A bride’s custom Vietnamese wedding attire, known as an áo dài, sets her apart as a unique bridal beauty at the Payson, Utah temple.
Nothing produces one-of-a-kind beauty quite like a wedding full of cultural fusions. Originally from Vietnam, bride Chau fully embraced her heritage in every inch of her bridal attire, blending the traditional bridal áo dài with western white and sparkle for the perfect fit for her sealing in the Payson, Utah LDS temple. The outfit made for an unmatched bridal session, captured by AlliChelle Photography.
“I wanted to bring my culture into our temple sealing because it is a huge part of who I am,” Chau shares. For the sealing, she found a seamstress specializing Vietnamese wedding attire who hand-sewed a bridal white áo dài for the occasion. Áo dài translates to “long shirt” in English, but in reality is an ornate traditional garment consisting of a tight fitted top covering from shoulders to toes with deep slits up either side. Beneath, wearers traditionally sport flowing silk pants. In Vietnam, áo dài is known as the ‘national soul’ of Vietnamese women, symbolizing feminine beauty and elegance.
For her wedding day, Chau had her áo dài customized to fit the requirements of temple ceremonies, including shorter slits and long sleeves. She also wore a glittering oversize headband, which framed her face beautifully in place of the more western option of a flowing veil. An intricately pleated train was added to the back of the design for a distinctly bridal touch.
When stood next to her groom Eric, dressed in a grey black suit and paisley pink tie, the pair glowed with unique “just married” joy. The pair first met when Eric arrived at a nail salon for a pedicure with his mother. Chau happened to be working that day, helping out her aunt who owned the business. Later, they reconnected on campus at Utah Valley University and began dating. Nearly a year later, Eric proposed to Chau at a surprise photoshoot.
See another couple embracing heritage and culture.
