When life as we knew it stopped for so many of us in lockdown, those who had planned to get married during this time were met with uncertainty – to postpone or cancel all together? And if they postponed their wedding, until when?
For this couple, as soon as the Malaysian government gave the green light, everything was quickly put in motion for a cosy, intimate wedding. No matter that it wasn’t the big soiree that they had originally intended, the most important people were there and that was all that mattered. Many thanks to Trees On The Moon for capturing this beautiful wedding.
This couple’s love story has understated romance and spontaneity sprinkled throughout, right from the time they first met to how they decided to tie the knot! Because of Covid-19 and their being based in Singapore during the Circuit Breaker, they weathered 14 days of quarantine so they could come back to Malaysia just for their ROM! There was no theme, just a celebration of love and their two families coming together. With a cosy gathering of just 20 people, they toasted to their union as they embarked on the next chapter. This lovely set of photos was beautifully captured by Jasmine A. Photography.
The Wedding:
“We had zero concept. All we knew was that we had a ROM appointment at JPN in the morning, and ideally we wanted to have a family lunch after that. We couldn’t plan anything until the Conditional MCO was lifted. We had lunch at JOLOKO a few days before our ROM. We thought that the restaurant was beautiful and the walnut hummus was delicious. It ticked two important boxes: ample sunlight and ground floor dining that was accessible for our elderly grandparents. We only had 10 people from Jia Jun’s side of the family, 10 people from my side of the family, yummy Afro-Caribbean food, a photographer and champagne!
“Family being family, they filled in the gaps. My aunt bought some flowers and put them into jars from home. She also ordered a cake from her downstairs neighbour. My grandmother found some old antique hairpins and did my hair on the day. Jia Jun’s parents came early in the morning and drove us to the ROM. My mum rushed me to a store a few days before the ROM after she heard that I was planning on wearing an old not-white dress, and picked out a new white one for me. As part of regulations, I couldn’t even try on the dress but it ended up fitting right! Maybe the only research I did was on Jasmine, our lovely photographer. She was my senior in high school and I admired her photography.”
Tips from the bride: “Be flexible! Getting married in 2020 is challenging but you are going to face other challenges in life too so use this first one together as practice! Communicate with your soon-to-be husband and make sure that it’s as much his ideal ROM or wedding as it is yours.”
How did you meet?
Melissa: “Here’s our love story. I met Jia Jun in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2017. I had just graduated from university and gotten a job outside Chicago. Using my first pay check, I bought a weekend plane ticket to D.C. to visit a close friend from university – Jhader, who is from Peru. I was so psyched! I had never been to D.C. before. Jhader promised to take me out to bars and show me the local night scene, but first we had to drop by a house party.
“What Jhader didn’t tell me was that it was a Latino party. And like all real friends, Jhader left me to fend for myself as he went to get us drinks. In a sea of people speaking Spanish, I found Jia Jun. We hit it off straightaway. We realised that we were both from Malaysia (he was from Kajang and I’m from PJ), we went to the same high school (he was three years my senior), we both did our degrees in the U.S. and ended up staying back to work after, and we had a ton of friends in common. Jia Jun and I talked for hours. At the end of the night, we exchanged numbers and said goodbye. I flew back to Chicago the next day.
“We texted a lot in the following days. Our dynamic was great but we lived halfway across the country from each other. The distance between Chicago and Washington, D.C. is similar to the distance between KL and Bangkok. We had limited opportunities to see each other again and our conversation petered out after a while.
“A few weeks later, Jia Jun texted me out of the blue asking if he could drop by Chicago after his work trip to Bangladesh. ‘Come to Chicago? Is it even on the way to Bangladesh?’, I texted back. It wasn’t, but he dropped by anyway for a few days before returning to D.C. We had such a good time that a few weeks later, we were looking for a way to see each other again. There were affordable tickets to Cuba at the time. ‘Hey, do you want to meet “halfway” in Cuba? Malaysians don’t need a visa!’ We spent a week there. That was our third date. People asked us if we were on our honeymoon.
“After a year of our long distance relationship between Chicago and D.C., my company relocated me to their Singapore office. What was already a challenging relationship became even more difficult with a 12-hour time difference. We did one year between Singapore and D.C. until Jia Jun got a transfer to his company’s Jakarta office. He was lucky enough to have a flexible schedule and spent half of his time working remotely from Singapore. We got a taste of living together from that.
“At the beginning of 2020, Covid-19 happened and the whole world came to a standstill. While we were in lockdown together in Singapore, Jia Jun applied and got into a few graduate school programs in the U.S. They gave him a full scholarship to enrol in Fall 2020. We were only six months into living together and now we were about to be separated again? We deliberated our options. We had never discussed marriage before and no one wanted to be the first to bring it up. We skirted around for weeks and researched other options.
“We were sitting on our couch when he said, ‘Hey, what if we get married and move to the US together?’ We looked at each other and laughed. That’s how it went! There was no proposal, flowers or rings. Just an honest and practical conversation.”
