Tag Archives: hong kong weddings

Colour theme Real Weddings

Real Wedding: Kate & Alastair by Zosia Zacharia Photography (Hong Kong).

Where do I even start with this colourful wedding that’s artistically captured by Zosia Zacharia Photography? When I first set eyes on the photos from Kate & Alastair’s big day, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the pops of bright pink that emanated throughout; from the bridesmaid’s polkadot dresses, the thoughtful pink lining on Alastair’s suit, the parasols to the bridesmaid’s nails. Even the couple’s parents wore bright colours to match the joyous celebrations. Many of us consider Hong Kong weddings to be made up of dinners in hotels but Kate & Alastair shows us that with a little bit of creativity, you can fill a characteristic restaurant with some personal touches and transform it into a perfect venue to share your love. Just look at the bowls of goldfish as table centrepieces!

 

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 1

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 2

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 3

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 4

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 5

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 6

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 7

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 8

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 9

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 10

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 11

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 12

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 13

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 14

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 15

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 16

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 23

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 17

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 18

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 20

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 21

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 24

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 22

Kate & Al Wedding - Zosia Zacharia Photography 19

A few words from Kate, the bride:

We decided to get married in Hong Kong – the city that we loved and was our home when we decided to get hitched. Hong Kong is such an exciting place with the never-ending and dazzling lights, the panoramic skyline of the Harbour and the hustle and bustle of the islands waterways. We felt we wanted our friends and families to get a glimpse of our life in Asia and most of all, what city holds so many opportunities for fun!

We had a pre wedding photo shoot at the HK Botanical gardens with our photographer, Zosia Zacharia. This was the perfect way to get to know the person who was going to be with us throughout the day. 

We knew we wanted a traditional ceremony so St. John’s  Cathedral was our obvious choice. Zosia had experience of this venue which was fantastic as she knew how to get that perfect eave shot!

With 40 guests traveling in from overseas, we wanted them to get a good taste for HK/Chinese food, and for our reception venue to reflect the city itself. We researched many venues but decided on Top Deck, Jumbo Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen. When deciding on flowers, I knew the reception was very colorful and ornate in its oriental art-deco design. I felt flowers didn’t quite blend with the scenery, so we had glass bowls with blades of grass encircled and goldfish swimming around. I had these mounted on circular mirror plates with candles arranged. 

Our ceremony was at 3pm to avoid the heat of the midday. Al started his day with a cut-throat shave at the Mandarin Oriental followed by an Ushers lunch at Alfie’s  in the Princes Building. The ceremony was beautiful – both spectacular and intimate. A good friend kindly played the piano and sung during the signing of the registry ‘True Companion’ by Marc Cohen and ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol. It was a beautiful part of the day.

We met the guests at the Aberdeen marina jetty and followed in our not quite private sampan to Jumbo! The evening drinks on the outside deck flowed into a delicious Chinese banquet including roast suckling pig, soft shell crab and Peking duck. Speeches and dancing followed late into the night along with a cupcake tower. We left our guests to party in LKF only to meet them again bright and early the next day for a day of junking out on the water-the perfect finale to end our wedding celebrations.

I never thought i would get married in Hong Kong…but looking back through our wonderful photos..what an exotic, fun and colorful day it was!

 

Venue: Top Deck   |   Photographer: Zosia Zacharia Photography |   Bride’s Dress: London Bride Couture   |    Groom’s Suit: William Cheng & Son   |   Bridesmaid’s Dress: L.K. Bennett   |   Flowers: Anglo Chinese   |   Hairdresser: Hipp Fish   |   Invitations: Joy’s Card

Wedding Photography Wedding Venues

Want to Say ‘I Do’ in 2013?

Calling all couples looking to get hitched and throw a bash in 2013. I’ve just been contacted by a reader who had to call off his wedding (due to some unfortunate circumstances) and non-refundable deposits were paid to vendors. The fact is, he’d like to recoup some of the deposit he’s forked out. The vendors have kindly offered to transfer the deposit to another couple who’d like to take up the same wedding package so the deal is, if you’re interested, you’ll get a considerable discount. Here are the deets….

Wedding Venue: Aberdeen Marina Club (AMC)
HK$35,000 off the total package (minimum F&B consumption of HK$280,000 + 10% service charge). You will need to pay HK$35k to the said reader directly and AMC will arrange for a revised contract (with same terms and conditions as the said reader) to be signed, treating the HK$70k deposit as paid. The package must be used before 31st December 2013 and any outstanding deposits and balances will be borne by you.
***Deadline for transfer of deposit is 21st May 2013.

Pre-Wedding Photo: Chris Tang Studio
HK$4,500 off the total package (total package price HK$18,050). You will need to pay HK$4,500 to the said reader directly. The pre-wedding photography session must be used on 1st April 2013,
***Deadline for transfer of deposit is 1st March 2013 as the balance of the package price must be paid by then.

