Ceremony Survival Kit and A Life In The Day: Isabella and Vincent

Wedding days fly by so quickly, it can be difficult to take a moment to appreciate the day. But Isabelle and Vincent recommend that you “enjoy every second of the day, as our wedding was the best day of our lives.”

The couple had been dating for four years before finally tying the knot at the beginning of this year with a church ceremony, followed by dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel (8 Finance St., Central, 3196-8888, www.fourseasons.com/hongkong). Both investment bankers, Isabella and Vincent met at work.

While celebrating their second anniversary in Koh Samui, Vincent proposed. “We wanted a simple yet elegant Western wedding but we also wanted the traditional Chinese ceremony, of course,” says Isabella. “Our wedding day was perfect in my mind, mostly thanks to all the professional parties we used—especially the Four Seasons, and Tanarak Photography who captured all the moments of our wedding day beautifully.”

Reflecting Hong Kong’s fast-paced and cosmopolitan culture, Vincent and Isabella started their day with a church ceremony at Union Church in Central. This was followed by a traditional tea ceremony where the couple kneeled and offered tea to their parents and older relatives as a sign of respect and thanks. That night, they had a cocktail and Chinese dinner banquet in the ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel, which was decorated by My Elegant Wedding (www.blog.roodo.com/my_elegant_wedding). Their main theme was an elegant peony design, which was used for their backdrops, printed items and invites. They even had a special pink-flowered message tree instead of a guestbook where guests could tie little message tags to the branches.

“It is important to start planning early,” advises Isabella. “You should engage professional parties only after you have reviewed their portfolio and spoken to them personally.” Isabella and Vincent had two videos made, one focusing on the couple and the other as a thank you video for their parents and family. “It made the wedding more personal and meaningful. Unison Production (www.unisonpro.com.hk) did an amazing job with the music for the ceremony and the reception.”

Their biggest piece of advice is to relax. “Brief your family on what will happen during the day, and schedule spa and facial appointments a few days or even a week before the wedding.” With reliable professional help, Isabella and Vincent were able to kick back and have fun. “Every moment of our wedding day was the best,” they say.