Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
August 2017
Caiyun and Terence’s Gorgeous, Romantic Wedding at Montigo Resorts Nongsa
Swoon over the dreamy dusty grey and rose setting of Caiyun and Terence’s utterly romantic wedding in Montigo Resorts Nongsa, Batam, as they exchange their vows against the sunset and have their first dance under fireworks!
Caiyun, 27, Investment Professional, and Terence, 30, Banking Professional, celebrated their big day on 28 May 2017 with a fabulously romantic destination wedding in Montigo Resorts Nongsa, Batam. In a gorgeous setting of lush florals, a beautiful arch, and a waterfront view, the couple tied the knot surrounded by their closest family and friends, and danced the night away under spectacular fireworks!
How did the two of you meet?
Caiyun: As unbelievable as it may sound, we met on Facebook back in 2012, shortly after I graduated from university. We were from the same junior college, university, and CCA, but never met each other. Although, he claims he had seen me in our school’s computer lab, haha! We have many mutual friends and common topics of conversation, and he never fails to make me laugh at his silly antics. On 12 December 2012 at 12:12am, we took a leap of faith and embarked on our journey as a couple. Look how far we have come!
Terence: We met at the computer lab! That aside, our close to five years of courtship has cemented our love and commitment to each other. There were ups and downs of course, as is common for all relationships, but with every obstacle came twice the amount of wonderful and memorable moments together. We are just getting started, and I’m glad we reached the start line on a good note.
What’s one of the things you love most about your partner?
Caiyun:My beliefs and values in life resonate well with his, and we share a common interest in travelling. In the past five years, we have visited close to 20 cities across three continents. It has been great exploring new places and meeting new people together, and he is undoubtedly my best travelling companion, luggage carrier, and photographer! Additionally, Terence is someone who is big–by that I meant big at heart. He cares a lot about the family, and even our neighbours, and always strives to be a better person for the people around him.
At home, his small acts of service make me feel loved, such as ensuring that the house is in order as the head of the household, bringing me out for date nights, and giving me a weekly body massage.
I also love how comfortable I feel around him. We can talk freely about everything under the sun! He puts my needs and happiness above anything else and is very truthful with me–to the extent that he even told me he bought my engagement ring a year before the proposal. He is not someone who can hide secrets well, haha! I know deep in my heart that I can count on this man to be a faithful husband and loving father to our future children.
Terence: When I first sent that friend request on Facebook, I would say that first impressions did count. As I got to know Caiyun more, her unique personality and strong life values stood out. We seem to be able to understand and agree with each other on many topics pertaining to finances, family planning, and religion, amongst other topics.
I admire her determination and drive in forging a career in a male-dominated industry. She has a tenacious streak, and she is someone who doesn’t give up easily. At the same time, I appreciate that she is also a thoughtful person, taking care of her loved ones to the best of her ability, in the most selfless way. She is also someone whom I can find peace and calm when a perfect storm comes along due to her unfrenzied nature. Contrary to me, it is hard to rock her boat.
In summary, she exudes the strength of an independent woman, yet has a gentle and caring attitude towards her family, friends and me.
What was the proposal like?
Caiyun: He proposed on our holiday in New Zealand back in September 2016. I knew he originally wanted to propose on one of the nights when we were chasing the Aurora Australis, but we were too timid to stay out in pitch-dark conditions. He ended up doing it at Lake Hayes, a beautiful lake located between Queenstown and Arrowtown, towards the end of the trip. I kind of foresaw the proposal happening during this trip, given that he bought the ring a year ago and was waiting for our big trip of the year—we made a covenant to go for one big trip a year–to get down on one knee. There was nothing fanciful during the proposal, just heartfelt, sincere words from the bottom of his heart that made me say, “I will!” almost immediately.
Terence: The proposal took a long time in planning. For the 10+ months after I purchased the ring, I sought (covertly of course) to find out her preferences on the proposal. I feel that proposals need to relate to the special qualities found in a relationship, so that it can carry the special meaning of a promise for a lifetime.
