Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
October 2021
Serene and Jacob’s Modern Elegant Wedding at Raffles Singapore
Serene and Jacob exchanged their vows in a gorgeous wedding at Raffles Singapore, with elegant and modern florals lavishly designed in white, blush, and gold.
Serene Tan, 28, Entrepreneur (behind the brands Botany, Creme Maison, and Grail), and Jacob Chia, 31, CEO of a building and construction firm, got engaged in the Swiss Alps. After being forced to postpone their wedding twice due to COVID-19, Serene and Jacob decided to exchange their vows in an intimate solemnisation with close family and friends. The couple tied the knot in a gorgeous ceremony at Raffles Singapore on 6 June 2021, filled with elegant and modern florals in classic hues of white, blush, and gold.
How did you first meet?
We met through a mutual friend back in 2017. In fact, we were introduced to each other on numerous occasions but we just couldn’t recall each other.
What do you love most about your partner?
We are both very driven individuals who place our careers as our priorities. In private, we share a lot of our goals, hopes, and dreams for the future together. When faced with problems, we would sit down to brainstorm solutions to resolve any issues. Both of us are very close to our respective families as well, hence we always make sure to spend time with them and we take care of both our families very well.
What was the proposal like?
Serene: The proposal took place while we were holidaying in Europe. He popped the question while we were in the Swiss Alps. It was kind of funny because he slipped and fell many times while he was proposing due to the thick snow. I was so afraid that the ring would get lost in the snow!
Did COVID-19 affect your wedding plans?
COVID-19 certainly had a major impact on our wedding preparations. The onset of the global pandemic was so unforeseen and sudden that it completely derailed our wedding plans altogether. Initially, our wedding was scheduled to be held on June 2020 but the lockdown and government restrictions made it impossible to do so. It was then postponed to a year later, June 2021, but due to the Delta Variant and heightened alert, the banquet was again postponed from June to July. We still have not managed to hold the wedding banquet. But at the very least, we managed to go ahead with the solemnisation ceremony in early June with our closest family and friends, so that was a consolation for us.
What was your wedding theme and how did you create it?
For our wedding theme, we wanted it to be modern and elegant, which was highlighted by the predominantly white theme and accentuated with modern floral displays. We looked through SingaporeBrides to find decor inspiration by other wedding couples to create our moodboard, and also viewed venue options on SingaporeBrides. Our solemnisation ceremony took place at Raffles Singapore, where the colonial architecture was a perfect backdrop that simply added to the charm. We chose the fountain as our solemnisation venue, and it made the ceremony look all the more magical.
What was your wedding day like?
Our wedding day was an extremely hot and sunny day! Even though there were air coolers, everyone was sweating buckets. Luckily, we did give everyone a portable USB handheld fan, which hopefully helped a little to alleviate the heat. Needless to say, our wedding day was very hectic, whereby I had to wake up early for the wedding preparations such as doing my makeup and making sure that the vendors knew their respective roles. Thankfully, I had a team of bridesmaids who were around to relieve me of some duties and help to ensure that the event went smoothly and according to plan.
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Serene: The most memorable moment of my wedding was walking down the aisle with my father and seeing familiar faces along the way, which made me treasure the moment and feel that all the time, effort, and money spent was well worth it. Given the exceptional circumstances–that we were holding a wedding in the middle of a pandemic–we were limited by what was possible, and certainly, we were proud to be able to pull it off successfully.
The Size of the Wedding: 50 guests
The Cost of the Wedding: $130,000
The Venue: Raffles Singapore
The Wedding Day Photographer: Samuel from Pixioo
The Gown: Nicole + Felicia Couture
The Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
The Suit: Valentino and Common Suits
The Groom’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
The Engagement Ring: Customised
The Wedding Bands: Customised
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lovers + Friends
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Gary, Passion Hair Salon and Shaun Lee
The Nail Artist: The Nail Status
The Caterer: The Ritual
The Wedding Cake: Creme Maison Bakery
The Florists: O’hara Weddings and Lavender Love Florist
The Wedding Stylist: Wulala and Invited SG
The Wedding Planner: Pathway Events
The Pre-Wedding Photographer: HÀ NGUYỄNs
The Videographer: Freshfromkenneth
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: KAMI Design
The Wedding Favours: Raffles Kaya – Raffles Hotel and bird’s nest – Purest Nest
The Solemniser: Joanna Portilla
The Wedding Car: Ferrari F430, Couple’s own
Credits: Images by Pixioo
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