Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
July 2024
Elizabeth and James’s Classically Romantic, Sustainable Wedding at Shangri-La Singapore
Committed to sustainability, Elizabeth and James celebrated their love with a classic and romantic wedding at Shangri-La Singapore.
Elizabeth Mary, 30, Photographer/Videographer and James Hermanto, 30, Financial Analyst, share a love story that began in the most unexpected place—a Facebook MBTI group. On 24 May 2024, they celebrated their love with a classic, romantic wedding at Shangri-La Singapore, a venue rich in personal and historical significance. Their commitment to sustainability and meticulous planning made their special day not only beautiful but also meaningful, reflecting their values and memories.
How did you first meet?
Elizabeth: We found each other in a Facebook MBTI group. It was an international community, so the chances of meeting anyone local were pretty low. Then, on the 15th of March of 2017, during the celebration of my mom’s 46th birthday at Jamie Oliver’s, he messaged me and asked to meet up. Coincidentally, my sister and I were planning on visiting a shark exhibit at The Atlas the day after, and that was how we first met.
What do you love most about your partner?
Elizabeth: James is able to bring out the child within me. He is playful, aloof, and very carefree, which is the total opposite of me. We bonded over books, kind of like a Beauty and the Beast script. I fell in love with him after he showed me his vast library of books. We were both bookworms who always brought a good book with us wherever we went. It became a habit to continuously meet each other to discuss interesting topics in various fields. However, above all this, what made me stay in this relationship was when he introduced me to his church. It was so different from any other church I’d visited in my lifetime, and I thank God every day for entrusting me with the True Word of God.
James: It’s her ability to think in concentrated details to build a clear step-by-step approach to everything, organising at its finest to make sure we live comfortably. She’s very capable of creating a comfortable atmosphere in our room. And because of our OCD tendencies, we can agree on the most absurd things.
What was the proposal like?
James: It was simple and very on-track with the theme of our relationship. I bought her a ring, which I had done much research on, and a book entitled I’m So Happy You’re Here by Liz Climo. I then wrapped the book along with the ring and meant to surprise her with it. She really didn’t expect it. She told me she put the gift in the baggage cabinet during her flight to Jakarta without knowing I had hidden the ring inside it.
What was your wedding theme, and how did you create it?
Elizabeth: The theme was “classic romantic.” I created a mood board out of pictures I pinned on Pinterest. The main colours were emerald green, white, and Chilean pink. I tried my best to work around the selected venue. I asked myself, “How can I recreate a classic Singaporean wedding?” The venue really supported this concept. In 1971, Robert Kuok built and opened the first luxury hotel in Singapore, and Shangri-La Singapore paved the way for a new standard in Asian hospitality. It never ceases to amaze me how historically monumental it all became when I discovered this. I was more confident than ever in my decision to select Shangri-La Singapore as my wedding venue.
I also implemented a very minimalistic approach to the overall design, as I am against creating unnecessary and excessive waste. I simply used the package provided by the hotel and made the most out of it.
What elements of sustainability did you incorporate into your wedding?
Elizabeth: Environmental protection. An average wedding produces about 400 lbs of waste and 63 tons of carbon dioxide. It can be quite contradicting to proclaim our love, all the while destroying our planet. One of the most sustainable attempts I’ve implemented in my wedding is the purchase of second-hand wedding essentials and minimal use of plastic. I purchased my dresses, crown, veil, shoes, mannequin, and hair mist second-hand via online shopping platforms and avoided adding any unnecessary decor other than the fresh flowers provided by the hotel. I also invited a maximum of 120 guests to avoid excess emissions from the guests’ transportation. The most of my budget was spent on the venue, documentation, and stationery, all of which are service-based.
The only things I purchased new were my bridesmaids’ essentials, as a token of my appreciation for their tremendous contribution to my wedding. Shakespeare’s quote, “All that glitters is not gold” is very true here. From the outside, it looks like I’ve spent a fortune on everything, but the idea that things that seem valuable on the surface, like gold, is deceptive. I don’t believe that love is a matter of superficial, shiny objects; it is full of dreary things like obligation and responsibility. That said, it would, in my opinion, make more sense to use items that have intrinsic value so that after the wedding is over, I can resell them again.
Why did you choose Shangri-La Singapore for your venue and how was it working with them?
Elizabeth: Shangri-La Singapore holds a special place in my heart. Before meeting James, my mom, my aunt, and I stayed at Shangri-La Singapore’s service apartment for around five years during my uncle’s need for constant medical check-ups. So there were a lot of joyful memories shared at Shangri-La Singapore; it felt like our second home. Shangri-La Singapore was like a sanctuary in the heart of a bustling city like Singapore, with 15 acres of tropical landscaped gardens and unparalleled culinary experiences. Food was a very important matter in our decision, as almost all our family members were Chinese. We needed to think about what would suit them most, and nothing screams Chinese food more than Shangri-La Singapore. It was hard to choose anything else.
To top it off, the name “Shangri-La” was inspired by British author James Hilton’s 1933 novel entitled Lost Horizon. The author coincidentally shares the same name as my husband. Shangri-La is a fictional utopian lamasery, located in the Kunlun Mountains, a peaceful valley free of war and crime, a paradise where the world’s wisdom was stored. With this in mind, we hope that our relationship may reflect the same qualities. Another factor was that we had celebrated our engagement day at Shangri-La Singapore as well, so it fit the scenario perfectly to host our wedding day here. Plus, working with them was a breeze. Our event manager, Wen Hui, was very detailed in tending to our needs. She made sure we were equipped with the knowledge of hosting a proper wedding and provided many vendor recommendations to us. She also made herself available to us whenever we visited her abruptly. We’re truly grateful to have her on our side.
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Elizabeth: The most memorable moment for me would be the night before the day of my wedding. My bridesmaids, groomsmen, and I shared a banquet and worked really hard to set the flower bouquets together and discuss the rundown. I think part of what made the event so memorable was having them included. It still amazes me to think about how we all got together to make it work in the end, all the while still having a blast! I was also very moved by the speech my mom prepared for me in advance to speak during the time of the bride’s testimony.
At the end of the day, I believe what mattered the most was everyone’s attempt to attend our wedding, our family’s contributions, the vendors’ participation, and our friends’ dedication to help James and me conduct this wedding party smoothly.
James: Hmm, I think the most memorable time during the wedding was when we took photos together, and we both danced outside after the party.
The Size of the Wedding: 100 guests
The Cost of the Wedding: ~SGD40,000
The Venue: Shangri-La Singapore
The Wedding Day Photographer: Iluminen.Singapore
The Gown: Monique Lhuillier
The Bride’s Shoes: Dior
The Suit: Benjamin Barker
The Groom’s Shoes: Benjamin Barker
The Engagement Ring: Meyson
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Beauty Without Filter
The Wedding Cake: Shangri-La Singapore
The Wedding Planner: Bride
The Videographer: PPF (Past, Present, Future)
The Wedding Keepsake: Truffypi
The Wedding Invitations & Stationery: Bride and her sister
The Wedding Favours: Shangri-La Singapore
The Solemniser: Mdm Phang Koei Hiong, BBM, PBM
Credits: Images by Iluminen.Singapore
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!