Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
September 2020
Calista and Christopher’s Big and Gorgeous Wedding at Raffles Hotel Jakarta
After a beautiful, intimate wedding in Bali, Calista and Christopher held another much bigger wedding in Jakarta to catch up with the rest of their family and friends.
Even after a dreamy wedding at Tirtha Uluwatu, Calista and Christopher still wanted a unique experience for their Jakarta wedding held at Raffles Hotel Jakarta. Being the creative couple that they are, they wanted to create a space that felt like an art gallery. The result was amazing.
Where did you decide to host your Jakarta wedding?
Calista: We got married in Raffles Hotel Jakarta and we chose it simply because it has a big ballroom that can cater to our 2000 guests. Also, we loved their high ceiling and modern design. Their location is also right in the middle of the city, so it was easier for people to reach. And their service was awesome.
How different was your wedding in Jakarta compared to the one in Bali?
Calista: We had wanted to do something unique for the Jakarta wedding with the same simple, yet sophisticated theme. We love clean and artsy styles, so our stylist, Lotus Design, decided to play around with lights and shadows for the entrance with layered fabrics that made you feel like you were walking into an art gallery. Also, they assembled an acrylic red flower pyramid centrepiece to create an artistic contrast to the space.
For the grand entrance, we decided to have panels to cover the doors so people couldn’t actually see the doors when we were coming out. We also used fairy light tunnels for a dramatic effect to the entrance. It managed to create a dreamy effect for the photos too! For the main stage, we didn’t want too many flowers as it could become too girly, so Lotus Design incorporated a massive lotus cut-out backdrop that ended up looking like the Sydney Opera House. Everyone loved it.
Did you plan both celebrations simultaneously? It must have been challenging!
Calista: Yes, we had to plan both celebrations simultaneously starting from March 2019 and we also had to plan our pre-wedding photoshoot in June 2019 that took place in Sydney, Australia. So it was really quite hectic!
The Bali preparations were fun and easy since we only catered for 110 guests. The only complicated thing was to find the right local vendors, and communications were done via the phone. We also had to make time to go to Bali for final checks. The Jakarta planning was more challenging as it was for 2000 guests and we had to involve our parents on certain decisions. We learnt a lot through this wedding preparation journey and it has actually made us stronger as a couple.
How did your wedding day go?
Calista: The Jakarta celebration was different because we’d already done all the nerve-wrecking parts in Bali, so it was all about fun for Jakarta. We had an early start for Jakarta because we had to do all the Chinese traditional ceremonies, outfit changes and rehearsals. It was hectic and we felt super tired afterwards but it was all fun and enjoyable since we were surrounded by lovely people.
You had very special outfits for this wedding!
As it was a ballroom wedding, I needed a bigger dress to match the venue but I don’t like big princess ballgowns. I’d tried on different styles to find the right dress shape for me. As for designers, I have always loved Elie Saab and wanted to try his gowns. So I found The Proposal in Singapore that carried his line and the moment I tried on one of his dresses, it just felt right. I went on to try other dresses as well but just kept coming back to Elie Saab. The fabric he used and his attention to details just got me at “Hello”.
The tea ceremony dress was a one-of-a-kind dress and I got a lot of compliments for that dress too. It was a collaboration with a young emerging designer from Surabaya, Chen Meylinda. The idea was to have a traditional Chinese robe type of dress with a camisole because I like loose fitting dresses. Then we incorporated a bit of Korean hanbok style stripes for the neck and chest lining.
For the embroidery, I chose figures of the dragon and the phoenix because they are two of the most powerful symbols of success and prosperity in Chinese mythology. They are also considered to be the ultimate symbols of love and marital joy. The dragon is the ‘yin’ while the phoenix is the ‘yang’, a perfect balance that is needed for a successful married life. And I chose white because it symbolises purity and the sacred. I was amazed by the final result!
Both you and your guests looked like you had a lot of fun at this wedding too!
The Jakarta celebration was a completely different experience but it was still enjoyable! The guests enjoyed the decorations and food; we had a dessert conveyor belt display from Supra Dynamics that had everyone’s eyes on the sweets. The bar was one of the most favourite spots for our guests too.
For our Jakarta wedding reception, there was an unforgettable moment when my brother and I did a duet of Celine Dion’s “The Prayer”. We’d always loved singing and had performed together in the past but that moment was special because it was my wedding day and we were surrounded by our loved ones.
Number of guests: 2,000
Wedding Organiser: RED Wedding Organiser
Venue: Raffles Hotel Jakarta
Photography: Iluminen
Videography: Venema Pictures
Make Up: Eva Lovira
Hair: Are Ragil Hairdo
Robe: Ginger Olive
Bride’s Gown: Elie Saab by The Proposal
Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
Bride’s Cheongsam: Chen Meylinda
Headpiece: Jennifer Behr and Litany
Nail: Dandelion
Groom’s Suit and Cheongsam: Agus Lim
Groom’s Shoes: Aquila
Mom’s dresses: Eddy Betty
MC: Daddo Parus
Florist: Cosa Projects
Decor Stylist: Lotus Design
Lighting: Orion Pro Light
Cake: Ivoire Cake Design
Entertainment; Archipelagio Music
Invitation: Solitaire Invitation
Dessert conveyor belt: Supra Dynamics
Souvenir / Favours: INSPIRA Roasters
Usher: Indo Usher
Credits: Images by Iluminen.
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