Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
October 2026
Shiyin and Wei Xiong’s Timeless Garden Wedding at Raffles Singapore
Full of laughter, spontaneity, and the comfort of being completely themselves, Wei Xiong and Shiyin found in each other not just a partner, but a best friend to do life with.
What started with a match on a dating app, a Brooklyn Nine-Nine line, and a first date over hotpot quickly blossomed into something neither Wei Xiong nor Shiyin could resist. Drawn to each other’s humour, kindness, and authenticity, their connection deepened through the countless little moments of showing up for one another and learning how to love each other better. Years later, Wei Xiong brought one of Shiyin’s biggest dreams to life with a romantic proposal in the rolling hills of Tuscany. For their wedding, the couple carried a little of that magic home, bringing the romance of a Tuscan garden to the timeless European elegance of Raffles Singapore.
Share with us your story.
Wei Xiong: We met on a dating app towards the end of 2021. She said “hi”, and I sent her a line from the drama Brooklyn Ninety Nine, then I lured her into going out with me by asking her out for her favourite food: hotpot. She tried to avoid the date by telling me she was moving house when she had actually already moved in a week earlier. I thought the connection was over when she pushed it back by a week, but she could not resist the combination of my good looks and hotpot, and that was the start of our whirlwind romance!
Shiyin: I definitely agree with this statement—“could not resist the combination of my good looks and hotpot”.
What drew you to each other?
Wei Xiong: She is unapologetically herself, authentic and super fun to be around. What drew me in after that first dinner was how quickly she stopped “performing”, and I loved that she was comfortable around me to do that so quickly, so I knew that she was genuine about our connection. At the risk of sounding superficial, she was wearing the most beautiful red dress that captivated my attention on our first date, and I was so starstruck, I even fumbled while saying “hi” when she waved at me first.
Shiyin: He has the kindest heart and is the funniest person I know. From the moment we met, we clicked instantly and he has been making me laugh ever since.
What do you love most about each other?
Wei Xiong: Shiyin has an infectious energy that manifests itself in random ad-libs. She is my favourite travel partner and also my best friend whom I share the joys and sorrows of life with everyday. What I am proudest of is that both of us show up every day trying to be better partners, and trying to love and listen in the way the other person actually wants to be loved and listened to. She also has the kindest and purest heart, something that she shows only to the closest ones to her, and they show up in the smallest of gestures and comments. I love her spontaneity and the fact that we can be having fun doing just about doing anything.
Shiyin: My favourite trait is his special ability to detect my every mood and emotion, and to match my energy 100% at every given moment. He always gives me a safe space for me to showcase all my quirks and I feel that there is no one in the world that knows me better than him. Wei Xiong is also one of the kindest and most considerate people I know. He is always looking out for others and how they feel. Not to mention he absolutely spoils me. I have become even more of a princess after enjoying princess treatment for the past five years!
What was the moment that made you realise that he/she was the one for you?
Wei Xiong: There wasn’t one moment but a build-up of hundreds of small ones where I watched how she carried her strength and her care at the same time, even and especially during the difficult ones. Somewhere in there I realised I had found someone worth fighting for every day. Shiyin is someone whom you can connect with very quickly if you vibe, and I happen to be the luckiest one to be able to share my life with her.
Shiyin: For me, it was also through the small moments, and the many passing days where Wei Xiong consistently showed up with his love and commitment. I distinctly remember there was one day, early on in the relationship, when we were talking about our dreams and ambition, and Wei Xiong said “I want to do well in life not simply for the sake of doing well, but to give you the life that you deserve”. That moment took me by surprise, because I had never expected that he was planning the rest of his life with me as his priority. That was the moment I knew that I had found my anchor in life and my forever person.
Wei Xiong, tell us about the proposal. How did you go about planning it?
I knew from our previous conversations that Shiyin’s dream proposal location was in Tuscany, Italy and I wanted it to be something very special for her, one that will amaze both her and all of our friends. I first picked a very private villa that sat on a picturesque hill and had an amazing view of the iconic Tuscany cypress trees, and contacted them six months in advance to inform them of my upcoming proposal, and any quality local vendors they personally have worked with or knew.
I even got my friends to look at the physical 3D google map to brainstorm how exactly the proposal should be positioned and the route that Shiyin would take leading up to the proposal location. Shiyin loved flowers (as evidenced by her monthly flower deliveries) and so I knew that it needed to be something luxurious, beautiful and grand. I even told her to prepare herself everyday for two to three days just so that it would be a surprise! (she was not very happy about this because she went through an emotional rollercoaster everyday, thinking that the proposal would be happening on that day, only to be faked out).
Challenges wise, I think it went fairly smoothly, other than the fact that the weather was a little unpredictable and it even rained the day before I was actually planning to propose, the wind was putting the candles out, the phone on which I planted to monitor Shiyin’s movements ran out of battery halfway, and lastly, the cello and violinists came only five minutes before the actual proposal (which gave me a heart attack). But all in all, it went smoothly and I could tell Shiyin was very happy about it.
Shiyin, did you know a proposal was coming before it happened, or were you taken completely by surprise?
Shiyin: Yes, I knew the proposal was coming the moment he said we were going to Tuscany. But I was surprised by how elaborate the trip and the proposal was, and the fact that he hired a string quartet!! Before that, I wasn’t even sure he knew what a string quartet was. It was truly so perfect and the proposal of my dreams.
What was your wedding planning like?
