Real Couples is our series where we interview our community about their love stories, why they chose Holden, and anything else that comes up along the way.
We’re featuring one of Holden’s very own, Alden Ching, CAD Designer. Alden’s been working with us for four years now, so when the news broke that he was planning to propose to his partner, Moira, we couldn’t wait to help them design their rings. Alden and Moira met like most millennials meet these days—on a dating app—and the rest is history! They got married wearing The Half Channel Baguette and The Hammered.
How did you two meet and start dating?
We were lucky enough to be one of many who met through the help of dating apps, specifically Bumble. Shout out to Bumble! We were actually living in two different cities—Alden was in New York, and I was living in Philadelphia at the time. Alden had been in Philly to visit his sister and happened to show up on my radar when we first matched. He didn't see the match until he had gotten back to New York but was intrigued, with one caveat—why did it say I was ~90 miles away? It seemed like a 'no chance' situation, but numbers were exchanged and the conversation started.
Texts were on and off for a few months before we finally had our first date, which had caught me by surprise. Alden was in Philadelphia visiting his sister again and thought why not see if I wanted to go on a date. Luckily, I agreed. Our first date consisted of probably too many negronis, but it definitely helped us get comfortable, and we ended up having an amazing date just talking through the evening and learning more about one another. It was easy to tell that there was a lot we liked about each other, but we were unsure what to do since we both lived in different cities. We met up for a few more dates over the next few months, whether in Philly or New York, and were realizing that we were both starting to fall for one another. It got to a point where if we were going to commit to being in a relationship, we would have to commit commit. We looked at one another one day and just said, "Let's do this!" And so it began!
How did you get engaged?
We had been doing long distance for a few years, but when I eventually moved to New York and we were coming out of Covid, it seemed our lives got busier. My girlfriends from college also lived in the city, and while we knew it was going to be more full, we didn't know that our quality time with each other would be harder to come by. We were due for a little weekend away, and so Alden told me he would plan one to go to upstate New York in between Christmas and the New Year’s. Alden planned our weekend but was working secretly behind-the-scenes to plan the proposal. He took care of everything and had a weekend booked in Cold Spring upstate. He had also secretly been organizing with some of his best friends from Toronto (his hometown), and they were a massive help in getting the area where he would propose a little more decorated amidst the wintry setting. Meanwhile, I was just excited to just take a back seat and enjoy a holiday getaway, thinking nothing of what was actually happening.
Then came the morning of the proposal, and Alden suggested we go on a small walk along the river with our coffees to get a moment of calmness before having to head back to the city for a NYE party. We came up on a lookout over the Hudson River to the spot Alden's friends had helped spruce up. It was when Alden took my hand to walk me down to the spot that what was happening clicked and the tears and shock started flowing. Alden got down on one knee and had the most stunning ring and asked if I would marry him. I remember hearing camera clicks, but the surprises kept coming when I realized there were our friends hiding behind the bushes. Alden jokes that his friends being there made it harder for me to say no, but in reality, that 'yes' was so easy.
Tell us about the proposal. What was going through your minds?
For Alden, he was probably about as stressed as one could imagine. He's more of a night owl and not so great in the mornings, which he thought would for sure be giving something away since he isn't normally the one to suggest an early morning wake-up with coffees and a walk. The stress was more from organizing the location and set-up with his friends. When we walked up to the spot Alden and his friends had picked out, Alden thought that it looked perfect; it wasn't over-the-top, but that was because he knew it was set up for the proposal. There was a moment when I saw the decorations and thought to myself, “Oh this is weird, it looks like it's some kind of vigil or remembrance” because there were candles set up all over. I’m not sure what's more embarrassing, the fact that I thought there was a vigil being held along a hiking path upstate, or that it wasn't clicking in my head what was about to happen. In the moment of proposing, according to Alden, he was just thinking about how lucky he was and how excited he was to be able to spend the rest of his life with me.
