Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
March 2021
Shauna and Rainer’s Dreamy and Intimate Wedding at Spago
Shauna and Rainer celebrated their union with a very intimate wedding at Spago, filled with dreamy preserved florals.
Their original plans for an extravagant wedding dashed due to COVID-19 restrictions, Shauna Tan, Doctor, and Rainer Chiam, Naval Officer tied the knot on 20 December 2020 in a very intimate wedding at Spago, with beautiful eco-friendly preserved florals in a muted colour theme.
How did you meet each other?
We met on a dating app and had our first meeting at a Korean restaurant as we both love Korean food, and the conversation went on for almost four hours. We realised we both love to sing and so karaoke became our thing.
Shauna: We both love cooking and eating too, though I soon realised he cooks far better than me and so he is definitely the head chef in our kitchen. We are so different, and yet so much the same. We love so much, sometimes in different ways; he makes sure to nag me when I don’t drink enough water or don’t get enough rest, and I love to buy food he likes and feed him well. I love how we are truly partners supporting each other and loving each other the best we can.
Did COVID-19 affect your wedding plans?
It definitely did. We had initially planned for a more extravagant event at Raffles Hotel, with bookings already in place. However, due to the restrictions and other family concerns, we decided to downsize the ceremony and just invite our close relatives and friends to the event.
What was your wedding theme?
Shauna: We both have pretty similar styles and vibes when it comes to décor and design, so deciding on a theme was pretty much a breeze. We knew we wanted a more muted colour palette and a minimalist theme, and to make it as sustainable as we could.
We wanted to minimise the use of fresh flowers and incorporate mostly preserved flowers into the wedding florals. Not only did we feel it was more sustainable, we also thought it was a cute reflection of our dating life. Every single bouquet of flowers Rainer had gotten me were preserved bouquets, something I adored. Not only did I prefer the aesthetic, but there’s something endearing about being able to remember that day or moment for a long time, not just having the memory wither away as the petals fall over a matter of days.
We also felt that preserved florals were somewhat similar to our relationship in some ways. They are beautiful, and can last a really long time. They’re pretty low maintenance, but they still need to be checked on from time to time, and placed in an ideal environment in order for them to stay beautiful.
Preserved florals are usually in muted nude tones that we love – so that set the tone for the colours. I knew I wanted Fellow Folks to do the floral set up for the day and Brandon got my vibe immediately! We used SingaporeBrides to get inspired for our own wedding ideas, and started checking out Pinterest too.
How did you create your wedding?
I remember really stressing out about venues because we had to change our choice of venues at quite the last minute. Yet the moment we walked into Spago, we knew that it was the place we were going to say our vows, with the beautiful glass windows overlooking the skyline, the intricate rattan ceilings, the brown leather armchairs. With such a gorgeous setting, we wanted the décor and set up to complement and personalise the space, rather than overpowering it.
Being a doctor, my days are pretty packed. Makeup is really not high on my priority list (also because I’m really bad at doing makeup in general!). I hardly ever have makeup on, and so I needed a makeup artist to understand my skin type, the style I was going for and most importantly to make me look radiant and the best version of myself. I needed Rainer to recognise me as I walked down the aisle! Patricia from ByPattcia was the sweetest and knew exactly what I wanted and needed.
Being a lover of fashion and the arts, I always knew what wedding gown I wanted. I had a vision of how the dress would fit me, the intricate details of the dress, the type of material and textures. I found it difficult to find a dress that ticked the boxes of what I wanted, so I knew I had to create one myself.
What was your wedding day like?
We kept it pretty low key and chill, without a big bridal party. We slept in a little, had a sumptuous breakfast at the beautiful club lounge, then headed back to our room to get ready for lunch. We loved having our family and friends with us and honestly it had been a pretty rough year, with COVID and all. So it was really nice to see everyone gathered in the same space. It was truly a celebration of people and relationships in our lives that went beyond just that of the two of us.
I think what made our wedding day so special was that we loved our vendors and it made the day so much fun, just like having more friends along on the ride with us.
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Shauna: Definitely the vow exchange. Our solemniser was hilarious for one, cracking little jokes here and there. But Rainer and I are both not big on public declarations of love and affection, so being up there and stating these promises was pretty intimidating, yet meaningful and fulfilling. It meant so much to me to be reminded of our love for each other, and knowing that it was the start of our new journey together.
The Size of the Wedding: 25 guests
The Cost of the Wedding: Around $8K
The Venue: Spago Dining Room, Marina Bay Sands
The Wedding Day Photographer: Annabel Law, Annabel Law Productions
The Gown: Stitch by Stitch Co.
The Bride’s Shoes: Saint Laurent
The Suit: Mills – The Gentleman’s Craft
The Wedding Bands: Cartier
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Patricia Jaihan, ByPattcia
The Florist: Fellow Folks
The Pre-Wedding Photographer: Vivian Tan
The Solemniser: Mrs Chia Swee Tin
Credits: Images by Annabel Law Productions
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