Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
October 2021
Valerie and Zachary’s Beautiful and Intimate Union at Chijmes Hall Singapore
Valerie and Zachary became Mr and Mrs in the grand, majestic halls of the historic Chijmes Hall Singapore.
Valerie and Zachary started dating after two years of friendship and found forever soulmates in each other. After an intimate proposal during a staycation, the lovebirds embarked on a unique wedding journey that saw them changing plans for their big day three times before they tied the knot in a beautiful and intimate solemnisation in the iconic Chijmes Hall Singapore.
Share your story with us. How did the two of you meet?
We met on the first day of university, because we were assigned to the same orientation group! We really hit it off as friends. Two years into the friendship, we decided to give romance a shot and have never looked back since.
What was it about your partner that attracted you, and what do you love the most about them?
Valerie: It was his upbeat, positive demeanour and quirky sense of humour that attracted me. I love how he makes me feel cared for. I’ve always believed that people show you that they love you in the little things they do; the extravagant dates are nice, but Zach always remembers the small things, like picking up my favourite snacks when he passes by the supermarket, or volunteering to pick up food for me when I’m too busy or tired.
Zachary: I was attracted by her super friendly nature, kindness, and her ability to turn almost anything into a joke. She also has the cutest voice! I love the fact that she’s my best friend and how I can share anything with her and that I know we can build a future together.
What was the proposal like?
Valerie: Honestly, I kind of expected it because we never go on staycaytions but Zach suddenly said he booked a hotel room for us. Still, it was intimate and romantic, and I was elated that he proposed.
Zachary: I was feeling a little nervous, even though we both knew the answer would be “Yes”. It was during the first ‘rule-of-two’ where you could only go out in pairs, so that was a very intimate experience as it was only Val and I.
Tell us about your wedding. What was it like planning your wedding amidst a pandemic, and what were the challenges you faced?
We got married at Chijmes Hall Singapore, a venue that has always caught our eye. The stained glass and classic interior are beautiful and we have a thing for old churches, so it fit the bill perfectly.
As our wedding happened during the Circuit Breaker, we had to cope with some of the strictest restrictions such as no dining-in rules. So, we went from a wedding banquet of 100 persons to a solemnisation only with guests seated in group of five, and eventually down to groups of two. We felt like we had planned three weddings instead of one!
It was tough and we definitely felt some disappointment, but we enjoyed the exasperation and process to some degree. Honestly, we have to thank our guests as they had to fill in a barrage of google forms in order for us to best gauge vaccination rates and swabbing sentiments. They were our MVPs.
What was your decision behind going ahead with a wedding amidst the COVID-19 pandemic instead of waiting it out?
We felt that postponing the wedding was a gamble as we did not know when the next wave might hit, or if restrictions would change, so we decided that since we had already invited everyone, let’s just hold a good one and celebrate.
Take us back to your wedding day. What was the day like and how were you feeling?
Valerie: The night before the wedding, I was so nervous I could not fall asleep! But when the morning came, time went by so fast! I told myself that I would try to be in the moment instead of constantly worrying what came next. Thanks to our fantastic bridal party, emcees, wedding planner and vendors, everything fell mostly into place and we had very few hiccups. I’m a very easy-going bride, so there weren’t any moments where I felt like the wedding was spiralling out of control. Ultimately, I enjoyed every bit of our wedding and I had a lot of fun!
Zachary: I was feeling excited! But I’m not going to lie, there were definitely butterflies when I was walking up to fetch Val, but after that, there was so much going on that I just had fun with everyone who was there to help. A strange sense of calm set in by the time we started the march-in as I knew we had some good folks who made sure the event went well. By the time we marched back in as bride and groom, I was just glad that we saw this through despite the challenges and truly enjoyed the celebrations.
What did your family/friends have to say about your wedding day?
Most of them understood the plight that we were in and were empathetic about the constant changes to our wedding plans due to the volatile times, but ultimately, they were happy for us when we went through with the day.
Everyone loved the wedding advice cards we decided to use as guest books were not permitted due to the COVID-19 measures. We enjoyed reading what everyone wrote on these cards as well!
We also decided at the last minute to livestream our wedding for friends and family who we were unable to invite, or who were unable to attend. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made, because now we also have a copy of our entire wedding ceremony.
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Valerie: It was the moment the large, wooden doors opened for my mum and I to walk down the aisle. Due to how large the doors were, it was very dramatic and it really felt like I was the main character of a drama series.
Zachary: Definitely the ‘Hug-The-Bride’ moment. After many reminders from our planner and solemniser that we can most definitely not kiss, we decided on a dramatic hug and spin on the stage.
What is one lesson you’ve learned from your wedding planning that you’d like to share with other couples?
In these times, the safety measures are constantly changing, so wedding planning can be very stressful. Take things in your stride and just remember that what’s important is the fact that you are marrying the person you love, everything else is ancillary.
Also, cater more time than you think you may need, so that your actual day won’t be super rushed. Don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy every moment, because it’s your big day after all! Hiccups do and will happen, so trust your planner and wedding party to solve them.
The Venue: Chijmes Hall Singapore
Cost of Wedding: $30,000
Size of Wedding: 80 persons
The Bride’s Gown: JJs House
The Bride’s Shoes: JJs House
The Groom’s Suit: SuitYourself
The Groom’s Shoes: Ecco
The Wedding Photographer: Wanderlust Dream
The Wedding Videographer: Wanderlust Dream
The Wedding Bands: Tiffany & Co.
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: The Thread Theory
The Groomsmen’s Outfits: Uniqlo
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Canvaseety
The Florist: Bride’s bouquet from Promisetolove (Carousell), Venue’s florals by Elite Flora
The Event Stylist: Watabe Wedding
The Wedding Planner: Olivia from CHIJMES Hall
The Wedding Caterer: PAUL
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Vistaprint
The Solemniser: Samuel Heng
The Wedding Car: Centurion Team
The Event Livestreamer: 25Snap
The Advice Cards: Bliss Collections (Amazon)
The Wedding Resource: SingaporeBrides
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