Disclaimer: Please note that the above figures and information were provided by the said reader and may not be final. For details of the terms and conditions of the respective packages and settlement of any payments, please email directly. This post is merely to help spread the word to any interested couples.

Guests Personal touches Wedding Venues

Round Hong Kong We Go: Urban Discovery Challenge

In this multi-cultural city that is Hong Kong, it comes as no surprise that many of you worldly readers will have guests flying in from all corners of the world to attend your big day. You want to be a good host and show your friends and family around but your big day is only a few days away and you’ve got the final touches to finish off. Don’t stress yourself out. Leave the tour guide duties to Urban Discovery, the events company that organises city challenges for corporates, charities, birthday parties and have now created the new custom-made wedding race that’ll get your guests’ hearts pumping. If you’ve watched Amazing Race, you’ll know what’s in store for you. Think running across the city, finding hidden treasures, completing tasks and lots of sweating. Oh, and let’s not forget the most important element; team-building. Whether your guests are single or coupled up, young or old, new in town or a ‘local’, send them on the 2-hour race to give them a glimpse into the various Chinese traditions and discover the cultural aspects of the city that we aren’t aware of or easily forget about. It’s a fun and interactive way for guests to explore the city, not least it’ll give them a talking point on your wedding day. Thanks to you, they’ll return home with a newfound love for this city.

Suzanne van der Erf, Project Manager at Urban Discovery advises couples to approach them early as it usually takes 3 weeks to tailor-make a city challenge and can range from a group of 20 to 50 people, split into teams of 4 or 5. They’ll spend time finding about your story, your life and use elements of you as a couple to design an unforgettable race. The location of the challenge can be an area where you grew up, where you first met or simply your favourite part of town. It’s a race, what are you waiting for?

Urban Discovery - www.urbandiscovery.asia
+ |

 

Photo credit: Urban Discovery

Bride Groom Personal touches

One for the Mums.

I realised I’ve talked about most of the bridal party, the bride (a lot!) and groom, the bridesmaids and groomsmen and the Father but never have I mentioned the Mum. She’s the one who endured nine months (or some say ten) of an ever-expanding stomach coupled with labour pains (I will spare you the details because I don’t really fancy writing about it either), not to mention showering you with tonnes of love, to nurture you to become the gracious bride and gentlemanly groom you are today. Instead of presenting her with a bunch of flowers on your big day (they die and will be forgotten) which many couples in Hong Kong do, give her an item that she can keep to remind her of you. I knew both my Mum and the hubster’s Mum would cry on our wedding day and gave them a personalised handkerchief to wipe away the happy tears. Remember, money can’t buy everything so when you’re thinking of gifts, make sure it’s from your heart.

 

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Ella Gajewska Hats, Divine Wine, Sweet Sewing Jeans, Not on the High Street, White Truffle, Otis B Weddings

Bride Flowers Personal touches

Bridal Bouquet Wraps.

If you’re a girl, then you’re most likely a sentimental person and you don’t need need to be ashamed of that. There’s nothing wrong with wearing your heart on your sleeve so when it comes to your special day, just because you have a bright future ahead of you with your hubby doesn’t mean you forget your past. Add personal touches to your bridal bouquet to make it about you. Instead of a ribbon, wrap yours with a monogrammed hankerchief or if you’re religious, dangle a cross necklace from your bouquet. Pin a locket with a photo of someone you wish was by your side or if your grandmother had passed on a family heirloom such as a brooch, attach it to your bouquet wrap. It’s often the small things that make your day memorable.

DIY Wedding Bouquet:
You don’t have to be a florist to put together your own bouquet. Check out the step-by-step tutorial from Wedding Chicks and if you’re not sure where to look for the materials, here’s a recap.

 

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Di Bezi Photography via Glamour, Jodie Miller Photography, Julia Newman, Leigh Webber Photography, Nancy Ray Photography, Brooke Boling

Photo credit: Hilton Pittman Photography via Wedding Chicks

Guests Inspiration Board Wedding Decor Wedding Food Wedding Photography

It's A Score!

Now that the Euro 2012 is under way, how many times have you sat in a sports bar or restaurant with your man, trying to spend ‘quality’ time together, only to have him stare at the t.v. screen and not at your pretty face? Even if there’s no t.v., how many times does your man check his phone for the latest score? Men are not good at multi-tasking. It’s a fact. Sorry, if you’re a guy reading this. So, what if your big day coincides with a big sports game? For one, before you even begin to choose your wedding date, make sure or at least try to make sure there’s no major sporting event going on during that period because not only will your man be pre-occupied, but so will the guests. It’s not that they mean for their attention to be diverted from your wedding, but if they’ve been supporting a particular team or player for a long time, it’s hard for them to stop being a loyal fan. You can’t really blame them. Even if your big day happens to clash with the FA Cup final, don’t panic. Show that you care about the sport by incorporating football elements in the decor or serve food that reminds guests of attending a football match such as hot dogs with grilled onions that they can smell from a mile away. If you’re a good host, you can even set up a separate room with a t.v. screen for the guests to catch the game once in a while or a foosball table for cocktail hour entertainment. For an even sweeter gesture, sew a football charm to your garter and your hubby (by then!) will surely only have eyes for you.

