REAL WEDDING:: Crystal Zheng + Hieu Nguyen {More Than Friends}

As fate would have it, Crystal and Hieu lived in the same dorm one year as undergraduates at Stanford. They met and became friends, sharing common interests and activities, but didn’t start officially dating until years later.

Two years after meeting Hieu, Crystal arranged a summer program at Stanford but realized she had forgotten to arrange housing at the last minute. She decided to call Hieu who she knew was always ready to help out a friend, and asked if she could sleep on his couch for a few days.

As it turned out, Hieu’s lease was about to end, so the two friends decided to find a place together for the summer months.

Their friendship quickly deepened and by the end of the summer they realized there was something special about their relationship. Since then, they have traversed the country together, living in Philadelphia, New York, and now New Orleans.

Hieu planned the proposal during a romantic trip to Santa Barbara, California – a location Crystal had always wanted to visit. Although he made plans and attempted to propose at multiple points during the trip, it wasn’t til the last day (on the way to the airport!) that he was finally able to ask her to marry him. Hieu made a stop at a hill overlooking the entire town and there, after 12 years of dating, got down on one knee. Crystal said “Yes!”

Crystal and Hieu’s wedding plans included traditions, music and food from many places that are special to them. The couple embraced their Vietnamese and Chinese cultures including Chinese Wedding Door Games and a traditional Tea Ceremony that they dressed in traditional attire for. To incorporate their home city of New Orleans, they included a cake pull and a traditional New Orleans Second Line with a twist! The Second Line included not only a brass band, but also traditional Chinese and Vietnamese Lion Dancers!