Seah Bee Leng to Heng Eu Jin

Even page boys were dressed in smart suits and corsages for the solemnisation ceremony.

WHEN Feb 23, 2008

WHERE The Chamber at Old Parliament House and the Regent Hotel

HOW THEY MET The couple used to play competitive tennis as students at Victoria Junior College, and their love match continued over the next 13 years.

HOW HE PROPOSED Eu Jin arranged a romantic dinner for Bee Leng at Restaurant 1827 Thai (Bee Leng loves Thai cuisine) at The Arts House. After dinner, he presented her with a small box containing a necklace. “I could tell Bee Leng was a little disappointed, but she didn’t expect an engagement ring to be attached to the end of the necklace, which popped up as she removed it from the box. The look of shock and happiness was priceless! It was then when I proposed,” recalls Eu Jin.

THE WEDDING The couple chose the Old Parliament House for the solemnisation venue because as a history graduate, Bee Leng always wanted to have her wedding in a historical place. In the stately venue filled with Far East Flora roses, 180 guests and Striiiings, a string quartet, a pastor blessed the excited couple – dressed in a Dsire gown and a Massimo Dutti suit. “Our close junior college friend Gerard Hendra worked out beautiful hymn arrangements and even accompanied the quartet on keyboards,” adds Eu Jin, who is an investment banker. Guests then adjourned to the Blue Room for lunch featuring dishes such as mango crystal prawn roll and sirloin steak served with roast potato and thyme catered by Kriston, before observing the traditional tea ceremony during which Eu Jin and a sarong kebaya-clad Bee Leng (she’s Peranakan) offered tea to their elders. Guests also enjoyed traditional Nonya fare like kueh pie tee and seafood on lemongrass with chilli dip.

The venue at Old Parliament House was a gorgeous backdrop for wedding pictures.

THE DETAILS Held a few hours later on the same day, the wedding dinner was a larger affair for some 460 family and friends. Bee Leng shone in her dark pink A-line satin dress and Eu Jin was dashing in black tuxedo at the Regent Hotel’s Royal Pavilion ballroom where everyone enjoyed an evening of good food, wine and lots of music. During the eight-course traditional Chinese dinner, Bee Leng’s father sang Elvis Presley’s Good Luck Charm while his old friend James accompanied on the piano. The couple sang Nat King Cole’s Let There Be Love before Eu Jin surprised his bride with a solo of Chet Baker’s jazz ballad Time After Time. The live band also played jazz and standards for entertainment as two photographers kept the flashbulbs popping all night. Guests left with red rose candles, to remember the occasion by.

BEST DECISION Knowing they were not just planning a celebration, but for a lifetime together, the couple went for marriage counselling and involved both families in the planning of the wedding. Smiles Bee Leng, a civil servant: “Everyone had a meaningful role to play, and the days leading up to the wedding really helped the family bond.”

GOOD ADVICE “One of the best decisions we made was to invest in an excellent photographer like K.C Wong of Greymatter Photography, even though it was costly. Because at the end of all the pomp and ceremony, you’re left with only memories to cherish so it’s important to have a good photographer to capture fleeting moments of emotions and expressions,“ says Eu Jin.