How do you marry cultures and traditions into a wedding with respect to parents' wishes without compromising the modern chic style which characterizes the young newly weds?
My first meeting with Chen Mau and his family was a delightful experience. This was followed with subsequent meetings with the young couple and their families over many meals throughout the planning process. Those appointments became a heart warming affair to all of us as we laid our expectations and options and worked them out into a mutual satisfaction. Indeed, this wedding planning experience became one of my most treasured memories because the wedding had touched many hearts and gone beyond the expectations of the families and guests.
We had agreed on Autumn Garden theme due to Chen Mau and Gwen's fondness for Jiu Zhai Gou, one of the most scenic places on earth. Set in the Sichuan province, China, Jiu Zhai Gou is a great masterpiece of nature having a dreamlike scenery which combined deep turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, verdant forests and snow-covered mountains. In short, Jiu Zhai Gou is heaven on earth. Our challenge is to breath to life the theme inspired by such beauty.
The Autumn Garden theme was also chosen partly due to the wedding being held around the time of Chinese Autumn Festival where moon cakes and lanterns are integral part of it. In fact, customised moon cakes with the Chinese character 'hei' or double happiness embossed on top were given as wedding favour for the guests. This careful blending of Chinese culture with the couple's simple but chic taste added to everyone's delight.
To set the autumn mood for the ballroom, creative manipulation of the lighting was the key factor.
Orange and yellow lighting were effectively manipulated by projecting it on the stage backdrop and walls. Giant flower motifs were incorporated also as part of this spectacular projection to bring alive the autumn garden feel. Two large autumn trees were set on both sides of the stage. The leaves were made of baby's breath sprayed in bronze, orange and brown. For Oriental-ish feel, orange round lanterns were dangled among fairy lights that brightened the trees. By putting all these elements together the desired ambience was successfully achieved.
Black is usually not a norm colour in Chinese weddings but to complement the autumn mood, the tables and chairs were dressed in black and orangey red tone. Absolutely classy I would say! The flowers on the bridal table had a really interesting approach; it wasn't just peach and orange roses arranged together but lanterns and crystal drops were hung beneath the flowers. A series of white and brown votive candles were placed underneath the lanterns. Roses in small vases were arranged around the piece along with rose petals scattered around them to add decadence and romance to the setting.
As Chen Mau and Gwen entered the ballroom, they were showered in confetti by the bridesmaids and groom's men. Gwen, who was dressed in a sequinned top dress with spaghetti strap, glowed like a light bulb. Chen Mau, elegantly attired in black suit was beaming beside her.
The guests were served with a 9-course Oriental dinner specifically tailored for the guests coming from different parts of the world. As the guests dined, the air was filled with jazz music from 5-piece percussion band – congo, saxophone, double bass, drums and guitar.
The height of the program was the performance by Ms. Tan Soo Suan with the Dama Orchestra. Chen Mau’s parents, Mr. & Mrs. Lee's love for Theresa Teng inspired them to have songs performed from her era. The ever green romantic songs lulled the guests and to some, they brought to mind sweet memories from distant past.
As we reached different highlights of the night, the ballroom changed its ambience from orangey yellow to blue and magenta to set the tone for different occasions. The brilliant lighting greatly impressed the guests as it made everything came alive; from subtle autumn mood to more upbeat atmosphere.
The guests chattered and enjoyed themselves till late into the night. Finally, our months of intensive planning had come and gone without a glitch. It was an unforgettable wedding for everyone, not only because of the impressive setting but it also fell on our National Day. It would be a precious memory for Chen Mau and Gwen too as National Day would always remind them of the day they 'loss' their single hood and independence to each other.
One way of getting the parents and families to be involved in the wedding is to invite them to express their concerns about the wedding. This way we are able to be sensitive to the parents' wishes and couples' desires without compromising on both.
Chen Mau and Gwen's wedding had surpassed high expectations of all parties involved. The careful blending of modern taste and Chinese cultures had put smiles not only on the faces of the family members but also on the guests'. Many had expressed it as one of the best weddings they had attended.
Some of the guests were flown from outstations and stayed at the hotel. As the wedding fell on a public holiday, room rates with surcharge had applied. However, reasonable room rates could be found through Internet booking.