Both: The wedding planning process was split into two stages. One and a half years before our actual day, Shiyin had already shortlisted some of her favourite wedding vendors (who were very popular), so we booked them well in advance. We also booked our venue a year before our wedding date. After that, there was a long pause where we both procrastinated and forgot about wedding planning. Then, three months before our wedding, we started scrambling to get everything in order and iron out all the tiny details (which we didn’t know there were so many to think of). Thankfully, we engaged our wedding planner, Manna Weddings, who steadily tided us through this period while calming us through this anxiety inducing time.
We wanted the wedding to feel timeless yet modern, and like we brought the gardens of Tuscany to Singapore. Raffles Singapore was always our dream venue in terms of aesthetics given its timeless, European charm. Beyond that, we’ve always heard great things about their world-class service, and the hotel and their staff did not fail to impress. We also considered a few venues as back ups.
Wei Xiong: The full credit has to be given to Shiyin because she spent a lot of time and effort curating the flower decorations, the table setting, and the design of the wedding invitations. We also wanted to make the guests entrance to be as grand as possible so we had a string quartet welcoming the guests as they were entering the ballroom.
The one thing we insisted on was a matcha bar during the reception, as Shiyin and her best friend started their own matcha brand, Koen. Having our guests drink something that was close to our hearts before dinner meant a lot to us.
What was your wedding day like and how were you feeling?
Wei Xiong:Happiness, anxiety, fear and excitement all turned up at once and none of them took turns. The day itself went by in a blur. For long stretches I was on autopilot, running on pure adrenaline and moving from one segment to the next without ever quite catching up to myself. Everyone tells you to slow down and take it in, and I understand now why nobody manages it.
What kept me upright was simple. Every time I looked over, Shiyin was there. Whatever was coming next on the run sheet, I knew I wasn’t walking into it alone, and that was enough to carry me through the day.
Shiyin: Our wedding day began on a playful note with a lively gatecrash, complete with an “unlimited Amex Black Card” that Wei Xiong had to sign to fund my shopping for life! After all the laughter, we shared a quiet and intimate letter reading together, which gave us a precious moment to slow down and take everything in. Our tea ceremonies followed and were especially meaningful to me, as many of my relatives had travelled from China to celebrate with us.
We had planned for an outdoor solemnisation, but with the rain still falling just hours before the ceremony, we had to decide whether to move indoors. We chose to hold onto our dream of saying “I do” on the lawn, and thankfully, the skies cleared just in time, and we were able to exchange our vows outdoors, surrounded by the people we loved, exactly as we had imagined.
I had a lot of emotions and crying but, surprisingly, no jitters at all on the wedding day! I was so excited to see everything we planned for come to fruition and to walk down the aisle.
What did your family/friends have to say about your wedding day?
Wei Xiong: A few of them said that walking into the banquet hall felt like stepping into Gardens by the Bay. They were greeted through their eyes and their nose before anyone had said a word to them, and several people stood at the entrance taking photos before they even found their tables.
What they kept coming back to afterwards was how considered it all was, that every part of the night ran the way it was meant to and nothing felt rushed or left to chance. And nobody went home hungry. By the end of the night, every belly in the room was full and overflowing.
Shiyin: Everyone said that it was beautiful and well planned. We had prepared heartfelt thank-you speeches, each one personally tailored to our guests. My parents were deeply touched, and told us it was such a special gesture to receive. Hearing this meant a great deal to me. As an only child, I wanted our wedding to be not only a celebration of the union of Wei Xiong and me, but also a chance to honour our parents, so their reaction made the moment all the more meaningful.
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding.
Wei Xiong: There are so many! But if I am forced to choose, the most memorable moment was being greeted by our bridal party and relatives during the bride fetching part of the day as both Shiyin and I came downstairs in our Ma Kua costumes (for context, Shiyin is second generation Singaporean and her relatives flew in from China specially for our wedding so I felt a great sense of pride and also happiness that I could honour her entire family in grace and style).
Shiyin: The most memorable moment of the day for me was walking down the aisle with my father to Wei Xiong. Like many Asian parents, my father isn’t one to show his emotions openly, and he tends to express his love through quiet actions rather than words. So, seeing him choked up as he gave me away caught me completely off guard. In that moment, everything I had been looking forward to suddenly felt real, and it is a moment that I will treasure for the rest of my life.
What is one lesson you’ve learned from your wedding planning that you’d like to share with other couples?
Wei Xiong: Always plan early, write your vows and speeches early to give yourself more time to really think about what you would like to say so that you can convey your most heartfelt emotions. If you are planning an intricate wedding that requires many moving parts, do seriously consider hiring a wedding coordinator or planner—they are professionals who can guide and be a calming voice in the chaotic period leading up to your big day!
Shiyin: Finish all your to-dos and last minute tasks two days before the wedding. The pre-wedding period is often busy and hectic, especially if you are also doing renovations at the same time. Free up the day before the wedding so that you give yourself time to unwind and reset, and fully in the head space to soak up all the moments of the wedding day!
The Venue: Raffles Singapore
Cost of Wedding: Approximately $200,000
Size of Wedding: 250 guests
The Bride’s Gown: The Ivory Bridal
The Qun Kua and Ma Kua: The Red Wedding
The Groom’s Suit: Rajawongse Clothier
The Groom’s Shoes: Todds
The Wedding Photographer: Maritha Mae Photography
The Wedding Videographer: Sloth Creatives
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Candy T. Makeup Artistry
The Groomsmen’s Suit: Ron Tailor, Rajawonse Clothier
The Florist and Stylist: FLOUR
The Planner: Manna Weddings
The Photobooth: Gai Fong Studios
The Matcha Bar: Sip Koen
The Canapés: Baker & Cook
The String Quartet: Vetta Quartet
The Solemniser: Dr. Shirley Low
The Wedding Car: WeddingCarz
The Wedding Resource: SingaporeBrides
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