Asia Weddings

A few years ago a girlfriend of mine packed her bags to vacation in Bali. What was supposed to be a two week-long journey quickly turned  into a two year jaunt. And while she was always the type to embark on these types of crazy adventures, I now get why we pretty much had to force her home. One peek at Love Is My Favorite Color‘s incredible photos, and it’s taking all my effort not to pack my bags myself.

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WHERE TO GO? Nusa Lembongan – it’s an amazing island

WHERE TO STAY? We stayed at the Komaneka Monkey Forest in Ubud – it was unreal!

WHAT TO EAT? When in Bali you must try the local dish, mie goreng – my personal favorite!

WHERE TO EAT? The most amazing meal my wife and I had was at the Le Pirate beach club. Truly the most amazing food in a magical place!

NOT TO MISS? Make sure to hire Bali Green Walks if you really want to see the real Bali with real amazing Bali people. They take you to places you would never dream to find by yourself!

MUST SEE? Nusa Lembongan island on a motorbike ride. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life.

Photography: love is my favorite color | Hotel: La Joya | Hotel: Komaneka | Hotel: Batu Karang | Hotel: Alam Asmara Dive Resort | Beach Club: Le Pirate | Diving Courses: Sub Ocean Bali | Guided Tours: Bali Green Walks | Process And Scanning: Carmencita Film Lab

Here at SMP, we’re total suckers for a good love story. So when I heard about these two sweeties whose paths fatefully crossed on the isle of Greece 7  YEARS after their first meeting, I nearly went weak at the knees. It’s an amazing tale with an equally amazing celebration, so believe me when I say you can’t miss LightedPixels Photography’s gorgeous gallery + Bali Metro Digiart’s stunning film below!

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From the Bride… The love story of Jay & Amy hark back to 2004 when they met each other at Sentosa beach in Singapore. Warm sunshine, soothing sea breeze and the blue ocean as the backdrop of where their paths crossed. 7 years later, destiny finds its way back to these two lovebirds in the isles of Greece. Their craziness about each other overpowered the air around. 5 months later, Jay followed his heart, flew to Singapore and proposed to Amy. Her answer sealed their way to happiness and happily ever after.

Why the theme “Breeze from the Aegean Sea”…We fell in love on the Greek Islands where everything is blue and white there. So we wanted our wedding to reminisce the place where our love blossomed. An intimate affair filled only with the people we love most in a beautiful setting for the perfect, unrushed reunion, there is surely nothing better than to have it on the cliff-top overlooking the Indian Ocean. And to have all the decoration and details in blue and white.

We prepared the wedding one year in advance together with my wedding planner from Tirtha Bridal. They helped us with conceptualizing major items such as flowers, stage and decorations. And for the small details i wanted to DIY myself so that i can keep these crafts and pass it on to my future children such as: ring pillow, unity candles, bridesmaids’ corsages, floral crowns, invitation cards, thank you cards, escort cards, table menu. It was so much fun doing them!

The wedding day turned out to be exactly how i have imagined it for the past year. It was so romantic, enchanting and fairy-tale like. Although we had many friends and family with us that day, we still felt like we were in a bubble of our own. If I could, I wish to re-live that day once more!

Photographer: LightedPixels Photography - Alwin Lim | Videographer: Balimetro | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Wedding Bands: Saxifrage | Wedding Venue: Tirtha Uluwatu | Bridal Gown Designer: Tan Yoong | Bride's Hairpiece: Gioielli | Engagement Ring & Earrings: Joaillerie du Centre | Hair & Makeup Artist: Ely Augustina | Wedding Day Venue: Tirtha Uluwatu

Visiting Bali has always been on the tippy top of my bucket list. And this stunner of a wedding? It’s only given me MORE reason to believe making it to there is an absolute must. It’s truly one of the most amazing “I dos” we’ve ever come across (have you seen those views?!) and it has everything to do with the amazing work of Flying Bride. Erika Gerdemark captured the day behind the lens and Balimetro crafted a film you just mustn’t miss. Catch it all below!

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From the Bride… Kevin and I got married in Bali on 28 Juy 2012. The ceremony took place at breathtaking Tirtha Uluwatu Chapel, followed by wonderful reception at JuMaNa, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts. At the end of the wedding, and even after many months later, our guests would still talk about our wedding, of how meaningful and impressive the wedding was they deemed it to be the best wedding they have ever attended. Soon, through word of mouth many people approached me and asked me to help them with their wedding, And thus, Flying Bride, a wedding concept & design company was born.

THE LOVE STORY: It all started with a ministry to visit a retirement home. We did not know each other at that time, but a common friend that organized the event introduced us. “It was love at first sight”, professed Kevin. The rest, is history.

THE PROPOSAL: Kevin proposed in Singapore, at the roof top of Marina Bay Sands overviewing the magnificent view of the bay and the city. He knelled down on one knee with a diamond on one hand, and asked me to marry him.

THE WEDDING: Every element we used in the wedding was personalized to incorporate our character and taste. There are stories behind the choice of venue, food, etc. to result in a signature wedding that is very much a reflection of us, and our story.

White wedding was the chosen theme. White exudes purity, holiness, and sacredness that brings forth magical feeling to the atmosphere. Rows of white Orchids were tastefully arranged in tall vases by the chapel aisle, which led to the center stage and the main focal point of the decoration. A transparent altar table was beautifully decorated with an array of white Roses and white Orchids, under the umbrella of hanging honeycombs and flying butterfly ornaments.

We wanted to continue with the white wedding theme at the reception however needed a twist to it. Hence, we added cream and champagne color into the palette to bring the guests to experience a more elegant yet warmer ambiance that would reflect the extravagant food and wine, under an intimate wedding experience. A small stage fully decorated with white drapery, hanging crystal and white roses was especially built for the bridal table. Instead of the typical long table, we opted for an interesting arrangement of a sweetheart table.

Traditional tea ceremony is a ritual that is performed to respect parents and other family member. As tea ceremony is rooted from Chinese culture, we wanted red, gold, dark colored wood and some Chinese elements to be the theme of the decoration. Also, instead of the usual indoor tea ceremony, we made use of the gorgeous Indonesian Ocean as their backdrop. The result was breathtaking.

