An impromptu trip to New York led to a meet-cute, which led to a secret garden proposal, which led to a backyard wedding in Atwater Village. A perfectly playful vintage Richilene dress that turned into the gown of her dreams. Let Karren's wedding story below remind you to always trust your gut! 💛

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?

Our wedding was an intimate wedding in Atwater Village on December 2, 2023, in my husband's aunt and uncle's backyard. His dad, who has been a pastor for about 25 years, officiated the wedding. Afterward, we all drove over to Otium (which is shutting down next month, RIP), where we rented their private outdoor terrace and had the best dinner of our lives. We are both creatives based out of NYC, so we really wanted our wedding to capture the artistic and free aspects of ourselves while being intimate and special. The location really came as an epiphany for us. We were at our wits' end with wedding planning, where there seemed to be something wrong with every single plan and venue we came up with, and it was frustrating. My husband was born and raised in LA and suggested we do it there since it'll be warm in December, and we wanted to have our wedding by the end of the year. His aunt and uncle's small backyard came as a lightbulb moment.

"I knew it was the one when his mom cried. It was the only dress she cried at."

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

My husband and I met at his art show. He was collaborating with a singer I really liked, and I saw the flier for the event via the singer's Instagram story. I was still in college in Massachusetts at the time, and I felt the impulse to take a solo weekend trip to NYC just for this show. It was an art show + live performance which featured my husband's works, and it was titled 'Do you feel the connection?' Safe to say we did! The proposal was perfect. It happened in a hidden garden near the house I grew up in; my sister set up the decor, and my friend secretly took pictures.

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

My dress could be described as fun and flirty. It had a fun pleated ruffle moment that went across the shoulder and all the way down the back. I came in and told HI staff that I wanted an ankle-length dress that didn't take itself seriously because everything about the wedding planning was too serious for my liking. They actually pulled out the dress for me, and it was perfect. I went wedding dress shopping with my husband's mom. We were visiting his family in Echo Park, and I'd seen HI all over Instagram and knew I had to stop by after many unsuccessful wedding dress shopping experiences.

I knew it was the one when his mom cried. It was the only dress she cried at. I felt untouchable in it. It was also the only dress I tried on that was out of my budget. Classic.

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

We did not share outfits beforehand, but we saw each other's shoes. He wore a classic black tux with blue suede shoes. (Not in any way inspired by Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley.)

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

They were wowed for sure!! I showed it to a friend before the wedding, who couldn't fully understand why I chose it. It wasn't really a "wedding dress." The staff at HI even told me many people tried it on as a rehearsal dress or reception dress, so I had a few friends, including my mom, who didn't quite get the vision. After the wedding, this friend messaged me and said, "Never listen to anyone else but yourself. This dress is beautiful; I did not expect you guys to look straight out of a magazine."

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

I wore pearl earrings that my husband's grandma gifted me for my birthday, and I styled my hair with a flower that actually came with the dress. When I took it for alterations, they had removed the flower, which I wasn't even aware could be removed. I liked the dress better without the flower, and on the morning of the wedding, I decided to put it in my hair.

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?

Trying on my dress for the first time. I felt like a flower in it. I would like to tell other brides that they should go with the dress they come alive in. I was torn between my dress and another dress, which was the kind of dress I originally had in mind. However, I didn't feel as free and as pretty as I did in my dress. So I say throw all expectations and preconceived notions away, and go with what you feel best in, in the moment!

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

Her name is Flower. Or Karren (me). Her perfect date is probably frolicking around a garden somewhere and then having afternoon tea, followed by a live jazz show or an art gallery opening with free wine.

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?

100%. I am African—Ghanaian, to be precise. Nothing about my wedding was a typical Ghanaian girl's "white" wedding. (I say white wedding because in Ghana, we have the traditional Ghanaian ceremony and the 'white' wedding—white gown, walk down the aisle, etc., etc.) From the dress to the venue to the guest list, to the fact that we had a white wedding before the traditional Ghanaian one—typically, the Ghanaian one comes before the white one, usually a day or two before, but we haven't had our Ghanaian wedding yet. It was extremely difficult to make these decisions, especially with family expectations on me. For example, it was a no-brainer to everyone around me that my wedding would consist of about 200 people or more. It's the African way. When I opted for a 20-person wedding instead, I really caught some heat for it, but I don't regret it at all. I had to remind myself that if I am trusting myself in making the grown-up decision to get married, then I should trust myself in doing what's best for me. No one made the decision for me to get married, so no one should be making wedding decisions for me.

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

Honestly, nothing unexpected happened the day of, which can only be described as God's blessing. The only thing I can recall is not being able to connect our music to the speakers at the restaurant, so we had to listen to what Otium was bumping, but nobody even noticed.

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

One, Go to Happy Isles for your dress. Two, You are no less married than the couple who had a photo booth at their wedding. Everyone is the same amount of married, whether you rode into your ceremony via a horse or you went to the courthouse! So just get married!

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

Saying our vows and making funny faces to ourselves while we stood across from each other.

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?

We are planning our traditional Ghanaian ceremony where he brings the 'bride price,' and everyone wears traditional clothing, which is going to be really fun. We are also planning on traveling around the world in the coming year and then hopefully moving to Los Angeles from NYC and continue loving each other.

14. And finally - shout out your vendors!

Photos: @leenanesh

Florals: @frondfloral

Makeup: @so.nimoh