A Vietnamese-Western Wedding at Exploration Place in Wichita, Kansas

Kathy Nguyen (32 and a phlebotomist) and Jesse Nguyen (32 and a mechanical engineer) chose a gold and blush color combo as they filled what Kathy calls their “magical, fairy-tale-esque” day with romantic details. In keeping with Vietnamese tradition, the lively reception included a nine-course meal complete with shark fin soup, lobster, stuffed crab claw and crispy Peking duck. For dessert, a five-tier confection made of carrot, mocha, German chocolate, strawberry and chocolate-hazelnut cake was served. For their traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony, Kathy wore vibrant red and gold ao dai, then changed into a lace mermaid gown for their Western ceremony. Before opening up the dance floor to their guests, Kathy and Jesse shared a first dance to “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz. “We chose it because it is symbolic of our commitment to each other,” Kathy said.