Believe it or not, a daughter paying for her own wedding would be culturally frowned upon by South Asian parents and circles. But our That Bride, Mashal Mush pushed boundaries to do just that alongside her husband, Zain. And that’s not the only bold move she made — she also had plenty of tricks up her sleeves when it came to cutting down the budget (how not to have a Big Fat Desi Wedding?) including repurposing older ethnic wear for her wedding festivities and designing her own invitation cards on Canva. Ahead, we talk to Mashal about realistic expectations for proposals and weddings, planning festivities across multiple cities amidst a pandemic, how to ace being your own wedding planner and more. Read on and take notes from #MaZa! 

Read More: Top Wedding Planners In Hong Kong

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

I’ve always wanted to watch the first sunrise of the new year. In 2020, everything was shut so we had a pretty relaxing New Year’s Eve — when Zain told me we were going to hike up to The Peak (we actually cabbed it up!) to watch the sunrise the next morning, I knew what was coming. I thought, “This is it!”

We got there and it was freezing. I was in my pajamas but I didn’t care how I looked. If anything, I just wanted to be comfortable (and go back to sleep!). Of course, I had pictured how I wanted my proposal to be but at the same time, I loved how real the actual proposal was and that it reflected our relationship — natural and just us being ourselves.

Read More: Where To Propose In Hong Kong

Tell us about the ring.

We both had an idea about the type of ring we wanted. I definitely wanted something I could actually wear. And my husband kept asking for details, from clarity to colour and whatnot. To be honest, I was clueless about the technical bits!

Before Zain purchased the ring, he sent me a photo of the stone to confirm. I also sent it to my mom to check with her. Size is the most important part of getting a ring — prior to buying the ring, my husband brought home an entire ring measurement guide and we made every decision together. It was nice because I knew what to expect!

Read More: Where To Buy An Engagement Ring In Hong Kong

What did you do for your hen party?

My maid of honour organised my bridal shower and bachelorette party, and I told her to do it all in one day so it’d be less of a hassle. It was a spa-themed pajama party at a hotel room. I made the dress code sexy lingerie and some of my friends actually put in the effort!

It was very comfortable and cosy: we talked, chilled and played games before heading out to dinner at aqua (I’m all about the views and rooftops!). My dress for the party was rented from Pret-a-Dress and it was a secret that I revealed to my friends (I loved their reactions!).

It’s so rare to have all my closest friends in one room, at the same time. Just the fact that they could all be there for me was the best part.

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

There were multiple dresses but I didn’t really need to try on that many! The first event was my Nikkah (the Islamic marriage ceremony) and the dress I wore was designed and stitched by my mom. It was simple and white and just beautiful. I re-wore the dress at another event in Pakistan.

For the civil registration in Hong Kong, I went to a bridal dress boutique (DBR Weddings) and tried on three dresses. I went with my first option and rented it.

Read More: Wedding Dress Rental In Hong Kong – Where To Rent A Wedding Dress

You’re big on sustainable fashion, how did you incorporate this into your wedding outfits?

For my qawwali night (a live performance of Sufi devotional music) in Karachi, I wore my mom’s 25th anniversary dress. It was a maroon and gold lehenga and I remember seeing her in that dress — I was a kid at that time.

When we were in Pakistan, we were skimming through old pieces and my mom was talking about giving this lehenga away. I seized the opportunity — I remade the top and re-wore it!

There’s no harm in repeating. You can also always style it in different ways. You don’t need to feed into the fast fashion cycle of over-consumption.

And then of course, I rented outfits for my engagement party, bachelorette and civil wedding. And for any in-between events, I sometimes borrowed dresses from my sister. The fact that my wedding festivities happened in two different cities definitely helped — different people but the same outfits!

Many people believe in buying a brand new dress for their wedding. What are your thoughts on this? How can we encourage people to shift from this mindset?

That definitely needs to change, it’s not a healthy mindset to have. You need to ask yourself, “Am I going to wear this again?” If the answer is no, you shouldn’t be buying it. There are other ways to do it, be it borrowing, renting or repurposing.

For me, it’s even more special wearing something pre-loved or passed down because there’s a story behind that outfit. And for South Asian weddings, the dresses are extremely heavy with a lot of intricate work — you’re definitely not wearing your bridal dress again! You save money and effort by renting or repurposing.

What’s the biggest challenge in planning a wedding with multiple festivities across different cities?

My entire family is in Pakistan and Zain’s family is spread across Hong Kong and America. I actually had my entire wedding in Pakistan myself — I didn’t have my husband there! He couldn’t fly there due to COVID-19 and he had just switched to a new job.

A lot of my family members kept asking where the groom and his family were, and my cousins would joke that my husband wasn’t real! This was bit challenging but it was still intimate and we enjoyed all of the events. My family was so supportive and understanding throughout all the planning. Plus, more of my cousins and extended family members could attend the festivities in Karachi as Hong Kong was faced with a lot of travel restrictions.

Another huge challenge for me was facing the different work ethics across Hong Kong and Pakistan. As for Hong Kong, everything was organised and done ahead of time. This wasn’t the case in Pakistan (mostly due to cultural differences), everyone has their own pace (generally pretty slow!). For one of my events, the set-up wasn’t done until the very last minute! I just didn’t know enough about the wedding industry in Pakistan but it was a huge learning curve for me.

Let’s talk about budget, South Asian weddings are known for their unrestrained lavishness. Was this the route you went for? What aspects of a wedding do you think couples can save on?

Although we had over 10 events, it was not a typical, lavish South Asian wedding. My husband and I funded this entire wedding ourselves. If you’re planning on financing your own wedding, do let your parents know ahead — don’t catch them off-guard. South Asian parents often spend their lives saving for their daughter’s big wedding.

It has always been a goal of mine to pay for my own wedding despite the norm where parents often handle the expenses.

Since I was the one creating the spreadsheets (I love my spreadsheets – remember to stay organised!), I was more aware of where the money was going and what was worth spending on. Plus, my sister is a henna artist and my mom is a make-up artist so I definitely saved heaps from that alone (make-up is a huge cost!). Other tips I have include:

• Rent artificial florals rather than fresh — they are less expensive and less wasteful.
• Instead of going for extravagant physical invitation cards that are still very common in Pakistan, I went for digital ones and whipped them up myself on Canva!
• Rent or borrow clothes whenever possible especially if you don’t plan on wearing the outfit again.
• Save costs on not having a destination wedding (and avoid the carbon footprint of flying guests in from all over) but this is more of a personal preference.
• Support local suppliers for catering, you’ll find lesser-known gems that are also less pricey. You don’t always need to go with the big names.
• Contact your photographer friends! Help them build their portfolio and save compared to higher end wedding photographers.

Planning your own wedding is not impossible, go for it but be aware of your spendings and prepare for changes in your budget.

Read More: 10 Ways To Save On Your Big Day

You sure know how to throw a party! Your reception in Hong Kong was on a boat! Was there a reason behind this choice, which other wedding venues did you consider?

We hadn’t considered any other venues for the reception. The Star Ferry was my husband’s idea — we both love this iconic symbol of Hong Kong (plus, it has low emissions!). Why not do something different? We like thinking outside of the box and trying something new.

The ferry was only docked at the pier for 15 minutes and so my wedding decoration team had such a small window to set everything up but they did an amazing job!

The Star Ferry was the best way to conclude our wedding festivities. It was quite a relaxing event after all the hectic planning. We hosted the event late afternoon so we could catch the sunset – we never tire of watching the sun go down on Victoria Harbour. It was just magical!

Read More: Alternative Wedding Venues In Hong Kong

Any more tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

• Relax, loosen up your nerves and enjoy every moment because it’ll reflect on your wedding photos! This time is never going to come back again.
• If you ever need help, don’t be afraid to ask! It can get very stressful planning an entire wedding by yourself.

