We knew Jeff’s Cellar would be a perfect wedding venue from the moment we first laid eyes on it, but we couldn’t find an actual wedding there till this bride submitted hers. U Wang Studio did an awesome job capturing the beautiful venue and moment.
Swee Leen: “The most memorable moment from our big day was simply getting married in a 280-million-year-old limestone cave in the presence of our closest family and friends. It was beautiful and intimate; everything went smoothly and we were able to savour every single moment without stress. The both of us were born and bred in this little gem of a city called Ipoh, and we wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate this anywhere else! Besides being a food haven, Ipoh is also well known for its limestone hills and hot springs. The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat was the ideal venue to showcase this.
“We wanted a simple yet elegant theme so we went with the colour red, and had roses, lanterns and candles adorning the cave. The cave itself was so breathtaking that very little needed to be done in terms of the décor. Favours were teas and coffees from our favourite café and tea shop in Manchester, UK, where we currently live. We packed them in little muslin bags with a custom-made stamp of our initials on the bags.
“The original plan was to get the bridesmaids’ dresses tailor-made, but it was very difficult with each of them being in various parts of the world. In the end, I just told them to get a grey dress that suited their own style. I was a little worried that the dresses wouldn’t be cohesive, but I think they looked great! The entire wedding programme was free-flow and light-hearted – no hired entertainment needed as we got our talented friends and dads to perform. Everyone had so much fun!”
Tips from the bride: “It was quite a challenge to plan the wedding from abroad. My advice is to invest in an experienced, reliable wedding planner. Give them a list of your wants and ideas in advance. I had a 20-page PDF file of photos, notes and sample programmes, and everyone thought I was a bit crazy! But our wedding planners were thankful for this, as they knew exactly what we wanted. We only had to meet them once in person. My mum played an all-important role in the wedding, mainly acting as mediator between ourselves and the planners and photographers for last minute preparations.”
SWEE LEEN & TEONG RHEN {Malaysia}
Photography by U Wang Studio / Venue Jeff’s Cellar, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Ipoh, Perak / Number of Guests 50 / Wedding Planning and Event Styling by Cherish Events and Weddings, Ipoh / Bridal Gown by Manuel Mota for Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes by Jimmy Choo / Hair and Makeup by Ai Juan / Groom’s Attire by Norton and Townsend, UK / Groomsmen’s Attire by Topshop (ties) / Wedding Cake by Haslinda of Little Gem Cupcakes, Ipoh / Wedding Favours by North Tea Power and Whittard’s, Manchester, UK