Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
August 2020
Jayne and Anand’s Fairytale Multi-Cultural Wedding at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore
Anand’s wedding with Jayne definitely lived up to the “happily ever after” fairytale. They celebrate their beautiful union with a stunning multi-cultural wedding at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore.
Like all fairytales, it was a Disney-esque love story for Jayne, Programmes and Partnerships at NTU, and Anand, Regional Director at The Walt Disney Company. They met at a football game where Anand was playing at and it was love at first sight for the both of them. After a beautiful surprise proposal at the Maldives, the couple share and celebrate their union with an intimate and cosy multi-cultural wedding at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore.
How did the two of you meet?
Jayne: At a football game. I was in the audience and Anand was playing. He was playing as a winger, and he scored a few goals as well. Let’s just say I was impressed! We were introduced to each other afterwards.
Anand: I remember it vividly. I was playing football that evening when I noticed her sitting in the bleachers with some of our mutual friends. It was difficult to focus on the game after that! I resolved to get her number by the end of the evening. And the rest, as they say, was history!
It’s love at first sight! What drew you to each other and what made you fall in love with your partner?
Jayne: There was an instant spark. Anand has this charm and chivalry about him. I feel happy, comfortable, and excited all at the same time whenever I’m with him.
Anand: Jayne is extraordinarily kind and genuine to a fault – qualities that are unfortunately all too often under-estimated nowadays. It’s impossible not to fall in love with her. It’s a fabulous bonus, of course, that she’s so easy on the eye as well!
What is it about your partner that you love the most?
Jayne: Everything! Not so much his love of pranking me though… For me, it happened organically after I got to know him at a deeper level.
Anand: Her humanity, and her seemingly endless capacity for empathy and love. The one moment I knew that she was the one was when I saw her taking care of her friend’s dogs while they were away on holiday. I was increasingly beginning to realise that she might indeed be the one and then I saw her tend to them. I am a dog person, and seeing her with them and how they were responding to her, was the clincher!
What was the proposal like?
Jayne: It was memorable in every way. Anand told me months in advance about the dates to take leave for and what to pack in my luggage, but I only found out where we were going literally at the airport itself. He’d booked us on a flight to Maldives! Everything else was as romantic and cheesy as it gets.
Anand proposed over dinner, and it was like a scene from the movies. Warm candlelight, ring of fire-lit torches, lapping waves of the sea. Funnily though, I almost jeopardised my own proposal because I was not feeling too well. Luckily, Anand was very adaptable and shifted his proposal forward.
He’s very creative. He wrote me two poems (a prologue and an afterword) with the proposal embedded in it. When he got down on one knee, I realised what was happening and started howling in tears and laughter. We both cried and laughed a lot.
Growing up, I’ve never really pictured how I’d want my proposal to be like, but Anand has made it perfect in every way.
Were there any favourite moments during or at the wedding?
Jayne: My favourite moment was when the planning was finally over and it was time to get married. Wedding planning is really not easy, especially for our inter-racial wedding. Best to leave it to a professional.
We love that you are a Disney veteran, Anand. Did that help you with your wedding planning in any way?
Anand: As a Disney veteran, I am no stranger to “happily ever afters” but I did feel the need to put together something that was worthy of my princess, and that started right from when I was planning the proposal and through to the rest of the wedding. “Good enough” was never the option for me, so the wedding theme, venue, and even smaller things like decorations needed to rise above the normal and get closer to the magical. I suspect that might be why our budget ballooned the way it did!
What was your wedding day like?
Both: We both love the sea so we decided on Sentosa. With the Indian fire ceremony, we also needed a place that allows for outdoor seating. We checked out a lot of venues on Sentosa, but The Rocks at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore at dusk was just breathtaking. The huge tree and lawn overlooking the sea… we hadn’t seen anything like it! The ballroom was just the right size for us too.
We remember it pouring heavily on the morning of our wedding. We took it as a sign of blessing but were also worried because of our Hindu ceremony outdoors. We had the most beautiful mandap set up for it. Thankfully, the weather cleared into a beautiful and very pleasant day!
How did you feel throughout the day?
Jayne: I was surprisingly very calm and happy, despite having four outfit changes. I actually got ready earlier than my husband! Our friend, Karen, commented that we were the happiest couple she’d ever seen at a wedding, and it’s true! The stars have really aligned for us.
How did you create and decide on your wedding theme?
Jayne: We knew we wanted a wedding that celebrated and highlighted both our Chinese and Indian cultures. The theme solidified after our friend and talented designer, Megha, ably assisted by my Maid of Honour (and sister-in-law) Ambika, designed the motif and visual palette that then went into the wedding invitations and other elements of the wedding. Of course, there was a lot of Pinterest-ing, discussions, and debates as well!
We used the SingaporeBrides website extensively too to read through the forum threads where other couples would share their experiences, contacts for vendors, and other wedding recommendations.
What did your friends and family say about the wedding?
Jayne: “Best wedding ever!” But seriously, what a lot of our guest told us is how intimate the wedding was and how much fun they had – mission accomplished!
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding.
Jayne: It was when Anand surprised everyone when he got on the stage and sang “Crazy Lil Thing Called Love” by Queen with the band. I was so surprised that my jaw literally dropped. I was stunned for about 10 seconds. He had always told me that he was not going to perform, but apparently, he’d been practicing with the band on the side.
Anand: Seeing Jayne in the red Indian saree. She looked so breathtaking that I was worried that I might have a cardiac!
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with other couples who are also in the midst of planning their wedding?
Jayne: Learn to give and take, you can’t win every battle.
The Size of the Wedding: No. of guests – 150
The Venue: Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore
The Wedding Day Photographer: Dapper Pictures
The Gown: Custom-Made
The Suit: Prestigious Bespoke Tailors Boat Quay
The Groom’s Shoes: Ferragamo
The Engagement Ring: Custom-Made
The Wedding Bands: Michael Trio
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Indya
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Cassandra from Wild Roses Makeup Artist
The Caterer: Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore
The Wedding Cake: Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore
The Florist: Sing See Soon
The Wedding Planner: Lini from The Perfect Host
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Megha
The Wedding Favours: Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore
The Band: The Hubbubabbas
Credits: Images by Dapper Pictures
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