This bride gave her wedding vows an interesting twist that made everyone cry tears of joy

Cross-cultural marriages are lovely, but they come with their own set of challenges. The biggest among them is the language barrier between the couple and the communication difficulties they might face. But that wasn't a concern for this Armenian-Filipino couple who recently tied the knot and went viral on social media with a heartfelt moment captured during their wedding. Videographer and filmmaker Chris Mai–who goes by @goodcostudios on Instagram–uploaded the video he shot of an Armenian man, Shahan Krakirian and a Filipino woman, Michelle Alacon, which quickly won over people on the internet. When Alacon arrived at the altar to recite her wedding vows, her would-be husband did not expect her to deliver her vow in fluent Western Armenian.

Alacon has been learning the language secretly for her big day to surprise Krakirian. As soon as she started her speech, the groom could barely hold back his tears and even some wedding guests were wiping their eyes. "I promise to learn Armenian because I know how important it is for you. So that our children know and recognize Armenian. I already learned a little, but you have to help me to speak better and I will teach you how to read and write," Alaxon recites in her vows and then pauses to show Krakirian the notes she was reading out of. "I promise that wherever this life takes us, I will always be with you and will be by your side."

Alacon also had a chat with The Armenian Report and elaborated on her love story with Krakirian. The couple met in 2015 at a mutual friend's birthday party in Las Vegas. Their close friend Mark, who is also Armenian, introduced the couple. "We hit it off right away at that birthday party," she recalled. "It felt like we were meant to meet. We had been together for years before we got married." They both attended UC Irvine for three years at the same time but had never crossed paths until that birthday party. Alacon came up with the idea to learn Western Armenian, a dialect primarily spoken by Armenian people from Lebanon.

"At first, I thought I'd just learn a one-liner in Armenian to surprise Shahan, but I realized that if I was going to do it, I might as well go all in," Alacon shared. After searching for the right tutor, she found Shushan Grigorian, who gave the bride secret lessons over video chat. "I had flashcards and notes that I kept hidden from him. There were times I thought he'd caught me, but luckily, he didn't," Alacon said with a laugh. The couple finally tied the knot at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu in November 2023.

"I knew he'd cry — he's emotional — but I didn't expect everyone else to. People who didn't even understand Armenian came up to me afterward, telling me they were crying during the ceremony," she mentioned to the outlet. "I think it was the combination of his reaction and his parents' reaction. They were so touched by the effort I put in. His family has always been very welcoming to me, and they never pressured me to learn Armenian, but they were so appreciative of the fact that I did."

Almost a year after their wedding, the couple is expecting their first child, a baby daughter together and Alacon wants her daughter to learn Armenian, her native language, Tagalog and English. "I've learned that there's so much beauty in combining cultures. It doesn't have to be limiting for your children. It might take extra effort, but if it's important to you, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. A little bit of effort goes a long way. Whether it's learning a few phrases in your partner's language or showing interest in their customs, people notice that. It can change perceptions, just like my learning Armenian surprised and touched Shahan's family," Alacon concluded.

You can follow Michelle Alacon (@MichelleAlacon) on YouTube for more content on lifestyle.