A wedding is more than just a union of two people – it’s a union of families, cultures and communities. For this bride and groom, their wedding reflected their Baba Nyonya roots with each of their cultural ceremonies – an ‘akad nikah’ for her side of the family, and tea ceremony for his side of the family. A multi-cultural wedding also meant a beautiful combination of colours – from the thoughtful decorative pieces to that amazing ombre cake! Many thanks to Andrew Yep Photographie for capturing this gorgeous wedding full of joy and colour.
Aina: “We wanted our wedding to reflect both of our cultures, so we decided to pay homage to our roots with a colourful Baba Nyonya / Peranakan theme. Mark’s family is from Penang, while a part of my ancestral family is from Melaka. We went on numerous trips to Peranakan hotspots such as Penang and Malacca to find inspiration for food and décor, as well as to pick up special pieces for décor. We didn’t want a cookie-cutter wedding and focused on it being a fun and lively celebration with close family and friends. We opted for batik fans as our wedding favours since it was an outdoor event and they would serve their purpose; we found them during a trip to Jogjakarta!
“We had our ‘akad nikah’ in the morning at my house, where I wore my Nyonya ‘kebaya’ and my late grandmother’s ‘kain batik’ and antique jewellery pieces, while Mark wore a traditional ‘baju melayu’. After the solemnisation, we changed into our Chinese outfits and had a really fun Chinese tea ceremony, which was a first for my family. I wore a special royal blue ‘cheongsam’ while Mark wore a matching ‘samfu’. It was then followed by a garden reception at home, where we were serenaded by friends. The wedding party ended at the Smokehouse Lounge at Majestic Hotel to keep with the old-school theme.
“We used an interplay of colours (both indoors and outdoors). Our flowers were colourful, and our ‘pelamin’ was not the typical white ‘pelamin’—our décor guys managed to recreate a Peranakan wedding bed as the centerpiece! We also used Peranakan pieces as part of the wedding décor – tiffin sets, colorful Peranakan and Chinese porcelain vases, a gramophone, and other pieces that added rustic charm to the venue, and we even had a special corner where we had framed photos of Aina’s beloved late grandmother. Our guests donned Peranakan outfits (Nyonya ‘kebaya’ and ‘cheongsam’), which enhanced the ambience, and we served Nyonya food, which our guests loved! And of course, we had to have a beca where our guests could take photos. It was a hit!”
Tips from the bride: “Contrary to popular belief, planning a wedding can be fun – as long as you remember to make it all about the both of you! So enjoy the process and don’t sweat the small stuff. Things may not turn out as planned, but it’s not the end of the world!”
AINA & MARK {Malaysia}
Photography by Andrew Yep Photographie / Venue Bride’s home / Number of Guests 180 / Kebaya by Ang Eng / Cheongsam by Khoon Hooi