It’s not often that we get to feature an Iban wedding, and this one was beautifully put together, from the cosy and intimate celebrations with close friends and family to the open reception that included everyone in Kapit. What’s even more amazing is that a clear theme was maintained throughout – the blush, grey and light gold palette tastefully brought together with textures such as drapery, florals and other traditional elements. Many thanks to Andy Phe of Bespoke Photographics and Melia Linggi of the Tun Jugah Foundation for all the important information on Iban weddings and customs.

Amanda: “The theme for our church blessing was ‘Rustic Garden’. Our altar stage décor had two-toned drapery, and we used fresh flowers in pink, white, pale yellow and green. Jonathan wore a navy blue suit paired with a pineapple-printed dark blue bow tie to add a bit of fun, and I wore a vintage off-shoulder trumpet dress in Chantilly lace from ThatWhiteDress and a Swarovski-dotted veil from Designer Bridal Room rimmed with a bunch of fresh baby’s breath in my hair.

“Our evening reception in Kuching was attended by many of our friends and family from near and far, including a handful of VVIPS. Jonathan and I made our first entrance in traditional Iban wear. Even though it was a 9-course Chinese dinner, time really flew by that evening! We gave premium soy candles and bespoke ‘pua kumbu’ shawls as our door gifts. Our second entrance later in the evening was with a wardrobe change: me in a custom Lynda Rahim gown with 3D flowers and embellished sleeves, and Jonathan in his tuxedo from Lord’s Tailor.

“We kept the décor of the hall minimal but tasteful, maintaining the use of drapery, large hoops and flowers from the morning church blessing. We also incorporated the use of lush greenery matched with gold frames and silk flowers for the entrance of our hall so that our guests could have more ‘OOTD’ corners. A personal favourite of mine was having poems printed on smaller backdrops and having dim-lit panels along the aisle. A jazz band gave our wedding a romantic and classic ambiance, and we really enjoyed the photo booth and speeches from our loved ones!

“Finally, it was our traditional wedding in Kapit, and our elders handled most of the event’s coordination. From arriving on a long boat with such grandeur thanks to the Kelab Gagung Sarawak (KGS) to enjoying an evening of performances, music, and food, it was an amazing experience and we are indeed blessed. We hope that our wedding will be an inspiration to the coming generations to remember their roots.”

Tips from the bride: “Wedding sites and Pinterest really helped us to visualise and communicate our ideas to our wedding coordinator. Jonathan and I had to plan 80% of our wedding away from Kuching because of the nature of our jobs. I work in KL and Jonathan is a chemical engineer who works offshore every two weeks. It’s clichéd to say communication is key, but it really was the main ingredient, together with a dash of patience, compromise and respect. Keep things tasteful when it comes to planning your décor. It’s best to match your theme with your venue of choice. Besides planning for the style of the wedding, remember to also stick to the budget. Start with a modest budget and don’t be afraid to DIY, just give yourself ample time to discuss, plan, and prep.”

AMANDA & JONATHAN {Malaysia}

Photography by Bespoke Photographics / Videography by Scene & Co. (Kuching), The Scope (Kapit) / Ceremony Venue ChinaHouse at The Old Courthouse, Kuching / Reception Venue Imperial Hotel / Kapit Venue Fort Sylvia / Number of Guests 210 (church ceremony), 1000 (evening reception) / Bridal Gowns by ThatWhiteDress (dress), Designer Bridal Room (veil) / Bride’s Shoes by Celest Thoi / Hair and Makeup by Joanne Cheng / Groom’s Attire by ZARA, LORD’s (tuxedo) / Wedding Bands by Love & Co. / Bridesmaids’ Dresses by Marry Merry / Flower Girl Dresses by NEXT, H&M / Bridesmaids’ Jewellery by Bowerhaus / Bridesmaids’ Headbands and Flower Girl Hair Accessories by Sereni & Shentel / Groomsmen’s Attire by Uniqlo, H&M / Bridal Bouquet by Petals Theory / Flowers and Décor by In Esse Wedding, Weddings by Events Horizon, Pretty Petals Kuching / Wedding Cake by ChinaHouse at The Old Courthouse / Art and Stationery by Paper & Print KL / Entertainment by Akoustik Connexion Management