Proposal photographer: Chandni Chotrani
Nikkah venue: The Upper House/ Nikkah MUA: Rimi/ Nikkah photographer: Matt Leung
Qawali dress: Pre-loved/ Qawali hair + MUA: Salma’s Club by Salma & Sara (Mashal’s mom and sister)/ Qawali henna: Sara’s Henna (Mashal’s sister)/ Qawali photographer: Fatima Tariq
Civil dress: Rented from DBR Weddings/ Civil hair + MUA: Salma’s Club by Salma & Sara/ Civil photographer: Matt Leung
Reception decor: hereforyouevents/ Reception hair + MUA: Salma’s Club by Salma & Sara/ Reception photographer: Matt Leung

The post “It’s even more special wearing something pre-loved”, That Bride Mashal Mush On Her Sustainable Wedding appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

With award-winning planetary scientist and astrobiologist Angelica Angles searching for extraterrestrial life on Mars and Hamilton digging up dinosaur bones in the Mongolian desert, the two explorers were always torn apart by work. But a wedding was just the thing to bring them together. From a Christmas proposal in Canada, the wedding ceremony in Hong Kong and an adventurous honeymoon in Antarctica, read on for all the details on Angelica’s out-of-this-world wedding.

Read more: That Bride: Megan Vergé, A True “That Bachelor” Success Story

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

We were spending Christmas in Canada with Hamilton’s family. It was really cold and raining every day, but on Christmas Day we had a beautiful sunny day. He took me to a cliff, where he used to play as a child with his brother. Because Hamilton and I are from different countries, we’ve never been able to be together in the same place for very long. On that day, he told me he found a solution to that problem, so we would never have to be separated again. And then, he asked me to marry him. This happened nine months after we met and, of course, I said yes!

Read more: How They Asked: Proposal Stories That Made Us Swoon

Tell us about the ring.

Actually, there were two rings! One is from Hamilton’s father’s side of the family and is more than 100 years old. It belonged to Daisy, who was a concert pianist (like myself). In 1903, a gentleman proposed to Daisy. Daisy never married him but kept the ring. That ring travelled with Daisy to India and then in Scotland, until it made its way to Canada. It is a beautiful ring with over 15 diamonds and a vintage gold structure.

The second ring was from his grandmother from his mother’s side. This one has a big diamond and Hamilton always remembers his grandma with the ring, so he decided to give it to me. Both rings have a long family history, and I love to tell the stories of the rings.

Read more: Where To Buy Your Wedding Ring In Hong Kong

What did you do for your hen party?

My friends in Hong Kong organised a ‘space party’ for me. My friend Maria, who is a designer, created T-shirts for the girls with my name, and even designed a logo for the menus. The logo consisted of a rocket with my dog Salchicha and myself, travelling through the universe. They also gave me a T-shirt with the same logo. All the girls made a huge effort to prepare the party. They studied all the details, from the names of the food on the menu to the rules of the games we played. It was one of the best days I spent with all my friends!

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

I did not try a single one. I knew exactly what I wanted, so I went to a designer named Christina Devine, who designed the dress for me. As a planetary scientist and astrobiologist, my job consists of the search for extraterrestrial life on Mars, and I wanted my dress to reflect my career, but also wanted a classy style. Christina placed over 1,000 Swarovski crystals in the shape of stars and moons all over the skirt. The dress also had detachable angel wings, which I loved having instead of a veil. Lastly, Christina created a black bow with the same stars and planets for my hair, that matched the ribbons on the dress. Lastly, I wore the most beautiful Jimmy Choo shoes that were very sparkly, which matched the sparkles of the dress. The end result was even better than I ever imagined.

The best advice you received before the big day?

To enjoy the day and not worry about things going wrong.

What was the wedding like?

It all went too fast. I was nervous in the morning, but then I told myself to relax and enjoy every minute. Our families could not physically be at the wedding because of the pandemic (we will do another wedding with family and friends that couldn’t come to this one) so that part was hard. Both our families were celebrating on different continents, and at different times zones. At 7am in Spain my family was drinking champagne as they watched me walk down the aisle. My mum also sent a speech to one of my friends and we had three of our friends make really beautiful speeches. The whole day was magical and we had the best day of our lives.

Read more: What It’s Like To Postpone Your Wedding

Do you have a favourite part?

The dance! We had a dance teacher that taught us some choreography. We practised the waltz of Sleeping Beauty and we had not managed to follow all the choreography perfectly when we were rehearsing. But on the wedding day, the dance was perfect, we did not make a single mistake, and everyone thought we had been dancing for years! Our teacher Sunshine Chan was very proud of us!

Read more: Your Guide To The Best Dance Classes In Hong Kong

What were the memorable parts from the speeches?

When they talked about how we met, how they could see we were a perfect match, how happy they were to be celebrating with us… it is difficult to choose, each speech was different and the three of them together ended up being so perfect.

What was your first dance song and why did you choose this?

The Waltz of Sleeping Beauty. Since I was a child I knew I wanted this song for my wedding day.

One detail you and the groom just couldn’t agree on?

We did not have a wedding cake, we couldn’t decide on one, but in the end, we decided to have a different type of dessert, which everyone loved!

What was the most fun element of planning your wedding?

Definitely our dance rehearsals! We were so bad at home but we had good times stepping on each other or completely forgetting the steps. We only had two months to prepare for our wedding, so it was intense, but we had a great time preparing everything together.

Most stressful moment?

When it was time to walk down the aisle, the song that was supposed to be for my entrance did not play for a few seconds and I got really stressed! Luckily the music started playing and I successfully walked down the aisle!

The best decision?

I am also a pianist, and since we couldn’t have musicians in the church, I went to a recording studio and recorded the music for my own wedding. I chose the songs I liked, and I even prepared a very meaningful song for my husband as a surprise. I also have two friends who are singers, so they sang live to my music in the church. My husband loved the music, it was worth all the time I spent thinking about the songs and recording the music!

What were the wedding favours?

Both my husband and I did not want anything that could harm the Earth, so we gave little bags filled with lavender seeds. We thought that our friends could plant the seeds, remember us, and also do something nice for the planet! Also, part of the money spent on the seeds went to a charity that helps elephants in Thailand. We liked the idea and will most likely repeat it at our wedding with our families.

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

Enjoy the day, don’t worry about the details, even if something goes wrong people are there to celebrate with you and they don’t care if something doesn’t work. Oh, and try to have a good sleep the night before!

Where did you end up going for your honeymoon?

I must say we are an unusual couple… my husband and I met at the Explorers Club in New York (this was in the year of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo landing on the moon), where he was receiving an award for finding new dinosaur bones in the desert in Mongolia. We do expeditions for work, so naturally, for our honeymoon, we wanted to go on an expedition to Antarctica! For our second wedding, I want to take my husband to Sweden, where I used to live, because he has never been there and it’s such a beautiful country.

Read more: The Best Wedding Planners In Hong Kong

Venue: Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception/Photographer: Mihaela Tudor/ Videographer: Mike Sakas/Makeup Artist: Joanna Worthington/Hair: Tee from Paul Gerrard/Wedding Dress: Christina Devine

The post That Bride: Angelica Angles, Astrobiologist & Planetary Scientist appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

If you’ve been a Sassy reader for a while, you might be familiar with our That Bachelor series which gave readers the chance to win a date with some of the city’s most eligible men. It was fun playing matchmaker, but we didn’t quite imagine that it would lead to marriage! Our That Bride Megan scored big time when she won a date with our That Bachelor Paul Vergé – and so did he!

