1. Tell us about your wedding day and surrounding events! Where did it all go down? Did you have any particular inspiration or musts when choosing the location?

We had a morning ceremony at my family parish in Rancho Santa Fe, California, at The Church of The Nativity, where my siblings and I all not only went to primary school but where they also had their weddings.  I met my husband at the altar by way of Camille Saint-Saëns' "Carnival of The Animals, R. 125: XIII, The Swan," played by cellist Alex Greenbaum.  He wore his Marine Corps dress blues, I wore haute couture Vera Wang, and we were married under the same altar stars I have stood under since the age of 6.  We then walked through a sword arch presentation lined by some of our active-duty friends and joined our guests for morning doughnuts before heading off for a five-hour break pre-reception.

"With the help of our stunning friends at Dogwood and Fir, the space was transformed - from staircase to ballroom - into a French-inspired playground."

The reception venue was also chosen due to various personal ties.  My husband, Vitaly, is Vietnamese on his mother's side and French/Ukrainian on his father's side, whereas I am Afro-Carribean on my mother's side and Irish on my father's, so there were always questions posed of if and how we would celebrate our collection of cultures. Vitaly first asked me to be his girlfriend in New Orleans, where my maternal grandmother's family is from, and where I have always felt my most authentic self as a mulatto woman. So, as an ode to our French and Cajun heritages along with our love story, we dreamed of a Rococo meets New Orleans-style reception with bright colors, fruits cascading over the tables, and dancing barefoot by candlelight with champagne in hand.  Truly, there was no other space that would allow for that feeling other than The Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego.  Not only is The Westgate home to some of the most gorgeous antique Versailles pieces hand-chosen by the original designer of the hotel, Helen Alvarez Smith, but it is also where my mother has brought my sister and me to afternoon tea since 2004 - a tradition we still often partake in, to this day.  With the help of our stunning friends at Dogwood and Fir, the space was transformed - from staircase to ballroom - into a French-inspired playground.

I swayed in my vintage Catherine Rayner gown with my husband to Sam Cooke's "Nothing Can Change This Love" in a candlelit ballroom, drank from magnum-sized Bollinger champagne bottles, plucked ethereal cream puffs from our 7' tall croquembouche tower and had the time of our lives with our closest friends.

2. How did you and your partner meet? What was the proposal like?

Vitaly and I met at our alma mater, UC Davis, where our paths crossed quite often as we were both science majors and had close mutual friends.  It was known amongst our group that Vitaly had a crush on me; however, after multiple failed attempts of my dropping hints that the feelings were mutual, I moved on. 

Fast forward two years post-graduation, he was living in Florida for flight school but was in town for the Holidays, so he asked me to have dinner with him for New Year's to catch up.  Long story short, the date went well, and eight months later, I found myself moving from California to Texas to be with him at his next military station.

"It was my very own Hallmark movie."

After Texas, he was placed with USMC F-35 Bravo Squadron 502 in San Diego, which allowed us to be closer to family as we both grew up in the area.  It was very important to him that he was able to ask for my family's blessing in person before proposing so that they could all be involved when the time came.  On December 23, 2022, he told me he had to be at work early, so I made alternative plans with my sister to entertain me.  Little did I know, he was actually at my favorite park down the street from my childhood home, decorating a gazebo with Christmas wreaths, garland, and 5,000 rose petals.  Driving towards the park, which was not on our sister's holiday schedule, I had a feeling of what was coming.  Once out of the car, I handed my sister my purse and breathlessly stepped towards my future.  The monologue he gave was not what he had prepared, but it was perfect for the moment and made me laugh until he pulled the ring box out from behind him, which made me stop in my tracks.  He was somehow holding a box that my father had given me maybe ten years prior, which my sister then held onto, saying that one day she would ensure my future husband proposed to me using it because she thought it was simply fantastic.  A little red cowboy hat.  Unfortunately, the cowboy hat was subsequently lost during our engagement party, but we like to believe it served its purpose and has moved on.  Once, I said yes approximately 500 times, and he had placed the gorgeous ring on my hand; he led me through a tree line that took us to a surprise picnic attended by both of our families, who were waiting patiently with champagne and small bites to celebrate.

It was my very own Hallmark movie.

3. Describe your Happy Isles dress and/or dresses! When did you know it was the one?

Thanks to my stylist sister, the majority of my bridal wardrobe was adopted from Happy Isles.  The bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, reception, and even a look for the honeymoon were all stunners that I daydream about often. 

Of my HI collection, the main event was, of course, my reception gown.  The vintage Catherine Rayner was tucked in amongst the luscious racks in the LA showroom where my sister found both her ceremony and reception dresses for her 2021 wedding (along with many other pieces throughout the years).  It was a requirement (or passing of the baton, per my younger sister's status) that I at least took a look at what was available in the hopes of claiming some of the vintage magic for myself.

