Happy Anniversary!!!

This year is probably the first year that we didn't do much for our anniversary nor did we plan much ahead. I don't think it's a sign for what's to come but more of a temporary bump with our new family. Hieu did made the effort and tried to plan so we would celebrate our anniversary somewhat. I was too tired to even plan.

It's our 9th year of marriage and we plan to go to Vegas next year for our big tenth to renew our vows. I still remember every detail of our wedding like it was yesterday...

**9 years ago 7/31/1999 - A few weeks before the wedding, one of my bridesmaid's mom passed away. My family pressured me to not have her in the wedding in fear of the bad omen for my wedding. I refused to do so plus I was more concern about her well-being and whether or not she still wants to be in the wedding while grieving. She insisted that she still wants to be in the wedding and I kept a close eye on her. She did broke down once at the reception but otherwise seemed okay. Regrettably, we haven't spoken since after she moved out during my honeymoon.

A few days before the wedding, Hieu's mom came down to arrange all the flowers and make the wedding cake for us. She made all the bouquets, the corsages, the flowers for the ceremony as well as the reception. My poor mother-in-law looks exhausted at the wedding. If I were to do it over, we would've just have someone else take care of the flowers and the cake so she can enjoy the wedding.

The night before the wedding, I've revised the seating chart for 40 tables for the 10th time. Hieu's aunt told him at 11 p.m. that 11 more of his long-distance relatives will be coming. He called mewhile I was driving to my parents to prepare for our wedding day. Exhausted from all the events of the week and the long day of decorations and rehearsals, I broke down and cried. I told him I can't revise the seating chart anymore. Hieu got upset that I was upset and went out to the dining room to proclaim to his aunt that "THAT'S IT! NO ONE ELSE IS COMING. I DON'T CARE WHO THEY ARE!!!" Mayhem ensued after that because he has offended his aunt and all his relatives as well as embarrassed his mom. They all yelled at him for being disrespectful and how he can't talk to family like that. His mom threatened not to come to the wedding at all and I thought it was the end of the world.

I forgot a sign at the house so Hieu drove over at 3 in the morning the night before our wedding to give it to me. We held each other in the driveway and just cried. I finally got to sleep at about 3:30 with swollen eyes and woke up at 5 the next morning for hair and make-up.

I drove with my bridesmaids to go get hair and make-up done. The lady spent the most time on me that she didn't even have time to do everyone's hair and make-up. Christine just did her own make-up and hair but still looks stunning. I also remember that Jen's hair was cropped short and the head piece wouldn't stay on for her.


I got ready at my parent's house and waited for Hieu and his family to come for the ceremony. They were supposed to come promptly at 8 and I was so worry they decide not to come at all after the events last night. I can hear them downstairs at 8 and had butterfly in my stomach waiting for my mom to come and get me. This is all my bridesmaids and groomsmen in the traditional Vietnamese dress:


We rented 3 white Cadillacs instead of a limo and it was wonderful that way. Our groomsmen and bridesmaids are so awesome and took wonderful care of us. They knew Hieu and I didn't have anything to eat nor drink all morning so they made sure to have water and food in the car for us to nibble on the way to the church.
(The bridesmaids' dresses were rented.)


The sorority girls who came to the ceremony:


I had to keep counting the tiles of the mosaic in front of us in church to keep from falling asleep. The week was so hectic and Hieu just threw together the church program at the last minute so some of the pages have someone else's name on it. We left the church at about 3p.m. and head straight to the restaurant to decorate. My poor groomsmen and bridesmaid were exhausted and so was I. I actually laid my head on a table and took a little nap while Hieu lay on the floor.

We had to take a picture with each guest that arrived at the reception. Our jaws were so sore by the end of the night that we can't tell if we were smiling anymore.


At 6p.m. guests start arriving at the restaurant and my seating chart went to crap because there was no Vietnamese speaking people manning the sign-in table. All my bridesmaids are non-Vietnamese and my little sister was busy preparing for the dance they were doing for us for our entrance. The reception was still lots of fun for everyone. We had so many entertainers because I was heavily involved in the sorority and Hieu was involved in scouts. Everyone stayed until midnight when the restaurant closed and we received so many compliments about how much fun they had. My sisters did a dance before we made our entrance into the reception hall, then the sorority girls did a song, the scout girls did a dance, my little sister sang, my father-in-law did a magic show, I sang a song to my parents, Hieu and his best men sang "So in Love" to serenade me, and the DJ sang a song to serenade my other sister who was co-hosting with him. Lots of fun all around.

Here's my "cutting cake" and "first dance" dress (ahhhh youth!) :


I like this portrait:


** 7/31/2008 - Back to this year's anniversary, Hieu got us a reservation at a nice Italian restaurant for lunch. He also got me a sweet card as well as flowers. He then got me a nice set of knives I wanted as my present. I did have to give him 1 cent as payment when he gave me the knives because in Vietnamese superstition, you can't give knives, pictures, nor perfume in a relationship. Knives are believed to cut your relationship. Pictures will cause you to separate because you only need to look at your love one's pictures when you are far away. Perfume will cause your mate to stray because only when you go out on dates do you use it.




Being a wonderful wife that I am..I got him NOTHING! Fortunately I have such a wonderful husband that he totally understands.

I love you sweetheart. Here's to better years ahead.