Photography: Erika Gerdemark | Cinematography: Balimetro | Wedding Dress: Melta | Invitations: Goodmoments | Stationery: Papeterie | Reception: Banyan Tree Ungasan | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Chapel: Tirtha Uluwatu | Event Concept & Design: Flying Bride

Your world is about to be rocked. Simple as that. This wedding is prettier than any wedding has the right to be, and a big part of that is the ridiculously stunning locale. Alison Mayfield Photography Studio captured the beauty with her well seasoned lens and I’m betting the better part of your day might be lost in this gallery!

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From the photographer… Beautiful wedding by the beach, in Phuket, Thailand. Stunning private villa, simple details, soft colours and a big party to celebrate!

Photography: Alison Mayfield Photography Studio | Wedding Planner: Luxury Events Phuket | Flowers: IAMFLOWER | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Brides shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Evening Dresses: Jenny Packham | Fireworks: Fireworks Samui

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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This engagement session is amazing.  Amazing in ways you sort of didn’t even know could exist.  Think one ethereal-like image after another of two seriously stunning sweeties, all set against a breathtaking Singapore backdrop and captured by the oh-so-talented Elikon Picture.  And when I tell you that the lovely bride-to-be crafted her own dresses for every last second of pretty, you’ll be beside yourselves.  See all of the lovely right here.

From Elikon Picture… I’d like to share with you one of our most exciting Engagement Session project this year with a beautiful & crafty bride. She is an architect by vocation but she does a bit of fashion design for hobby. For this e-session, the bride spent many sleepless nights to design & sew her dresses herself. And they turned out gorgeous! It was a sunny day in Singapore and the beautiful sunlight just made the photos dreamy and magical.

From the Bride… Nature and natural lights has always been our preference, as when we see nature it reminds us on how great is Our Creator. Our photographer helps us to find beautiful spots in remote places and create a beautiful photo concept where we can appreciate nature in our photos. He carefully capture every single moment with precise sun angles to create beautiful pictures. This engagement photo is a beautiful memories for both us as a celebration of our love and commitment.

Something special about this engagement photo, I spent sleepless night to design and sew my own dresses for this photo shoot. I even brought the sewing kit and did the final touch up of the dress during photo shoot break time. As I love lace so much, I created white lace dresses to bring elegance look in this photo. I paired one of the lace dresses with beautiful flower garland hairpiece to complete the elegance look.

From the Groom… As far I remember, nothing can be compared to the experience when we had the photoshoot. So long living in a very ‘urbanized’ places, we lost our appreciation to means of natural. Not artificial, true to its own, and we had that in our photos. When light is natural sunlight, background are things that you may found in daily life but we didn’t appreciate it, and last but most important … we had moment. A very much natural moments. Not acting, but to be ourselves, and the photographer is very smart to capture our moment and freeze it in time.

Photography: Elikon Picture | Hair & Makeup: Stephanie Sara | Floral headband: Allura Store

For as long as I can remember, I’ve imagined honeymooning in Thailand. It has always seemed like that magical mix between adventure and pure relaxation (which is no easy feat!) After setting my sights on Love Is My Favorite Color‘s photos I either need to get married immediately so we can get this ball rolling, or I need to revisit my plans. Because it’s seriously taking all of my willpower to not pack my bags immediately. And if you’re looking to get lost for just a little longer, click here.

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And if you have the opportunity to head that way any time soon, here are a few tips from Rui:

Eat: Baan Phu Lae Resort , amazing food with an even more amazing view

Sleep: Oriental Residence Bangkok, a very trendy home away from home!

Drink: Drunken Sailors Coffeeshop, they have real coffee made in a real coffee machine, very rare in Thailand!

Wear: head on over to little hand made shop for a collection of the loveliest clothes (and other fun things) ever!

See: Mo Koh Lanta National Park, this is were i shot those elephant pictures, I could live there happily.

Do: Rock Climbing in Railay Bay, it’s like a mecca for rock climbers. The views are breathtaking!

Photography: love is my favorite color | Honeymoon: Thailand | Process and Scanning: Richard Photo Lab

Inspired by chinoiserie and intimate weddings of East Asia, Carmen Weddings teamed up with a group of mega-talented vendors including Jada Poon Photography, Bridelicious and Divine Floreal to craft this dream of a shoot. Think a gorgeous palette of peach and moody blues, the perfect alfresco setting and details that can easily be tucked into your upcoming destination wedding and you have a little inkling of what this photo shoot entails. Have a look at the full gallery for more as well as the film behind the day captured by Allora Visuals below.

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From Carmen Weddings… Inspired by intimate weddings and East Asia, Bridelicious and I created this Chinoiserie Chic shoot, which was designed on the premise of multi-cultured couples, by modernising traditional Chinese props and bringing it in line with Western concepts.

Our idea was to show how weddings in this vibrant city can be small and personalised, with an emphasis on DIY details and decorative items that can be easily found in Hong Kong; Bridelicious had birdcages and bamboo steamers painted, napkin rings were made using Chinese motifs and the bride and groom’s chair decoration were made using jade beads. We used a mixture of soft, elegant flowers and bright coral flowers gorgeously put together by Divine Floreal and paired with pops of teal coloured tea tins and bamboo steamers to create a modern and playful setting. Carnations are rarely used in Hong Kong weddings and we wanted to show how versatile and pretty this type of flower could be.

Most of the weddings in Hong Kong are held in hotel ballrooms which can sometimes be stifling, not only for the bride and groom but also the guests. From the outset, our aim was to team up with a venue that is both intimate and beautiful; to create a feeling of being a million miles away from the bustling city. One Thirty One in Sai Kung was the perfect location for our shoot, with the outdoor space as well as the British inspired wooden panelled interior, which added a sophisticated touch. We were also mindful that the shoot was a reflection of Hong Kong talent and therefore, chose mainly Hong Kong based vendors to collaborate with.

We chose this particular dress by Ranee K as she creatively transforms the Cheongsam (the Chinese dress that’s traditionally long with short sleeves) into a gown that can be worn by modern brides who usually seek for more Western-styled wedding dresses. As much as we could, we made sure to tie in the different elements from different vendors together, be it the water coloured invitation suite designed by Kalo Make Art with the dessert table that was deliciously created by Patisseries A Legna.

