Singaporebrides | Weddings 101
January 2013
Turn Your Wedding Fantasies Into Reality!
As you plan your wedding, you may harbour certain wedding fantasies – like having a romantic solemnisation on a sandy beach or fresh flowers galore in a glamourous do. While you may need to take a reality check at times, it’s still possible to achieve the wedding of your dreams. SingaporeBrides shows you how.
FANTASY #1:
Exchanging vows on a sandy beach, with the wind in your hair and soft waves crashing in. The romantic ceremony will come complete with white flowing drapes, flowers in your favourite hue, and even seashells lining both sides of the aisle. You will stroll barefoot towards Mr. Right – casually dressed in his loose white shirt and khaki berms – remembering all those sweet moments you’ve shared at beach resorts. In fact, you’ve dreamed of such a seaside solemnisation for so long that you can’t imagine saying “I do” indoors.
REALITY CHECK:
In real life, beach weddings have all the trappings of an outdoor wedding (probably even more). Most crucially, none of you will be sheltered from the elements. If you’re lucky, your Big Day will be a sweltering one. If you’re unlucky, there might be rain. Even if the both of you are mentally prepared, you will have to consider whether your guests – especially the older folks and kids – can take it. Then, there is the décor to think about. For a start, there isn’t much that you can do to spruce up a beach locale. Also, the fresh flowers may wilt even before the Justice of Peace arrives.
DEAL WITH IT:
One of the first things you should do after deciding to hold a beach wedding is to have a Plan B in place. This can mean setting up a party marquee or booking a restaurant nearby. Hotels like Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore have designated solemnisation venues on the beach, as well as indoor space for your guests to dine in comfort – and take shelter from if it rains. Do time it right too – saying yes in the morning or at sunset will spare your guests the brutal Singaporean heat. When it comes to décor, ensure that you use hardier blooms. Sunflowers, lilies, roses and wildflowers work great, while gentler flowers like hydrangeas and tulips may not last.
FANTASY #2:
Pulling off a big, fun-filled garden party at an outdoor venue, set in the lush backdrop of trees and foliage. You’ve imagined creating a colourful celebration, with poufy tissue balls hanging from tree branches, pretty balloons flying in the air, and cheery gerberas in glass jars. The picturesque quality of your wedding will shine through, leaving your guests with wonderful memories of your Big Day. The children, meanwhile, will squeal in delight as they can run around and play instead of being told to sit still through the dinner banquet.
REALITY CHECK:
Like the beach wedding, the outdoor garden party is susceptible to Mother Nature’s whims and fancies. In Singapore, this means either the hot sun or rain. Also, many outdoor venues in Singapore are quite inaccessible – and may prove to be a challenge for those guests who don’t drive. And while the flora and fauna may look wonderful in pictures, remember that such foliage comes with buzzing mosquitoes and creepy crawlies too. Chances are, your guests will immediately notice their existence – even if they don’t mind being out in the open.
DEAL WITH IT:
In Singapore, there are quite a few outdoor garden venues, like OMSQ (Old Married Soldier’s Quarters) at Fort Canning, Butterfly Park and Insect Garden and The Jewel Box at Mount Faber. The lack of shelter (and air-conditioning!) may be a little hard to bear for some guests, so consider setting up a marquee and ensure that there are sufficient cooling fans. To cope with the inaccessibility, schedule shuttle buses to run between MRT stations nearby and your wedding venue. And how about handing out a “Survival Party Pack” to all guests? Make sure that it includes insect repellent, bamboo fan, wet tissue and a bottle of mineral water.
FANTASY #3:
Decorating your wedding with handmade touches, from a personalised “Just Married” bunting to photo booth props to homemade jam favours. The more time you spend on Etsy.com and adding pretty photos to your Pinterest album, the more DIY projects you add to your to-do list. You push yourself on, because you desire a wedding that truly reflects your personality as a couple. You can’t stop fantasising about guests stepping in and gushing over your marvellous handicraft.
REALITY CHECK:
In the months leading up to your wedding, you will be saddled with a million and one things to do. And these are all must-dos like working with a bridal boutique to alter that dream gown to fit. Or liaising endlessly with the wedding coordinator on smaller details like the brand of red wine to serve and replacing real candles with flickering, battery-operated ones. In between wedding planning and work, you may not actually have the time or energy to work on too many DIY projects.
DEAL WITH IT:
Here’s how you can rock that DIY factor in your crafty wedding. First of all, curb your enthusiasm. Realise that you do not have to go overboard. Instead, count the months left to your big day, and decide on the number of DIY wedding projects to attempt (stop yourself from adding more as the days go by!). Next, rally those girlfriends of yours who have nimble fingers. Ask if they’d like to help you prepare for your wedding – and organise craft nights to do so. But do remember to reward them by buying dinner and drinks!
FANTASY #4:
Hosting a destination wedding with only your closest family and friends. As a couple, you’ve holidayed in Bali countless times – and have always talked about jetting off and getting hitched on the Indonesian island of your dreams. You know just the resort to hold the celebrations in, who to invite, the colour theme of the wedding and even where to hold the after-party. You have dreams of everyone having a fantastic time holidaying and celebrating your union at the same time.
REALITY CHECK:
Planning a destination wedding is a lot more work than you can dream of. You will need to fulfill specific marriage requirements of your wedding destination (some legal documents may even need to be filed months ahead). Besides this legal aspect, there are nitty-gritties to deal with. Like working with overseas wedding vendors via email and Skype, or trimming the guest list drastically because you can only afford a smaller party. And once your guests have RSVPed that they are available to attend, you will have to sort out their travel documentations, book flights and rooms, and ensure that their travel is seamless.
DEAL WITH IT:
For a destination wedding, there are so many details to sort out that it will be wise to delegate some a good friend to take care of things. It will be impossible for you, as the bride-to-be, to take charge of the entire planning process. Start doing so early, so you have ample time to sort out the more mundane aspect of the wedding, like the legal paperwork. Once that’s done, pick a few tasks that you want to do – and delegate the rest. Many destination brides have told us that they often leave the travel arrangements to their grooms, while they focus on working with wedding vendors.
The Oberoi Lombok
As with all things wedding-related, it’s only too easy to indulge your wedding fantasies when planning your Big Day. So do take heart, and remember to inject a strong dose of reality into your planning process. That said, as long as you’re flexible and willing to make certain adjustments, it is possible to achieve your dream wedding!
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