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Venue: Sekeping Jugra
Coordination: Eventistry
Photography: Trees On The Moon
Bridal Gown: Olivia Couture
Bridal Bouquet: Arranged Aura
Hair and Makeup: M Lab
Cheese Platter: Keju by Carmen
Caterer: Han Woo Ri Korean BBQ
Soy Candle Favors: Dorothy Scents
Bride and Groom: Adeline and Andrew
“This season made us reconsider what was truly important to us on our wedding day, we ended up scaling down our wedding to an intimate group of immediate family and close friends. It wasn’t the wedding we first planned, but it was perfect nonetheless.” – Adeline and Andrew.
Like many #coronacouples with wedding plans in 2020, Adeline and Andrew were overwhelmed with uncertainty when the pandemic hit our country early this year. As conditions worsened, the couple had to postpone their much-anticipated May wedding without any assurance as to when they could actually have it. They described that much time was spent combing through details and moving the wedding date, but hope seemed to slip away each time with a new announcement of an MCO extension.
When things were finally looking better and our government started easing the rules and regulations, Adeline and Andrew took a leap of faith and decided to downsize their celebration to an intimate gathering of only their closest loved ones. With only a 20- persons gathering allowed at that time, the couple held a micro wedding at a local guesthouse with minimal do-up. Attended by their immediate family and closest friends, the celebration may have been small but it was definitely not lacking in laughs and love!
Adeline and Andrew relocated their wedding to a quaint courtyard guesthouse situated in Old Klang Road. Built in the 1950s, this charming one- storey house can accommodate up to 20 pax; perfect for a staycation wedding right in the city, but away from the hustle and bustle! Surrounded by exposed bricks and hanging vines, this quiet rustic getaway came equipped with basic amenities, multiple rooms and a large pool. Designed like an intricate maze, there was nothing like it! Every turn felt like a new discovery and every corner was a precious photo- taking opportunity.
When we met up with Adeline before the big day, she told us her plan to surprise her parents with a “first look” and we were all for it! First looks are traditionally done with the bride and groom, where they see each other for the very first time in full wedding attire. As Andrew and Adeline would have their “first look” as she walks down the aisle, Adeline decided that she would want to have that special moment before the ceremony with her beloved parents instead. It was a heartwarming emotional sequence with mom and dad seeing their daughter in white for the first time on her wedding day. This was then followed by a touching love letter dedicated to her parents where Adeline read from the heart while holding back her tears. A surge of mixed emotions filled the air as mom and dad embraced their daughter’s love and sincerity, with both sides shedding tears of joy and endearment.
After months of worrying and anxious waiting, the entire day of the wedding turned out surprisingly stress- free and laid back! The couple and their loved ones checked in at the guesthouse around noon and spent a good few hours just lounging around, taking in the special day together. When evening came, they proceeded with a lovely ceremony in the common room, followed by a chill-axing Korean BBQ dinner after!
With Andrew’s family residing in Australia, the couple also did a virtual live stream so the family could be present to witness the matrimony. Due to travel restrictions, many celebrations are now missing out friends and family. While a full virtual wedding may not be a preference for many, we’d still recommend it as an additional “top- up” for your big day, especially if you have many loved ones outstation or abroad. Like Adeline and Andrew, you can choose to live stream your ceremony or just a segment from the day for your loved ones afar to join in on the momentous occasion.
With the situation now, a small group of closest friends and family makes gathering together safer and easier. While you may follow stringent guidelines for your celebration (maintaining physical distance, wearing masks, etc), do note that these may bear little to no significance when it comes to such an intimate setting in a confined space. No doubt it is still a top priority to keep everyone safe and well, hence we’d recommend incorporating certain practices beforehand instead. For instance, with a small guest count, you can easily do a screening of guests that you’re inviting. Those who belong to high-risk groups (elderly/ children/ returning abroad), are unwell or are simply uncomfortable with attending should be dismissed from joining altogether. This would already greatly reduce the risk exposed to you and your dear ones. Rather than being overly concerned about everyone staying 1m apart and having masks on during the wedding, shift the focus to before the wedding instead to help ease off some of that stress. That way you can enjoy a close get- together without compromising on safety as well as the overall guest experience.
Proper SOPs such as contact registration and temperature checking however should still be in place as advised. At Adeline and Andrew’s wedding, all friends and family had their temperatures checked upon arrival; additional masks and hand sanitizers were also laid out, prepared by the couple themselves.
Some noteworthy sustainable elements from this lovely micro wedding!
1. Venue
The beautiful venue, Sekeping Jugra, is part of an adaptive reuse project by Thinkcity. Adaptive reuse is an effort to conserve cultural heritage buildings, mainly focusing on extending a building’s life and avoiding demolition waste. The urban renewal of this 1950s guesthouse utilized recycled materials from all over Malaysia- PAM Building, Jalan Tangsi; Dayabumi; Mutiara Hotel, Penang; Brickfields Methodist School; Choong Kee Foundry, Kampar; Kong Heng, Ipoh; even mud dug out from the swimming pool was used to rebuild other parts of the guesthouse. The conservation and reuse of heritage buildings like Sekeping Jugra helps keep the cultural heritage alive, which also provides social and economic benefits to the local community.
2. Rooftop garden
The guesthouse has an accessible rooftop garden! Guests and tenants are free to plant and pick their own food during their stay there. You’re more than welcomed to harvest food from their garden while admiring the city skyline from the roof!
3. Carbon footprint
Despite it being a small group and a nearby location, Adeline and Andrew still made the effort to encourage their guests to carpool on that day. Friends shared a ride and family members came together in one car, minimizing individual carbon footprint.
4. Glass rental
This celebration avoided one-time use utensils. The couple also specially rented wine glasses for the night!
5. Soy candles
With the open venue, we recommended soy candles as guest favors and decor. Lemongrass- scented candles filled the courtyard with a calming aroma, adding an extra touch to the romantic ambiance; not to mention they also double as mosquito repellents.
One of our first celebrations since returning from MCO, we would love to thank Adeline and Andrew for letting us be part of their wedding day! It was a first experience for the #coronacouple and also a first time for us coordinating a #coronawedding. The road to getting married may have not been an easy journey, but it will definitely be a memorable one. With sincere hearts, we wish Adeline and Andrew a lifetime of love, laughs and happiness!
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