Real Wedding | Sonary + Kevin

Today’s featured wedding comes to us from Calgary, Alberta Canada – full of classic elegance and a beautiful blend of  Laotian and North American wedding traditions. I love the way Sonary + Kevin’s wedding envelopes you in a complete experience.   The crisp ivory decor with accents of royal blue throughout the reception is like stepping into a dream-scape and the abundance of white paper lanterns gives wedding guests the sense they could float away.  Not only was their day dream-like, their celebration was  kid friendly, complete with mini-putt golfing for the young people.  The bride and groom look amazing in their wedding attire and equally magical when Sonary and Kevin changed into their traditional Laos wedding outfits for their special Laotian wedding dance…Enjoy!

Sonary + Kevin | August 27, 2011 | Calgary, Alberta

The Ceremony
It was an afternoon traditional church wedding at the end of the summer.  All along the inside of the church were beautiful blue stain glass windows, which created an ethereal wedding atmosphere that was only enhanced with a violinist playing in the background.  My walk down the aisle seemed to be over in the blink of an eye.  Although the ceremony was inside, our wedding photos were outside and we couldn’t have got better weather.  The sun was shining, with just the right amount of clouds in the sky to make for amazing pictures.

The Reception
We wanted to keep it simple and elegant, but also had some very subtle yet unique accents to really ‘Wow’ our guests and made sure they were highlighted in just the right way.  When I first saw how the space was decorated I couldn’t believe my eyes.  The ceiling and the tables were better than I could have imagined, looking clean and crisp with just solid colors of ivory and royal blue.   The illuminated centerpieces, the ceiling décor and the low lighting of the hall made the evening feel whimsical as the night went on.

My family is originally from Laos, so we wanted to integrate a traditional Laotian dance and wedding attire into the reception as well.  I think our guests were really excited and surprised to see our Laotian wedding outfits, along with the Laotian wedding traditions that aren’t so common now-a-days.

How Sonary Felt in Her Wedding Dress
It made my body feel elongated in the best way possible.  It made me feel like the rest of the world just melted away off the edges of the tulle, and it was just my husband and I on our wedding day.  And I felt proud to show myself off in what I thought was such a breathtaking wedding gown.

Why Sonary Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
Because this dress is so unique and rare, I think someone else should be able to experience having and wearing such a beautiful gown.  Every girl dreams of wearing Vera Wang down the aisle, so why not help make it possible for someone else?

Sonary’s Dress | Vera Wang Fiona / Photography | Yueko Image Photography