Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
July 2026
Marcella and Daniel’s Modern Oriental Wedding at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Marcella and Daniel’s wedding festivities at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore paid tribute to their ethnic heritage, as well as their family and friends who were gathered in celebration.
A wedding featuring a festive lion dance and reimagined versions of classic Cantonese tunes at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore was very on-brand for Marcella and Daniel, who wished to honour their heritage through every detail of the celebrations. But more than just an experiential occasion, the day was an opportunity for them to acknowledge the importance of every guest who had played a part in their lives, and elements such as personalised letters conveyed the couple’s genuine, heartfelt sentiments to each and every one who was present.
What is it about your partner that you love the most?
Marcella: What I love most about him is how patient and caring he is. He’s always cooking the most interesting dishes for me, and he’s constantly up for trying new experiences, whether it’s discovering a new hobby like tennis or yoga, exploring a new restaurant, or travelling together. Life with him is never boring!
Daniel: Mars brings out the best in me, she taught me how to love and how to be loved. She is always thinking about others and putting others before herself. Just spending time doing anything with her makes me happy.
What was the moment that made you realise that he or she was the one for you?
Marcella: I knew he was the one when I saw how fiercely he held on to our relationship, no matter what challenges came our way. Through every obstacle, he never gave up on us. Instead, he was always there to work through every problem together, believing that as long as we loved each other, we could figure anything out. That unwavering commitment made me realise I want to spend my life with him.
Tell us about your proposal.
Marcella: We had planned a three-week European getaway, our own little sweet escape to Italy and Switzerland. Little did I know, Daniel had already secretly bought the ring (without us ever going ring-shopping together!) and had even booked a photographer to capture the proposal. But here’s the funny part, I accidentally ruined my own surprise!
After attending a friend’s wedding, I fell in love with their photos and started following a Singaporean photographer, AmberShots, who happened to be looking to shoot couples in Italy! I thought it would be such a great idea to have our own couple shoot that we could use for our wedding someday, so I reached out to book her. Daniel had to quietly cancel his original photographer and secretly work with AmberShots instead to keep his proposal plan alive.
Daniel: On 4th August, our third dating anniversary, we spent the day hiking through the breathtaking Dolomites in Italy while Chanxi (Ambershots) captured photos of us along the way. After the hike, Mars was completely convinced the day was over—she had even started removing her make-up and fell asleep in the car as we drove back to the hotel. Then, I suddenly pulled into a helipad.
There was a huge helicopter waiting, and Mars was so confused. I casually told her that I “won a lucky draw at Changi Airport” for a helicopter ride and wanted to include it as part of our photoshoot. We took off and flew over the spectacular Dolomites, soaking in the incredible views, before landing at Tre Cime di Lavaredo. That’s when I got down on one knee. We both cried happy tears, and after I asked the question, her first response wasn’t even “yes”. Instead, it was “What took you so long?”
Where was your wedding venue and why did you choose it?
We celebrated our wedding at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, and from the very beginning, we knew we were in good hands. We tasted Mandarin Oriental’s food from a friend’s wedding and it was exceptional, and the service from the entire team was simply impeccable.
One of the moments that really stood out happened before we had even booked the venue. We were shopping around Suntec City one day and decided, very last-minute, to see if we could pop by for a hotel tour. We reached out to Wen En on short notice, and he immediately arranged everything for us. That level of warmth, flexibility, and genuine hospitality gave us such a great first impression, and it only got better from there.
Did you have a wedding theme? If yes, what was it and how did you achieve it?
We wanted every detail to feel intentional, so we carefully curated each element to bring our Modern Oriental theme to life. From the bright, rich colour palette, to elegant floral arrangements, to our guests’ dress code. Everything was designed to create a cohesive look and atmosphere. We also blended tradition with contemporary touches throughout the celebration. A lively lion dance brought vibrant energy to the day, while classic Cantonese songs were reimagined with modern arrangements, creating a nostalgic yet fresh ambience. Even our stationery, table styling, and décor followed the same design language, so every part of the wedding felt thoughtfully connected. It wasn’t just the décor—the theme was carried through every touchpoint of the wedding. From our wedding invitations and menu selection, to our outfits, photo backdrop, table styling, and the overall guest experience, everything was thoughtfully tied back to our Modern Oriental vision. The result was a celebration that honoured our heritage in a way that felt stylish, personal, and unmistakably us.
What was your wedding day like?
Without a doubt, it was the best day of our lives. From our church ceremony to the tea ceremony and finally our wedding dinner, we were overwhelmed with so much love, joy, and gratitude. We both cried… a lot! It was incredibly emotional seeing all the people we love gathered in one place, celebrating this new chapter with us.
One of the most meaningful things we did was write a personalised letter to every single one of our guests—yes, all 250 of them. Each guest also received a printed photo of one of our favourite memories with them. Our philosophy was simple: if someone was important enough to be invited to our wedding, then they had undoubtedly played a meaningful role in our lives. We wanted them to know exactly why they mattered to us, to remind them of a special memory we shared, and to thank them for taking the time to celebrate one of the biggest days of our lives.
