Saying ‘I do’ to the love of your life must be pretty special, but getting to have your first kiss overlooking a Balinese sunset, with all your loved ones in attendance to witness your union, must be out of this world amazing.
This couple took everything in stride, even when their ringbearer lost their wedding rings an hour before the bride had to walk down the aisle! They decided to go ahead anyway, with a borrowed symbolic ring from a bridesmaid. (They never found the ring.)
Their wedding stuck to a simple, clean white palette with varying shades of blue: from royal blue for the bridesmaids to bright cobalt for the groomsmen. A sunset wedding also meant gorgeous photographs – thanks for this set, Iwan Photography.
Joanna: “Bali is a special place for both of us. Mike had often travelled to Bali, and I’ve built a community of friends in Bali through many volunteer trips. We both love surfing and the outdoors, and Bali is great for it!
“There were many parts of our wedding that made it personal, even though it may not seem so to others. We chose blue as part of our colour scheme because Mike is colour blind and that’s the only colour he can identify correctly. We incorporated the place where we first met into our wedding favours: coffee table books and greeting cards from a charity group in Manila called Real Life Foundation. I was hosting a feeding programme for kids while Mike was meeting his sponsored scholars.
“Our entire wedding band was made up of our friends – they helped Mike when he surprised me by singing a Tagalog ballad in perfect Tagalog, to the surprise of our guests! Finally, we really wanted to honour our guests who were witnessing our union – we wrote each of them a personal letter detailing how important they were to us, and why we wanted to continue journeying with them in life. They were really touched by the little details of our wedding.”
Tips from the bride: “Basically, come up with your guiding principles before even starting your wedding planning, meaning establish your non-negotiables first. There were mutually agreed ‘musts’ for Mike and I based on our shared beliefs that guided our decision-making during the wedding prep. A few of our opinions clashed and there were a lot of decisions to make.”
JOANNA & MIKE {Indonesia}
Photography by Iwan Photography / Videography by Bali Photo Cinema / Venue Bali, Indonesia / Number of Guests 108 / Wedding Planning by Bali Tie D’Knot / Bridal Gown by La Vita Brides, Singapore / Bride’s Shoes by Walkinonair from Etsy / Groom’s Attire Tailored in Shanghai / Wedding Bands by Friend from the Philippines / Bridesmaids’ Dresses by LoveVanillaDew from Etsy / Groomsmen’s Attire Tailored in Shanghai / Bridal Bouquet by Bali Tie D’Knot / Flowers and Décor by Bali Tie D’Knot / Wedding Cake by Ixora Cakes / Catering by ABC Catering / Wedding Favours by Real Life Foundation