After three years together, Paul finally popped the question and, without hesitation, Megan said “yes”. The plan was to always get married in Hong Kong, a special place for both of them, but as with many weddings that were planned for this year, the bride and groom-to-be were forced to do things a little differently. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop them from enjoying their big day with loved ones near and far.

Read more: Your Guide To Choosing A Civil Celebrant

How did you two meet?

It was 21st century dating at its finest. Thanks to the famous Sassy article, Paul found me.

Winning a man might not be on the cards for everyone, but it turns out it was for me. Three years ago, I hopped on a plane to the foreign land of Hong Kong. Little did I know that the man I’d “won” would become my husband!

Picking me up like a true gent, Paul wasted no time and met me fresh off the boat, the day I arrived. He whisked me off to the Philharmonic Orchestra opening season concert with a couple of friends – a mighty fine choice, if I do say so myself!

He instantly knew I was a keeper when, whilst having a conversation about their awesome seats, a friend implied that Paul would be enjoying the view seeing as they were sat in view of the cellists (Paul plays the cello I later found out). I hadn’t quite caught on and jumped in with a witty comment about it being a great view of Yuja Wang’s butt. And we’ve been laughing together ever since!

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

It was just your average Tuesday in August (this was last year). Paul texted me about leaving work a tad early to do what we had become quite professional at – picnicking on the beach. We’d taken the habit quite seriously and had been doing it all summer, so I thought absolutely nothing of it. Off we raced in a taxi, at an outrageous 5pm on a school day – destination: Repulse bay.

Paul had the picnic in tow, it was the usual winning combo of cheese & cold cuts (I mean he is French after all!) and we sat talking, watching the day fade away into the sunset.

Of course, no dinner is complete without dessert. I was asked to close my eyes as Paul told me he had a few surprises. First was a fruit salad (thank you Hunny, I got the hint) followed by Ferrero Rocher (talk about sending mixed signals) and then BAM, he was lying on his stomach, ring in hand, asking me to marry him. I mean who could say no to that? And there we have it, two years after we met on a random Tuesday, we were engaged.

Tell us about the ring.

Funny story actually… my first ring was plastic. Yes, no joke. Paul has zero patience, and unbeknown to me, he was in the process of mustering up the most gorgeous emerald cut diamond ring with a simple white gold band. In the meantime, Paul had found an exact replica in plastic that could be delivered in a week, so for him, it was a no brainer. The real ring came about a month later and it couldn’t have been more perfect!

As for our wedding bands, we actually decided to make our own. We signed ourselves up for the wedding ring workshop at Obellery in PMQ and had such a fun time. We picked similar styles in white gold, and spent two Sundays sawing and molding away. We both engraved private messages that we read on the wedding day.

Read more: The Best Independent Jewellery Designers In Hong Kong

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

I always had this idea of trying on dresses with my mum and bridesmaids, and having that moment of epiphany when I found “the one”. Well, it didn’t quite happen that way. I tried on probably close to 50 dresses and I never found “the one”. My friend had recently got married in a tailor-made gown that was gorgeous, and she recommended her tailor, Kath Yeung. So I met with her and showed her the design of a jumpsuit I wanted to recreate, and that was it. Kath was amazing and managed to recreate the design in just four weeks. She made the fittings so special, allowing me to bring friends and FaceTime my family and bridesmaids to show them.

Read more: Where To Buy Your Wedding Dress In Hong Kong

What did you do for your hen party?

We planned our wedding in four weeks so it didn’t leave much room for planning. Thanks to Covid-19, and as my bridesmaids live all over the world, unfortunately not everyone could attend. But, the Hong Kong girls pulled it out of the bag and did me proud. They took me to Zuma for a very boozy brunch and then we continued afternoon drinks at Tai Kwun. Everyone really made it as special as they could.

The best advice you received before the big day?

As a bride, all eyes will be on you. No pressure! As a fairly low maintenance person, hair and makeup artistry really isn’t my strong suit. So with it being a special occasion, I wanted to get my hair and makeup done by a professional. DO A TRIAL! If there is one piece of advice I can give, and that I was very grateful that my friends gave me, is please, please, please make sure you do a trial run with the stylist before booking them!

No matter how good their photos are, you need to try it for yourself. I’m so happy I did, because I ended up opting to do my own hair and makeup. I treated myself to some new products, got ready with a bunch of girlfriends and made it just as special and relaxing as if I were to have had it done at the salon.

Read more: 10 Ways To Save On Your Big Day

What was the wedding like?

We didn’t really have any expectations for the wedding. It was thrown together in a month, without our families and very close friends in Europe. We tried to make it as special as we could, inviting those who couldn’t be there physically to join us on Zoom in their best attire and party with us. I got ready with my girlfriends, and Paul with his mates, and at 3:30pm we left for City Hall.

We timed it to perfection and were able to have 50 of our closest friends in Hong Kong attend the signing at City Hall and a reception at Soho House. Honestly, it was perfect! Soho House was such an accommodating venue, allowing us to use their huge projector screen so that we could continue the live stream.

We had close to 100 people on Zoom that stayed and partied with us the whole way. We even included speeches – both of our dads, along with Paul, gave incredibly touching speeches over Zoom. Our special day was captured by an amazing photographer, Kayley, who really caught some truly special moments. We were overwhelmed by the generosity and thoughtfulness of friends and family who made our makeshift wedding incredibly special.

Do you have a favourite part?

My favourite part was definitely my dad’s speech. My dad is not a man of many words, but he sat there in our living room at home in the UK, with my mum and gran, in his suit, and gave the most perfect speech. It was incredible how close everyone felt despite the distance.

What were memorable parts from the speeches?

I have never been more grateful for technology than on our wedding day. Having our dads be able to say a few words from afar and share their stories was really special. Paul, aka “The PowerPoint King”, put together a showstopper of a speech and took the opportunity to showcase his special talent for taking the most hideous photos of me. That was memorable for me!

Most stressful moment?

The most stressful moment happened early on when we decided to get married but didn’t have a date, venue, or invites. But things fell into place fairly quickly and it was practically stress-free after that!

What was the most fun element of planning your wedding?

By far the best part was seeing how excited everyone was! I think Covid had really taken its toll on all of us at that point, and our friends and family were really excited to get together and celebrate.

The best decision?

The best decision we made was having a guest book. You will only have these people all together in one room on this one special day, so make sure you do your best to capture it in as many ways as possible. We asked everyone to colour themselves in and write their name or a message. It now hangs beautifully in our dining room where we see it every day.

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help. Everyone was more than happy to lend a hand. My very talented friend created my bouquet the morning of and it was absolutely perfect! Another friend made us Star Wars-themed cake toppers – needless to say, the hubby approved! We also had help organising the cake and managing Zoom throughout the day.

Something we learned on the day is to take photos with everyone! Don’t worry about sticking to your schedule, everyone is there for you guys, so take your time and make sure you take as many photos as you can, with as many people as you can. You won’t regret it, but your face might ache from smiling!

And that brings us naturally to your honeymoon. Were you able to have one, or do you have one planned?

Well, Covid made things very simple for us – we staycationed! We spent a few nights at Rosewood Hong Kong straight after the wedding to just take a moment to soak it all in.

The post That Bride: Megan Vergé, A True “That Bachelor” Success Story appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Needless to say, it’s been a difficult time for couples who were hoping to get married this year. But a lot of them have refused to let a pandemic get in the way of their big day. Besides, if anyone could pull off a pandemic wedding in style, it’s our former editor Lauren Bright.

Lauren had always planned to celebrate with her friends and family in Hong Kong, where she was born and raised. But she also had plans for another wedding ceremony in France this summer, which has sadly been put on hold due to travel restrictions. Nevertheless, thanks to a touch of creativity, a helping hand from her loved ones and the magic of technology, she was able to really make the most of the situation. With a last minute dress change, FaceTime speeches and a reception back at her and her partner’s flat, it was definitely a wedding to remember.

