Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
July 2025
Nicole and Ze Hao’s Quintessential Wedding at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
In Mandarin Oriental Singapore’s pristine ballroom, Nicole and Ze Hao’s wedding showed us that a celebration doesn’t have to be unconventional to still promise a good time for one’s guests.
Still looking for a man in finance? Nicole was way ahead of the curve, bagging Ze Hao during a summer internship back in 2018. Fast forward six more years, and the finance couple got married at the recently made-over Mandarin Oriental, Singapore in October 2024—it’s almost as if the TikTok trend was inspired by them. Classic and uncomplicated, Nicole and Ze Hao’s wedding was a blissful one filled with good food, great drinks and grinning guests all around.
What is it about your partner that you love the most?
Nicole: Ze Hao is both my compass and my anchor. He’s intelligent and always helps me think clearly through tough decisions, offering thoughtful advice whenever I need it. I know I can trust him completely. He’s also wonderfully meticulous while I am more spontaneous, so we balance each other out!
Ze Hao: Her joy for life and positive energy, and how much we have in common, including a passion for fitness. I found her grit and resilience to be very admirable too.
What was the moment that made you realise that he/she was the one for you?
It wasn’t one big, defining moment—it was the countless little ones that added up over time. We simply enjoy each other’s company and can truly be ourselves when we’re together. We’ve also been each other’s strongest supporters. Our values and principles aligned well, which made it so easy to envision a life together. It was through those everyday moments of connection, support, and shared outlook that we realized we wanted to build a future together.
Tell us about your proposal.
It happened in New Zealand. I had a feeling Ze Hao might propose during one of our overseas trips, but since we had a few planned that year, I had no idea which one it would be. I asked Ze Hao before the trip and he sneakily told me that the ringmaker was not able to get the ring ready in time for the trip, so I didn’t have any expectations. But lo and behold, it happened. When I saw him down on one knee, I couldn’t hold back my tears and surprise, and my heart melted. I was so shocked that I even held out my right hand for the ring instead of my left!
Where was your wedding venue and why did you choose it?
We actually stumbled upon the venue by chance—we found out there was a wedding show happening that very day and decided to head down on a whim. At that point, we had only viewed a few venues and had more lined up in the coming weeks, but once we arrived, everything just felt right. The hotel had recently been renovated, and the overall feel impressed us. What stood out most was the food—it was important to us that our guests had a good time at our wedding, and great food and drinks were a big part of that. We also met Wen En, our coordinator, who was incredibly helpful and friendly, making us all feel at ease. With dates getting snapped up quickly, we decided to lock it in and signed right there and then, and had no regrets.
Did you have a wedding theme?
There wasn’t a specific theme, we opted for a fairly traditional Singaporean Chinese wedding banquet, partly because of our parents. But one thing we were clear about from the start was that we wanted our family and friends to have a great time. So we put a lot of thought into the planning, from organizing fun activities during the banquet to bringing in extra booze, and even hosting a karaoke afterparty which was really fun!
What was the wedding day like?
Because we wanted to have an afterparty with close friends and family, we went for a lunch banquet so that nobody would be completely exhausted before the afterparty even began. At the same time, I also wanted the full experience (including the gatecrash!), so the day started early and basically moved along without much of a break in-between. In the lead-up to the wedding, we worried about whether we could pull it all off. But on the actual day, we just trusted our amazing bridal team and focused on being present. Everything flew by in the blink of an eye, but also went smoothly thanks to our A+ bridal team, and it was the perfect day.
What did your family and friends have to say about your wedding day?
Nicole: Many guests told us it was one of the more fun weddings they’d attended—which was heartwarming since that was exactly what we hoped for. One big highlight was the live band we hired, but what really made it special was my husband’s lovely and sporting friends, who spent weeks rehearsing a surprise song dedication for us. Their performance set the tone for the afternoon and encouraged other guests to come up and sing their own dedications—it quickly turned into an impromptu concert! (Of course, the alcohol probably helped too.) Our guests also mentioned enjoying the trivia games, said the food was great and that everything was smoothly planned. It all came together to create a really joyful and memorable celebration.
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Nicole: The song dedication by my husband’s friends, and the unexpected ones that followed from family and friends.
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with other couples currently planning their wedding?
Don’t be stressed about it and enjoy the planning process! But make preparations early as certain popular vendors and venues or dates get fully booked very quickly. On the actual day, don’t fret about the schedule—just trust in your bridal team. Focus on being fully present and taking in every moment as it’s a once a lifetime experience, surrounded by all your family and friends-the day will fly by.
Did you use SingaporeBrides as a wedding resource?
Yes, the Real Weddings features were great as they gave us an idea of the kind of wedding that we wanted to have. The other resources by SingaporeBrides such as the wedding planning checklist and vendor suggestions were helpful too.
Wedding Venue: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Size of Wedding: 240
The Gown: BQueens
The Suit: Mills
The Wedding Bands: Novita Diamonds
The Wedding Photographer: Odelia Bridal
The Wedding Videographer: Elevated Productions
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: The Thread Theory
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Adele MUA
The Florist: Ace’s of Vase
The Wedding Decor: Your Event Stylist
The Photobooth: Ribbons & Twines
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
The Wedding Favours: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
The Band: Musical Touch
The Solemniser: Zenon Teh
Credits: Images by Odelia Bridal Studio
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