Yeemun and Ian met while attending the same university in the UK. They spent the first year of their relationship apart, commuting on weekends to see one another. It was the day after Yeemun’s birthday, whist on holiday in Maui that Ian decided they should climb to the summit of Haleakala National Park and watch the sunrise. And it was there, 10,000 feet above sea level during the dawn of a new day, that he proposed. From the outset, they wanted a small wedding. “The venue was important as we wanted a location which could hold a ceremony and a reception so our guests didn’t have to travel to and fro!” said Yeemun. “We wanted them to get there and relax for the evening. As half of the guest list was travelling from HK and UK to attend, we wanted the venue to have a great view… something special like The Tearoom at Gunner’s Barracks, Sydney.”
They wanted their wedding to be simple. “We didn’t choose any particular theme,” said Yeemun. “It was more about the food and drinks and the people. As I’m Chinese …eating and drinking is a big part of our culture. The ceremony was a mixture of East and West. We did the traditional bride walking down the aisle, and also a mini chinese tea ceremony to acknowledge and pay respect to my culture and heritage.”
“By Chinese traditions I should have worn red… but I didn’t!” says Yeemun. She instead opted for a beautiful full-length satin and chiffon nude apricot gown. “I brought the dress at a local shop in Cremorne called Chic Collection. I remember it was raining heavily and I decided to pop into the shop to get some inspiration but I ended up seeing a dress I liked and which suited me perfectly… they made it especially in my size in the colour of my choice.” For her bouquet, Yeemun chose her favourite flower: white ranunculus, mixed with freesia for the gorgeous fragrance. The couple chose to forego complex table decorations in favour of simplicity. “We wanted our decorations to fit with the old English feel of the venue, so we chose a mix of red ranunculus with lilac sweetpea… I needed to incorporate red into the wedding as this is a good luck colour in Chinese. Then simple clear candles surrounding the centre piece.” After pre-dinner drinks on the terrace, guests dined on a sumptuous three course meal, followed by individual wedding cakes. The couple also indulged their guests in a cigar/cognac lounge area. “We wanted somewhere so that people could mingle after dinner.” said Yeemun. “This was set up on a Harbour terrace with stunning evening view of the Sydney Harbour and City lights.”
Yeemun and Ian spent their wedding night at the Hilton, Sydney. They haven’t spent their Honeymoon anywhere yet, but they’d like to go back to Hawaii or visit Brazil. Their plans for the future are to “Live life and Be Happy”.
Congratulations Yee & Ian! We wish you all the very best that life has too offer.
The wonderful people and places that made this wedding special:
Photographer: Tim Coulson
Ceremony + Reception: The Tearoom Gunners Barracks
Celebrant: Elise Thompson
Harpist: Karen Hickmott
Bride’s Gown: Chic Collections
Groom’s Suit: Pepper’s Formal Hire
Flowers: Hills Flower Market
Cake: Churrasco
Table Decorations: The Styling Company
Favours: Kawaka Chocolates
How’s your planning going so far Modettes? Will you be incorporating any special traditional elements into your wedding? Let us know. And don’t forget to congratulate Yee & Ian while you’re at it! Leave a comment, stop by Facebook or tweet us @ModernWeddingOz
Enjoy!
Rosemary xoxox