We often make the mistake of thinking that a small wedding has to mean something simple and lacklustre, but these newlyweds and wedding planner, Sherly of Tie The Knot, did exactly the opposite, achieving a wedding celebration that was both intimate and oh-so-glamorous. Amidst the lush backdrop of flowers and greenery was the understated elegance of a gilded geometric arch – we love how it peeks out as part of the backdrop while the couple exchanged their vows! Many thanks to MunKeat Photography for this beautiful set of photos!

Zia Wen: “We were extremely grateful for being able to have a small and intimate wedding, which gave us a chance to just be in the thick of things and closer to everyone. Seeing our loved ones enjoying themselves – eating, drinking and sharing in our celebration – was such a blessing and definitely the most memorable part of the night.

“A few other special moments come to mind, like the in-between moments when Ash and I would just look at each other and nod knowingly, silently celebrating, ‘Yes, we made it!’. And of course, there was the look on Ash’s face (and unexpected tears of joy) when he unveiled me, and his visible frustration when the ‘Dai Kum Che’ at the tea ceremony kept rubbing it in by saying, ‘Wah, the groom rarely cries leh…’

“I would sum up our theme as ‘understated elegance’. Our tastes are usually quite simple, but we wanted an intimate yet elegant celebration with our nearest and dearest. We also wanted to incorporate local elements into our wedding, and where possible, go with local designers and suppliers. This brought us to The RuMa Hotel & Residences as we really loved how elegant and warm the place felt. It felt familiar and close to home, with beautiful touches of culture and tradition, which we really loved.”

Tips from the bride: “Don’t sweat the small stuff. That small stain on your dress, the thing you forgot to do – let it all slide and just enjoy your big night! If you’re a last-minute type of person who finds it hard to organise a wedding, having an awesome wedding planner will really help.”

ZIA WEN & ASHLEIGH {Malaysia}

Photography by MunKeat Photography / Videography by Nigel Sia Visual Storytelling / Wedding Planning by Sherly from Tie the Knot / Venue The RuMa Hotel & Residences / Number of Guests 68 / Bridal Gown by Fiziwoo / Qipao by Brian Khoo / Bride’s Shoes by Roger Vivier / Wedding Jewellery by DeGem Diamond / Hair by Kay from Centro Hair Salon / Makeup by Shiyoo, Yein Chan / Wedding Bands by DeGem Diamond / Groom’s Attire by Wardrobe / Flowers and Décor by Pax Floral Studio, KAMI Design / Wedding Cake by sayaBAKE / Cheese Platter by KEJU by Carmen / Wedding Favours by Trade Hunters / Art and Stationery by The Alphabet Press

{Read more about this in the magazine}