Read more: What It’s Like To Postpone Your Wedding

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

When we go back to the UK for Christmas, we always visit Chatsworth House with our family. Every year, the house is beautifully decorated. Each room is filled with amazing displays, usually following a theme. For my Christmas present, Nick arranged for us to stay at one of the bed and breakfasts on the estate and said that we needed to go early to drop off our bags (little did I know our family – which included my mum and brother from Hong Kong – were following in the car behind us).

We got to the estate early so Nick suggested we walk around the grounds. We ended up at the base of the Chatsworth Cascade, which was built in 1696. While I was busy reading one of the signs about its history, Nick kept saying my name – but, of course, I kept ignoring him. When I eventually turned around, Nick got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was such a surprise. The best part was when we went back to the carpark and I found our family there with champagne and cake!

I later found out that they were all in on Nick’s plan. Mum even carried the ring all the way from Hong Kong (which caused her a fair amount of stress!). We got to spend the rest of the day celebrating with them at Chatsworth, and then Nick and I had the night alone together at The Devonshire Arms, Beeley. It was an amazing day that both of us will never forget.

Tell us about the ring.

Nick chose five different diamond rings at the Diamond Registry in Hong Kong and asked my mum and two best friends to help him pick out the final one. It’s a beautiful solitaire with a really thin white gold band. It meant even more knowing that Nick was able to involve the people I love most.

For my wedding ring, we went to a jeweller based in Wan Chai called Ellis Jewellery that my mum has been going to for 20 years. The jewellers there were able to repurpose two rings that my mum had given to me for my 18th birthday into my wedding band. Nick was also able to have his great-grandfather’s ring, which was passed down to him from his late grandmother, remade into his wedding band.

What did you do for your hen party?

Unfortunately, the plans that my bridesmaids in Hong Kong had made couldn’t go ahead due to COVID-19 restrictions on travel and gatherings, so they ended up taking me for a massage at The Right Spot. It ended up being a really relaxed and sweet way to make the most of of a very strange situation.

I’m really lucky that I was able to have a hen do in London when I went back to the UK last Christmas. One of my bridesmaids living there organised a life-drawing session followed by a boozy brunch with some of my best friends from university and school, and my gorgeous sister-in-law was able to be there too. It was amazing to see them all, especially before COVID hit. I feel really lucky that I was able to have multiple hens!

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

Before COVID, we had hoped to have a lunch and party at the Aberdeen Boat Club and I bought a full sequinned midi dress from Whistles to wear for the occasion. With everything that happened, it didn’t feel quite right to wear something that was so sparkly and fun. We were also only going to be able to have a very small celebration, so I wanted to find something that was a little more casual and appropriate. With  just a week to go before the wedding, I was feeling unsure about what to wear and, to be honest, a little sad about it all.

I was in Central running some errands and decided to pop into a few shops to see if there was anything suitable. I tried loads of different white and cream dresses and playsuits, but still couldn’t find anything I was in love with. I ended up in Zara and, luckily, one of my bridesmaids suggested I try on a linen dress that I hadn’t initially been so keen on. It turned out to be perfect and was only $500!

We love that! What about the rest of the styling?

I then quickly ordered some Aldo shoes from Zalora. I also wore a vintage clip that I found in an antique store in Stamford, England, and had that styled at the amazing Love Hair before the ceremony. They are so supportive and accommodating at Love Hair and made the day feel really special, even during such a strange time! For something borrowed and blue I wore my bridesmaid’s Monica Vinader bracelet.

As all of the nail salons were shut, my wonderful friend, who used to work as the manager of one of Hong Kong’s best hotel spas, learned how to do a soft gel manicure and bought all the supplies needed to give me an at-home mani. It was a really sweet thing for her to do and made me feel a bit more excited for the day despite everything that was going on. I did my own makeup at Love Hair using a few products from Charlotte Tilbury.

The best advice you received before the big day?

One of my friends in the UK, whose wedding I attended last year, said that you feel like a celebrity when you’re a bride. I remember her standing on a mezzanine and singing out at the crowd – she was just the most badass bride who really enjoyed every single moment. She definitely inspired me to just enjoy the day, be present in the moment and make the most of being the centre of attention.

What was the wedding like?

The plan we had for our Hong Kong celebration changed multiple times! We needed to be mindful of the restrictions in place, whilst also ensuring everyone’s safety. In the end, we decided to keep it simple and just have our wedding signing at Cotton Tree Drive, followed by a few drinks back at our flat.

At the time, weddings were allowed a maximum of 20 people at the registry office and our flat could probably only fit that many people too. Nick invited our guy mates round to ours in the morning and his best man made him bacon and egg cobs. I slept over at my mum’s house and in the morning went to Love Hair to get ready. We then all met at Cotton Tree Drive. It was a beautiful sunny day.

Nick’s family in the UK, who were supposed to be in Hong Kong for the occasion, woke up at 3am UK time and dressed up in their clothes so that they could watch the quick ceremony via FaceTime, as did my Dad in Sydney. My brother’s friend offered to take photographs for us on the day. After the signing, we went with him to take more shots around Hong Kong Park. We are so, so happy with the photographs – he did such an amazing job!

After the picture-taking we headed back to our flat which we had decorated with DIY bunting and flowers. My mum and bridesmaids had made these delicious grazing boards for people to snack on, and one of our friends supplied lots of bottles of sparkling rosé as a wedding gift! We got through a lot of booze that day… including some homemade infused gins and vodkas from our family friend (which were a big hit). We were able to also use the roof of our building for drinks and speech making.

One highlight was the cake; my bridesmaid’s mum made us a delicious homemade cake that was decorated with thyme and roses. We enjoyed this just after another highlight of the day – a video reel of messages from all our family and friends abroad, put together by my brother and his girlfriend. It was such a surprise, and there were definitely tears of laughter and of joy.

What were memorable parts from the speeches?

As our Hong Kong celebration was just in our home and our family from the UK and Australia were not able to be there, we didn’t have a traditional set up for speeches. That being said, both of our dad’s were able to say a few words in different ways. Nick’s dad read out his speech via FaceTime which made us both very emotional, and my brother read out a speech that my dad in Australia had written.

Even though it was really hard not having all of our close family there physically, we are so grateful to have the technology that we have today, which allowed us to still involve Nick’s dad, mum and sister, and my dad and grandmother. Two of our really good friends even recorded the whole registry signing live for them, which we so appreciated. It wasn’t the same as having them there, but at least it felt like they were a part of the day in some way.

What was the most stressful element of planning your wedding?

We considered having a lunch for 30 people at various venues, then looked into whether we could do something on a family friend’s rooftop or barbecue area… but each time we planned something the rules changed, so we had to adjust. The most upsetting part of the whole process was when we realised our family in the UK and Australia wouldn’t be able to fly over as planned. That really hurt and was hard to accept, but we are so fortunate to have my mum, brother and some of our best friends living here. We were also so grateful to have been able to use technology to still see the family we were missing.

Obviously, COVID has created stress and difficulties for people planning to get married this year. It was unexpected and disappointing to have to change so many plans that we’d been looking forward to for over a year. That being said, we are always aware of how fortunate we are to just be healthy and safe during this time. The pandemic has caused so many awful things for people around the world, our cancelled wedding plans are nowhere near comparable.

At the end of the day, we are lucky that we get to share our lives together and that we were able to get married this year. It has definitely made me appreciate even more that marriage and choosing to be with someone is the important part. The wedding is just an addition – an extra fun party on top of something that’s already special.

