Genive and Allen’s Handmade Wedding at Da Paolo Bistro and Bar in Rochester

For their wedding at Da Paolo Bistro and Bar in Rochester, Genive and Allen handmade most of the pretty details in a bright and cheery yellow and white colour theme. This crafty couple drew a seating plan chart, designed invitations, and made pinwheel boutonnieres, and the bridal bouquet was lovingly handcrafted out of origami roses, to commemorate the bouquet Allen proposed with!

Genive Ho, 30, Retail Design Manager & Allen Koh, 30, Educational Technologist
6 September 2014

The Gown: Z Wedding D’sign
The Bride’s Shoes: Melissa Incense Garden
The Suit: Z Wedding D’sign
The Groom’s Shoes: Steptronic Footwear
The Engagement Ring: Custom-made by Yuen Tung (Wah Kee) Gems & Jewellery
The Wedding Bands: Cartier Trinity
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bridesmaids’ own
The Groomsmen’s Suits: Groomsmen’s own
The Venue: Da Paolo Bistro Bar at Rochester Park
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Cecilia from Z Wedding D’sign
The Florists: The Blue Leaf
The Photographers: Jonathan Soon from Bittersweet Photography
The Invitations and Paper Goods: Art Friend, Marketplace, Made with Love
The Wedding Favours: Honey sticks from Honey House
The Wedding Band: Instrument Duo Strollers, Sharon and Kelvin from A Little Dream
The Solemniser: Mrs Chia Swee Tin

How did the two of you meet?

Genive: We were secondary school classmates seated just across each other. Sparks flew only years later after we met again during a secondary school reunion gathering—and this was after graduating from Polytechnic! We started dating then. :)

When did you realise that this was the person you wanted to marry?

Allen: We have been through a lot together in the years when we were dating, and always came out stronger. Marriage for us came naturally as a progression to the next stage of our lives.

What was the proposal like?

Genive: It happened during a staycation at Fullerton Bay Hotel. Unbeknownst to me, he had communicated with the hotel team about his plans! After chilling out at the Lantern rooftop bar where we were given a very good spot, we headed back to rest. I remember vividly entering the room and seeing a trail of petals on the floor. He led me to the bed where there was a message, “Will U Marry Me?” in rose petals! I turned and he was down on one knee with his handmade origami rose bouquet and ring. I was so dazed that I had to ask him to repeat his proposal speech!

Wow, a handmade bouquet! Your wedding was full of handmade details too, wasn’t it?

We wanted a personalised, cosy and heart-warming event and saw that Da Paolo Bistro Bar at Rochester Park fits the bill of what we envisioned our wedding to be. We handmade:

Bridal bouquet made of origami kawasaki roses fitted with star-shaped accessories
Guest seating plan board
Wedding sign hung on trees
Wedding entrance canvas artwork
Guest placecards
Guest table numbers
Invitation cards that were hand-drawn and mass-printed, coupled with customised ink stamps of our faces
Hand fans for guests
Bridesmaids’ origami bracelets
Groom’s and groomsmen’s felt-material pinwheel corsages
Pinwheels for turf area

What was your wedding day like?

Allen: Simply amazing! Perfect weather, cosy venue, good food, great company, much fun and laughter; I couldn’t have asked for more! Most importantly, the emotions that came with knowing that I am marrying the love of my life at that moment was overwhelming. And seeing the months of planning and hard work come to fruition was deeply satisfying. For this I have to thank my wife Genive :)

Can you share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding?

Genive: Playing the “Wedding Shoe Game”! We wanted the wedding luncheon to be more fun and engaging. The game is played by putting two chairs back to back, both of us facing away from each other with our shoes removed, and trading a shoe with each other so that we’re holding one each. Our good friends created a list of questions that we were not privy to earlier, and we had to answer the questions by raising our corresponding hand holding either the bride or groom’s shoe. Our guests loved it! At the same time they also got to know more about us.

Can you tell us the cost of your wedding and where you spent the most?

Our total bill size came up to be about 30 grand. Approximately half of it went to the wedding day luncheon buffet at Da Paolo Bistro Bar at Rochester Park.