Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
October 2022
Sandra and Eugene’s Intimate Wedding in Keyaki Garden Pavilion Filled with Cherry Blossoms
Sandra and Eugene’s love story stood the test of distance as the couple only grew closer when Eugene moved to the States. The couple tied the knot in an intimate Keyaki Garden Pavilion wedding that they styled themselves.
For Sandra Yeo, 31, Finance, and Eugene Soo, 33, Engineering Manager, distance only served to strengthen their relationship. After three years of dating long-distance, Eugene proposed under romantic snow flurries atop the Rocky Mountains. The couple celebrated their love in a beautiful Japanese-inspired wedding in Keyaki Garden Pavilion on 17 June 2022, which they styled themselves with cherry blossoms to symbolise the beauty and strength of their love.
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions
Bridelope Productions Tell us a little bit about your story, such as how the two of you met.
We first met at an EdTech start-up in 2013 where we worked together. Even as we both moved on to different careers, we cherished the friendship, continued to spend time together, and also, fell in love. Furthermore, we embarked on a long-distance relationship in 2018 as Eugene moved to the States for his career. Notwithstanding, we were determined to make it work, and the long-distance relationship not only intensified the fondness and admiration for each other in our relationship, but also made us confident about overcoming any life challenges. In 2021, Sandra took a sabbatical to join Eugene in the States, a country filled with many fond memories for us.
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company What do you love most about your partner?
Sandra: He is everything that I’ve ever dreamed of and more. Apart from having a heart of gold and always being ready to lend a helping hand, he has a wealth of knowledge, passion, optimism, sincerity, and generosity in life. I’m always looking up to and learning something new from him. I also love that we support and share each other’s interests and hobbies, such as attending music concerts (e.g., BTS haha), cooking, and making coffee. Of course, he is an amazing chef as well! Despite being in an LDR, he makes me feel loved and supported and that we are always a team working towards achieving our dreams together.
Eugene: Life is boring without her. She is incredibly supportive; even when my career choices meant that we would be apart for an extended period of time, she whole-heartedly supported me in pursuing my career goals. She motivates me to work harder for our future. Sandra treats my family like her own and I feel privileged and thankful for the compromises she had to make. Traveling and holidays are only fun with Sandra and she opens my eyes to so many experiences. I would probably work my life away if not for her haha.
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company What was the proposal like?
Eugene: I had been thinking about how to propose to Sandra for quite some time. My initial idea was to propose on a boat on a lake at Central Park in New York, but the auspicious proposal date given by her grandmother occurred in winter and the lake would be frozen.
Instead, on the day of the proposal in December 2021, we went for a hike in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, together with Cindy (her sister) and her boyfriend, Frederick, who would help capture moments of the proposal. I had been checking the weather forecast, and was going to propose around 9am, knowing that it would start snowing and I thought that it was a perfect moment as Sandra has never seen snow fall from the skies before.
However, the moment was only briefly romantic; as the fluffy snow turned into a ferocious snow storm quickly. After she said yes, we quickly navigated our way out of the mountains to escape from the snow storm. Looking back, it was an exciting and memorable surprise proposal.
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company What was your wedding theme and how did you create it?
Our dream wedding was a minimalist yet elegant Japanese cherry blossom wedding. Both of us love Japan and the Keyaki Garden Pavilion, clad in traditional shoji-inspired screens, provides an authentic and lush Japanese ambience and landscape. The cherry blossoms would serve as a symbol of our love, representing beauty, strength, and tenderness. They also remind us that life, like their fleeting beauty, is also fleeting and to live each and every minute to the fullest.
As we wanted to be fully involved in our wedding planning, we conceptualised and created the interior decor ourselves. We sought inspiration from a creative friend of ours, and purchased the decoration items online. On the night before the wedding, we set up the decor in the venue, together with five of our family and friends.
Overall, we decided on a natural colour palette (fusion of white and lush pink) that blends in with the wooden furniture to invoke a sense of calm and peace. For the main backdrop and focal point, we assembled a pair of asymmetric floral arches to frame the Japanese window where natural light streamed in, and this turned out to be very beautiful. The guest chairs are tied with a soft, white, flowy linen accompanied with a floral sprig, and the wedding aisle is lined symmetrically with cherry blossoms in clear transparent vases, to exude a clean and contemporary feel. We elevated the table settings with candles and cherry blossoms for a romantic ambience. We were very excited to see our dream wedding and venue turned into reality!
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company What was your wedding day like?
It was an intimate and memorable occasion with our immediate families, who have always been there for us. Although Sandra’s father passed away last year, we also wanted to include his presence by having a Snoopy stuffed toy that represented him (his favorite character) with us throughout the day.
The entire day was very memorable from the moment Sandra walked down the wedding aisle through the Shoji sliding doors, to the moment we exchanged our vows and wedding rings, followed by a gastronomic Omakase dining experience, all in a beautiful setting. We also livestreamed our solemnisation for our relatives and friends who celebrated our joy with us and it was heartwarming to receive their blessings.
We are grateful to the Keyaki team and chefs who were dedicated to making our event an unforgettable one, including preparing a specially curated and exquisite Omakase wedding meal. The food was simply delicious and beautifully presented.
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
The most memorable moment for us was the exchange of our vows to each other. Like the arrival of cherry blossoms in Spring, it signifies a time of renewal, optimism, and a new chapter of our lives together as one. It was one of the best days of our lives.
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki Company
Iki CompanyThe Venue: Keyaki Garden Pavilion
The Wedding Day Photographer: Iki Company
The Gown: La Belle Couture
The Bride’s Shoes: Aldo
The Suit: In Personam
The Groom’s Shoes: Jalan Sriwijaya
The Engagement Ring: Derco Diamonds (California)
The Wedding Bands: Custom made in California
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Veela Makeup
The Bridal Bouquet: Elly Sera Florist
The Pre-Wedding Photographer: Bridelope Productions
The Solemniser: Mr Edward Foong
The Pre-wedding Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Ellis Surya
Credits: Pre-wedding photography by Bridelope Productions | Wedding day photography and feature image by Iki Company
Want to see your love story featured on SingaporeBrides too? Submit your wedding here!
All content from this article, including images, cannot be reproduced without credits or written permission from SingaporeBrides.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for the latest article and promotion updates!