InterContinental Wedding
All you need is Faith, Trust, and a little bit of Pixie Dust! That was what we thought when we got to hear about Terry and Kelly’s wedding planning journey.
Even as they count themselves lucky that their plans didn’t have to undergo a major (pandemic) overhaul, it still was a rather emotional roller coaster ride. This is especially so for Kelly, who had to accept that the dearest people in her life – her parents – could not be with them in person on the wedding day.
If you’re facing a similar situation (or not), we’d urge you to read on! Kelly had generously shared with us how she managed the complex and overwhelming feelings that seemed to consume her on certain days. Along with that, you’d appreciate her insider perspective as a wedding florist at Charlotte Puxley Flowers! And how she put together the floral concept for her own InterContinental wedding!
Terry and Kelly got married and celebrated their nuptials with 93 guests on 31st October 2020. Having always wanted a wedding overseas in a vineyard or chapel, Kelly decided that the “old-world colonial mixed with Peranakan shophouse charm” at InterContinental Singapore was the closest thing she could get to realising her dream. And the result was indeed a feast for the eyes.
Faith
Besides just looking great, Terry and Kelly’s InterContinental wedding was also filled with an abundance of love. Not only in devotion and commitment. But also in the little acts of service and kindness from those who got to be with them that day.
We are ever so grateful that the most important piece of the wedding i.e., us saying our vows before God through our pastor, together with our loved ones, was never compromised.
Kelly
The only major change Terry and Kelly had to face was the fact that Kelly’s parents could not attend the wedding physically. Every effort was made to ensure they could be as involved as possible during the actual day.
Being connected via video call was integral in keeping my parents in touch with us and the day’s event. This meant having one of my bridesmaids oversee the live call and bringing my parents around starting from the morning when I was getting ready up till the end of the lunch reception.
We had a TV up at the front of the solemnisation area where we were able to stream my parents “live” so they could be part of the ceremony and be visible to everyone. This was our way of honouring my parents. We really have our amazing bridal party, and hotel coordinator Shane, to thank in making this day as easy as possible, with the IT setup, logistics and WIFI.
Kelly
With wedding being a key milestone event in one’s life, it sure wasn’t easy. So how did Kelly navigate her feelings around this arrangement and overcome it?
It was not easy coming to a decision to proceed with a wedding without my parents. They are after all my dearest and the one I have so much to thank for. I think it’s important to be honest with yourself and allow yourself to feel. Acknowledge your emotions and be patient with yourself. If you feel like crying, cry. If you feel like shouting, shout. I definitely had a few of those moments where tears just rolled down my face during the bad days. I let my emotions sit with me for a while but just long enough so I can pick myself up after.
Kelly
At the back of my mind, I also know that my situation is unlikely to change or rather, it’s out of my control, but what I can do is change my perspective. The other thing I found really helpful was talking to my inner core circle and drawing strength from their encouragements.
Keep faith, and don’t forget that you’re already doing your best. As much as you care for those who matter to you, you too matter to them!
Kelly’s brother and sister-in-law had been exceptionally supportive in helping with the wedding plans and ensuring their parents were involved as much as possible. Kelly’s brother even became the stand-in parent!
My brother was essentially my stand -in parent as we also held the Guo Da Li, with my parents on Zoom! He also walked me down the aisle; it was different but just as meaningful!
Kelly
Trust
Terry and Kelly’s InterContinental wedding was also a perfect embodiment of “trust”, which helped them to achieve the wedding they will now look back with fond memories.
Having met a range of different personalities as a wedding florist, I kept in mind qualities and best practices that I’d like to adopt when planning for my own. Some of these include being open minded, having a focused mood board and a good amount of trust to allow the team to do what they do best without being obstructive.
Kelly
Kelly runs the weddings and events arm of Charlotte Puxley Flowers. There surely was a certain vision that she was working towards for her wedding day – if not for the entire wedding, then at least for the flowers!
It was only natural for me to plan my wedding flowers and put together my own mood board. All I had to do was share my floral vision with the team, brought them to the venue and left the rest for the team to execute. It was fun and straightforward for me, as I knew what I want and what type of setup was possible within my budget.
Kelly
I love blue and it just so happens that my favourite flowers, which are delphiniums, come in perfect shades of electric and periwinkle blues. So I worked the wedding around the colour palette of blues and white, with a touch of lilac. The Charlotte Puxley team did my flowers and styled the photo display table (which was beautiful). I loved it. It was very Charlotte Puxley; reminiscent of an English countryside, reflecting the wild and wonderful, with lots of grasses and textural elements. Everything else fell in place pretty nicely simply because the venue itself is already stunning!
