Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
September 2024
Priscilla and Shanosh’s Joyful and Heartwarming Wedding at Thomson Road Baptist Church
Fun-loving and full of laughter, Priscilla and Shanosh wanted their big day to be a representation of themselves, and that resulted in a fun and cosy celebration with all whom they loved.
It was destiny that Priscilla, 34, Creative Specialist, and Shanosh, 37, Software Engineer, first connected at a close friend’s wedding. A month or two after their first meeting, Shanosh asked her out on a date. The rest, as they say, is history. The lovebirds started planning their wedding after a private and surprise proposal, intent on keeping their wedding focused on the celebration of their selves, love and loved ones. And their wedding was exactly that – a celebration that was full of life, laughter and love.
Share with us your story. How did the two of you meet?
Priscilla: We first met at a close friend’s 50-person wedding during COVID-19. We had mutual church friends and knew of each other then, but never really got to talk properly till Shanosh initiated a conversation that day.
Shanosh: A month or two later, I found her on a dating app and it was only then that I asked her out.
What drew you to each other?
Priscilla: He was bearded, dark, handsome and kind, but it took me a while to realise that. He was the first person I dated in quite a while, so at the start, I saw more differences in tastes, cultures and energy levels. However, over time, my perspective changed the more we hung out and saw more similarities in values, attitudes and how we approached life.
Shanosh: It’s her bubbly, spontaneous, fun spirit. It seemed like it was easy to talk to her and we had a lot of things to talk about whenever we hung out. We also had a number of hobbies in common which made things exciting.
What did you love the most about each other?
Shanosh: Her kindness. She is always thoughtful and goes the extra mile to make people feel special. Her spontaneity brings a lot of fun into the relationship.
Priscilla: He’s very patient and kind to me, and has healthy communication patterns and boundaries that allow me to be my best self. His calming presence made me feel secure, and his patience allowed us to navigate our differences, which is so common and normal in relationships.
What was the proposal like?
Shanosh: I wanted the ring and the proposal to be a surprise. I started on the design of the ring which took a couple of months and had a lot of fun trying to bring in elements and details that mattered to us. However, it was also very scary as I didn’t know if she would like the final product.
Since getting the ring, I was carrying it around waiting for a good moment as I knew she didn’t want a public or common proposal. We ended up hiking up a mountain which we didn’t plan on and arrived at this beautiful place that was so cooling and refreshing. The view was amazing – there was nobody at all and we had the place to ourselves, so I decided to seize the moment and pop the question.
Priscilla: I was definitely not expecting it at all. I paused for what felt like 10 seconds on that extremely windy mountain crevice, until he asked again.
Tell us about your pre-wedding shoot. Did you have a particular theme/look that you wanted for the shoot? Walk us through your pre-wedding shoot. What was it like that day and did you have fun?
Priscilla: I loved every part of shooting with Gloria! I’ve helped out at a number of weddings and wasn’t looking to do the usual sweet things that weddings were known to be. Both of us sat down to talk about what was important to us and what we wanted to see happen for our wedding, and knew we wanted the day of and all our photoshoots to be “us”. Gloria was so fun and wild honestly. She was definitely the unconventional crazy friend we’re so blessed to encounter!
The first pre-wedding shoot was with our entire bridal party of close friends because we knew we might not be able to find a time at the wedding to have our favourite people together. It was a challenge to find a theme for 12 people, but the goal was to have lots of fun, make it colourful, and I really wanted to have confetti. All our friends delivered. They came in the brightest piece in their wardrobe and all were so game to try whatever seriously fun poses Gloria suggested to do. We all laughed so much honestly, and our introverted friends and my dear introverted husband-to-be also got really comfortable!
The second part of our pre-wedding shoot was a couple shoot done in our wedding outfits at the hotel we booked for after the wedding, Labrador Villa, which was previously Villa Samadhi. We wanted to have the shoot after we’d finished all the busy things for the wedding, so that we can be at rest and just enjoy being so in love in that moment. Also, I wanted Shanosh to see me in my wedding dress for the first time at the altar, so we didn’t take any photos in our wedding attire before that. So, these photos serve to immortalise our journey of getting the dress, the suit, the veil, the wedding bouquet and the boutonnière in the most restful way. Honestly, it was the best decision we made.
Share with us any obstacles or funny moments you’ve encountered during the shoot.