We were both in awe of Jada Poon’s photography, and her perfection in creating fine art images was exactly what we had in mind. She beautifully captured the details and the fabulous views at this stunning venue, bringing out the best in all the vendors.

Photography: Jada Poon Photography | Film: Allora Visuals | Design + Styling: Bridelicious | Floral Design: Divine Floreal | Wedding Dress: Ranee K | Stationery: Kalo Make Art | Hair + Makeup: She Make Up Studio | Venue: One Thirty One | Bridal Accessories: Littledate | Bridal Shoes: DYOS | Cake + Desserts: Patisseries A Legna | Chair Rentals: Ginger | Planning + Design: Carmen Weddings

I sort of knew I was going to adore this wedding the moment I read the darling bride’s sweet description.  I mean, any bride that describes her Big Day as a “Love Wonderland” is pretty much awesome in my book. And her wedding?  Well, it really IS a Love Wonderland with a beyond gorgeous setting (hello Bali) playing host to some crazy awesome stylings, beautiful blooms and a Mr. and Mrs. who are so in love, it’s downright contagious.  See it all captured by Angga Permana right here.

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On the morning of our special day we woke to blue skies and the tweeting of the birds throughout the valley, our very own Love Wonderland was to become a reality. All the details were handmade by us and with the help of friends and family the perfect setting we had imagined for so long transformed before our eyes. We created an intimate ceremony in a beautiful and special place surrounded by our most loved and together wrote our vows and made our promises within the arms of the sacred Bodhi tree. As a couple, our commitment of love was the most important part of the day and as the heavens opened and the sun shone down, it couldn’t have been a more magical and perfect moment.

A delicious banquet was served and all enjoyed many laughs and tears over stories of the Bride and Groom as we toasted to love and friendship. After dinner, guests were treated to an amazing Kecak fire dance performed by over 100 men from the local village. Staged under the light of the full moon the atmosphere for all was that of wonder and awe as the story un-folded. Dancing and celebrations continued into the night and wish lanterns were released into the darkness of the sky as many hoped for love and happiness for the years to come.

We produced beautiful handmade tea towels for the guests to take home in memory of their time in Ubud and we feel privileged to have shared such a wonderful and very special moment in time with all who were there. The memories will never fade of our most special of days and thanks to our wonderful photographer we have the moments captured in time forever more. Love is to be cherished each day regardless of the obstacles life may bring.

The Cake Topping- The cake was a simple sponge cake with white icing. The ribbon around the bottom was the same ribbon we used to decorate the bouquets and the Bodhi tree. The decoration on top was some fresh flowers that were the same as the table decoration flowers. The bride and groom statue was given to us by Dallas’ mother and father having been bought in Germany on the announcement of our engagement and there was also a silver shoe on there that had also been on my grandmother’s wedding cake in the 1940’s.

Meaning of Candles – The candles ceremony was to symbolise the joining of 2 souls. 2 candles were lit individually at the beginning of the ceremony to symbolise Dallas and I as 2 separate souls. 1 candle was left un-lit. We then picked up the 2 lit candles and held them together to light the 1 un-lit candle. We then blew out the 2 original candles and held the 1 candle to represent the joing of our 2 souls and becoming 1 soul together.

Head Piece + Jewelery – I made the feather headpiece to match the feather pieces on the dress. It was to hold on the veil, and add some extra decorative touches to the final outfit. My father helped me to stick the comb to the back so it was a joint effort again! I added a diamond vintage brooch to it to bring together the diamond cufflinks and the ring elements. The beautiful gold jewelery I am wearing on my head is made by one of my best friends ‘Tigerframe Jewellery’ and I decided to wear it on the day as I liked the fact it made me feel close to her as I took my final steps as a single woman.

Wedding Dress – I drew it up, designed it and had a wonderful Italian lady make it for me in Brisbane. I hand made the feather details on the hips myself. It is made of silk and chiffon.

Decor + Design Inspiration – ‘A Love Wonderland’ – relaxed, festival vibe with a vintage and creative twist. Sentimental touches such as the photos of family and friends that couldn’t be there made it feel very special. The decor was all handmade by us – using bits and pieces found at the venue on the morning of the wedding.

At the moment we were pronounced husband and wife! We turned around and everyone began to throw fresh rose petals as the Marvin Gaye song “You’re a Wonderful One” started to play. It brings tears to my eyes as I write about it! We had hugs and congratulations from all and it really was wonderful!

Wedding Photography: Angga Permana | Shoes: Aldo | Wedding Venue: Panchoran Retreat

If you dream of a destination wedding that will take your guests’ breath away, you’ve come to the right place for some inspiration. Because it simply doesn’t get more stunning than this Thailand beauty captured by peaches & mint. Trust me when I say you’ll want to get lost in all the lovely sitting in this gallery, it’s like the best possible virtual vacation. See it all here.

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From Pia… An Austrian couple (bride with Filipino roots) decided to take their wedding and their international group of friends to the destination of their dreams: Thailand. A year before the wedding Mark proposed to Magdalena on their last Thailand holiday, on a rooftop bar in Bangkok with a spectacular view over the city. They split their wedding celebrations in two parts, one taking place in Salzburg, Magdalena’s hometown, for family and close friends. The other half consisted of a lovely get together in Bangkok and a wedding ceremony on Ko Samui, with lots of Thai elements.

To let the special, holiday like atmosphere and celebrations come to life even more, they asked their guests to come dressed completely in white. Being asked whether she didn’t fear “not to stick out in her white dress” the bride just said – no worries, I will stick out on that day! And she did. Magdalenas natural beauty and their relaxed attitude made it such a fun and joyful event, none of the guests are ever going to forget!

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Photography:Pia Clodi of peaches & mint | Location: Ko Samui, Thailand | Wedding Planning + Coordination: Tropical Homes and Weddings

So I’ve said it time and time again, but these travel posts are always so detrimental to both my productivity and my wanderlust. The Philippines have always intrigued me, but Mariel Hannah has just ensured that it’s skyrocketed to the top of the list. Have you ever seen anything more picturesque? I just can’t get over all the beauty. And if you’re anything like me, you might want to spend some time getting lost in the gallery. 