And which part did you enjoy the most?

Planning this wedding was difficult to say the least, but it also made us more adaptable and open to different ideas. I ended up doing a lot of DIY; instead of paying a fortune for a professional florist, I went to Woodsy Garden and chose loads of flowers to decorate our flat with myself. I also picked up some flowers for my bouquet and used a few of the decoration ones to make our own DIY flower buttonholes for Nick and our friends. This was actually much easier than I thought (with the help of my mum and friends!), and I really enjoyed it.

It made me feel a lot more relaxed about the flowers for our French wedding celebration (which we will hopefully still have at some point!).

I also made a slideshow of some photos of us with our family and friends which we had on loop on our TV in the flat. Looking through all those memories was really special.

What were the wedding favours?

For wedding favours, I went to a tiny little Aladdin’s cave of Hong Kong-style pottery in Soho that I’ve been going to for years. I ended up getting some porcelain chopsticks for everyone and made little DIY labels to tie through the top of them to say thank you.

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

For a small wedding, I would recommend trying to be your own florist. I found it fun being able to select my own flowers and it made my bouquet feel even more special. It’s also nice to support local and smaller businesses if possible, which will also end up being a better deal for you. If you’re lucky and have amazing friends, I would also remember that so many people will want to help and that you should take them up on any offers they may have!

Read more: 10 Ways To Save On Your Big Day

The post That Bride: Lauren Bright, Former Sassy Editor appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Like all great modern love stories, it started with Tinder. Recently single and new to Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific pilot Katrine Friis Olsen signed up to the online dating app at the urging of her well-meaning colleagues. In an almost serendipitous string of events, Katrine shortly thereafter found herself texting away with Hong Kong local Thor (Danish name, check!), an artist and actor at Viu TV. This eventually led to a coffee date and the rest, as you might have guessed already, is history…

Now, some seven years later, Katrine is taking us behind the scenes of the couple’s hygge wedding. Held in her home country of Denmark late last year, the nuptials brought together the very best of Danish and Chinese tradition. Keep reading for more!

Read more: That Bride: Claire Johnson, Corporate Hospitality Manager At Art Basel

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

As we’d already had “the talk” and decided on the wedding date, Thor didn’t have an easy task making the proposal a surprise. Neither of us had time for a holiday – work and a recent move to Sai Kung had kept us busy with renovation. Alas, there was no time for fancy dinners, get-aways or other ideal proposal opportunities. So instead, he elected to do the exact opposite by choosing the most ordinary and unlikely night of all.

I had just showered and was getting ready for bed as we had to wake up at 5am to pick up my sister and her boyfriend at the airport. I was completely confused when I came out of the bathroom and the entire living room was lit by candlelight. Thor was standing there in the way-too-tiny shirt he had worn the first time we met. He then got on his knees and said a lot of sweet things I honestly can’t remember as my brain went completely blank – I was so overwhelmed and surprised! He’d even handwritten all of our Tinder conversations into two small notebooks.

In love and full of excitement, neither of us could go to bed after that. We went to our local Honeymoon Dessert instead and talked about the old days, enjoying the feeling of finally being engaged. We then went straight to the airport, low on sleep but high on love!

Read more: How He Asked: Real-Life Proposal Stories From Our “That Brides”

Tell us about the ring.

My wise husband knew better than to surprise me with this one, so he asked me. And I’m so happy he did! I’ve always admired the LA designer Polly Wales for her beautiful organic and playful designs, hoping that one day I would wear one of her atrium rings, so we actually ended up designing it together with her. From sourcing and choosing the stones, deciding on the design and seeing the ring transform from a blue wax mould into its finished rose-gold setting, it was fascinating! We took a vacation to LA for a week and picked it up together at her workshop.

Later, we decided on her confetti rings for our wedding bands too – mine with watermelon-coloured sapphires in green and pink ombre, his similar, but without stones. That was his one wish throughout our wedding planning – that our rings would look alike. He’s truly a romantic!

Read more: Where To Buy An Engagement Ring In Hong Kong

What did you do for your hen party?

My sister and bridesmaid told me to leave some days open when I went back to Denmark for the final face-to-face meetings about the wedding – so I had an inkling that a surprise hen party might be in store. However, I did not expect to be woken up with pink Champagne in bed, be dressed up as a unicorn and taken out sailing through the canals of Copenhagen (as a unicorn in a pink tutu, you certainly get a lot of smiles and waves!). The day also included bridal bouquet throwing practice in the town centre, high tea (with more Champagne) for lunch and a visit to an escape room. I felt so overwhelmed seeing how much energy and work they had put into it.

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

Two! The two I wore on my wedding day. And my search was certainly not done in the usual order – I started with a hat! A vintage Yohji Yamamoto bridal hat from the 90s to be exact, and an absolute dream. For a long time I’d been in doubt about where to begin; I knew I wasn’t a ballgown kind of girl, nor a mermaid either. The vision I had was of old French charm. All I dreamt about was a vintage Yohji Yamamoto dress from his Spring 1999 collection, but seeing as those pieces are in an exhibition at the MET in New York, the chances of scoring one was unlikely!

As luck would have it, I came across one of his bridal hats instead. This was without doubt the best decision I ever made in regards to my outfit. Now all I needed was a simple and classic dress. “The Harper” dress from Kamperett fitted this bill, and both dress and hat turned out to be made for each other.

Read more: Where To Buy Your Wedding Dress In Hong Kong

What was the wedding like?

In one word, “hygge”. As we’d agreed on celebrating our wedding in Denmark where I was born and grew up, it was only natural to show our Hong Kong family and friends a classic Danish wedding. “Hygge” is a rather famous Danish word encapsulating everything cosy and laidback about Danish culture. This meant our wedding had a warm and relaxing atmosphere, with lots of nature elements including wild flowers, beautiful Nordic food from the local farmers, an intimate guest list and, of course, lots of candlelight.

Do you have a favourite memory of the day?

I loved that we took a detour in our old London taxi to a nearby bakery for a cup of coffee and a “tebirkes” (a Danish poppy seed pastry) after the church service. Time goes by so fast on your wedding day, so I really treasured this in-between time to let the marriage sink in and have a quiet moment with my new husband.

How did you incorporate little pieces of Hong Kong into your overseas wedding?

As my husband is born and raised in Hong Kong, I really wanted to wear something traditionally red as a nod to his Chinese roots. I loved the idea of walking down the aisle in bright red. Unfortunately for my wallet, I had only one dress on my mind; a classic red Valentino. As luck often follows the brave (and foolish!), one of his dresses suddenly became available – a classic A-line with a deep V-neck in that classic bold red hue, the same red used for Chinese weddings. Having bought the dress online, I was very nervous trying it on for the first time. But if I ever had something like “a bridal moment”, this was it.

Read more: Alternative Wedding Venues In Hong Kong

What was the most fun element of planning your wedding?

There were so many fun moments, but the evening we created our wedding playlist is the one I remember the most. Listening to all our favourite love songs – the cheesy ones, the classic ones, the old school ones – as we both love music and had a long list of songs, it ended up being quite a party sorting through them all.

And the most stressful moment?

There were definitely a few days during the last month where things piled up as deadlines approached. But the single most stressful moment was getting stuck in Friday traffic on our way to the dining venue. It was particularly bad as this was the Friday leading up to the school holidays – none of us had thought of this when we planned the timeline. Hence we were almost an hour late to the venue and had to make some quick arrangements so we still had time for wedding photos outside while the light was good.

What about the best decision you made in the planning process?

I’ll pick two things; my wedding planner and my bridal hat. Without our wedding planner, we would never have got so many amazing vendors on board. Sofie from Brink Bryllup quickly got an idea of our vision and suggested vendors based on our wedding style – all of whom went above and beyond to make our wedding wishes come true. As for the hat – it almost got more compliments than me that day!

