Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
May 2020
Linette and Joshua’s Autumn-Inspired Bohemian Wedding at Hotel Fort Canning
Linette and Joshua’s common interests and love for God brought them together perfectly and they celebrate their love with bohemian themed wedding at Hotel Fort Canning.
While a 13-hour flight delay may seem like a headache for some, it was not so for Linette and Joshua. It was this flight delay, as well as a mutual friend, who brought them together. Inspired by the Autumn season, the couple shares their joy with their family and friends with an Autumn-inspired bohemian themed wedding at Hotel Fort Canning’s Grand Marquee.
How they met.
Both: Josh and Lin met in sunny Brisbane, Australia. The whole set-up was made possible by their mutual friend who had match-made them together and informed the Josh that Lin had a 13-hour flight delay.
When Josh drove to the airport to pick Lin up, he had to drive eight rounds around the airport domestic terminal! Given that the airport had multiple pick up lanes, Lin played “hard to get” pick up but they eventually found the right lane and met each other then.
And they spent 7 days getting to know one another. Lin will always tell folks that Josh serenaded her the moment he saw her. Obviously, that is only half-true.
All in all, it’s been such a journey and there is a lot of gratitude towards Christ – for moulding two very different individuals to understand the common purpose of striving to love, being willing to forgive, being inspired by Scripture, and being intentional in relationships.
What their proposal was like.
Both: They were at La Parouse New South Wales, Australia, for a “photoshoot”. Unknown to Lin, Josh was secretly executing the big proposal plan that he had been planning for the last six months. They were walking back towards the main island as the sun was setting when Lin found the large bouquet of flowers he’d got someone to prepare, pretty wooden chairs, and a guitar set up along the wooden bridge. She started seeing familiar faces and that was when Josh sat her down, serenaded her with the song he composed and popped the question! It was by far the most memorable surprise ever!
What was the wedding planning journey like? Were there any challenging or favourite moments during that planning period?
Lin: We had slightly more than 1.5 years to prepare for the wedding since the proposal and the longer-than-usual timeline meant being able to secure the wedding vendors we wanted, and planning with thoughtful consideration and detail.
I personally enjoyed planning the aesthetics of the wedding and coordinating our outfits the most while Josh settled most of the logistics planning. Our bridal party and helpers were impressed with our comprehensive schedule during our wedding briefing session. Being prepared and having a plan meant half the battle won, and we knew that even if there were hiccups on the actual day, we had done our best in our planning.
What they loved most about celebrating their wedding at Hotel Fort Canning.
Both: The fact that Hotel Fort Canning was located next to their church where they held the morning holy matrimony, made the planning logistics so much easier. They had a very packed day planned with the gatecrash, holy matrimony, tea ceremony and evening reception all in one day. Reducing the travel time was crucial and meant more rest in between and time saved!
They were drawn to the unique feature of a hotel on a hill. Surrounded by nature, the colonial layout and botanical setting at Hotel Fort Canning was beautifully alluring. The fully air-conditioned Grand Marquee with its pretty chandeliers were befitting of the relaxed and bohemian style they wanted!
What was your wedding day like?
Lin: Autumn is our favourite season and we are obsessed with the fall colours. We go through many seasons in life but our love for God and nature are our constants through it all. Fall inspires us to choose thankfulness in every season even when the tangible things in life fade away. The season’s brilliance brings forth joy, reminding us of what we choose to be rooted in as a couple! With this in mind, a bohemian autumn splendour was naturally the wedding décor theme!
Our morning started with a bang when the boys turned up as Aquaman lads while Josh appeared in an astonishing Aquaman tattoo while wielding his impressive trident hilariously. They finally conquered the one-of-a-kind gatecrash, which was orchestrated by my bridesmaids who dressed as modern mermaids! The girls facetimed me throughout and I was laughing and literally going nuts in my hotel room!
Our reception was not the conventional ballroom setting you would expect, yet the bustling tempo was exhilarating through the night! We chose to have only one march-in so that we could spend more time with our guests, showcasing the special performances we had prepared and enjoying what matters most. Some of our friends and family said it was the best wedding they have ever attended, while others said it was fun, emotional, and entertaining altogether!
You chose to work with Z Weddings for your gown. What was the experience like working with them?
Lin: I am glad to have chosen Z Weddings. My gown consultant was Lydia and she was very patient throughout my gown selections. Despite being the a la carte bride who did not sign up for additional packages with them except for my actual day gown and pre-wedding shoot gown, the staff was respectful and was still willing to go out of their way for me. I felt they were genuinely sincere in helping me pick out the most suitable gown that would suit my preference and body shape! The complimentary march-in and grooming classes were a delight to attend and boosted my confidence as a bride too!
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Lin: Unforgettable speeches, our highly anticipated First Dance and a series of surprise performances were some of the highlights from the night. I surprised him with a dance hit to Robbie Williams’ Soda Pop and jived across the marquee with my girls. Josh formed a trio with his brother on the drums and groomsman on the guitar who also harmonised, while he sang his original composition. To end the night, the boys went off the charts with the most hilarious and craziest Yum Seng using helium balloons!
One piece of advice they’d like to share with other couples who are also in the midst of planning their wedding.
Both: It is never too early to start your research. After you have made your decision though, stop comparing with other brides and don’t look back!
They were also able to download the wedding to-do list from the SingaporeBrides website and found it very useful especially since they had to organise the entire wedding by themselves. The various tips and resources available on the website were helpful in their research on the various vendors. The available guides and insights from other brides’ real-life experiences provided much foresight for their own wedding planning too.
The Size of the Wedding: No. of guests – 300 guests
The Venue: Wesley Methodist Church and Hotel Fort Canning (Grand Marquee)
The Wedding Day Photographer: AndroidsinBoots (Principal)
The Gown: Z Wedding (Morning Gown), Mama & Misse (Cheongsam), Grace Loves Lace (Evening Gown)
The Bride’s Shoes: GENA Singapore
The Suit: In Personam Custom Clothiers
The Bow Tie: Vanda Fine Clothing
The Groom’s Shoes: Earnest & Collective
The Engagement Ring: Custom Made
The Wedding Bands: Lee Hwa Jewellery
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Love, Bonito
The Groomsmen’s Suits: Uniqlo
The Flower Girls’ Dresses: Taobao
The Page Boys’ Suits: Taobao
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Valda Goh from Makeup Maestro Wedding
The Nail Artist: Nail Palace
The Caterer: Casserole (Lunch Reception) and Nineteen95 (Coffee Push Cart)
The Wedding Cake: Olsen Bakehouse
The Florist: Bloomen
The Wedding Stylist: Josh & Lin
The Wedding Planner: Josh & Lin
The Pre-Wedding Photographer: Aperturestreet Photography
The Videographer: AndroidsinBoots (Principal)
The Photobooth: Wickedsnap
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: The Wild Abandon
The Wedding Favours: Tea infusers and coasters (Hotel Fort Canning)
The Solemniser: Our Head Pastor from Wesley Methodist Church
The Emcee: David from Prodigy Special Events
Credits: Images by AndroidsinBoots
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