From Mariel… During my stay in the Philippines I traveled around the city of Davao. Some days were spent within the city, but most days were spent by the beach. Those days I spent lingering by the ocean are the days I long for. The beautiful white sands, the perfect blue waters and wonderful world of wonder that lie beneath.

We stayed at the Pearl Farm Beach Resort, a premier destination resort that lies within a smaller island just an hour boat ride from the main city. During your stay, my biggest recommendation is to take your days slow and enjoy every minute. Spend your days snorkelling and spend your evenings watching a movie on the beach. Both of their AM and PM yoga classes take place high on a hill overlooking the beautiful ocean and Mount Apo (one of the largest mountains in the Philippines) – it’s worth the morning wake up call.

Another highlight of my trip was scuba diving. Pearl Farm offers a package for a day trip tour to some of Davaos best diving locations. My favorite ended up being the Coral Gardens. I did the 40 foot dive which allowed me to see some of natures most amazing views. I recall seeing all of the vibrantly beautiful life that flourishes below. The purples, the pinks, the blues, yellows and green coral… Absolutely exquisite. I can’t even begin to describe the beautiful creatures that live within them, each more beautiful than the next.

Confession time. I’ve been a little bit obsessed with traveling to Bali ever since I saw the movie Eat, Pray, Love. That’s legit, right? It may have been the glamorized soul searching or the fact that Julia Roberts could make anything look amazing, but it’s still the one locale sitting at the top of my must-see list. So, you can only imagine my giddies the very second I stumbled upon these photos from Erika Gerdemark Photography…virtual vacation dream-come-true! Join me as I swoon my Bali-loving heart out right here.

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From the Bride…Steve and I both are designers based in Jakarta, Indonesia. We always wanted a laid-back and intimate wedding, where people can sit back, relax and have a great time in the party. So we decided to held our wedding reception in Bali. Being a designer, we are very picky interms of decoration details, dresses, food, and especially photography. I remember the first thing I researched and contact after the proposal was wedding photographer. I was lucky that I found Erika through Twitter. I fell in love with her work the first time I saw her blog. I am thankful to met all the dream vendors that I wanted. Each and everyone in the team was professional and very talented. Janice surprises me with her fabulous works. I had a great time working together with her and Karen. Turns out I have my perfect wedding. Something that I always wanted all this time.  A little bit about my wedding dress, I always wanted a simple, elegant and unique dress. I guess I was lucky that Baron from Tenun Baron, which also a dear friend of mine, offers me a one of a kind fabric with his new experimental technique combined  with my custom designed patterns. His fine and delicate silk woven fabric always amazed me. I can say that he is one of the best textile maker in Indonesia. Now finding a right designer is a challenge, and I think Auguste is the one after all. He understand that simplicity is everything. I love the dress fitting and it is perfect. My favorite part of the day was finally seeing all friends and family gather together in such a lovely place sharing our love together. The inspiration for the decoration and theme was rustic vineyard with a twist of chic elegant.

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Photographer: Erika Gerdemark Photography | Ceremony & Reception Venue: Pantai Lima | Floral + Event Design: Bloomz Bali | Event Organizer: Cher Ange + Karen Quarello | Make up: Dewi, New Melati Salon | Invitations, Printed Materials + Favors: SHFT Branding +  Gudily | Customized Fabric + Textile: Tenun Baron | Catering: M&M | Lighting: Vision One Bali | Wedding Dress + Bridesmaid dresses: Auguste Soesastro

What happens when two Aussie sweethearts tie the knot in Thailand? Pretty things happen, my dears. Like hold-the-phone and clear-your-Friday-schedule kind of pretty. I’m fairly certain you’ll be just as stage 5 obsessed with this destination wedding, so let’s cut the chitty-chat and head straight to the gallery of Corbin Gurkin’s captures. They’re soooo worth a sweet, long look.

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From the Bride…Mem and I met at the Geebung one night when he was out with his brother and I was out with my sister and friends. He walked by us a few times throughout the night and stood out to us being so tall! Eventually he got up the nerve to make small talk just as we were leaving the pub. On the wall back to our car, I was saying to Tam my sister how nice he seemed and what a shame we didn’t stay longer. Tam encouraged me to go back and get his number but I refused. By the time we were in the car Tam decided she’d take matters into her own hands and informed me that she needed to return to the pub to use the toilet and that id have to come with her. Within seconds of walking back in, Mem approached us and this time we chatted for a while and caught his name. We had to ask him to spell it as it was quite unusual. Luckily we did clarify the spelling, because I still didn’t have the nerve to get his number, but by the time we’d reached the car for the second time, Tam had found the only Mem in Melbourne on Facebook and added him from my account. Mem had written back within seconds and the rest is history!!

Years ago I had googled “destination weddings” as it had always been a fantasy of mine, and had come across Take Us To Thailand’s website. I was blown away by the service they offered and the amazing photos of the weddings they had co-ordinated, so in the back of my mind I began to warm towards the idea of a Thailand wedding (years before getting engaged even!)

Mem and I had holidayed extensively throughout Asia and Polynesia before but had always loved Thailand for its beautiful scenery, lovely people and variety of activities to keep us entertained. We knew we wanted a destination wedding so that all our guests could be relaxed and so we could spend some real quality time with the most important people in our lives- in a tropical paradise! Thailand was a reasonable distance from Australia for people to travel to and a favorite of many of our guests already, so the decision was an easy one in the end.

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Wedding Photography: Corbin Gurkin | Ceremony + Reception Venue: Interncontinental, Koh Samui | Planning + Decor: Take Us To Thailand | Wedding Dress: Martina Liana | Shoes: Zu Shoes | Veil: Linda Corringe Couture | Rings: Anton Jewellery | Earrings: Polynesian Pearls | Mem’s Outfit: Tailored in Thailand | Reception Dress: La Femme from Gasp | Bridesmaid’s Dress: Truese

This, my loves, is the absolute perfect combination of beautiful, luxe details and and intimate, sweet love. That tent? Oh that tent is everything and then some. It’s classically beautiful, warm and romantic, and it is filled with the most amazing ambiance, ever. All thanks to the couple at the head of the party. These two are so full of obvious adoration, my heart has completely melted over these images from Shipra Panosian Photography. Is your heart in need of a good melting? Click here.