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

It sounds so cheesy, but don’t be afraid to be you and do your wedding your way. Trends are seasonal and for commercials and magazines, your wedding is forever and no other couple has been exactly like you. There is so much information out there, which is fantastic if you have no idea where to start. But also know that there will always be something more you can plan, order, arrange and do, so try not to get FOMO! Do what feels “you”. Trust your decisions and skip the rest – your skin, your mood and your fiancé will thank you for this.

The post That Bride: Katrine Friis Olsen, Pilot At Cathay Pacific Airways appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

From a picturesque Tuscan wedding of dreams to an epic “ding ding” reception, this year’s “That Bride” weddings have made us fall in love with being in love all over again. But where did the journey begin? We chatted to five of our previous That Brides to hear about their personal proposal stories. Cue the tears!

Read more: Where To Buy An Engagement Ring In Hong Kong

The post How They Asked: Real-Life Proposal Stories From Our “That Brides” appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

A less than glamorous small town nightclub is hardly the meet-cute of dreams. Yet for Hong Kong-based couple Claire and Brian, it somehow worked. “At the tender age of 19, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight!” admits Claire. “But we’ve certainly grown and changed a lot since then.” Now, fifteen years later, Claire, Corporate Hospitality Manager at Art Basel, and Brian, a Black Sheep stalwart currently working at Carbone, have since had many wonderful and exciting adventures together. The latest of which happens to be their very own nuptials, set in a dreamy private farmhouse in the picturesque Tuscan countryside…

Read more: That Bride: Lili Chu, Assistant Comms Manager At The Upper House

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

He proposed outside Osaka castle. I had an inkling he was going to propose during our Japan trip, however he left it right until the last day which definitely kept me guessing! He had considered doing it at Shibuya Crossing, so I’m very glad he settled on somewhere a little less busy!

Tell us about the ring.

We decided to choose the ring together. After much searching, my mum offered me her ring which is an unusual gold design from the 70s. As I wanted a bit more of a “rock”, we had the diamond replaced with an old Victorian one from a jewellers in the UK. I couldn’t have hoped for a more perfect ring.

What did you do for your hen party?

As my bridesmaids were split between Hong Kong and the UK, I had two. The first in Tokyo (one of my favourite places) and the second in London.

The best advice you received before the big day?

Don’t stress about the little things on the day. There’s bound to be something that’s not quite right, but it’s really not worth worrying about! I found the final week or so leading up to the wedding quite stressful, so it was definitely good advice to just let it all go and enjoy.

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

I found it quite challenging to find a dress I liked, particularly as I wanted something quite simple, which isn’t too easy to find in Hong Kong. In the end, Jackie and her team at The Loft helped me to decide on a simple Alex Perry gown and pearl veil from One Day Bridal.

What was the wedding like?

We got married at a private farmhouse in Tuscany with an intimate wedding party of 34. It was very relaxed, with an emphasis on the amazing scenery, food and wine.

Do you have a favourite part?

It being a destination wedding meant we got to spend some real quality time with our wedding party. Living away from home, it was a really unique opportunity to get friends and family together from across the world. The wedding in my memory is really the whole time we were away with them, not just the wedding day.

How did you incorporate little pieces of Hong Kong in your overseas wedding?

We had a Hong Kong-style rubber stamp made with the double-happiness symbol and some wedding details. We used this on the wedding invites and then to decorate the paper fans given to guests on the day.

What were memorable parts from the speeches?

We kept the speeches short and sweet, with one from the best man and one from the groom. I’ve never been too keen on the formalities of a traditional wedding.

What was your first dance song and why did you choose this?

Again, not being keen on wedding traditions, we decided to replace the first dance with a first drink! Everyone enjoyed a round of limoncello before the DJ kicked off the party.

What was the most fun element of planning your wedding?

The little added touches and trying to make the whole trip an unforgettable experience for our guests.

And the most stressful moment?

Getting a mild case of heat stroke the day before the wedding! There was a freak heatwave in Europe that weekend so it was A LOT hotter than anyone envisaged!

What about the best decision you made in the planning process?

The gelato cart! We kept it a surprise and our guests loved it when the two old Italian guys appeared to serve them delicious gelato.

What were the wedding favours?

We chose some small pots of honey from the wedding venue. They make their own honey, oil and wine!

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

For destination weddings especially, get a wedding planner. I had an amazing lady (shoutout to Mariane Vitoria from Blooming Eventi) who helped source vendors and transport. It meant that I didn’t need to worry about a thing on the day.

And that brings us naturally to your honeymoon. Where did you end up going?

As we were already in Italy we decided to do a mini-moon in the Amalfi coast for a few days. We’re also planning to do a longer trip travelling through Japan in 2020.

The post That Bride: Claire Johnson, Corporate Hospitality Manager At Art Basel appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Working as an Assistant Communications Manager at The Upper House, Lili Chu has seen more than her fair share of weddings. So when it came to her own, it’s no wonder that every last detail was taken care of. She made sure it showcased the best of Hong Kong for her international guests, taking them on a Champagne-fuelled tram journey through the city streets, before holding her reception in the striking Western Market building.

Lili first met her now husband, Andrew, when they attended a friend’s wedding in Ahmedabad in India. There were over 700 wedding guests at the three-day affair in 2016, but Lili and Andrew were the only two foreign and Chinese guests. They bonded instantly and even chose to travel around India together for a week after the celebrations. Fast forward just a few months and Andrew chose to make the move from Australia back to his hometown of Hong Kong…and of course, Lili. Two years later, it was their own turn to host a wedding!

Read more: That Bride: Ana Duje, Illustrator And Graphic Artist

Every bride has a proposal story, so what’s yours?

We got engaged in Tasmania. I was feeling unwell at the beginning of the trip, so Andrew had to change his plan for the proposal. But on the day he proposed it was perfect. We first had an amazing lunch in Home Hill Winery. The restaurant overlooked the green hills, where alpacas roamed freely. That evening, we checked in to our little teepee cabinet, which had a cosy fireplace. We had a short hike and Andrew proposed under the starlit sky. Besides the wallabies that were lurking around our food, it felt like it was just the two of us in the mountains.

Tell us about the ring.

The ring is made with inherited diamonds from Andrew’s family and hand-crafted by a family friend. Each diamond has a story behind it. I love the history and tradition that come with the ring and hope that I can pass it on in the future as well.

What did you do for your hen party?

With the stress of planning a wedding, a big night out seemed like an exhausting idea. So for me, it was a casual night out with close friends, great food and great wine.

What about the dress? How many did you try on?

I found “The One” quite quickly. I tried on around five to six dresses and was set on an A-line, boat-neck dress. As I had a traditional wedding ceremony in a Catholic Cathedral, I wanted a dress that was elegant and timeless. When I tried on the dress and the consultant put the veil on me, I felt tears filling up my eyes! I felt so pure. I didn’t try on any other dresses after that.

However, soon after I brought the dress, I also wanted an off-shoulder mermaid dress. I couldn’t find one that was exactly what I want. So I had one designed and tailor-made for the party. It’s also typical in Hong Kong to have “pre-wedding” photoshoot. So I brought another cheap dress online for our photoshoot in Scotland, which made it okay when it was soaked with the Highland rain and mud.

What was the best piece of advice you received before the big day?

To have some time alone with your partner. It felt like the day just flew by the second I stepped into the church. The day was ending before we knew it. Between catching up with old friends and following traditional rituals, it’s important to set some time aside to connect with your partner. After all, it is your wedding day!

What was the wedding itself like?