Priscilla: 12 people coming physically next to each other, wearing hand socks with little magnet hands, while kneeling down to hide our heads below a sofa, for a photo, was impossible! That was the first photo Gloria tried and we almost all died, laughing and sweating and just trying to figure out how to actually do that. But besides that, it was chill – I saw a reference on Pinterest and knew I wanted everyone to have coloured glasses so I ordered that online in advance and bought confetti to test it out for the wedding.
If you could share three pieces of advice about pre-wedding shoots with couples who will be embarking on theirs, what would it be?
Both: First, talk to each other about what is important to each of you because it could be different. It might be uncomfortable for the other person, and you always want to be on the same page. Even if it takes time, it’s absolutely worth it. Next, find a photographer who gets your vibe and whom you like – that made all the difference for us. We were willing to try what she suggested and she was open to try what we wanted! It was the best combination! Last but not least, don’t be afraid of being you! The props we used were mostly things I found I my house because that were things that were the most me.
Take us back to your wedding day. What was the day like, and how were you feeling?
Both: We were married at Thomson Road Baptist Church. We thought it was a great location for our family and friends, will a hall that was big enough to host a buffet for all of them. The sanctuary also felt cosy and airy with the natural light. Theme wise, we didn’t exactly have one in mind, but I really like tanacetums and Shanosh had added one into my engagement ring, so I thought it was only fitting to have that as the main motif for our wedding, and I simply added colours as I felt right. I didn’t want to overspend on the decor as the wedding would only be for a day, so I decided to DIY the bigger decor items months in advance.
Shanosh: On the actual wedding day, we decided not to do a gatecrash and the tea ceremony in the morning as Chinese customs go, so it was nice to have enough rest. Yet, we wanted our families to be involved so we arranged the program such that they could walk down the aisle with the groom and then before the bride.
Priscilla: Our preparations started the night before when we were setting up the church with close friends. On our wedding day, it felt so so lovely to walk down the aisle seeing them all. I thought I’d be nervous, but it felt so comfortable and I was so touched to see everyone I loved all in one place. It wasn’t about the planning or decor anymore.
What did your family/friends have to say about your wedding day?
Both: They all said they enjoyed the wedding and the food, and it was light hearted and fun. And, that it was so “us”. That made me feel the most thankful and happy that we didn’t have to pretend, and we could be ourselves for such a big event.
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding.
Shanosh: From the start, she wanted to keep her wedding gown a surprise, and so meeting at the aisle was our first time seeing each other that day. It was surreal seeing my bride walk down the aisle in her wedding gown for the first time ever.
Priscilla: When the doors opened and my dad walked me down the aisle, I started tearing seeing my friends tear at their seats. The next most memorable moment was when my dad choked up while he passed my hand to Shanosh, telling him to take care of me.
What is one lesson you’ve learned from your wedding planning that you’d like to share with other couples?
Shanosh: While it is good to be in sync with all the decisions and plan ahead, your first major project together is not the most important thing about your relationship. Try not to make every time you hang out about wedding planning. Learn to remember to do the little things to love on each other, and date your future wife.
Priscilla: For the girls, remember that despite all your years of dreaming about your wedding, this is not just your wedding, but your soon-to-be-husband’s wedding too. It’s a day to celebrate you and your partner coming together forever, in the presence of your family and friends. So, there’s no one to impress and nothing to prove.
The Pre-Wedding Shoot Venue: Vico Studio
The Wedding Venue: Thomson Road Baptist Church
Cost of Wedding: $28,000
Size of Wedding: 200
The Bride’s Outfit: Primark (Pre-Wedding Shoot) / Beau by Frieda Brides (Wedding Gown)
The Bride’s Shoes: Ecco boots
The Groom’s Outfit: Uniqlo (Pre-Wedding Shoot) / Men’s Tradition (Wedding Suit)
The Groom’s Shoes: Aldo
The Engagement Ring: Artemis Rings
The Wedding Bands: Poh Kim Diamond
The Pre-Wedding and Wedding Photographer: Gloria from Fleurandcraft
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Assorted
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Kacey Teh – Makeup & Hair
The Caterer: Sam’s Curry, Divine Artisan
The Florist and Event Stylist: Bride and friends
The Wedding Favours: Handmade chocolates
The Band: Bride’s friends
The Solemniser: Ps Louis Teng from New Creation Church
Rental Plants: Dreamscaper.sg
Buffet Equipment Rental: Aida Event Rentals
The Wedding Resource: SingaporeBrides
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