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From the photographer… Kiki and Yoshi’s wedding took place in Shinjuku, Tokyo at the Ogasawara-Hakusyaky-Tei on October 8th, 2012.  The Ogasawara-Hakusyaky-Tei building has an antique and classy atmosphere with a lot of history.  The wedding itself was elegant, classy but also intimate.  The ceremony and reception were both outdoors.  This wedding had many details including hikidemono (gift bags) for the guests that were presented in eco-bags made by friends of the bride and groom.  The gift back held chocolates made by another close friend, traditional pon snacks, and bottles of prestigious award winning Olivo Olive Oil.

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Photography: Shipra Panosian Photography | Venue: Ogasawara-Hakusyaky-Tei | Shoes: Jennifer Lopez Peep-Toe Platform High Heels | Grooms Suit: Calvin Klein | Hair & Make-up: Glamor Make-up Office | Cake & Catering: Ogasawara-Hakusyaky-Tei

I had what can only be described as the complete opposite of a modern wedding. It was barn, mason jars, the whole rustic nine yards. And don’t get me wrong, I loved every second of it but in terms of wedding re-do dreams, I’m 100% on Team Modern. The fresh, clean design of this W Hotel affair is right in keeping with all those modern musings. See it all, photographed by nbarrett photography, right here in the full gallery.

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From the Bride…Our wedding day was a long affair – it started at 5am and ended when the day ends. It incorporated traditional Chinese tea ceremonies, followed by a Western ceremony where vows were exchanged, and concluded with a dinner banquet. I always imagined sunny weather on my wedding day, but the day turned out to be dark and gloomy with occasional rain. We didn’t let the weather spoil our day. We insisted exchanging our vows outdoor as planned – it was indeed windy and cold – especially being on the 76th floor of the W hotel building. We were truly amazed that our photographers and videographers were able to do an incredible job even under the low light environment. The day went by so fast but every moment was special and memorable.

It was a cake topper which I bought from etsy (goldenbutton) that fueled us with inspiration for the wedding. People ask me what it is – a pair of birds? or a pair of penguins? To be honest, till this day, I still don’t know. But somehow when I saw it online – it just makes me smile. We created drawing of the cake topper and used it as a logo on our invitation card, seating plan, favor bag and wish tree. We asked another crafter on etsy (Linda Sari, ndandut) to handstitched a pair of plush to replicate the birds, which we used to tie in the front of our wedding car. We also incorporated the mascot into our dessert table – we asked our baker to create cakepops and cookies to resemble the birds.

Favors can be pricey, particularly when we have 300 guests. I didn’t want to end up being a victim of buying a cheap favor for the sake of having something. At the end, we decided to give a succulent plant to each of our guests. Because I love them! and they were ideal (just US$1 each!), not only did they serve as great favor but also served as great table centerpiece! We explained to our guest that plants, like love, need to be nurtured in order to grow. We hope that they will care for it and watch it grow and hope that it will remind them of the love they have seen rooted on our wedding day.  We printed “May the roots of our marriage be strong and branches forever green” on the favor bags. The guests loved the idea, there was not a single plant left on the table at the end of the night! After the wedding, I have received many pictures by emails and whatsapp of the plants blooming in the home of our families and friends.

To preserve a theme, we incorporated succulent plant into other parts of the wedding, like into the boutonnieres, my flower bouquet and also the dessert table. We asked our baker to create edible succulent plants. We bought him a bunch of terracotta pots and he was kind enough to test and trial and bake in them. He used crushed Oreo cookies which very much look like soil and did these amazing look-alike succulent leaves from Fondant. Our guest really enjoyed the idea of having an edible succulent plant and a real succulent plant to take home. When Geoff proposed a year before the wedding, he bought more than 100 candles for the proposal. His idea was to light them all up and kneel in the center and propose to me. But straight after he has arranged the candles outside in the garden, it started pouring down with rain. The candles just wouldn’t light as they were soaked. That was his first failed attempt at proposing. So we recycled these candles on our wedding day and displayed them together with the succulent plants to create a very romantic but economical table centerpiece.

My advice to brides out there is: you can plan so many aspects on your wedding day down to the finest details, but weather is something that is completely beyond our control. Whether you are met with showers and storms or glorious sunshine on your wedding day, your day will be perfect no matter what, so long as you’re in the right mindset. And if it did rain, every time it rains after your big day, it will be a nice reminder of your happiest day of your life.

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Photography: nbarrett photography | Second Photographer: Heather Hawkins | Venue: W Hotel Hong Kong | Event Design: Romance Wedding | Floral Design: Ceci from Tulips | Bakery: Beyond Dessert | Cake Topper: Islands from Etsy | Makeup + Hair: Sumsum Star Wedding Makeup | Wedding Dress: Twinkle Wedding

This affair is answering all of my light-filled wedding fantasies. Dreamy is another adjective that comes to mind and it’s woven into everything, from the adorable DIY elements incorporated into the day to the images by Foreveryday Photography. It’s a happy collaboration of color, smiles and a rainbow of heels. See so much more in the full gallery!

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From the Bride…After Nev and I got engaged in November 2011, I didn’t jump on the wedding planning mode immediately like most brides-to-be. Though we knew we wanted to get married the following year, we didn’t have any planned dates yet; we just wanted to enjoy the engagement bliss. But months went by so fast, and the next thing we know, we’ve been engaged for 8 months and had 6 months left before the year ends. So we finally decided to get married under the cool breeze of December and that’s the only time planning started.
 
We wanted to have a relaxed and cozy wedding with a handful of people we dearly love. This was the focal point of our whole planning, so everything we did was centered on making our guests feel our love and gratitude to them. We chose a small Catholic church for our ceremony, and found a big house with a bare garden and a great view of the famous and scenic Taal Volcano. The bare garden was perfect for all the DIY styling I had in mind; and the natural breeze, the hilly surround, and the laid-back and dainty feel of the place was the right fit for our countryside theme.

