Alex Guo, at a ski resort in Heavenly, Lake Tahoe (USA). Having already met once before, Teri boldly grabbed the food tray from Alex’s hands. And when the conversation ended, the successful woman had won the heart of Alex.

After 6 years of dating, Alex took his girlfriend to Mount Soledad in California, where they could overlook the beautiful city of San Diego, to recreate the moment when they first fell in love. The couple, who joked that their love story was destiny, recently got married in a dreamy wedding in the US.

Teri recalled, “One of Alex’s friends was hiding nearby and secretly took pictures while he showed me a video of our love over the years. When the video ended, he suddenly knelt down and proposed to me.”

And so, the couple decided to hold their wedding at Ebell in Long Beach, California, as it was familiar to both of them. They also loved the venue for its airy atmosphere, lush vegetation, and beautifully decorated homes. On February 23, 2019, Teri and Alex officially tied the knot in front of 230 guests.

The groom wore a blue suit paired with black leather shoes. It was revealed that these shoes originally belonged to Teri’s father, who unfortunately passed away before he could witness his daughter’s wedding. Therefore, before his passing, he gave them to Alex, asking him to keep his promise and wear them on the wedding day in his place.

During the reception, to preserve the sacred moments, the bride and groom asked guests to sign a Jenga tower guestbook. The space was decorated with various vibrant flowers, including red roses, dahlias, cream roses, sweet peas, camellias, and phalaenopsis orchids. Guests sat on chairs with backs and a tiled floor, creating a focal point under their seats.

Teri was very creative in making signs hanging near the flowers with the message: “If you think we’re glamorous, wait until the bride appears.” Another noteworthy detail was the 3-year-old boy who brought the rings for the couple.

As for the groomsmen, they filled their speeches with quotes from classic romantic comedies. Alex and Teri also read their vows, including memories of their early days of love, happy and sad experiences, and the bride’s late father.

After the ceremony, the couple changed into traditional Vietnamese wedding attire. The outfits were made of silk and intricately embroidered with flowers.

The space was transformed for the reception, with a floral arch framing the love table of Teri and Alex. The simple cream tablecloth was covered with gray napkins and flowers were arranged low on the table.

Guests sipped on wine served in crystal glasses, indulging in a dinner of brown sugar-glazed salmon, truffle mushroom pasta, and cheese.

The newlyweds serenaded their guests with the sweet tunes of American singer Justin Timberlake. They also surprised guests by performing the song “Better Together” by Jack Johnson together.

After the wedding, the couple chose to spend their honeymoon in the beautiful cities of Venice, Rome in Italy, and the capital city of Paris, France.

Looking back on their long journey, Teri and Alex admitted that their wedding went smoothly with the help of a wedding planner. They shared that the most important secret was that they always remained firm and true to themselves. They knew exactly what they wanted and were never swayed by external opinions.