I love when couples are true to themselves with their engagement sessions and on their big day! In celebration of her Vietnamese culture, Hong-Anh chose to wear an áo dài (pronounced like ‘ow yai’; also known spelled ao dai) for her engagement session. The ao dai is a two piece outfit consisting of a long tunic dress split along the sides that is worn over trousers. This coordinated beautifully with their wedding day, where the couple would both be wearing an ao dai for the Vietnamese tea ceremony.
Once Hong-Anh decided on her ao dai, we realized Alden’s shirt didn’t quite match the bright blue silk of her outfit. I jokingly suggested maybe Alden should just get a new shirt…and laughed when they told me that’s exactly what happened. So don’t feel bad if you can’t find something in your closet to match with each other. You can always go out and add something to your wardrobe!
Hong-Anh and Alden were back in Virginia visiting family over Labor Day weekend. The timing lined up well for them to meet me locally for their session. For greenery and a waterfront, I knew Belle Isle would be the perfect Richmond engagement session location! The river views and lush greenery were gorgeous backdrops for their love and to show off the bright blue silk of Hong-Anh’s ao dai.
Alden and Hong-Anh were always laughing with each other while exploring the beautiful Belle Isle views. The couple strolled through the luscious greenery hand in hand, smiling from ear to ear. They are both medical professionals and at this time were in their residency years. So this session was a welcomed break from their busy day to day lives.
Scroll to see more of Hong-Anh’s ao dai and their beautiful Belle Isle engagement session!
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