Vi and Betty's Wedding in East Grinstead, West Sussex

The overall style? Modern-day fairytale. Elegant, romantic, and threaded with cherry blossom details that linked straight back to our engagement in Tokyo. Every element had an intention behind it, every choice told part of our story.

My Dresses

I knew I wanted drama, elegance, and a touch of vintage glamour. My ceremony gown was an elegant mermaid silhouette with intricate lace detail, and a dramatic train that made walking down the aisle feel utterly cinematic. The delicate beaded off-the-shoulder sleeves added something unique, almost a 1920s Gatsby feel, romantic and distinctive.

For our traditional Chinese tea ceremony, I wore a stunning red silk dress embroidered with phoenix details and gold accents.

Then came the evening, and a dress with a story of its own. I already owned a gorgeous, dress I had previously bought for my hen do, but my husband's mum added extra sparkle and detail to make it truly special and one-of-a-kind. It was lightweight and perfect for dancing, which mattered more than I ever expected it to.

The Flowers

Our florist was incredible and brought the vision to life with a palette of soft blush, pale pink, ivory, and touches of raspberry. My bouquet featured peonies, cerise spray roses, pale pink fluffy tea roses and red ranunculus, all gorgeous, all romantic. And with an extra special touch of silk cherry blossoms to tie the story together.

The Cake

We kept the cake elegant and unfussy: two tiers, one classic Victoria sponge (my favourite) and one indulgent chocolate and salted caramel (his favourite). It was finished with smooth buttercream, vertical ruffles, and fresh raspberries on top. Simple, beautiful, delicious, and very us.

The Food

If I was in charge of the flowers and styling, my husband happily took ownership of the food. We're unapologetic foodies, and throughout our relationship, some of our favourite memories have been made discovering new restaurants and cuisines.

He threw himself into every tasting, carefully curating the perfect canapés, wedding breakfast menu, dessert selection (his biggest weakness!), and evening food. We were determined to weave our heritage into this too. After speaking to countless vendors, one stood out above the rest. We chose Vietnamese bánh mìs for our evening food, a celebration of his Vietnamese heritage and a tribute to one of our favourite local lunch spots, where we've shared countless Thursday lunches together over the years. It wasn't just delicious; it was deeply personal, and seeing our guests enjoy something that meant so much to us made it even more special.

The Favourite Moments

Seeing each other at the aisle, surrounded by everyone we love most, there's no feeling quite like it.

But if I had to name a true highlight, it was our first dance. We'd taken two lessons beforehand, and honestly? Best decision we made. My husband is not a natural dancer, so watching him nail the lifts and spins with actual ease was show-stopping. The crowd went wild. It felt iconic, joyful, and so perfectly us. Our incredible wedding singer elevated the atmosphere even further, and for those few minutes, we were completely in our own world.

The whole day captured who we are as a couple: nothing over the top, deeply personal, and a true balance of both our individual styles. And I'll admit, I surprised even myself. This usually spontaneous, go-with-the-flow girl channelled her inner Type A with full force. I'm talking a 50-page presentation, over 100 suppliers contacted, and yes, the budget was... exceeded. But every detail, every late-night planning, every careful choice? Absolutely worth it.

Our wedding wasn't just a party; it was a love letter to our story, our families, and the two of us stepping into forever. Tokyo gave us the beginning. Our fairytale wedding was the beautiful bridge between our love story and our married life. Everything that comes next is still to be discovered, one chapter at a time.