The Big Day: Tyler + Felicitee

Venue: Bride’s parents home (Cambodian), St. Brendan Catholic Church (Catholic)

Reception: Scioto Reserve Country Club

Dress: Wendy’s Bridal

Suit: Men’s Wearhouse

Cake: Katie Koivisto, The Cake Studio

Rings:  Sawchuck Jewelers (engagement); Hanoush Jewelers (bride), BellyssaJewelry (groom).

Flowers: Madison House Designs

Wedding planner: Ann Marie,

Scioto Reserve Country Club

Officiant: Father Robert Penhallurick

There’s not whole lot that’s more joyous than seeing two people raised in different cultures joining together in celebration. Felicitee and Tyler might not have wanted to overdo the notion of becoming “one,” but their Big Day was very much about sharing traditions—starting with a Cambodian ceremony and following that with a Catholic mass at St. Brendan’s.

From the snacks laid out on the carpet of the bride’s parents to the candy sundae dishes set out at the reception, the couple put a personal spin on both of their families’ customs.

Living room floor to dance floor—this is one of our favorite Big Days. 

Give us a range of your budget. Did you go over? Or stay under? The Cambodian ceremony only cost approximately $2,500. Catholic Ceremony: Our budget was $25,000, we went over our budget—invitations, decorations and flowers.

What do you wish you had spent less money on? For the Catholic Ceremony, dress alterations. We purchased it off of the rack and it fit fairly well. But they took a lot more in than I needed and I honestly thought it’d just be altered. Tuxes.

Was there anything that you wanted to avoid when you envisioned your wedding? As weird as it sounds, we wanted to avoid anything that involved the word “unity” in it. Unity candle, unity sand—or anything that ceremoniously made us “one.”

If you could tell us one thing that made your Big Day unique, what was it? Tyler says says, of the Cambodian ceremony, that the existence of the whole ceremony is unique in itself. For me, it was receiving a blessing from each of our parents, wedding party, aunts and uncles. A part of the ceremony is string tying. There’s a point where Tyler and I sat there with our arms out, and there are two bowls that held strings (basically a thin thread of yarn) where each of our guests were able to grab a string and tie them around each of our wrists. In that moment they would say a blessing to both of us. It is so intimate and special. And these strings were to be worn for three days after the ceremony. Once the three days were up, the bride’s parents cut them off.

Besides making it official, what was the ultimate highlight of your Big Day?  It was honestly when we were eating at our reception for the Catholic Ceremony. Being able to soak in the moment that all of our favorite people, who traveled near and far, were there to celebrate our big day was definitely something we cherished. We both very much love all of the people in our lives. And this is one of those few days you actually invite all of the people you love to celebrate with you. •

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