We start with the nuptials of our dear couple, Lina and Ashraf. The wedding was expertly planned and coordinated by Lina's beloved cousin and wedding planning extraordinaire, Sherly Aziz of Tie The Knot. And of course, our many thanks to The Photoz for the wonderful pictures you will see in this Real Wedding post.
Wishing Tree was hired to decorate Lina and Ashraf's two-part wedding, the first being the nikah (solemnization of the marriage) where rings are exchanged and the marriage contract according to Islamic law is publicly declared and signed. This was held in an intimate setting at Felda Villa in Kuala Lumpur.
As you can see, Lina and Ashraf decided to go with a different direction from the usually elaborate and themed settings of Malaysian nikah ceremonies. Lina wanted an ambience and backdrop that was different and relatively modern, and while she left the details to her cousin Sherly, she wanted some purple and blue in the decor. Using glass vases and mirrored cube tables against and all-white background, from white drapes to the white récamier, the ambience is decidedly minimalist.
Our couple saved the best for last. Their wedding reception, held at Dewan Perdana Felda in Kuala Lumpur, was truly a sight to behold.
We absolutely love that we were able to create this stage and pelamin for Lina and Ashraf! The colours, the flowers, the lanterns and the sheer size of the trees... Breathtaking. If any of you have been to Dewan Perdana Felda, you would know how immense and vast the hall is. It was only fitting to have an equally impressive stage as a focal point.
Sherly told us that Lina had in mind a Chinese-inspired theme for her wedding reception. She loves the colour red, she has some Chinese ancestry on her mother's side, and she loves that there is so much one can do with a Chinese theme. Oh, the ideas were zipping around like crazy at the sound of the last part! It was a good thing Sherly was on hand to provide direction according to what she felt Lina would happy with.
Lina's bridal bouquet was lush with red tulips, maroon calla lilies and pink and red rose spray. We love Lina's gown for the evening! Look at that lace... that red satin sash... that red peony in the hair! Everything about her outfit oozes elegance, which perfectly reflects our bride. (Lina's gorgeous gown is from That Special Occasion.)
The lanterns hanging overhead frame their photos beautifully. We used four tall trees for the stage; trees that we harvested in the jungle, cleaned and spray-painted. Lina had initially wanted Shanghai-style silk lanterns for the trees, but they are not only too heavy for the delicate branches but also very expensive. And for this stage with four huge trees, the number of lanterns we would need and the cost would be staggering! These red and pink paper lanterns were perfect, to be honest, and probably more eye-catching.
Another view of the magnificent stage. We used tons of red roses, with maroon maxim and dark pink dianthus. The second photo (above) shows the view of the stage from behind the VIP table, where Lina and Ashraf's Guest Of Honour would sit for the reception.
Their Guest of Honour turned out to be His Royal Highness Raja Nazrin Shah, the Crown Prince of the state of Perak. For the U-shaped VIP table, we put together a simple yet very lush arrangement with red roses, red dianthus, champagne roses and white phalaenopsis, accented with gold beads and candles in hurricane jars.
We hope you enjoyed the photos from Lina and Ashraf's wedding! While Chinese-themed weddings are not uncommon and you can find lots of inspiration online, we hope this incredible use of lanterns (in only two colours, no less) hung from these tall, natural trees, can be another source of inspiration for you.. whether to use for your wedding or a party. It is just too eye-catching not to reuse!