At this point, I had tried on maybe 20 other contenders for the reception dress, but none had fit the bill until I slipped into this blush corseted gown and received the reaction from my sisters and mother that every bride craves.  The big shimmering eyes, open-mouthed smiles, and awe that come with "the one."  Unfortunately, the complication in this love story (there always has to be one, right?) was the fact that the dress was about 3-4 sizes too large, which was a detail that could be difficult to alter due to the impressive boning in the bodice along with the fact that it had sleeves which restricted my mobility too much to be worn for a reception.  So, I walked away with other pieces but left the gown behind.

"I knew I had to have it and shape it into my own." 

The entire car ride from LA back to our home in San Diego was one of pure obsession.  I watched and rewatched the videos and photos my family had taken, talked to my mother (a seamstress of around 45 years) about the potential, and knew my dream dress was in the blush gown.  Without the sleeves, the gown has a beautiful cat-eye neckline and a basque waist, which, when fitted properly, gives a sensual yet structured appeal. I knew I had to have it and shape it into my own.  So, I emailed the Happy Isles team and had the dress in my hands within a few weeks.

4. What did your partner wear down the aisle, and did you share outfit pics before the big day?

For the ceremony, I wanted to make sure we highlighted and honored my husband, friends, and family who are in the military.  As he has been serving for 11 years and both come from military families, it is a large part of our lives, and we wanted to celebrate that.  So, down the aisle, Vitaly wore his Marine Corps dress blues, and we encouraged guests who currently serve/ have served to wear their dress uniforms as well.  At the end of our ceremony, we walked through a sword arch lined by ten of our closest USMC friends.

As our reception was a black tie evening event, we had a midday break, during which Vitaly changed into his custom tuxedo from Suit Supply.  He was very excited throughout the process of designing and fittings, so when he finally picked it up, he was eager to model it for me.  However, I had absolutely no intention of allowing him to see or know anything about my dresses until he saw me walk down the aisle.  He loved the mystery, and it definitely added to the drama once the double doors finally opened on me at the ceremony.

"To know love is to see the face of your partner sneaking a peek at you when they think nobody is watching."

5. How did your guests respond to your outfit/s? Were there any standout reactions?

Our guests loved our outfits, and to this day, I still receive compliments on my dresses. However, the only standout reaction in my mind is my husband's.  To know love is to see the face of your partner sneaking a peek at you when they think nobody is watching.  There were many times I would catch Vitaly studying me throughout the day, all of which were accompanied by a light smile or shake of his head as if he were in disbelief.  That reaction is the only one that mattered to me.

6. Where did you shop for accessories, and how did you style your look/s?

As I tend to keep looks simple and want to focus on the dresses, many of my accessories were passed down.  I am also quite traditional and superstitious, so I followed the "old, new, borrowed, blue" rules for my ceremony.  Old & blue came from my paternal great-grandmother's Celtic ring that has been worn by every Lynch daughter on their wedding day.  Three items were borrowed (earrings, necklace & veil); A pair of Kiki McDonough earrings given to my sister by her husband on their wedding day (which also perfectly match the color of the center diamond on my engagement ring), a necklace from my sister in law that holds the original diamond from her engagement ring and my sister's cathedral veil that we added a blusher to.  Finally, for my something new, a pair of white laced Manolo Blahnik's (and my wedding band!)

For the reception, I wore a vintage Swarovski crystal necklace given to my mother by her sister in the 80s paired with pink & sage earrings that matched our primary colors as an ode to New Orleans, along with a simple white silk hair ribbon I purchased off Etsy.  My early evening shoes were my favorite - blue and white Marie Antoinette toile pattern from She is Cheval.  Once the evening picked up, I switched into a Retrofete one-shouldered mini dress that I purchased from The Real Real and paired with deep green Jimmy Choo stilettos.

7. What was the most memorable aspect of your dress shopping experience? Is there anything you would like to highlight or share with other brides considering an appointment at Happy Isles?

A consumer's shopping experience is such an important aspect of everyday shopping, let alone shopping for a bridal gown, which women have been made to feel is the most important day of their lives since they were children.  There is so much pressure on the bride to feel “it,” a tiny burst of acknowledgment that only she can describe. So it becomes this massive experience of bringing an entourage and having opinions being thrown at you left and right. It can be extremely overwhelming.

"You get to play dress up on a whole different level." 

At Happy Isles, I never felt that pressure because it’s simply an enjoyable experience from the moment you arrive since the team is entirely focused on the shoppers' experience. It’s like stepping back in time when shopping for dresses was an event. You get to sit on a beautiful couch and peruse through racks of incredible pieces. You get to play dress up on a whole different level. The energy that comes from being allowed to play this type of dress up in such a fantastical way with women from the HI team and the entourage that gets to come along (and maybe find a few pieces of their own) is electric. It takes away the stress of the typical “say yes to the dress” scenario and allows a bride to just have fun. 

