Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
May 2026
Cassandra and Aloysious’s Beautiful Wedding Celebration at Mandarin Oriental Singapore
From a serendipitous swipe on a dating app to a surprise-filled proposal on the shores of Bali, Cassandra and Aloysious’s love story came full circle with a heartfelt celebration at Mandarin Oriental Singapore.
After matching in 2018, 29-year-old Cassandra Lim and 30-year-old Aloysious Lee quickly discovered a connection that flowed effortlessly. What began as easy, free-flowing conversations soon turned into spontaneous dinners in Holland Village, and just a month later, they made things official. Years on, a thoughtfully orchestrated proposal in Bali marked the next chapter of their journey, setting the stage for a celebration that felt entirely their own at Mandarin Oriental Singapore, where they exchanged vows surrounded by the love and joy of family and friends.
Share your story with us. How did the two of you meet?
Cassandra: We met on a dating app back in 2018, when he came over to the National University of Singapore to study with a friend at U Town. After a while they probably got bored, and went on the dating app. Coincidentally, I was in Raffles Hall doing the same and we matched. We spoke for a few weeks before meeting each other super randomly for dinner at Holland Village, and we’ve never looked back since! We dated for over a month before he asked me to be his girlfriend at Sentosa.
What drew you to each other?
Cassandra: I think for me, it was just how easy it was to talk to him. Our conversation flowed so freely and I just kept wanting to spend time with him. It was the same for him too!
What is it about your partner that you love the most?
Cassandra: I love that I don’t have to pretend when I’m around him. I can just be as goofy as I want to be, and same for him. We always have open conversations with each other about everything we’re facing, and always face situations together as a couple.
What was the moment that made you realise that he/she was the one for you?
Cassandra: For me, I already knew there was something special about this guy when we first started talking online, and that feeling only deepened when we finally met in person. For him, it clicked a while after that!
Tell us about your proposal.
Cassandra: Aloysious started planning in October 2024 and eventually settled on Bali as it was where we celebrated our first anniversary together. He even sought the help of my best friend with a Balinese boyfriend to coordinate the proposal. The actual proposal took place on 25 May, 2025. He planned and booked us on a seven day trip without my knowledge. He even applied for leave on my behalf with my bosses secretly!
On the day itself, he took me shopping at La Brisa, got me a cup of matcha and acted with our driver to “find” a black beach to visit, when it was where he was planning to propose to me. Once we arrived at the beach, he excused himself by saying he needed to go to the toilet, which was something he always does when we’re out. Unbeknownst to me, he actually went to look for the photographers and videographers to get prepared for the proposal! He returned shortly and offered to take a photo of my back view against the sunset, which again, was something he usually does, so I didn’t have any suspicions.
When he said “Babe, turn around”, I saw him on one knee. My first reaction was to laugh, because I got shy when I saw so many photographers and videographers around! Then, I laughed at him because both his knees wrecked black with sand. After he successfully proposed, we had a surprise photoshoot at the beach and it was perfect. We celebrated at Atlas Beach Club and returned to the hotel, where I was surprised with the nicest bouquet of flowers ever. That was not the last surprise he had planned for me though. While we were winding down for the day, our doorbell rang and my best friend, who had flown in just to surprise me, and her boyfriend was there with a cake for me! It was truly surprise after surprise that day.
Did you know a proposal was coming before it happened, or were you taken completely by surprise?
Cassandra: I knew it was a proposal trip because coincidentally, the company I was working for back then was going to close down, which meant that the Human Resource department had to let me know my actual last day would not be the same as everyone else, since Aloysious had secretly taken leave on my behalf. However, I didn’t know where or when the proposal was going to happen. Regardless, I truly appreciated every single detail he had planned for me. It was the perfect trip for a guy that doesn’t like to plan surprises at all.
Take us back to your wedding day: What was your wedding planning like?
Cassandra: Our wedding planning started out as more of a practical decision. We were set to collect our house keys in the second quarter of 2026, so in late 2024, I had asked Aloysious if he wanted to get married in 2025 or 2026. We thought about it and even went to ask for auspicious wedding dates, and eventually decided 2025 would be better since it would not clash with house renovations. So, we started venue hunting first. After visiting a handful of venues, we eventually fell in love with Mandarin Oriental Singapore, especially their menu! We were sold when we saw a chili crab mantou dish on their wedding menu, plus there were many good perks that convinced us that they were the perfect venue for us.
What was your wedding day like?
Cassandra: It started off really early for me because of hair and makeup, but I was feeling excited, nervous and just really happy that the day had finally come. It was also an extremely sentimental emotion to feel because we both couldn’t believe that after matching on a dating app seven years ago, we were now finally going to be husband and wife. The whole day flew by super quick, but I remember always being present and just enjoying every single moment with each other and our loved ones.
What did your family/friends have to say about your wedding day?
Cassandra: Everyone was raving about the food. That’s our biggest flex I think—up until now, I get comments on how good the food was! Our close friends who were helping us with the AV and coordination also kept saying how good the service was at Mandarin Oriental Singapore. Everyone was also having a blast.
Share with us the most memorable moment of your wedding.
Cassandra: During our march-in, not only did we have the usual flower petals, bubble guns, but my dad and brother bought extra confetti for each table to pop. By the time we got to the stage, we were covered in confetti. I was laughing all the way! Also during the yum seng, you can clearly see both fathers having a bonding moment with each other on stage. For me, one memorable moment was when one of my close friends helped to change me into my dress before the ceremony and march-in. Due to the corset back, she had to go under the dress to adjust the corset ties, and it was simply hilarious!
What is one lesson you’ve learned from your wedding planning that you’d like to share with other couples?
Cassandra: I am quite a planner, so I booked everything in advance to make sure the vendors I wanted were secured. However, for makeup because I had a bad makeup trial, I had to scramble to find another makeup artist nearer to the wedding date, and by then almost everyone was full! Luckily, Cherie was available and saved the day for me. Next, remember to keep a schedule of every single event that will happen for every person involved in the wedding. I did that on a main excel sheet, and also briefed each person on their roles, with pictures I took at the venue. On the day, there were zero issues at all and we just focused on having fun!
The Venue: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Cost of Wedding: $50,000+
Size of Wedding: 140 guests
The Gown: Kin Bridal (Morning Dress), Bridefully Yours (Ceremony Dress), Rico-A-Mona (Banquet Dress)
The Bride’s Shoes: Gazelle by by Debby Hardinata
The Suit: The Gown Forestry
The Groom’s Shoes: Benjamin Barker
The Wedding Photographer and Videographer: Highest Kite Weddings
The Engagement Ring: JannPaul Diamonds
The Wedding Bands: Sam & J Fine Jewellery
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Cherie Tay Makeup
The Florist: The Memory Supply (solemnisation floral arch, reception photo gallery), FARM Florist (Bouquet)
The Video Guest Book: Hayati Tales
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: W For Wedding
The Wedding Favours: W For Wedding
The Solemniser: New Creation Church Pastor Ronald
The Wedding Resource: SingaporeBrides
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