I’m kind of excited that I’m posting this particular step today. For those of you who don’t know, my father passed away four years ago today. And while his absence was definitely difficult on our wedding day(s), I know he was there in spirit. And this step is one I know he would have particularly … Continue reading
Step 69: Call in the big guns
This was the magical secret step I didn’t even know had happened until long after the wedding was over. You see, apparently the commune chief was not so happy about yet again losing out on what he was anticipating would be a lucrative bribe in Step 68. So he came calling to Anan again with … Continue reading
Step 68: Put your foot down
No sooner had we arrived back in Cambodia than we started making final arrangements for the Khmer ceremony.* And I’m not really sure what got into me — it may have been the jet lag, it may have been the “screw this, I’m already married” mentality — but when the commune chief and his fixer … Continue reading
Step 67: Take a break
We have so few opportunities to see my friends and family in the States that we decided to hold off on a honeymoon until we returned to Cambodia. But that didn’t keep us from hopping over to St. Louis for a few days to have time for ourselves. Some of the highlights of our trip … Continue reading
Step 66: Get Married!
After months of worrying about visas, bribes and dresses, the big day finally arrived. The morning was a blur of activity, with hair, makeup and photos, and an emergency wedding dress cleaning by the best Maid of Honor ever. But before I knew it, the music was playing and the ceremony had already begun. Anan … Continue reading
Steps 58-65: Scramble to Get Ready
With our October 28 wedding date looming just seven days away from the time we stepped off the plane, we spent the entire week in a flurry trying to get everything ready. You know all that planning and decorating and celebrating most brides have at least six months before their weddings to accomplish? We did … Continue reading
Step 57: Get a Marriage License (For real this time)
A fairly uneventful 25 hours of travel (that’s how I like it) brought us to home, sweet home Effingham, Ill. in mid October. And after Anan spent the weekend marveling at some of the more awe-inspiring aspects of life in the U.S. — The leaves change color! Traffic is organized! People stop at red lights! … Continue reading
Step 56: Traditional Wedding Photos
One of the trademarks of a Cambodian wedding is a near life-size portrait of the bride and groom in wedding attire that is typically placed outside of the wedding’s other trademark: The dreaded pink and yellow tent. Anan suggested we have this portrait taken before we left for the U.S. so we could have copies … Continue reading
Steps 53-55: Dress Fiasco
Step 53: Pick Up the Dress Previously, in Step 34, I discussed choosing a design for my dress and taking it to the tailor. Unfortunately, the dressmaking process did not go smoothly at all. The tailor made a mockup out of cheap material that was almost exactly what I wanted, so we asked for her … Continue reading
Step 52: Buy Plane Tickets
Traveling between Phnom Penh and Chicago is not exactly my all-time favorite activity. What can I say, flying six hours, sitting around in an airport for another five, and then hopping on a second plane for a whopping 13-hour flight is just not my cup of tea. This time around, I’m pretty excited, though. And … Continue reading
1001 Steps to a Cambodian-American Wedding 