To be honest, even after the successful engagement, there were still a lot of things running through Alden's mind because he had a second part of the day planned, which was a surprise engagement party with both of our families. Since it was shortly after Christmas, and it was now the day of NYE, Alden had been scheming with my sister (who was my MoH) to get both our families together in Alden's apartment for a surprise engagement party to celebrate. So while there were a lot of nerves from getting the proposal done, Alden was definitely still a little stressed about hoping that everything for the surprise party would work out. In the end, there was nothing to worry about as it was a complete surprise to me, and I’ll never forget the faces I saw in that living room. I didn't realize how much I wanted to see those people until we were there hugging them. It just shows how much Alden knew I would want that and thought of everything.
What's a moment from your wedding day that you'll remember forever?
Moira: In anticipation of the day, I was most excited for that moment when the doors opened at the church and Alden and I saw each other for the first time as I walked down the aisle. And while that moment was everything, it was the moment right after that I always revisit: when I finally got to hold his hand (wipe some tears) and walk to our seats. It was when the emotion of the day started to sink in; holding his hand just anchored me like it always does.
Alden: I'm not sure whether there is a singular moment I can pinpoint. We didn't do first looks so the first time seeing Moira walk down the aisle was definitely one to remember, but I have to honestly say I was weeping and wiping tears from my eyes that entire time so everything was a bit fuzzy. I think there's a few moments that I'll hold on to forever, and one of them is when we had about 15 minutes between the cocktail hour and the reception where we got to just be with one another and take a breather. We got a chance to just hold one another and soak everything in from afar and enjoy the realization that we were married. Another for me would be when I got to do my first dance with my dad; my mom had recently passed, and it was a chance to remember her throughout our wedding day. That moment I got to share with my dad and have a few words with him alone was a really special moment that I'll also remember forever.
What advice do you have for a couple planning a wedding right now?
Remember, it is truly just one celebration that is the start to the rest of your joined lives. Perspective is everything. While people will love the music and food and vibes, what stands out most is love on display, and you can't plan for that. As much as you can try to control or have everything be as perfect as can be, your family/friends/guests aren't purely at your wedding for the frills—they're all there to celebrate your love and commitment to each other.
Something that we really tried to do was to not make it a chore—have fun with it as much as possible. We didn't want to get into arguments over little decisions, and any time either one of us had an idea, we made sure to listen and weigh in so that both of us were contributing our opinions and vision for the day. It's a special day for both partners, and communicating your thoughts to one another is going to help a long way.
What was important to you when choosing your Holden rings?
Alden was lucky enough to already be wearing some of Holden's rings as everyday jewelry, so the biggest thing for him was finding a wedding band that would be able to stand out amongst his other rings. His rings were all in white gold or silver, so he knew he would want to have his wedding band in yellow gold to help make the distinction. We weren't anticipating loving The Half Channel Baguette so much, but it fit his vibe perfectly (it also helps that it's got a bit of sparkle to it).
For me, it was all about going simple and enhancing the engagement ring Alden designed, bringing out the purples and greens in the color-changing sapphire. Always loving the vintage bands of old, I knew I wanted something more classic and wide, opting for yellow gold and hammered rather than the sparkle (Alden can have the sparkle).
What does love mean to you?
Moira: Love, and particularly in the context of love for Alden, means companionship on the big days and in the small, quiet moments. It's laughter. It's challenging each other. It's remaining curious enough to unmask someone you already know so well, and then adoring or accepting what you find.
Alden: Love can mean a lot of things, but when we're talking about love in the aspect of loving your partner or having love for your partner, it's ultimately a choice. Nothing is ever perfect or exactly how we want to be, but love brings sacrifice and compromise. I've found that in most relationships, they reach a certain point where you ask, “Do I want to keep going?” When you love someone, you keep fighting, you keep pushing, you keep challenging one another because you're working together to better each other, for each other. There's no perfect way to love your partner, but in order to love them, you have to first make that choice to love them. It's easy to love when everything goes smoothly, but it's when it gets tough that the decision to choose love first can make all the difference.
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Photographer: Elizabeth Blanco, @eblancophoto