Standing before the mirror, Moc Tra gently turned in her wedding dress. As the attendant placed the veil over her hair, the 23-year-old woman from An Giang felt tears welling up. Meanwhile, Thien Minh, 28, from Vinh Long, watched his wife through the large mirror and smiled.

Neither had ever imagined they would one day walk into a bridal shop together, as just two months prior, they were solitary individuals, cautious about love.

Moc Tra and Thien Minh at a party in Vinh Long, 2/2026. Photo: Courtesy of subjects

Tra is a transgender woman, currently working as a marketing employee in An Giang. Minh is a transgender man, working as a rice buyer in Vinh Long, often traveling to Kien Giang for business. Their journey began one afternoon late last year, when Minh stumbled upon Tra's video on social media. Drawn by her gentle smile, he carefully composed a message over 200 words long to introduce himself. Minh's thoughtful and sincere words piqued Tra's curiosity, and she agreed to be friends.

Near Tet Binh Ngo, they met for the first time at a coffee shop. Over four hours of conversation, both candidly shared their transgender journeys.

Tra grew up in a disadvantaged family, having to drop out of school after grade 9 to work. Carrying a feminine soul in a male body, she had loved makeup since childhood and always envisioned herself as a girl. In 2021, during the Covid pandemic, she decided to grow her hair long and learn makeup.

That hairstyle became a turning point, but it also attracted many taunts about her appearance; some even directly said, "with this look, it will be hard to find stable employment." Tra did not argue, quietly learned more skills, self-taught content creation, photo editing, and video recording, then sent applications to many places. After numerous rejections, she finally secured a job.

Minh had a different journey. He grew up with the loving support of his mother, who accompanied him through two pivotal moments in his journey to find his true self: chest surgery and changing his name on his citizen identification card (CCCD).

As he recounted this, Minh paused, his eyes reddening. Tra, sitting opposite, listened in silence, also feeling a sting in her nose. "I saw him as emotional, filial, and very sincere," Tra said. "They suddenly found absolute understanding."

One week after their meeting, when Minh hesitantly expressed his feelings, she said yes.

Their relationship progressed so rapidly that even they were surprised. The first time she went to Vinh Long to visit with her boyfriend, Tra wore a white dress, her heart pounding as she walked through the door, both nervous and afraid of judgment. But no awkward questions were asked. The sight of her helping Minh's mother in the kitchen, while he busily picked vegetables beside her, dissolved any distance. "Seeing her in the kitchen, I suddenly yearned for a home with both of us," the 28-year-old recalled.

Minh's thoughtful care, from preparing a raincoat and tissues in the car trunk to reminding his girlfriend to wear warm clothes, made Tra feel safe. She realized that beside him, she didn't need to strive to prove anything; instead, she could enjoy the feeling of being protected like any other ordinary girl.

Moc Tra and Thien Minh. Photo: Courtesy of subjects

Just 15 days after they officially began dating, the two discussed marriage. For Tra, it wasn't a sudden impulse. Before Minh, she had experienced three relationships, all of which ended unhappily. The longest relationship lasted one year, but when marriage was considered, differences and arguments led to their breakup. After that experience, Tra no longer wanted to start a relationship just to "try it out."

Minh longed to start a family. He said that for transgender individuals, finding someone truly sincere is difficult, so when he met Tra, he didn't want to miss the chance.

When Tra informed her parents about the wedding plans, both were surprised, pressing her: "You just met and are already thinking about marriage? Are you sure?"

However, Nguyen Thi Nhan (Tra's biological older sister), who witnessed the relationship from its early days, said she felt quite reassured. From his very first visit, Minh made a good impression: he readily helped with tasks, from picking vegetables and assisting in the kitchen to moving furniture. He behaved calmly and respectfully towards adults. "I'm happy my sister found a partner," Nhan said.

On the morning of the 4th day of Tet, Tra's small house was filled with relatives from both sides. Minh maturely poured tea, asking her parents for permission for the two to marry. A tray of betel and areca nuts covered with red cloth was placed in the center of the table, and the two families chatted lively about the wedding day, the betrothal gifts, and the farewell ceremony. Standing beside her fiance, Tra's hands trembled with emotion.

"After many unfinished relationships, I once didn't want to love anyone to avoid getting hurt. I never dared to dream that I would have a proper betel and areca wedding like other women. But Minh made that dream a reality," Tra said with a smile.

Ngoc Ngan