|| Parallel Wedding Adventure ||

Crysta

Wander Woman

Superpower: Human GPS - abilities include giving precise directions and scanning for nearest public bathroom

Weakness/Tragic Flaw: Construction Detours

Phil

Flatiron Man

Superpower: Super knowledge - learn things REAL fast ALL THE TIME.

Weakness/Tragic Flaw: Constantly running rivers over millions of years

Welcome!

This website is our way of sharing with our family and friends the high flying adventures of Wander Woman & Flatiron Man! It started out as our Wedding Website for our small ceremony but now it is open to share anything and everything about our lives in a way that is more personable than any other social media. If you are seeing this, we value you being in our lives in whatever shape or form. We hope you're doing well and thriving through all the trials and tribulations

Know that we are always open to chat or have a meal together, no matter how close or far you are. If we haven't heard from you in awhile, hit us up! We try to keep in touch and this website is one of the ways we're trying to close the gap.

From Crysta:

Say Anything!

From Phil (Nov. 11th, 2021):

It's been a wild ride the last 5 years. I fell in love, quit a job, travel through Asia, had a gap year before going to Grad School in SF, and moved to the DC area to start a new life here with the boo. It was a hard decision to leave the square state that I love with the family and friends that I've built up so much of my life with. But it was also easy to make the commitment to be closer to Crysta after 2.5 years of being long distance.

I do miss CO. I do have FOMO where I'm away from all the great life events from everyone back home. But I am also very humbled to have been welcomed by the great people of the DMV (not the Department of Motor Vehicles) and make me feel like I'm a friend rather than just Crysta's partner. And to Crysta's family too for being my Viet family away from home.

Parallel Adventures

Crysta & Phil met at UNAVSA-13 Staff Retreat in Boston, MA. They attended a team-building workshop and built a paper tower together.

After months of obliviously ignoring each other, Crysta & Phil reconnected through a meme about UNAVSA-13 Conference. They bonded over punny jokes, playing guitar, and video chat filters.

Phil became the seduction boiz and devised a strategy on how he could get Crysta to notice him. With his cleanest white button-up on, he struck a pose like a modern Adonis and she took notice to the bare and raw man that lay before her.

During a UNAVSA retreat, they snuck away from their friends to go on their first date at Peaks Lounge in Denver, CO. As The Parallels, they began a long-distance relationship that would evolve with each hand-written letter, video call, and long weekend trip.

After an exciting year of traveling to meet each other in multiple different cities, The Parallels celebrated their 1st dating anniversary in San Francisco, CA. They envisioned their future plans together over gigantic soup dumplings and 50% sweetened boba tea.

Parents of both sides met in person for the first time while visiting the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. They instantly connected over their shared history of growing up in South Vietnam during the war.

Phil relocated and started grad school in SF. They also kicked off a two-year Endless Weddings Tour that took them across the continent -- to places such as Minneapolis, SoCal, and Montreal.

Phil graduated from his program and received his Master's in Data Science. Crysta gather with Phil's family in NorCal to cheer him on as he walked across the stage.

After 2.5 years apart, The Parallels finally closed the distance and moved into an apartment in Vienna, VA. They marked the occasion with a "Pre-Engagement Ceremony" and starting a Costco membership.

Crysta & Phil endured the challenges of a global crisis, staying healthy while navigating a new normal. They embraced changes like working from home "temporarily" and checking in with family regularly.

In conjunction with Tammy & Louis's civil marriage ceremony, Phil was a double agent in not only surprising Tammy & Louis with a special banner, but also tricking Crysta into planning her own proposal.