Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
May 2018
Sabrina and Lufti’s Timeless Chic White and Green Wedding at Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Sabrina tied the knot with her sweetheart in a lovely celebration at Mandarin Orchard Singapore.
Despite being in the same company, Sabrina Sengol, 34, and husband, Lufti Razak, 27, didn’t take a liking to each other and barely spoke until they started working together on a project. Sparks flew and the more they talked, the more the pair of lovebirds started to fall for one another. After a private, romantic proposal aboard a yacht on Sabrina’s birthday, the sweet pair celebrated their nuptials with their closest and dearest in a timeless and modern garden-esque wedding at Mandarin Orchard Singapore.
Tell us about your beginning. What drew you closer to each other?
Sabrina: Lufti and I met at our previous job. At first, we didn’t like each other very much and barely spoke. Until one day when we had to work together on a project. We started talking and realised that we had gotten each other wrong all these while! The more we talked, the more we started to like each other, and started dating towards the end.
What is it about your partner that you love the most?
Sabrina: I love his humour and how he can always make me laugh at his silliness and lighten any situation.
Lutfi: The fact that she accepts me. My light and my shadow. Even though we are different, she never tries to change me. I am me when I am with her.
Sabrina, what was your proposal like?
Lufti proposed on my birthday. He told me what to wear and where to meet but didn’t want me to know where we were going. He took me out on a yacht for the day which I thought was the whole surprise. Then, on the way back to shore, the yacht stopped under the beautiful night sky and he started talking about our relationship and how much I meant to him. Then, he turned to me with a ring box, opened it and asked me to marry him. It was so beautiful and private.
What was your wedding planning journey like? Did you face any challenges and if so, how did you overcome it?
Our wedding planning journey had its share of ups-and-downs. For our solemnisation, the initial decoration stylist we booked and made a down payment for backed out a couple of weeks prior to the day. Thankfully, all our friends and family were so helpful and my bridesmaids, Jessica and Sky, stopped me from over thinking certain things. Everything else went pretty smoothly as we had many trusted people helping us out with various aspects of the wedding. This is something we are both very grateful for.
Lastly, we knew we had to pick the right photographer and videographer to capture the essence of it all, something we couldn’t re-create. This was the last thing we decided on as we were so picky. We didn’t want typical, tired shots and we both didn’t really like taking photos so we didn’t want to be forced into awkward poses that weren’t ‘us’. It was quite a challenge finding the right people who would be with us throughout and that we would actually treat as friends. Airisu and Kinetixs were so great, even Lutfi who takes a while to warm up felt comfortable quickly. And the pictures and videos came out so beautifully.
Where was your wedding held and what was your wedding theme?
We chose Mandarin Orchard Singapore as our wedding venue because we knew the food would be great. My father knows the Chef and they were accommodating to my needs from the very beginning and understood what I wanted – something different from the norm and less is more, nothing cheesy.
Initially, we wanted an outdoor wedding but with the weather being too hot in July, we decided against it. I still wanted it to feel like a garden wedding so we knew there had to be greenery and sparkly lights to get the right atmosphere. We decided on just three colours for the theme – white, green and gold. We wanted it to be simple, modern and romantic, and for everything to tie in together, including the wedding favours and the wedding cake. I knew I wanted a cake from Winifred Kristé Cake as she makes the most beautiful sugar flowers, which we could keep as a momento for years to come. I asked for David Austin roses on the cake as they are my favourite flowers. And her cakes are so delicious! We had a hard time picking the flavour; in the end, we went with Chocolate Raspberry.
For the flavours, I wanted to go with something edible as I knew it would be better appreciated, so we decided to go with macarons. We decided to have them in emerald green, which I know isn’t easy to achieve, but Ola Lola did it beautifully.
Tell us the story behind your wedding dress.
I knew what I wanted so I started looking for photo inspirations. It took me about a month to find the right boutique to make my dress and that was Flamingo Bridal. They were recommended by my bridesmaid and the moment I met Shirley, I liked her immediately. She was so warm and friendly, and made me feel very comfortable. Throughout the dress making journey, she was just as invested as I was and always accommodating to my requests. She spent a lot of time looking for the right laces for my dress. I knew the dress would turn out beautifully. She also created my wedding and solemnisation bouquets, which turned out beautifully, sourcing for the exact flowers I wanted. Overall, she is not only talented but very sincere.
From the get-go, I knew I didn’t want a typical dress. I wanted something short (so I could show my beautiful shoes) in the front and long in the back, with beautiful lace that had some 3D texture. As I am petite, I didn’t want a dress that was overwhelming but yet still able to make a statement. I was aiming for an elegant yet modern look. It boiled down to two different laces and I couldn’t decide on which one I liked better. My bridesmaid, Jessica, suggested having them both. That turned out to be a great idea! One had 3D flowers with pearls while the other had some crystal detailing. Shirley pieced the lace bit by bit each time with each fitting until it was perfect.
What was your wedding day like?
We were very excited and a little bit nervous about any hiccup that might happen. I was also very excited to be wearing the dress which was truly my dream brought to life. We wanted everyone to have a good time and for the day to be memorable for all our loved ones as well. We were really happy at how everything turned out and that everyone had a good time. The atmosphere was so relaxed and intimate although there were quite a number of guests.
What did your family/friends have to say about your wedding day?
They told us it was very beautiful, the food was amazing with a wide selection and the live stations were a hit. Everyone also loved the singer we chose! At first, they thought it was pre-recorded until they saw him on stage. They also said it was timed well so they didn’t feel tired at the end of it.
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
One of the most memorable moments of our wedding day were the speeches from my father and best man, Yanle. Also, when my friends and family came up for photos and hugs, telling us how amazing everything was. We felt so much love!
What is one lesson you’ve learned from your wedding planning that you’d like to share with other couples?
One major lesson we’ve learned is to decide on the kind of wedding you want, right down to the smallest detail, and to always have a Plan B for all your choices. Enjoy the process and don’t let it overwhelm you. Stick to your gut and accept that things will go wrong and take it in your stride. Remember, it is your special day, so don’t let anyone or anything bring you down.
The Size of Wedding: 300 guests
The Venue: Mandarin Orchard Singapore
The Photographer: Airisu
The Videographer: Kinetix
The Wedding Gown: Custom-made by Shirley from Flamingo Bridal
The Wedding Shoes: Christian Louboutin
The Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss
The Groom’s Shoes: Tods
The Groomsmen’s Suits: Custom suits
The Hair and Makeup Artist: Rashid of Canvas by Riyan Rashid
The Caterer: Mandarin Orchard Singapore
The Wedding Cake: Winifred Kristé Cake
The Florist: J’s Creations
The Photobooth: Aww Snap
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Custom from Page 1
The Wedding Favours: Ola Lola
The Band: Wan from The Jukuleles
The Solemniser: BMW
Wedding Resource: SingaporeBrides
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