With the help of friends and family, we planned our wedding and gathered everything we needed. Weekends and lazy weekday afternoons were spent doing DIY décor, from the makeshift chandeliers to the wooden panels to the hanging lights to the pompoms; and even the invite, which I worked on w/ Nev’s brother, who also luckily happens to be a freelance graphic artist! Some weekends, Nev and I will go to flea markets and buy small decorative items, while our families went on a mission to collect recycled bottles and jars, as well as create hundreds of paper flowers. He also took me to his grandma’s place, which was just filled w/ amazing furniture perfect for our theme, and she happily let us borrow them. We also talked about our ideas to our suppliers, and even had a DIY dry run of the reception setup at home for our caterer to see! I would buy flowers, arrange them, take photos and send them to our caterer, who did a great job in translating our vision into reality. We, together w/ a couple of our siblings, were at our reception venue three days before our wedding to make sure my vision becomes a reality, and up to the night before the wedding, we were setting up and making sure the place looked pretty.   

We had a very short program, something atypical in a Filipino wedding. After a couple of speeches the first dance, we spent the rest of the time just chatting with guests and letting everybody have a good time. The setup of the venue definitely helped put everybody at ease. We placed cocktail tables on one area, a bench on another, and tables under a tent under the night sky. We think it’s safe to assume our guests really had a great time. When we left the venue, our guests stayed to enjoy the breeze, the hand-picked bottles of wines, and the company. In fact, when we went back to the venue the next day, our friends and family were still there cooking breakfast!

We love our wedding to bits! All of the details we incorporated enhanced the overall feel and mood of the occasion. Now I have a bunch of mason jars and photo frames at home, and the beautiful photos by Foreveryday Photography, which all remind me of the day when I married the man of my dreams.

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Photography: Foreveryday Photography | Floral Design: Yho-An’s Flower Shop  | Event Design: DIY | Event Planning: Once a Bride Weddings | Ceremony Location: Chapel on a Hill | Reception Location: Tagaytay Estate | Invitations: Jonathan Manaois (design), Amis Print (printing) | Catering: K by Cunanan | Entertainment: Serenata Strings | Ceremony Dress: Percy Barillo | Reception Dress: Tammy Tan | Shoes: Pedro | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Tammy Tan | Groom’s Suit: JC Ulanday | Makeup: Mickey See | Hair Stylist: John Valle

The very first thing I fell in love with when I first laid eyes on this wedding from Magic Wedding Studio was that gorgeous gown. Simple, yet absolutely stunning, the gold detail won my heart in a second. And then I read the brides story and learned that gown was made from her grandmother’s veil. Does it get better than that? Why don’t you check on the gallery and tell me what you think. I think no.

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From the Bride… I am so excited to have my wedding featured on SMP, especially since I spent hours on SMP perusing the beautiful images of past weddings! My name is Amelia Farid and my new husband is Kalan Rutstein. Our wedding was held on July 7th, 2012 in Beijing, China where we met, and where both our families now live.

We come from diverse backgrounds – Kalan is Bermudian-British-American, was born in Papua New Guinea and raised in Pakistan, Israel, Albania, Italy and the Philippines, while I am Persian-American, was born in Hong Kong and raised in China. So we both wanted a wedding that didn’t conform to any particular tradition. The idea of a big elaborate dress, an aisle to walk down, and overdone decorations didn’t appeal to us. We decided on a low-key color palette of mint green, cream and gold. The ceremony was the most important part of the wedding for us. We are both members of the Baha’i Faith, so we had a simple ceremony emphasizing readings, prayers and the exchange of the Baha’i marriage vows. Then guests were led outside for a buffet of delicious Persian food. Unfortunately it started raining just as people were settling down to eat! But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Not only did we get to enjoy the truly hilarious sight of people rushing inside (in high heels and with napkins on their heads), but it also created a wonderfully casual atmosphere for the rest of the night. After dinner, we had some performances and speeches, including Kalan surprising me by singing my favorite song from when we met. The night ended with a whole lot of dancing. Details from the wedding that I love include:

1. The “Family Tree” was a tree on which we hung photos of our parents, grandparents and other people we love. We thought this would be a great way to honor the amazing people that came before us and include family members who weren’t able to make the long trip to China. We especially loved having photos of our parents on their wedding days.

2. I had a lot of trouble deciding on a dress. I wanted something unique and meaningful. So when my mother showed me a wedding veil that her grandmother had worn to her wedding in Iran in the early 1900’s I knew I just had to use it! The veil is hand-embroidered with strands of pure gold into intricate patterns onto a beautiful mesh material. I was in love! After some deliberation, I decided to make a wedding dress out of it. I had a tailor make a simple slip to wear underneath and sew the veil around it in a delicate painfully long (but absolutely worth-it!) process.

3. Our families all contributed their unique talents to making our wedding a reality. The cake (or should I say cakes?) was designed by my mother, who created beautiful peony bases on which they were placed. Kalan’s mother helped with finding the venue and decorating the space. Our whole extended family spent the day of the wedding arranging flowers and setting everything up. My cousin who is a graphic designer designed the program and invitations. My sister created the bird-shaped placement cards and worked hard on coordinating logistics. Kalan’s sister who has a beautiful voice performed a song during the wedding and set the playlist for the evening. His other sister created a beautiful slide show of our childhoods and courtship that was shown after dinner. Another cousin of mine manned a station where people could take polaroids, sign them and hang them up as a guestbook. My brother coordinated the finances. Even my little 10 year old sister contributed at every stage of the planning process. It was amazing to see how much time and effort our family and friends put in to making our wedding what it was. This, for me, was the best part.

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Wedding Photography: Magic Wedding Studio | Wedding Venue: Green T. Living in Beijing, China | Wedding Cinematography: V1 Video

Bali is home to some of the world’s most beautiful weddings. That’s a fact. But the only thing more special than this saying “I do” in this stunning locale is celebrating with 100 guests by your side. It’s a destination wedding feat that seems nearly impossible, yet all came to life with Paper Diamonds on board. The gallery is bursting with Terralogical’s gorgeous captures, and the film by Bali Metro brings it all full circle.

