Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
September 2025
Hui Xian and Keith’s Studio Ghibli-Inspired Wedding at Andaz Singapore
This was no ordinary nature-themed wedding. Scenes from legendary Studio Ghibli films such as “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Howl’s Moving Castle” set the stage for Hui Xian and Keith’s fairytale beginning at Andaz Singapore.
A shared appreciation for Japanese art, culture and storytelling was what inspired Hui Xian and Keith when it came to their once-in-a-lifetime event. After all, no wedding theme could be more romantic than one that’s based on a common childhood interest uniting the newlyweds. The Glasshouse at Andaz Singapore was transformed into none other but the immersive and magical world of Studio Ghibli, with scene-influenced floral styling by Liz Florals.
How did the two of you meet?
We met through student organization activities back in our polytechnic days. We played Monopoly together when we met for the first time, during which Keith “scammed” Hui Xian of 5 million dollars!
What is it about your partner that you love the most?
Keith: She always does her best, is an amazingly supportive partner and has a silly and quirky side that makes me feel really comfortable around her.
Hui Xian: He loves animals and is amazingly patient and kind—he fed a stray cat every night for almost two years before we finally were able to adopt her. Her name is Mochi!
What was the moment that made you realise that he/she was the one for you?
Hui Xian: There wasn’t one specific moment, but more of a gradual realisation that he is the one who truly understands me and the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Keith: We’ve been through many ups and downs, and different phases and milestones together that I just couldn’t imagine life without her.
Tell us about your proposal.
Keith: I proposed to Hui Xian at a viewpoint overlooking Cape Kamui in Hokkaido, Japan. No photographers or people around, just the ocean, the sky and us. The ring was designed by me—a two-band ring of different metals, rose gold and silver, intertwining in a wave motif. It symbolises Hui Xian’s love for flowing water and ocean waves, as it gives her feelings of calmness and happiness. It’s also a promise from me to Hui Xian, to weather all of life’s waves together. The ring features three diamonds, representing me, Hui Xian and the cats we would both adopt in our home. Yes, we love cats.
Where was your wedding venue and why did you choose it as the place to wed?
We had our wedding at Andaz Singapore and chose it for The Glasshouse, which has floor-to-ceiling windows and let in tons of natural light, perfect for a lunch wedding. It was also a bit difficult to find a venue that could accommodate the number of guests that we wanted, as most were either too small or we weren’t able to hit the minimum headcount, but The Glasshouse was the perfect size for our guest list.
Tell us more about your Studio Ghibli wedding theme! How did you achieve it?
We communicated with our florist, Liz, and showed her screencaps from the films. As Andaz also provided some florals, we tried to marry the styles so that it would blend seamlessly.
Do you both have a favourite Studio Ghibli movie?
Hui Xian: We’ve always liked various Japanese culture and media. I grew up with Studio Ghibli films—my first film was “My Neighbour Totoro” dubbed in Cantonese—and we watched quite a few together while we were dating. Keith likes the whimsical, otherworldly onsen town setting of “Spirited Away”, while I love all the movies, with “Kiki’s Delivery Service” being my favourite.
Were there particular moments, scenes or elements from the Ghibli universe that you tried to recreate or incorporate in the wedding?
We went for a wildflower floral theme inspired by the flower fields and gardens of Studio Ghibli movies, particularly the scene from “Howl’s Moving Castle” where Howl brings Sophie to his childhood refuge filled with fields of flowers and ponds, the garden of the house where Shun and Arietty live in “Arietty”, and the front yard of Kiki’s house in “Kiki’s Delivery Service”. Our amazing friend also handmade a huge latch hook piece for us inspired by the Ghibli scenes. It took her months to complete and it was proudly displayed at our reception table along with our photobook! We love the little soot sprites!
How did this theme reflect your relationship?
Honestly, we just went with what felt most like “us”. We wanted to incorporate the things that we love for our big day and share them with our guests. We’re also kids at heart with Ghibli films being a big comfort growing up, and we’ve rewatched them numerous times so the whole atmosphere felt like a warm, nostalgic hug.
What was the day like and how were you feeling?
To be honest, both of us were anxious and nervous beyond measure! We held our solemnization the day before the lunch banquet so it was a two-day wedding, which meant double the planning. We went from fretting about whether all the details were covered and whether everything was in place from before the wedding right down to the last minute, to our minds going blank from the anxiety once the wedding started—we were relying entirely on cues from our coordinators, groomsmen and bridesmaids! We were so fortunate and thankful that they were impeccable and amazing in supporting us and helping us ensure that everything went according to schedule smoothly. Looking back, with how the wedding turned out in the end, it felt good and we are really proud of everyone and our preparations as well.
What did your family and friends have to say about your wedding day?
They enjoyed it very much! They loved the food and atmosphere, and felt that the overall theme really reflected us as a couple.
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding?
It was when we were walking down the aisle, seeing all the people from different parts of our lives who gathered together to celebrate our marriage. It was emotional for sure!
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with other couples currently planning their wedding?
Start planning early—it takes time and effort for plans to come together. Don’t try to shoulder everything by yourselves, get help and delegate if you need to! There may be a point in time where you might second-guess if the preparations are enough despite having prepared. Just go with the flow, things will work out fine.
Did you use SingaporeBrides as a wedding resource?
We read articles just like this one, to see real couples’ reviews about wedding venues and for inspiration on decor and styling!
The Venue: The Glasshouse, Andaz Singapore
Cost of Wedding: ~$83k (~$56k for banquet)
Size of Wedding: 215 guests
The Gown: Alerisa
The Bride’s Shoes: PrettyFIT
The Suit: The Gentlemen’s Atelier, Stitched Custom
The Groom’s Shoes: Rad Russel
The Wedding Bands: Michael Trio
The Wedding Photographer: Iki Company
The Wedding Videographer: Wemerrygoround
The Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bridemaids’ own
The Groomsmen’s Suits: Groomsmen’s own
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Iheartblooms
The Caterer: Andaz Singapore
The Florist: Liz Florals
The Event Stylist: Gethitched (photo gallery and aisle runner)
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Pine on Paper
The Wedding Favours: cat-themed items from Taobao, newsletter designed by couple, tea leaves provided by Andaz Singapore
The Solemniser: JP Zenon Teh
The Wedding Car: Perfect Wedding Cars
The Pre-wedding Photography & Videography: The Sanren
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