Camilia & Kishen
Malaysia-born Camilia and Kishen met and fell in love during their college days. Their courtship of many years had bonded and brought them through cultural and racial hurdles. When two persons get married, they are bringing their experiences, cultural traditions, religious beliefs, passions and dreams into their union. Born and bred into two different cultural backgrounds, Camilia and Kishen decided that their wedding should reflect their unique identity. Despite residing in Australia, the couple agreed to hold their wedding in Malaysia in the presence of their families and friends. The venue of choice for this celebration was the Putrajaya Marriott Hotel in Putrajaya.
On the morning of the big day, Kishen headed out to Camilia's house to pick his bride. This Chinese custom is known as 'Chip San Leong' in Cantonese. The couple later proceeded to the Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields for a blessing ceremony by the Buddhist Chief Priest of Malaysia, Ven. K. Sri Rhammaratana. The ceremony took place in the shrine room of the temple. The Chief Priest said a prayer and offered words of wisdom and finally gave his blessings, witnessed by family members. This eastern ceremony is quite similar to the vows exchange ceremony in any western weddings.
The couple headed for a photo shoot session at Putrajaya Marriott immediately after the ceremony. The wonderful sunny weather seemed to be a perfect beginning to a joyful event. The massive castle-like structure of the hotel was inspired by a combination of Mediterranean-Moorish architecture. Along with its superb surroundings of well landscaped gardens, it proposed an ideal venue for the photo shoot.
The Chinese tea ceremony was held prior to the dinner reception, as Putrajaya Marriott is located away from the city center and to ease travelings for families and relatives. This traditional Chinese ceremony was held to honor the parents and also the elder relatives. Light refreshments were served after the ceremony while families and relatives mingled about before proceeding to the dinner reception.
The highlight of the day was the dinner reception which was held in the Grand Putrajaya Ballroom. Camilia who is a passionate lover of red roses, always dreamed of abundant roses for her wedding. Her life long dream came true that night, when thousands of fresh blooms of red roses were used as decorations. The flowers portrayed a grandeur display of the couple's passion towards each other and their love for their families and friends.
The first thing that caught anyone's eye prior to entering the hall was a floral arch that was covered from top to toe with red roses and dangling amaranthus and ivy leaves. The greens and red blooms seemed to float in the air, fresh and welcoming. The arch was just a tease, as when the guests stepped into the hall they were greeted by gorgeous décor in passionate red and white.
Human-size two-tiered decorative pieces, inspired by Preston Bailey's floral art design, proudly stood along the aisle like sentinels ushering guests to their seats. Each towering piece comprised of a large rounded cluster of red roses with a smaller cluster on top. The ornaments were supported by a stand entwined with ivy leaves and amaranthus. Red votive candles and petals were scattered around the base to further enhanced the lovely decoration. A similar decorative piece, a replica, also graced the bridal table. Eight clusters of roses along with a generous amount of petal scattered at its base, made a lavish statement.
The beauty of the deep red decors complemented perfectly against the white contrast. Red table runners and chair sashes were used as finishing touches to white covers on tables and chairs. Red and white ceiling drapes with four roses clusters dangled at the center also brought air of style to the ballroom. As for the stage, small roses clusters and ivy leaves were pinned onto a flowing white backdrop.
Thousands of roses graced the huge hall was indeed a visually breathtaking experience. The guests were literally had a ball of a time celebrating the night with the newlyweds. Little did Camilia know that a very surprise treat awaited her later into the evening. As the musicians performed some wonderful songs and the guests enjoyed their sumptuous meal, an attention was drawn to a delightful squeal of “Surprise!”. Beaming in her stunning red saree, Camilia did not expect a birthday surprise from her loved ones.
Soaked into the deep red blooms and natural scent of roses, the guests continued to enjoy the celebration till late night. In that one evening, they were transported to a totally dreamlike place where love and passion reigned. For Camilia and Kishen, their cultural differences were reasons to celebrate joyfully. They lovingly embraced the colors of their traditions and united them in one romantic celebration. And what could be more romantic than having it all on a magnificent bed of roses?
Ensure there is ample time to travel from one venue to the next. The less traveling time, the easier it is for the couple to relax and not having to rush through the itinerary.
For out of city wedding venues, ensure that road maps are clear. Assign several contact persons whom guests could contact for road guide on the wedding day. Make sure that the map given is 'lost-proof' or else it need to be revised accordingly.