We had guests who travelled from overseas to be with us, and one of our favourite memories was watching everyone arrive at the banquet hall and discover their letters with their names on it. Some teared up as they read them, while others burst into laughter reliving the memories we’d written about. Before the celebrations had even begun, the room was already filled with conversations, hugs, laughter, and happy tears.
Looking back, it was one of the best decisions we made. It set the tone for the entire wedding and made every guest feel genuinely seen, appreciated, and loved. More than just attending a wedding, we wanted everyone to feel like they were an important part of our story.
Another one of the best decisions we made was intentionally blocking out 10 minutes in our wedding timeline just for ourselves. No photographers, no family, no friends—just the two of us in our room. Wedding days go by in the blink of an eye, and we didn’t want to remember ours as one big blur. Those quiet 10 minutes gave us the chance to pause, take it all in, and simply look at each other, thinking, “We’re actually married.” We even exchanged our personal vows privately during that time, and it became one of the most meaningful moments of the entire day.
What was the day like and how were you feeling?
It was a whirlwind of emotions—in the best possible way. We felt excited, nervous, grateful, emotional, and incredibly loved, all at the same time. Looking around and seeing our favourite people under one roof reminded us just how fortunate we are to have such an amazing support system. The day turned out absolutely perfect, and a huge part of that was because of our bridal party—shoutout to Rana, Ryan, Dom, Sandeep, Mark, Rachel, Karina, Ying Ting, Michelle, and Sandy for being the absolute best and for making everything run so smoothly while keeping the energy so full of love and fun.
What did your family and friends have to say about your wedding day?
Our family and friends couldn’t stop talking about the wedding long after it was over. We honestly lost count of how many people told us, “That was one of the best weddings we’ve attended in a long time.” While they complimented everything from the food to the beautiful styling, the one piece of feedback we heard over and over again was how appreciated they felt as guests. That was exactly what we had hoped for.
From the very beginning, we wanted our wedding to be more than just a beautiful celebration—we wanted every person who attended to know how much they meant to us. Every detail was intentionally planned with our guests in mind. Each of our 250 guests received a personalised handwritten letter and a photo of a special memory we shared together. We surprised everyone with a strawberry bar (@berrybar.sg) because it’s something special to us as a couple and wanted to share with the people we love. Since our wedding occurred just before Mother’s Day, we repurposed the flowers from our church ceremony for guests to bring home and gift to their mums the next day—a small gesture that gave the flowers a second life instead of letting them go to waste.
Instead of staying hidden before the banquet, we made it a point to be present during the reception, chatting with our guests, taking photos, and soaking in those precious moments together. We also had our videographer move around the reception to capture these candid interactions, knowing they would become some of our most treasured memories.
To make the celebration even more interactive, we had an instant photo booth where guests could take home printed photo strips and digital copies of their pictures with us. We also had a vintage-style video telephone booth where guests could leave heartfelt (and often hilarious!) voice messages. The best part? Those recordings were edited live and played at the end of the wedding, creating the most emotional and laughter-filled finale we could have asked for.
Looking back, we realised it wasn’t one grand gesture that made the day memorable—it was all the little intentional touches that made everyone feel seen, welcomed, and genuinely valued. Hearing our guests say they felt like they were part of our story, rather than just attending another wedding, was the greatest compliment we could have received.
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with other couples currently planning their wedding?
As magical as every part of the day was, our most memorable moment was those quiet 10 minutes together after all the celebrations had begun. Stepping away from the excitement to simply be husband and wife—without any distractions—allowed us to fully appreciate the significance of the day. It’s a moment we’ll treasure forever, and one piece of advice we’d give every couple is this: no matter how busy your wedding schedule is, make time for just the two of you. Those few quiet minutes may end up being the memory you cherish the most.
Did you use SingaporeBrides as a wedding resource?
Absolutely! SingaporeBrides was one of the first resources we turned to when we started planning our wedding. It made the entire process way less overwhelming by giving us a great starting point for everything—from discovering venues and vendors to gathering inspiration for our wedding theme and décor.
We also loved reading Real Wedding features because they gave us practical ideas and helped us imagine what our own day could look like. Seeing how other couples personalised their weddings inspired us to think beyond the usual traditions and create a celebration that truly reflected who we are.
The Venue: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Cost of Wedding: $130K
Size of Wedding: 100 guests for Church ceremony, 250 guests for Dinner
The Gown: Truly Enamoured (Nicole and Felicia for Dinner, Monique Lhuillier for Church), The Ivory Bridal (Milla Nova for party)
The Bride’s Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
The Suit: Gelly Wee Wedding Gown
The Groom’s Shoes: Church’s
The Wedding Bands: Poh Kim Jewellery
The Wedding Photographer: Ambershots
The Wedding Videographer: Okra Films
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: iamcoco.mua
The Florist: Artcammy
The Event Stylist: Artcammy
The Wedding Planner: Bridesmaid
The Photobooth: Smile Photos, Captured Rings
The Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
The Wedding Favours: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
The Strawberry Bar: Berry Bar
The Band: Imedla Teo
The Solemniser: Father Simon (Catholic Priest)
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