A Night To Remember
In this multi-cultural metropolis that we are living in, inspirations abound when it comes to finding a theme for your wedding.
florist THE WEDDING CHATEAU (98790709) ambience lighting SHOWTEC GROUP(www.showtecgroup.com), DTS THE LIGHTING COMPANY (www.dtslighting.com) lanternsMING SING FLOWERS (62946178)photography N.D PHOTOGRAPHY styling and art direction Janelle Lee
The Inspiration
Lanterns in the Chinese culture are timeless and auspicious symbols of reunion, harmony and kinship. The lighted orbs signify a lifetime of togetherness and prosperity. Set against an illuminated vessel docked at the shores of the Singapore River, the romantic and inviting look says it all.
This theme is for the couple whose relationship has come full circle and blossomed into a lifelong promise of love and unity. With lanterns and ambient lighting to augment the overall oriental feel, the unique wedding setup will illuminate the faces of young and old alike.
Creating the Theme
Traditional red lanterns complete with tassels are the anchor pieces to this theme. We hung them from the ceiling of the boat to evoke a general oriental mood. Instead of paper lanterns, fabric ones are used, which provide a more luxurious and exquisite look.
Also hanging from overhead are props designed to look like Chinese moon cakes and biscuits. The roundness of these faux edibles further accentuates the theme of prosperity and wholeness.
To create a rustic look complete with the nostalgic mood of yesteryear, wooden benches and tables are used.
Guests will feel like they are brought back to the days where living in the suburbs was the norm, and gathering with loved ones for a meal is the greatest blessing in life.
As an alternative to the customary ring pillow, an oil lamp is used to hold the wedding bands instead. Other oil lamps are placed at intervals on the ground. They are a propitious symbol of life and light in times of darkness, which are what any couple would hope for in their marriage. Cymbidium orchids in bold hues of purple, red and orange complement the overall Asian vibe.
The ambient lights play a key role. In the day, they should be more muted as there is natural sunlight, but we turned them up as dusk fell, and the red and purple hues not only lighted up the place, they also accentuated the overall oriental theme by giving it authenticity.
In particular, the white fairy lights dotting the ceiling add a magical touch, as they resemble stars twinkling across an expanse of sky.
Doing It Yourself: Ideas and Tips
This theme was created on a junk boat but you could replicate the look by choosing a venue by the river bank or beach for a similarly rustic mood.
Apart from the ambient lightings, you can also use other props to enhance the oriental theme.
Connect the flower bouquets on the benches with low streamers of matching colours, or use the flowers as a lovely juxtaposition beside the oil lamps.
For your wedding favours, get creative and have biscuits baked to resemble moon cakes, then package them to fit the cultural richness of the wedding theme. Your guests will be delighted that so much effort goes into your gifts for them, and will feel appreciated that you care.