 

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Altmix Photography, True Photography via True Wedding Flowers, Nessa K PhotographyKatie Belle Design – EtsyPaisley Petal EventsTerry Lo Weddings, Garrett Davis Photography, Alecia Lauren Photography, Creatography

DIY Projects Flowers Wedding Cake Wedding Decor Wedding Stationery

You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine.

Are you suffering from the Monday blues? Here’s a burst of sunshine to help you get through the first day of the week. The craspedia, aka billy balls and billy buttons or what HK florists say, fish balls. Rarely seen or used in Hong Kong weddings, they’re the perfect flowers to brighten any wedding. A cute pop of yellow, they look like little balloons flying in the sky when used as a table centrepiece or remind you of a giant pom pom when bunched together. They may not be the trend du jour but who said they go out of date? Craspedias are so durable, they can last up to one month and if you can’t get enough of these adorable round balls, have them made out of felt so you can keep them for as long as you like. Most importantly, they’ll make you want to smile.

p.s. If you didn’t know already, they’ve become my favourite flower. Check out my wedding flowers from last year!
Where to buy fresh Billy Balls?
Brighten Flower Shop (I’ve bought them from here before) – No. 18 Fa Yuen Road, Prince Edward, Hong Kong | +

DIY Felt Billy Balls Tutorial:
Thanks to Dans Le Townhouse for this awesome tutorial! I’ll have to get my hand on some felt to give this DIY project a go!

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Beth Photography via Intricate Icings, Olive Juice Studios via Style Me Pretty, Wild Ink,  Abby Rose PhotographyFairy Folk Weddings – Etsy, Rebeka Westover PhotographyLaura Miller Photography, Rowell Photography

Inspiration Board

It's All About You.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the wedding planning process that we forget who we really are. We get so consumed with the plethora of information about there; we want to use the latest theme, the trendiest outfit and the coolest party in town. Take a break, sit back and think whether it’s what you want. Weddings are not a show-and-tell session nor a competition, so make it about you.

Photo credit: Bridelicious

DIY Projects Wedding Food

Pop, pop, cinnapop!

Nowadays, just about any food is being turned into a pop. The cake pops, pie pops and then I came across the cinnapops. That’s cinnamon buns or cinnabons on a lollipop stick for you. Check out this tutorial by Sweet Styling for a taste of goodness and make some for your wedding dessert table. Your guests will be in for a treat.

Photo credit: Sweet Stylings

Destination Weddings Inspiration Board Wedding Decor Wedding Food Wedding Stationery

Love Makes the World Go Round.

It’s the weekend…almost. Which means, for many, an after-work dash to the airport to catch a flight to a nearby city, or for those who are lucky enough to escape work for a week or more, a flight to an exotic destination. Mauritius anyone? Oh, the travel bug. Once you’ve caught it, it doesn’t seem to ever recover and you’ll be wanting to go to farther and even more unheard of places. If you want your wedding to reflect who you are, why not go for a travel inspired theme? You don’t need your wedding to be held on an idyllic beach in Bali for it to work. Remember, happiness is a journey, not a destination. Send guests a postcard invitation to your big do with customised stamps, use maps as a table seating plan, fold paper planes for the table centrepiece, have your wedding cake made into a shape of vintage suitcases, give personalised luggage tags as favours and serve food from your favourite country. Include these elements subtly without boasting about how ‘well-travelled’ you are and please refrain from showing a slideshow of your travel photos. The guests are there to witness you tying the knot and have fun, not to see photos of you next to the Eiffel Tower or posing with Niagara Falls at the back. Wanderlust with class.

p.s. The photos taken by KC @ www.chankichun.com below are from the wedding of yours truly. Did I not tell you that I love to travel? Who doesn’t?

Send your guests on a journey.

Travel themed stationery
Photo credits (clockwise from top left): In the Treehouse, KC @ www.chankichun.com, Last Forty Percent, Andrew Garfitt 

Paper planes and maps. Vintage and fun.

Travel Themed Wedding Decor
Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Tracie Howe, Erin Courts Heart, Matthew Parker Events, Wild Flowers via Style Me Pretty, Erin Courts Heart, Stone Crandall

Subtlety is the key.

Travel Themed Wedding Accessories
Photo credits (from left): Hazelnut Photography via Ruffled Blog, KC @ www.chankichun.com