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From Paper Diamonds…Lena and Siang were incredible to work with from the very beginning. They were confident in their decisions and they had the most important thing in mind the whole time, that they were marrying each other. It always felt like no matter what happened, it would be perfect just because of that. Thankfully though, everything went without a hitch including custom building many props such as photobooth walls, silk printed table runners & pillow cases, gilded lights (as seen from a reference image from one of Mindy Weiss’ weddings), coordinating transport for over 100 guests and putting together an amazing team of wedding professionals who shone bright on the day.

From the Bride…We always knew we wanted to have a destination wedding. The idea of getting married away from home seemed so romantic and special to us, and we especially loved the idea of all our friends and family getting away for a few days together to not only celebrate our wedding, but to relax and enjoy themselves. We picked Bali because it’s such a magical island with the most breathtaking scenery you can imagine. On a more practical note too, Bali is only a short flight away from our home city, Perth, so it was also very convenient for most of our guests to travel there.

Picking Bali as our destination was one of the best wedding-related decisions we made. We were apprehensive at first, and for much of the wedding planning process, we were concerned that we had made the wrong decision to have a destination wedding and forcing our guests to travel overseas. I think our families were also apprehensive, though they always supported our decision. At the end though, seeing how relaxed and happy everyone was at our wedding, and how in awe they were of the venue, we knew we made the right decision. Our parents already want us to organize another big celebration in Bali for our anniversary! And we picked the Bulgari Resort because we couldn’t get past the amazing views there. Our ceremony venue was perched on a cliff top, and our aisle was a rose-strewn, clear platform floating over an infinity pool. It was spectacular, to say the least.

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Wedding Photography: Terralogical | Event Design + Planning: Paper Diamonds + Bride and Groom | Floral Design: Gloriosa | Ceremony + Reception Location: Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, Water Wedding | Cinematography: Bali Metro | Invitations: Mr. Boddington | Dress: Vera Wang | Shoes: Valentino | Hair + Makeup: Yeanne Strauss

I’m pretty certain Bali is one of the most gorgeous places in the world to say I do. Unfortunately I’ve never been, but from the looks of these images from Alison Mayfield Studio I think my theory is pretty spot on. Because this couple’s wedding? It’s simply perfection. With views that never ends and a love that never will either, this gallery is overflowing with pretty. See it all here.

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From the Bride… Shawn and I met when we were working on a project together in Beijing. Since we first met, it has been a wonderful 2 year up until our lovely and fairy tale wedding. Shawn was originally from Shanghai but spent majority of his life in the U.S. and later moved to Hong Kong after business school. While I grew up in Shanghai as well, I spent a significant amount of time studying in London and later working in Hong Kong. We actually lived in the same building while we were in Hong Kong but did not know each other until we met each other in Beijing, the beginning of our magical journey together.

We had many choices for our wedding venue and there were simply too many beautiful and charming places around the world. We knew we wanted a destination wedding at an exotic location where we could share this special moment in our lives with those who are closest to us. With the help of our wedding planner, Tiara Wedding in Hong Kong, we narrowed our wedding venue to the island of Bali. Although neither Shawn nor I have ever set foot in Bali before, we were deeply attracted to Bali because of its exquisite and exotic scenery, rich culture and spirituality, and warm hospitality. On Oct 12, 2012, we held our small and intimate wedding in Bali with our parents and closest relatives. The wedding turned out to be everything we had imagined it to be – it was surreal and time seems to have stood still for the entire wedding. We were truly blessed to have held it on the Island of the God and it was a moment that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Our magical journey together continues!

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Wedding Photography: Alison Mayfield Studio | Wedding Venue: Tirtha in Uluwatu, Bali | Event Planning: Tiara Weddings | Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm | Bride’s Veil: Oscar De La Renta | Bride’s Shoes: Oscar De La Renta | Bride’s Dinner Dress: Custom designed by Bride and made by tailor in Shanghai

I’m crossing my fingers and toes that you all haven’t checked out for the weekend just yet because this Bali wedding is deserving of your undivided attention. It’s one of those events that takes your breath away at first glance, thanks in major part to the images beautifully captured by Caroline Tran. The other major contributor is a seamless blend of modern details paired with a tropical backdrop so beautiful and a Bride and Groom with smiles as big as they come. Happiness in the great wilds of Bali. That about sums it up and you can see even more right here.

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From Caroline Tran Photography…Natalia and Tata had a gorgeous destination wedding in Bali where they hosted their closest friends and family at the Alila Uluwatu Villas, where their wedding was, and at another nearby local resort.  It was a week of beach time, good food, and good company for all.  People traveled from all over the world to celebrate with them.  They had 3 different ceremonies – a church ceremony, a traditional tea ceremony, and a unity sand ceremony on a beautiful cliff side cabana that floats above the ocean. they also flew in the owner of their favorite juice bar from home to make fresh juices for guests during cocktail hour.  and after the fine dining tasting menu, they had a fresh local fruits bar filled with mangosteen, rambutan, logan, and passion fruit… and then they brought in Naughty Nuri’s for late night snack… the BEST bbq ribs ever! They surprised guests by ending their first dance with pyro.

From the Bride…There are too many favorite moments of the day Here goes… 1. We both do our own vows and we both love how personal this is for us. 2. On our way back to Alila from the church, our wedding car broke down!  Our wedding party had to push us to a safe spot.  We hopped in our wedding party’s van and left the car on the side of the road. 3. I am very close to my dad. And for him to cry is really touching… I love how he surprise us by singing the song that I’ve prepared for our Father-Daughter dance. 4. The speeches and the songs from our friends. 5. Tata never ever wants to sing in public, it’s his thing. Even if we go Karaoke, he will be the one enjoying other people singing instead of singing himself. He took the courage to start our first dance song by singing and by the second verse, he started dancing with me. 6. Our team from the wagyu story is amazing. They helped us so much that some of them missed some moments because they are behind the scene. We can’t thank them enough for all their help in preparing the wedding.

