A wedding that beautifully blended the rich traditions of Vietnam with the elegance of a modern English wedding – Dominique and Mike seamlessly merged their two cultures to create a unique and memorable day. From the jewel-tone florals to the traditional custom-made Vietnamese áo dài, every detail was considered.
We asked Dominique and Mike a little bit about themselves and their wedding…
So how did you meet Mr/Mrs Right?
We met while both working at The Washington Post in Washington, D.C. At the time, “digital media” was still fairly new and all the young employees would gather for weekly happy hours after work. We were colleagues/friends for about 2 years before we started dating.
When did you know they were ‘the one’/ how did they pop the question?
It was the busiest summer for me workwise—I was traveling almost every week to film between April – June and was deep in post-production for everything through July in preparation for Shark Week, which is a major television program in the states.
On Friday afternoon, I had come home from celebratory lunch and drinks with my colleagues to mark the end of Shark Week and a crazy work season. I saw that the camera was set up on our balcony and assumed Michael was playing with his camera again. (For the past year, he had been setting up the camera to capture photos of the New York Skyline when there were dramatic clouds or light.)
Michael let me know we had dinner reservations that night and to wear something nice. I was relieved because I had been too busy to book anything and was really in the mood to celebrate being done with my busy season. It was a beautiful summer day, so we had the idea to get ready early and enjoy a glass of wine on the balcony before dinner. Since the camera was already set up, I suggested we take some photos since it’d been a while since we took a photo together. Little did I know, this was Michael’s plan all along and I just made it super easy for him to set up his proposal.
As Michael was testing this feature on his camera that took photos every 5 seconds, we posed for the camera. After about a minute or so, I started to step away and said, “I think we have plenty of options.” As I said that, he pulled me back closer and got down on one knee. It was the most perfect, intimate and private proposal with the New York skyline in the background.
A note from the florist and venue stylist, Helen at Willow & Bear…
Bride Dominique, had a clear vision for her wedding style; Jewel tones: emerald green, sapphire blue and white.
“We want it to feel and look Romantic and elegant but simple. The venue is already gorgeous, so florals and styling is to enhance but not take away from the venue’s quintessential English look and feel that we fell in love with.”
This brief was absolute music to my ears! Understated yet luxurious & with a guide to work closely with the unique features & beauty of Thicket priory.
How did you find THE dress to say ‘I do’ in?
It was important for me to blend my Vietnamese tradition with Michael’s English family traditions. For our ceremony, we both decided to wear custom made Vietnamese áo dài typically worn in a wedding tea ceremony. My mom worked with a Vietnamese seamstress for a custom made áo dài that was a nod to tradition but modernized with a bit of glamourous flair. Instead of the typical red color, I opted for white with gold details with a long laced cape and a gold khăn đóng (headdress). With multiple photos and incorporating different elements I liked from each, my mom worked with the seamstress to handpick the materials and even helped finish the beading detail on the áo dài and cape, which was all sewn by hand. Together, they really brought my dream dress to life in about 6 months.
How did you pick the perfect photographer/videographer to capture your day?
After booking Thicket Priory and our caterers, the videographer was the first supplier we booked. As a producer by profession, our wedding video was super important to me—I didn’t want a boring, typical wedding video. We came across Hello There Films’ reel and sample videos and I was blown away. Their cinematic and artistic style is stunning. Combined with their storytelling option, their wedding video makes it feel like a mini-documentary of your wedding and your love story, which is just the unique vibe we were looking for.
Plus, they had a lot of experience filming at Thicket Priory. Being based in New York City, we wanted suppliers who knew the venue better than we did. The photographer (Gill of Unfurl Photography) was one from their suggested list of who they’ve worked well with before. With my film production experience, I had requested this to help ensure both the photographer and videographer have a strong, established rapport and not compete for shots on the wedding day. Gill’s cinematic style complemented the film style well.
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Dominique & Mike, est. “21st Night of September” 2024, from New York to Old York
Who gets the gold medal in the wedding olympics for helping make your day amazing?
The Rolling Keys really put the cherry on top throughout the wedding day. We’re so happy we booked them for the whole day. There wasn’t a dry eye in the morning room as Sarah’s amazing vocals echoed the lyrics to “A Thousand Years”—it really hit. The band also did a great job performing our first dance song and every song in their sets—their range is incredible and set the vibe for the day and into the late evening hours. All of our guests were amazed.
What was it about your venue that gives it the WOW factor? Would you recommend this venue to other couples?
From the en suite rooms to the acres of gardens and grounds, it’s the perfect setting to host overseas and English guests all under one roof for a weekend wedding. But what sets it apart is the level of service the amazing wedding team and staff provide from planning to wedding day. Yes, we’d highly recommend Thicket Priory. Overall, this was the wedding of our dreams in the most perfect venue. The reviews don’t exaggerate the experience and we’re happy to add to the high praise.
“Anna, Lil, Becca and Maggie are an all-star wedding coordination team that were helpful, kind, and attentive to detail – all the qualities you need, especially when planning the wedding from the States. Anna and Lil were flexible in working with my husband and me via Zoom and working around our schedules for the tasting and pre-wedding shoot when we had just a small window to travel. They also helped coordinate details for our blended wedding ceremony which included aspects of a Vietnamese Tea Ceremony.”
To see more destination weddings hosted at Thicket Priory, read our blog HERE.
Finally, what’s your best advice you could give to couples who are about to tie the knot?
Find the venue and vibe that’s best for you and don’t compromise if you don’t have to. Give yourself grace and plan early so you’re not rushing to get all the detail sorted. Lastly, on the wedding day, don’t forget to smile and enjoy the ride—it’s fleeting so don’t forget to have fun.
“Overall, this was the wedding of our dreams in the most perfect venue. The reviews don’t exaggerate the experience and we’re happy to add to the high praise.”
Whether you’re planning a wedding overseas, or you’re local to us, we can’t wait to help make your dream day a reality here at Thicket Priory – and if you are yet to find your venue, get in touch HERE if you’re interested in hosting your wedding with us, we’d love to hear from you.
With love,
Lil xXx
Supplier Love
Photographer Gill of Unfurl Photography
Videographer Hello There Films
Caterer Purple Chilli
Florist & Venue Stylist Willow & Bear
Celebrant Donna Hartley-Redfearn
Hair & Makeup Claire Alexandra
Cake Blossom Tree Cake Co.
Daytime & Evening Musician The Rolling Keys
Transport York Pullman Coaches
Bride’s 2nd Dress Jenny Yoo from Anthro Weddings
Suits Moss Bros
Wedding Newspapers The Crafty Lab
FAQ’s
Do you have tea and coffee facilities in the bedrooms?
We don’t have things like kettles/tea and coffee in the bedrooms, instead we have the pantries. These are fully stocked during your stay with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits – perfect for popping to for a cuppa and a snack whenever you need!
Do you have TV’s in the bedrooms?
We don’t have TV’s in the bedrooms – we want everyone to be socialising and spending quality time with their friends and loved ones during their stay!
Do you offer on-site accommodation for guests?
We have 35 luxury en-suite bedrooms, all included in the venue hire, as we are exclusive use. We can sleep up to 75 of your guests.