8. Okay. Your HI wedding dress is a person. What is their name, and describe their perfect date!

Vivienne; An ode to the late force of fashion as the gown has the same cat eye and structured corset bodice that I adore about many a Vivienne Westwood bridal gown.  The name also matches the feminine energy of the old world, which the dress exudes. 

Her perfect date would be a picnic in the gardens of some glorious chateau in the French countryside on a day when the breeze is so still you can hear every sound nature creates (plus the pop of vintage champagne) and the sun has such a perfect warmth you feel almost obligated to run barefoot in the grass.

9. Getting serious for a second. Did you ever feel like you were breaking the mold or challenging expectations while wedding planning? What were some ways you stayed true to yourself during what can be an emotionally complex experience?

I think every bride wants to believe they’re doing something new that nobody has thought of yet... Whether or not we admit it, everyone wants to be a trendsetter in some way in order to leave their mark on the world - no matter how small. I wanted to plan an event that felt true to our story as a couple, and of course, there are small things I can look back on and nitpick, but ultimately, we absolutely achieved that.  We wanted to feel surrounded by love and watch our friends and family enjoy an evening together that was filled with laughter, dancing, and lots of Champagne and Guinness.

Aside from the event itself, weddings can bring out the worst in people.  In order to not fall prey to the volatility that inevitably occurs during the planning process, Vitaly and I ensured that we stayed true to ourselves by reminding each other why we were doing this and what this day was about.  Our love story.  Everything else fell by the wayside in comparison. 

10. They say every wedding has a “wild card” moment. Did anything unexpected happen or surprise you during planning or the day of?

With my sister having been through the wedding planning process only two years prior, not much surprised me as I had an idea of what to expect.  Thankfully, I was also lucky enough to have an incredible team of planners and bridesmaids by my side from start to finish, so not much had a chance of rocking me. Day of, however, we had a couple of hiccups throughout the morning.  It started with losing the power in my bridal suite while we were in the middle of glam and continued with one of my planners realizing that my veil was missing.  Thankfully, I knew nothing about the veil, and my brother-in-law was able to locate and collect it before anyone noticed.  Beyond that, if anything else happened, I am blissfully unaware, thanks to my incredible team.

"So bring a good crew that knows your style and has good vibes only..."

11. HOT TAKES: Do you have any wedding planning or dress shopping advice? Please pay it forward to our future brides!

Best advice I can give for dress shopping is to have an idea of what you would like before stepping foot in a salon. It can be so overwhelming, and there are SO many different styles out there, so the more you are able to pare it down beforehand, the better. Beyond that, go based on what feels most comfortable for YOU and your event space. I disagree with what most people say about not listening to what your entourage says as you try on, but that’s because I surround myself with people whose opinions I trust and care about (and it doesn’t hurt that they all have impeccable taste).  So bring a good crew that knows your style and has good vibes only so they can help you find a dress you can dance in and enjoy the evening that you have stressed and cried over for months and months.

As for wedding planning?  Therapy, date nights, wine, and a great workout regimen to release the tension and frustration that can build.

12. If you had to choose your single best wedding day memory, what would it be?

Out of the many to choose from, I would have to say that my favorite memory of the day would be the drive back to our hotel after the ceremony.  We drove my brother's vintage Ford, so nobody else was with us, and it was our first time alone as husband and wife.  It was one of the few moments of the day we had to ourselves, and it was bliss.  It felt like we were the only two people in the world with no cares, just enjoying a drive and listening to the radio.  We had road doughnuts and laughed as well wishers honked when they noticed I was in all white and a veil.  For 30 minutes, nobody tried to grab us for photos or ask us to make decisions, and the only thing that mattered was that we were together and married.

13. Now that the wedding chapter has come to a close, what are some dreams you have for your future, both personally and as a couple?

As a military couple, our future is always unknown, which presents challenges for type-A personalities like myself. However, we currently reside in Japan and will be here for the next few years.  Living abroad and being able to explore and learn new cultures is an opportunity we are grateful to have and are making the most of while we can.

Vitaly is currently living out his childhood dreams as a fighter pilot and looks forward to climbing higher in the military toward a promising future.

Because of my husband's career and current duty station, I have been afforded a very rare moment of being able to step back and look at the larger picture of my life.  This allows me to question, celebrate, and edit the decisions I have made and have yet to make regarding my future.  This new chapter requires me to give myself the grace to figure it out, which is a delicious prospect, and I know that my husband will be beside me, honoring every failure and success along the way.  Stay Tuned.

14. And finally - shout out your vendors!