Van-Khanh & Stuart: A Cultural Wedding in Miami Beach, FL

The second time was the charm for Van and Stuart. A mutual friend wanted finance manager Stuart Davies to meet Van-Khanh Linh, a planner for Burdines shoes. (I basically get paid to shop for shoes, every girl's dream, says Van-Khanh.) They were both invited to join the same happy-hour group: Stuart was in on the plan, but Van wasn't. At the end of the night, the two had not spoken one word to each other. Two nights later, though, the same group went dancing-and this time Van-Khanh and Stuart liked each other immediately. The Bride Van-Khanh Linh The Groom Stuart Davies The Date July 28 Stuart proposed on the beach during a weekend getaway in Naples. The couple had shopped for rings and talked about marriage before, but when the sun began to set and Stuart presented the ring, Van-Khanh still was surprised. In her Vietnamese culture, a couple is not considered formally engaged until they have an engagement ceremony. So on Christmas Eve, Stuart and Van-Khanh joined her family and 25 other guests for an intimate, joyful party at the home of Van-Khanh's parents.