We had over 300 guests, and half of them flew in from Australia, Canada, the US, Scotland, Poland, Korea, India and Shanghai for the wedding. For some, it was their first time visiting Hong Kong. We wanted to create a very “Hong Kong” experience for our guests. The church ceremony was followed by an epic tram party. We hired two trams and filled them with dim sum, mini egg tarts, Gweilo craft beer and more. The trams stopped right in front of the dinner reception venue at Western Market, a beautiful Edwardian building that represents the side of old Hong Kong. Besides canapés, a whisky bar, and an Iberico ham station (we flew a whole ham back in our suitcase from Barcelona), we also had a gai daa jai egg waffle station and a made-to-order dragon’s beard candy station for the cocktail reception. The night continued with more Chinese dishes, a live band and lots of dancing!

Did you have a favourite part of the whole day?

The dancing! Andrew and I took a few dance classes hoping to get the first dance right. Of course, we forgot quite a few steps but it was still very romantic and intimate for us. We were worried that no one would come to the dance floor but everyone came out to dance. Even our 90-year-old grandma!

What were the most memorable parts from the speeches?

Our childhood friends gave the speeches, which were beautiful and heartfelt. It was lovely to listen to Andrew’s best man, Damien, recounting the ups and downs of their bromance over the years, as well as their childhood in Sydney, and how Andrew has become his best self now.

Was there one detail you and the groom just couldn’t agree on?

The multiple “pre-wedding” photo shoots. Andrew isn’t a big fan of taking pictures. I convinced him to do one photo shoot in the Isle of Skye in the freezing winter, one in Carcassonne in the heat of summer, and one in Hong Kong. We actually ended up becoming good friends with our photographers. The amazing Andrew Rae came to our wedding and we went back to Scotland for his!

What was the most fun element of planning your wedding?

Selecting the food and drink, and picking out songs for the band.

And the most stressful moment?

The seating plan. It was a long process trying to shuffle 30 tables and to satisfy the needs and wants of both ourselves and our parents. Having an excel spreadsheet helped a lot.

What about the best decision you made in the planning process?

Getting help very early on. We were lucky to have my wonderful, resourceful and organised sister-in-law, Amanda, helping from the very beginning. From design, budget, manpower, lining up a talented six-piece band, sourcing delicious Portuguese wine, and so much more, she managed it all!

What were your wedding favours?

We wanted to make something useful and designed a tote bag with our favourite bible quote “Cling to what is good” on it.

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

Spend money on food, wine and entertainment and less on disposable decorations. The unique experience made the difference.

And that brings us naturally to your honeymoon. Where did you end up going?

We waited six months for our honeymoon, as we had used up all our annual leave on our pre-wedding travels. We had a few weeks in Croatia, and it was amazing! It was the perfect combination of history, beautiful hiking trails, sunshine and beaches.

The post That Bride: Lili Chu, Assistant Comms Manager At The Upper House appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Born in Argentina, Ana Duje now works between Hong Kong and Barcelona as an illustrator and graphic artist. Here at Sassy we are big fans of her cartoon-like designs, which make use of bold colours and shapes. We knew she would bring her own distinctive sense of style to her wedding, so couldn’t wait to see the photos (and they definitely didn’t disappoint).

Ana met her Norwegian husband, Alex, when she moved to Spain in 2016. She had initially contacted him about a graphic design job before she arrived in Barcelona, having come across his workplace on the streaming site, Periscope. They then stayed in touch, as LinkedIn connections and Facebook friends. When Ana eventually made her move to the city, Alex was away travelling. But he told her she could stay in his flat for a week while she found her feet. In the end she found more than just her feet, she also found her future husband!

Read more: That Bride: Lottie Longford-Kerr, Associate Director At Golin

Every bride has a proposal story, so what’s yours?

Alex and I went to Japan for two weeks and celebrated our anniversary on the last night in Tokyo. We were at a very nice teppanyaki restaurant (where they cook your food in front of you) on the 52nd floor of a building in Shinjuku, and after the meal he proposed. It was very casual and intimate, nothing too cheesy (he knows me well!).

Tell us about the ring.

I have three triangle tattoos on my left hand fingers, so he wanted to get a ring that had a triangle in it. He found one with six small diamonds that form a triangle shape. Alex knew he wanted to propose in Tokyo, but he couldn’t find an engagement ring that he liked back home, so he took a risk and bought it on the first day of our holiday. I was out shopping and he said he was going to get some coffee, and that’s when he bought it.

What did you do for your hen party?

I actually had two “half parties”. One of them was back in my home town in Argentina, on our last visit back before the big day. But it was way too early (about one year before the actual wedding), and I had a very bad fever that day. The other one was a weekend away in Bilbao (in Northern Spain) with my friends from Europe and a friend from Argentina who was visiting. They all came with me for my first dress fitting. Neither of my hens were very crazy, but at least I can say I had two!

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on before you found “the one”?

I had a very specific idea of what my dress should look like, especially regarding the shape. I think every woman knows her body and what suits her best. I tried a few dresses on in some shops in Barcelona (where I used to live), but none of them seemed special enough. So, having such a specific idea, I just decided it would be easier to have a designer make it. It was more expensive, but totally worth it.

The designer was Alicia Rueda, and I travelled to Bilbao (which is around a one-hour flight from Barcelona) four or five times for fittings. I highly recommend her, she really is amazing. The dress was pretty simple in terms of shape, but it’s all about the fabric. It had three layers of different laces that created a very special pattern. As it was made of lace, it was a bit transparent from the knee down, but it had a short skin-coloured dress underneath, all of which made it feel very special. It was also photographed well in different light settings.

What was the best advice you received before the big day?

Actually, my makeup artist gave me the best advice. She told me to remember that there’s a photographer capturing face all the time, so try to be aware of the fact that every face you make could appear in your photo album. Of course you shouldn’t stress about that, just make sure that you smile all the time and show how happy you are. I actually had no problem with that, because I couldn’t stop smiling the whole day anyway!

She also recommended that I go for a strong makeup look. Initially, I wanted to have very natural makeup, but she recommended making it heavier because she said , “believe me, you won’t see it in the photos”. And it was true! In the beginning I felt like was wearing too much makeup, but in the photos it looks much more watered down.

What was the wedding itself like?

We decided to have the wedding in Argentina, my home country. Being an international wedding (because my husband is Norwegian), we decided we’d do it in a hotel, where all the guests could stay. Almost without planning, we ended up having a three-day wedding, because we had a dinner the night before, and then stayed for lunch and hung out by the pool the day after.

We had around 120 guests, with about 80 to 90 of this number coming from Argentina. The rest came from Norway, Spain, UK, and the US. Being a graphic designer, I decided I’d make all the signs myself and we had some fun cards on the tables with translations in English, Spanish and Norwegian as ice-breakers. We also had some Norwegian wedding traditions printed, because our cultures are very different.

The style of the wedding was pretty relaxed, maybe a bit “boho-inspired”. We had four long tables and had an Argentinian barbecue (obviously!) for a buffet-style dinner. We also had a “living room” area and a beer bar for the reception. We didn’t have a religious ceremony, just a nice civil ceremony next to the river beside the hotel.

Read more: The Best Locations And Hotels For Destination Weddings In Asia

Do you have a favourite part of the day?

Everything! But I think in general the cultural mix was my favourite thing, because it’s what made the wedding unique for everyone. It was so nice to see everyone getting along and having fun together, even when some of them couldn’t speak each other’s language. Seeing friends of mine and Alex’s dancing together and trying to understand each other was hilarious! Everyone enjoyed dancing to music from both Argentina and Norway.

What were the most memorable parts from the wedding speeches?

All the speeches were beautiful. Everyone did a great job, especially considering that it was a trilingual wedding! We all spoke a bit of English, Norwegian and Spanish (especially Alex and me).