Kelly
There is no doubt that Terry and Kelly’s trust in the Charlotte Puxley team had led to this InterContinental wedding that is not only memorable for them but also the entire team!
Pixie Dust
Now, if you’ve got faith and trust, all that is left to keep you moving forward is the wisdom and encouragement from others who have been there and done that. For Kelly, the biggest encouragement had come from Charlotte herself.
Charlotte who runs Charlotte Puxley Flowers once told me, ‘Remember that the jug is already half full when you have each other.’ These words resonated with me a lot when things were so uncertain back then. It gave me a lot of encouragement that even if everything went wrong, you still have your other half walking the same journey with you and that’s all it matters. Anything can change but your partner does not. Enjoy the process, laugh (or cry) together along the way, and remember that it will all be worth it at the end of the tunnel.
Kelly
To know that they have each other was all there is to keep Terry and Kelly moving forward with their plans. And if you were to ask them if they were glad they did it?…
Yes definitely and no regrets. We were ready then and we were excited to start our married life together. No pandemic was going to stop us! Granted the journey started with a huge obstacle, but as our pastor shared with us, if we can overcome this hurdle even before we got married, we can be sure to handle any hardship that comes our way in the future. It was like a glimpse into the marriage life ahead, with its fair share of bumpy roads and heavy wind. Most importantly, we had the support and love from both of our parents to go ahead with the wedding so that was good enough. It was definitely an unexpected journey. But imagine how cool it would be to tell our next generation that Terry and I got married in a pandemic!
Kelly
And guess what other memories they get to share with their offspring in the future?
It is that (1) Kelly walked down the aisle with her veil behind her head instead of over! And (2) Terry was perspiring profusely the entire solemnisation because he was wearing a three-piece suit and people thought he was crying!
All these precious memories are sure going to let their future generation laugh along with them! Now that Kelly had done this herself, here are some advices she would give if you’re currently planning for your wedding:
Be Flexible, Open Minded and Stay Updated on the News
Anything can change! 4 weeks before our wedding, they announced that the maximum capacity had increased from 50 to 100 pax. We amended our guest list as quickly as we could and thankfully all our friends were understanding despite the short notice.
Celebrate You and Those Who Matter to You
While planning for my wedding, I was intentional about making each decoration element or wedding memorabilia a personal one. I think that more than ever, the pandemic has allowed each couple’s character to shine even more and to appreciate the people that have been integral in their journey up till that point in their life.
Focus on Key Areas
From a wedding florist perspective, a smaller wedding means more budget on flowers for areas where it matters. There is no need for gestural arrangements at the entrance or random corners of the space. Couples can really spend their money on table centrepieces where guests spend the most time. Or a lush backdrop at the centre or front of the room. I usually advise couples to think about where their guests would spend the most time. That is where they should allocate a bigger portion of their budget at.
Communicate
Having been there and done that as a bride last year, I think it’s extra important to communicate your plans with the main vendors. It helps both parties plan better and save so much time especially towards the last stretch of planning. If the wedding is still far away, I usually try to keep the design fluid in case plans change along the way. However these days, it’s no surprise when couples confirm their floral services 1 month before the wedding. In this case, they would either have to be very decisive with what they want. Or be completely flexible with what’s possible in the limited amount of time.
Let It Flow
It’s good to prepare all you can prior to the wedding. But when the actual day hits, just enjoy the fruit of your labour and don’t entertain any ‘what ifs’ or ‘could have been‘.
Hasn’t this been a wholesome sharing for this InterContinental wedding? We are so grateful for Kelly’s inputs not just as a bride going through an unexpected wedding planning journey but also as someone in the wedding industry as well. It sure has given us a number of takeaways and we hope it has been the same for you!
Have faith, trust the people around you and your vendors and believe that the jug is already half full!
Professionals engaged for the wedding:
- Photography: Bottled Groove Photography | @bottledgroovephoto
- Videography: Mr Bombastic | @mrbombasticproduction
- Venue: InterContinental Singapore
- Wedding Gown: Divine Couture | @divinebrides
- Masks: Divine Couture | @divinebrides
- Groom’s suit: Ai Lee Tailor
- Jewellery: Meyson Jewellery | @meysonjewellerysg
- Makeup Artist: Patricia Jaihan | @bypattcia
- Wedding Favours: Sourced by Kelly
- Floral and Décor: Charlotte Puxley Flowers | @charlottepuxleyflowers