Photography by Jasmine A. Photography / Venue JOLOKO, Kuala Lumpur / Number of Guests 20 / Bridal Gown by Joslin Studio / Hair by Gracesalon Bangsar / Makeup by Ameline Lok Makeup / Groom’s Attire by British India (kurta top) and Uniqlo (pants) / Wedding Cake by Vanilla Pods by Kim
We love the exhilarating tempo of this unconventional wedding that was held at Wesley Methodist Church, Hotel Fort Canning and The Grand Marquee in Singapore. The lovely couple opted for just a wedding march in order to spend more time with their guests, showcase the special performances, and enjoy that which mattered the most. Thank you for these brilliant captures, AndroidsinBoots!
We often make the mistake of thinking that a small wedding has to mean something simple and lacklustre, but these newlyweds and wedding planner, Sherly of Tie The Knot, did exactly the opposite, achieving a wedding celebration that was both intimate and oh-so-glamorous. Amidst the lush backdrop of flowers and greenery was the understated elegance of a gilded geometric arch – we love how it peeks out as part of the backdrop while the couple exchanged their vows! Many thanks to MunKeat Photography for this beautiful set of photos!
Bless this couple for their persistence in the face of global chaos! Their gorgeous wedding is a bright spot in so many ways, and it just goes to show that when it comes to weddings, true love is all that is needed. Prior to the ‘Circuit Breaker’ in Singapore, they decided to proceed with their wedding by hosting a small ceremony in their own home, keeping it small and safe for everyone. Imagine the memories every time they walk those hallways now! Thank you for these stunning images, Jonlin Photography.
We’re smitten with this wedding, from the abundance of flowers and greenery to the radiant smiles as this couple embarked on their new journey together as man and wife, from the cosy atmosphere to the exuberant guests… all bathed in beautiful sunlight. Many thanks to Andrew Yep Photographie for this vibrant set of photos!
Sleek satin in ivory and shimmering hues of champagne and gold were all that were needed to bring texture and colour to this beautiful wedding. The bride and groom looked like they had stepped right out of a fairytale – she in a ballgown with a full skirt, and he in his well-fitted suit. Bringing it all together were gilded accents and an abundance of flowers, which made the couple’s big day feel even more like a dream. We also loved their outfits for the tea ceremony – that dramatic lace dress with a train and the groom’s blue suit with a mandarin collar. What gorgeous photos, Manoj Photography!
Donna: “I chose colours such as ivory, gold and champagne, and also incorporated blush and nude pink accents as I love neutral colours. This combination radiated a romantic, ethereal and inviting aura, which was perfect for our wedding day.”
Tips from the bride: “Getting organised and planning early is key!”
We love the classic simplicity of this gorgeous wedding at St Mary’s Cathedral. For many couples, weddings really are a celebration of oneness before God, which this couple’s celebration encapsulates. Kudos to Jason Koong of MJK Photography on this beautiful album.
Making full use of the venue with its amazing views, this couple tied the knot surrounded by friends, family and Mother Nature. We love the cool steel exterior set amidst the warmth of its surroundings, the use of fairy lights, the pops of colour from the wedding bouquet, and the ingenious idea of using bricks as flower stands. Congrats on yet another interesting setup, ZáHuoHang, and many thanks to Zach Chin of MunKeat Studio for this beautiful set of photos!
Flowers truly make a wedding – for many people, they represent life, new beginnings, and the celebration of love. For these nuptials, the deep red blooms, pale pink sakuras and everything in between created a beautifully lush setting under the glamorous chandeliers of the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur’s ballroom. Many thanks to Louis Loo Photography for capturing the magnificence of this wedding and the amazing décor setup by Wishing Tree!
This is a beautiful story of two good friends who fell in love while serving as musicians on the worship team at their church. They got to know each other better through their shared experiences on mission outreach trips, and the rest, as they say, is history. Thank you for these amazing captures, Bitesize Visuals!
The groom’s most cherished moment from their wedding day was seeing his gorgeous bride dressed in her gown and breaking into a radiant smile. We loved listening to him speak so tenderly about the little things because it said everything about the couple’s anticipation of a lifetime together in marriage.
We absolutely loved this classic, simple and intimate wedding at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. With a colour theme of dusty blue and gold topped with hues of green, it feels like a sort of grownup Disney set with a modern twist. Thank you for these brilliant photos, Arch and Vow!
A number of things were personalised, including the wedding favours, where each guest’s name was embossed onto emerald agate pieces. These were chosen partly because green agate is believed to bring luck to its owner. The bride also wrote each guest’s name for the place cards, and made the newlyweds’ vow book.
She shared: “We had several incredible memorable moments, such as the portraits taken in Mandarin Oriental’s Royal Suite. We had arranged to have our pre-wedding photos taken on the actual day, as we had planned not to spend too much on them.