Was there one detail you and the groom just couldn’t agree on?

Money! But seriously speaking, Alex was great and very flexible with everything. Being a designer, I’m much more picky when it comes to the way everything should look, so he was very patient and just let me make most of the decisions.

What was the most fun element about planning your wedding?

I’d say the very first stage where you start thinking and dreaming about what it could be like. I also really enjoyed looking for inspiration and drawing up the guest list.

And what about the most stressful moment?

I tend to get very anxious and nervous in situations where I’m the centre of attention, but I don’t know what happened that day. I was super nervous the day before, and for some reason on the day itself, I woke up smiling and thinking “ok, I’m getting married today!”. Just thinking about being with my husband for the rest of my life took away every bit of nervousness I felt.

What would you say was the best decision you made about the wedding?

To get married in my home country. I can guarantee I wouldn’t have had more than ten people attend from my side if we had done it in Europe.

What were your wedding favours?

We didn’t really have wedding favours per se, but with the big day being in spring (almost summer) we put some paper fans in a basket at the ceremony location, and we also had some flip flops for dancing in.

Read more: Wedding Favours: Gift Ideas For Every Guest

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

Make sure you have photos of everything that will be destroyed at the end of the party, for instance, the tables, the wedding favours, the dress! I forgot to tell the photographer to take a good picture of the dress on its own before I wore it, and I totally regret it.

Another thing, this is something we’ve all heard before, but the most important thing is just to relax and enjoy the day. And make sure you spend time with your husband. No-one will notice if the food, the drinks or the music aren’t exactly perfect. What they want to see, and what they’re there to celebrate, is the bride and groom and the love you have for each other. That’s all that matters on the day, so make the most of it!

And that brings us naturally to your honeymoon. Where did you end up going?

We chose Africa as neither of us had been before. We went to Egypt for five days and Zanzibar for two weeks – I would highly recommend both!

Read more: How To Choose The Right Private Game Reserve Safari

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Lottie moved to Hong Kong with her then-boyfriend Dave in 2016, after meeting at a house party in London seven years ago. Let’s just say she knows how to make an impression. She managed to catch Dave’s eye by showing him her party trick (touching her elbow with her tongue no less!). And after that, there was no going back for the couple. Working in PR, Lottie is no stranger to organising events. So it comes as no surprise that when it came to planning her own wedding, she was able to bring some unique touches to the big day. From the four hen dos, to customised signet rings adorned with a bespoke crest, and fortune cat pin badge favours, this wedding was one big celebration!

Read more: How He Asked: Our That Brides Share Their Proposal Stories

Every bride has a proposal story. What’s yours?

We were spending Christmas in Australia and had been for dinner with my best friend (and subsequently Maid Of Honour!) in Bondi on Christmas Eve, before heading back to our Airbnb overlooking the beach. Dave had originally been planning a stocking style proposal, but instead chose to seize the perfect moment on the balcony (which was decorated with fairy lights) at about 1am. We celebrated by sipping champagne and watching the sunrise on the beach.

Tell us about the ring.

My engagement ring is a square cut diamond from Bee’s Diamonds, which was chosen by Dave. My wedding ring is a customised signet ring, made in Hong Kong by Allan Jones & Co. Ltd. Dave designed the engraving on it. It features a feather (from my family crest) and a sun (from Dave’s Scottish family clan).

What did you do for your hen party?

I was lucky enough to have four!

• One with my Hong Kong friends, where we got pampered at LUSH Spa (my haven) before heading to a hotel suite and playing party games
• The celebration with my Golin colleagues involved takeout from Maison Libanaise and wedding quizzes
• I also went graffiti art jamming in Notting Hill with my UK friends, before we headed on to Chiltern Firehouse for dinner
• Then I had a “3G” (three generational!) afternoon tea with my Mum and Nan

Tell us about the dress. How many did you try on?

I booked a trip back to London to sort out a few arrangements (dress shopping being on the list!). I had appointments booked at four stores and found mine at Rock The Frock, where I received such incredible service.  It was a Sabina Motasem design that I luckily got in the sample sale at a fraction of the usual price! Originally, I was going for a short 1950s design (instead I had that for our Hong Kong celebration!) but ended up with something very different for the big day, but very “me”.  To accessorise, I wore earrings belonging to my great-great-aunt, my crossbones necklace wrapped around my wrist as my bracelet, red LK Bennett heels and glittery hair stars from Crown & Glory.

The best advice you received before the big day?

Not to stress too much about it because it is just one day, and even better days of our lives are still to come!

What was the wedding like?

Soho in London had played a major part in our relationship – we hung out in Denmark Street’s music shops and drinking holes, and my first apartment was in a mouse infested studio above the 12 bar (rock bar). So eclectic flamboyance, rock n roll, neon lights and vibrant diversity sum up our home away from home. That’s why we chose to have the wedding in Soho at The Union Club. We didn’t want a specific wedding theme, just to make sure that it reflected us as a couple. It was essentially a big house party! There were guitars, Hong Kong Fortune Cats, kilts, NOLA jazz and rock ‘n’ roll live-jamming. The most important thing was that there was more partying than formalities.

Do you have a favourite part?

All of it! But specifically, dancing with Dave to Queen’s “Under Pressure” at the end of the night. I’d included some of the lyrics in my speech earlier in the day.

“And love dares you to care for,
The people on the edge of the night,
And love (people on streets) dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves”

How did you incorporate little pieces of Hong Kong in your overseas wedding?

We wanted to bring elements of our Hong Kong life back to London. We did that by having stunning floral dim sum basket centrepieces, table names named after HK bars we managed to drink dry after our legal marriage signing, Kowloon Dairy milk bottles we DIY’ed into candles and customised temporary tattoos.

What were memorable parts from the speeches?

The speeches from our loved ones were more than we could have dreamed. My grandad gave a beautiful impromptu speech. My dad’s speech closed with him pulling out a note from me as a little girl, asking how the pyramids were built (ever curious!). He said he had never got round to telling me, so presented me with a kid’s book to explain!

One detail you and the groom just couldn’t agree on?

Videography! Dave initially said that he was cool with just having our own memories of the day but I won, and in the end Adam Rowley of Delirious Weddings filmed it “fly on the wall” style. He managed to capture quirky goings-on that we had we missed, enabling us to go back in time when we watch it! 

What was the most fun element of planning your wedding?

Making it so personalised and seeing the care that went into the big day from our loved ones. My Mum and Nan picked petals from nearly every flower in my hometown to make biodegradable confetti!

Most stressful moment?

I’m pretty experienced in planning events for work, but still that didn’t stop us experiencing some unreliable supplier dramas. A few were totally non-responsive, and cancelled unexpectedly (which when dealing with from afar and in a different time zone wasn’t ideal). But it was nothing we couldn’t handle.

What were the wedding favours?

We gave a rock ‘n’ roll fortune cat pin badge as favours, personalised using our new “Longford Kerr” joint crest (the same one Dave designed for my wedding ring).

Any tips and tricks for brides-to-be?

When you choose your suppliers, think of them as guests with superpowers! We were so lucky, with ours that they began to feel like an extension of our friendship circle (which is impressive given our only previous contact was on Skype!). It felt natural having our gang of experts be so involved and genuinely happy during our big day.

And that brings us naturally to your honeymoon. Where did you end up going?

Fiji! We island-hopped, scuba-dived, hiked and sun-bathed around Navini Island Resort, Manta Ray Island and Navutu Stars. I’m known for dragging Dave on hiking/adventure travel holidays, so this was the best excuse to totally unwind. The sea was crystal clear, the food was great for veggies like me, and the people were just the kindest!

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