Nathaniel and Hazel tied the knot in an exceptionally private event at Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur, surrounded by 20 of their closest friends and relatives. A far cry from their initial guest list of 700. Nathaniel and Hazel knew each other since primary school and drifted apart after. In 2016, they reconnected when the bride returned home from overseas. Three years on, they got engaged and planned a wedding for 2020.

The biggest hiccup in wedding planning, needless to say, was the pandemic. They changed venue and dates; scaled back the guest list so far down it was unrecognisable to their initial plans. Due to work obligations that required them to move abroad, they could not postpone their wedding further. When the movement control order was relaxed due to low cases of corona, Nat and Hazel seized the small window of opportunity, jumped the gun and planned their wedding in a time frame of one week. 

Together with their decorator – Villa Busainna, who suggested the sky lounge at Hotel Maya they put together a wedding in a week. ‘We had to forgo all the initial plans and just adapt.’ recalls Hazel. ‘We didn’t even see the venue first hand, we only saw pictures,” said Nat. The couple reminisce that they really had to trust their vendors.

To achieve a soft and elegant design, the ceremony altar was draped with blush strips of organza. Flowers in a neutral palette completed the look and gold-sprayed dried foliage occasionally peaked through the instalment, giving the whole backdrop a glamorous edge. 

‘I initially wanted a small intimate wedding, but that was cast aside due to customary expectations. In the end, everything came full circle and all that remained was the essentials, which is what we really cared about in the first place.’ shares Hazel. 

Venue: Hotel Maya, Kuala Lumpur

Photographer: Moments by Jeremy 

Videographer: Caleb Lim 

Decorator: Villa Busainna

Make up artist: Mimi Lim 

Bridal Gown: InZspire

Bridal Shoes: Steve Madden

Groom’s Suit: Page Tailor 

Wedding Cake: Wildflower Desserts