Any advise for other couple: 1. There are a lot of inspirations source online, thus the millions ideas you want for your wedding. Start sorting out your ideas early and make a folder on your computer on what you both want. Nothing is more important than your other half. So do talk with him/her what is best for the both of you, and don’t choose to do “ALL of the above.” I am blessed that Tata is the kind of guy that doesn’t mind getting involved in all the preparation. Both of us are photographers, and we decide to not accept any jobs 3 weeks prior to the wedding, which turns out to be quite a headache. For the 3 weeks, we got so stressed that we ended up feeling down. We talked things through and decide on things that is important for us on the day, rather on the millions of ideas that we wanted.  2. No matter how prepared we are for the day, we have to keep in mind that something might not go according to plan. Don’t let this ruin your day. Let go and trust your vendors, they will take care of it. 3. Download a “to do list” app in your phone (ours is Wunderlist) and it’ll help you keep track of what you need to do. And even though the list is long, just focus on what needs to be done today. Don’t even look at the rest of the list that needs to be done tomorrow. This will keep your stress level down. 4. A “third” person might get in the way, be it your parents, your far uncle or your cousin. Somehow they feel like they wanted to help, but the more they help, the more headache you got. Don’t let this get in between you and your other half. If the “third” person went too far, take the time to talk to them and tell them “Thank you for your kind help but it’ll be better if you help me on this rather than that.”

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Photography: Caroline Tran | Wedding Coordinator: Gusri | Stationery: The Wagyu Story | Cinematography: One More Pictures | Groom’s  Ring: Boucheron | Bride’s Ring: The Canary Diamond | Wedding Gown: Florence Kurniadi | Bride Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo | Bride’s Jewelery: Vintage | Groom Suit at Church Ceremony: Agus Lim | Groom + Groomsmen Suits at Reception: Raymond Gunawan | Grooms shoes: Alain Delon | Groom’s Camera Cufflink: Chenzi | Bowties: The Tie Bar | Groom’s Belt: Jeff Banks | Best man and Groomsmen’s Food Cufflink: Shay Aaron | MOH and Bridesmaids Dresses: Florence Kurniadi | MOH and Bridesmaids shoes: Zzolangii | All Bouttoniere and Bouquet: Christy | Dress + Suit Hanger: Whiskey & Wedding Bells | Make Up Artists: Christine Liu + Momiji | Music: Lchromed Job Rusli | Choir: VOGM | Wedding Car: Jos Dharmawan | Decoration: Lotus Decoration | Lighting: Focus Production | Confetti: The Wagyu Story | Hotels: Alila Uluwatu + Le Grande Suites | Dinner: Alila Uluwatu | Late night Food Stand: Sate Plecing + Naughty Nuri’s | Juice: Kedai Juice and Teppanyaki | Wedding Cake: Ixora | Dessert: Es Puyer + Bali Bakery | Souvenirs: The Wagyu Story + Ateja, crafted by Hana

A wedding that includes giant marshmallows (hanging from paper clouds) and edible chandeliers is pretty much guaranteed to be a good time.  That’s kind of a given.  And when this darling duo incorporated those two elements into their big day, it was just the beginning of one serious fun-fest.  I’m talking sparkler send-offs, yummy cuisine and a “dreams” theme that was simply bursting from every last moment.  The perfect mix of beauty and magic?  We think so.  See it all captured by Nelwin Uy in the full gallery.

And a little slice of wedding heaven from Bob Nicolas…

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From the Bride… Cayo and I chose “dreams” as the theme for our big day because we wanted it to be a day of play. No one was allowed to be a grown up. Far from an ultra-formal affair, it was more like the biggest road trip – disguised as a wedding.

A lot of the details had to be invented, like edible chandeliers for the reception. Luckily, we had the talented Meg Amat of Eve & Co. on our team. Giant marshmallows were strung together and cascaded down from paper clouds. Against string lights and a starlit sky, they created the stunning illusion of frozen raindrops. What we didn’t expect was the marshmallow fight that broke out. One minute, people were sipping drinks, and the next thing we knew, a godfather had thrown the first marshmallow.

It was pandemonium after that.

We co-created our invite with close friends Mike and Bonnie, and my sister Kristel. Mini blankets were attached to each invite and guests were asked to write down a wish for us. The swatches were later stitched together to create a patchwork of dreams.

The rest was just magical. We made our reception entrance down a sloping stone path dotted with paper luminaries. Friends and family waved sparklers over our heads as we passed, and it seemed like we were walking under a canopy of lights. Then the breathtaking pop-pop-pop of fireworks lit up the night sky.

Guests got a taste of comfort food from our two “homes.”  From the Philippines, we served mini Ilocos empanada, beef and pork lechon and brick oven-roasted chicken with a rosemary and lemon rub. From Thailand, we had fried curry prawns and steamed dory fillets splashed with hot sesame oil, chili and lime. After dinner, friends lounged in “dreaming tents” where they could roll around, doodle in journals and find hidden mini Marvel and Transformers toys – Cayo’s favorites.

Instead of the traditional cake cutting, we decided to do a “locking” ceremony. We wrote our names on a padlock and attached it to a dream cloud. Friends added theirs. There was something so moving about seeing our names surrounded by all these strong relationships. But as with most memories that night, an unexpected twist happened. It became the running joke to approach people and ask if they had a “padlock-buddy.”

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Wedding Photography: Nelwin Uy | Wedding Cinematography: Bob Nicolas | Ceremony Venue: Sts. Peter Paul, Bauang in La Union, Philippines | Reception Venue: Thunderbird, Poro Point in La Union, Philippines | Officiant: Fr. Johnny Go | Wedding Coordinator: Lyte Gatchalian from Weddings and Beyond | Event Styling: Meg Amat from Eve & Co. | Floral Design: Efren Baccawat | Wedding Invitations: Kristel Ko, Mike Sicam + Bonnie Doroy-Enriquez | Decor: Lito Gemora, Japs Perez, Kat Encanto, EJ Galang | Fireworks: Enzo Crisostomo | Personalized Hangers: MELAfied |Photobooth: FotoMoto Concepts |Lights + Sounds: Reinforcement Baguio | Hosts: Laica Turingan + Caloy Sambrano | Strings: Music of the Heart | Band: The Johnny’s | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Raza Formal Wear | Groom’s Attire: Nap Arienza | Hair + Makeup: Cathy Cantada-Dizon + Jerry Javier