Zeena Hernandez and Lisa Yang wanted a “strong” start to their marriage, so instead of lighting a candle or some other traditional wedding practice, the two decided to deadlift more than 250 pounds on the altar three times in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
The two are Olympic-style weightlifters, according to reports, and typically stick to lifts like the clean and jerk. “But a snatch or clean-and-jerk in dresses might be a bit dangerous, so we settled on three deadlifts,” Yang told Women’s Health. The weight was easy for the couple to handle, as they typically lift that much on their own.
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“It was meant to not only be a symbol of unity but also a statement: ‘Individually, we are strong, capable women, but together we are stronger,’” Hernandez told WH.
It was captured by wedding photographer Eileen Meny, who seemed to appreciate the uniqueness of the lift. “Huge advocate of doing your wedding your own way,” Meny says on her Instagram post.
Fitness plays a big part in the newly-wedded couple’s lives. Hernandez, a physical therapist, introduced Yang to CrossFit, who later transitioned to weightlifting and convinced her bridge to join her.
“Weightlifting to us is very special,” Hernandez told WH. “We lift with our local team in Brooklyn. They’re family to us, and the whole weightlifting team was at our wedding.”
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The two hope the photo will not only inspire people to put a unique twist on their wedding, but perhaps even get into lifting if they’re not already.
“People get really intimidated by barbells, but if they see tiny Asians in wedding dresses lifting weights, maybe they can start to believe that anything is possible,” Yang says.
