On Top of the Hill

It was a standard guy-meets-girl story: Patricia Chan, 28, Flight Stewardess met Ian Yeo, 33, VW Sales Representative through a mutual friend seven years ago. For a couple whose jobs require them to be frequently separated, they stood the test of Time and held on to their love and faith. Their wedding took place on 21 November 2009.

How did the proposal happen?

Patricia: The proposal happened in Phuket, a place we will visit at least once a year. We both love Phuket for the sea, the sun, the sand, the food and the friendly locals. And, there is also this particular hill-top cafe that we will go to every time we holiday in Phuket. The day it happened, we were at the café, and Ian pretended to show me some photographs from his digital camera. One of the photographs was of a diamond ring. I questioned him about it and he jokingly showed me the certificate that came the diamond, proof that he did buy it. Only then did he ask me to marry him. It was hilarious, but we both cried after I said “yes”.

Did you spend a lot of time planning the wedding?

Patricia: I actually started the wedding preparations two years ago when we were planning for our ROM in 2008. Because of my job, I travel quite a bit, so I bought some of my bridal items, such as my heels, accessories, magazines and more, from overseas whenever I saw something I liked. I wouldn’t say I did much of a planning, but because I am a perfectionist, I DIY-ed lots of stuff for the wedding, like the wrist corsage for bridesmaids, boutonnieres for the groomsmen, the ang pow box… Our theme for the wedding was “Autumn”, so the colours we used we black and gold, just like my evening gown. It definitely is easier when you set a theme and have a direction to move towards.

Was the wedding day enjoyable for the both of you?

Patricia: The day was quickly over, even before when we realised it. And yes, we did enjoy this very special day for the both of us. With lots of help from family members and friends, the day went on very smoothly. The day started at 6.30 am in the morning and ended 12.45 midnight. We were both so tired at the end of the day. First, Ian came over to pick me up from my home, then we had the church ceremony. Right after that there was the traditional tea ceremony. At least we had a break for four hours before the dinner banquet… it was a very tight schedule.

What did your friends and family say about your wedding?

We got lots of compliments from everyone. The wedding gown was elegant and the evening gown was stunning. The church was so nicely decorated and the ballroom at Amara Sanctuary was perfect; the dance floor added a nice touch and the band was fun… Looking back, we are both very proud of ourselves, because we had a wonderful wedding.

Are there any memories from your wedding that will always be special to your heart?

Patricia: We enjoyed every moment of our wedding planning process, although there were some ups and downs in our relationship. We both understand that as long as we are together, we will be able to solve all the “downs”, and enjoy many, many more happy moments to come.