Singaporebrides | Photography
March 2014
Lighthearted and In Love
Planning a wedding can be one of the first big challenges couples face, but Gloria Wong, 27, Social Worker and Desmond Lee, 32, IT Consultant knew what was truly important to them from the start. Pick up a few tips on making practical decisions together from this couple, as they celebrate their sweet wedding with light hearts full of love on 25 November 2012.
How did the two of you meet?
Gloria: We met through organizing a church activity in 2006. Initially, I thought he was an irresponsible person because he did not turn up for the first meeting in planning the event. But eventually, I found out that it was a misunderstanding and became inspired by his life story. He, on the other hand, thought I was a bossy and domineering person!
Desmond: After a while, we got to know each other better and even became very good friends for the next two years. We started to date in August 2008.
What was the proposal like?
Gloria: There were a couple of lies Desmond told leading up to the proposal. A group of friends organized an outing to Sentosa, and the day before, Desmond told me that a married couple of ours booked a hotel room at Sentosa with their children. Before I arrived at Sentosa, Desmond told me he was unwell and was resting in that room. He then asked me to drive his car from the beach to the hotel to meet him there. After spending a couple of hours on the beach with my friends, I drove a few of them to the hotel room. I was worried that Desmond was unwell and wanted to enter first to check on him. When I opened the door, I saw that it was beautifully decorated with balloons, Hershey’s kisses and rose petals. On the bed, rose petals were used to form the words “Marry Me”. It was so surreal for me. I was completely caught off guard and for a few moments I backed out of the room in disbelief. Desmond held me by my hands and pulled me back in. He said some things which I can’t remember anymore. Haha! But before he ended his speech and popped the question, I asked him “So is your money, my money?”
Everyone laughed and he reluctantly said yes. Then he knelt down with the ring and I said yes.
Wedding preparations are usually financially stressful. Tell us, did the ‘your money is my money’ attitude help during the wedding planning?
Gloria: We started serious wedding planning in January 2012. We didn’t hire a wedding planner as we liked to be in control of the details of the wedding and felt that the wedding planning was part of the marriage too. I used Singapore Bridges to gather reviews of various vendors as well.
Desmond: Both of us are very practical and make choices based on what we view as practical, affordable and comfortable for us. We did not opt for a bridal package nor did we take pre-wedding photo shoots. Gloria and I are camera shy and we reckoned that most wedding albums just end up under the bed or in a closet. We also ruled out some activities that did not mean much to us, like cutting the wedding cake, popping the bottle and pouring the champagne into a tower of wine glasses, intertwining our hands to drink the wine, having a second march in for the banquet, taking photos with every table etc.
Gloria: Choosing the location was the trickier part. It seemed like everyone was getting married in 2012, perhaps because it’s the dragon year. Hence, the cost of wedding banquets increased everywhere. Many did not fit our budget of $900 per table. In January 2012, we attended a wedding exhibition in front of Park Mall and saw a booth by Sea Bliss @ Changi Beach Club. They had canepes on display and the pictures of the venue looked like it was beautifully decorated. I always wanted a light filled, rustic themed wedding that felt lighthearted and informal. Hence, I became captivated by this venue and the decorations themes they offered. The package Sea Bliss offered was within our budget and at that juncture, their package also included decorations of the venue. The only disadvantage was that Changi Beach Club is not central and accessible by public transport. We managed this issue by chartering buses from the nearby MRT station.
It’s wonderful to see couples working together to stick to a wedding budget! So how did everything turn out on your wedding day?
Gloria: Thankfully, everything went as planned. Gate crashing was super fun. I made my mum and grandmother join my bridesmaids in ensuring Desmond and his band of brothers comply with the games. The most nerve wrecking part for me was the surprise I had for Desmond – playing on the keyboard and singing a song by JJ Lin. I barely made it through that! But it was a huge surprise for him. For Desmond, he was most nervous about reciting his vows which he tried so hard to memorize.
I absolutely love that my wedding dinner started on time at 6:30pm. I was very blessed to have 3 friends who sang 8 songs and played the guitar and cajon to entertain us. There was also a special performance by a lovely cousin, Eugenia Yip from Riot !n Magneta, which thrilled the family and awed the guests. Desmond and I were free throughout the wedding dinner to mingle with our guests and chat. By 9pm, my dinner was over and guests cleared the restaurant by 9:30pm. After that, Desmond and I caught a midnight movie with our friends!
What did your family and friends have to say about your wedding?
They love the view that the restaurant offers and the decorations that compliments the view. They also love that the wedding was timely! Many also complimented that the food was good. A year after my wedding, a friend told me that “the fish at your wedding was the best I tasted so far. I can still remember its taste even now”. My mother’s friends loved the dessert – Chilled Cream of Pumpkin. Many also complimented the wedding video by Ichiro films.
Were there any moments that were particularly special to you?
It was a bitter sweet moment for my mother to walk me down the aisle. In Western countries, it is not unusual for both parents or even mothers to walk their daughters down the aisle. But in Asia, it could seem a little strange. I couldn’t hold back my tears as I reached the end of the aisle. It was a very special moment for me, yet with a tinge of sadness from wishing my dad could walk me down the aisle too.
Her Gown: Evening gown tailor-made in Mandarin Gallery
His Suit: Crown Tailor based in Thailand
The Venue: Sea Bliss @ Changi Beach Club
The Caterer: Pillars
The Florist : The Love Caravan
The Makeup Artist and Hairstylist: Joanne
The Photographer: Ivan Tan Photography
The Videographer: Ichiro Films
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