Eventually, I decided on a private proposal during our New Zealand trip. It all makes sense for us, as we’ve bonded through our shared love for travelling and collected many wonderful memories through these trips. The proposal location was not pre-planned as well, as I wanted to keep that spark of spontaneity in our relationship. On hindsight, it all turned out well, even if I went off the cuff without a prepared speech, haha! The place held such significance to us that we went back to the same spot for our pre-wedding shoot a year later.
What inspired you to hold a destination wedding at Montigo Resorts Nongsa?
Caiyun: We shared the same dream for our wedding: a small and intimate celebration, an opportunity for family and friends to travel together. A destination wedding in Montigo Resorts Nongsa was ideal, doubling up as a short weekend getaway for our guests. We were able to spend quality time interacting with guests at a more personal level throughout the weekend: from the journey to the resort; pre-dinner cocktail; sit-down dinner; post-event drinks; and the breakfast the day after.
Planning a wedding overseas also meant that we were free, from age-old traditions at least. No embarrassing gatecrashing events, waking up at 4am, rushing from one place to another, or inviting a whole village of people whom we had not seen for years. In fact, we kept to a simple rule–only invite people whom we had connected with in the past one year!
How did wedding planning go?
Caiyun: Our wedding theme aimed to encapsulate the romance and elegance of a classic outdoor wedding, with an added touch of fun and whimsical elements. It was conceptualised and executed by our wedding stylist Flour, who utilised the beautiful beach setting in Montigo Resorts Nongsa to craft intricate details in hues of blush, grey, and white. In collaboration with their florist Dawn Q., the team made the journey from Singapore the day before to prepare the props and floral arrangements. We salute them for their hard work and attention to detail, as every item used (including the flowers, which could not be found locally) was brought over from Singapore!
Terence: Planning a destination wedding was definitely not a walk in the park, as we neither had an onshore wedding planner nor spoke Bahasa to communicate with local vendors. We encountered several major obstacles during our planning journey: In one case, our appointed wedding planner decided not to work on our event less than two months before the big day; in another, our Singapore-based Montigo Resort coordinator was hospitalised two weeks before. Looking back, we are just immensely relieved we managed to pull everything together eventually, with the help of many vendors and resort staff!
Tell us about your beautiful wedding in Montigo Resort Nongsa.
Caiyun: The day flew by so quickly! Everything happened in a blur, moving from one location to another, one segment to another. We remember getting ready in the bridal suite at one point, and the next thing we knew, we were already marching in to “Tale as Old as Time.”
It was heartwarming to see our close ones gathered together to witness the biggest day of our lives. There were many special moments of the wedding that will stay in our hearts for a long time, including the vows ceremony, string quartet and emcee performances, games, speeches by our best man and maid of honour, cake-cutting ceremony, Terence’s special performance, our first dance, and the finale fireworks!
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Caiyun: When Terence took his bathroom singing to the next level and courageously sang Jay Chou’s “告白气球(“Confession Balloon”) to me in front of everyone! My heart melted.
Terence: Definitely our first dance, with the passing drizzle that created a dreamy feel in the photos, and the dramatic ending with fireworks lighting up the sky!
The Size of the Wedding: 50 guests
The Cost of the Wedding: SGD$30,000
The Venue: Montigo Resorts Nongsa
The Gown: Digio Bridal
The Bride’s Shoes: Charles & Keith // Anna Nucci
The Suit: Tailored
The Groom’s Shoes: Pedro
The Bride’s and Bridesmaids’ Robes: Homebodii
The Engagement Ring: Customised by private jeweller
The Wedding Bands: Jann Paul
The Wedding Jewellery: Swarovski
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Esther (bride), Erin and Citta (bridesmaids and mothers)
The Florists: Dawn Q and FLOUR
The Event Stylist: FLOUR
The Laser-cut Signage: Kcottagestudio
The Pre-Wedding Photographer: Kent Yu Photography, New Zealand
The Wedding Photographer: Vicky and Eric from SVK Studio
The Videographer: Meidi and Novri from SVK Studio
The Wedding Favours: A Love Knot
The Band: Interval String Quartet
The Emcee: Jojoy
Credits: Images by SVK Studio
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