Modern, Hip Bali Wedding Featuring Sparklers & Flower Crowns

For him, he told me that he knew I was “the one” one time in class when instead of listening to the teacher, we were reading this gossip tabloid, we can’t remember which. There was this horoscope page about your zodiac sign’s compatibility with each other. We found out I’m a Sagittarius and he’s a Libra. We had 100% compatibility, according to the magazine. That time, being totally ignorant, I said – jokingly – “eh, we’re kinda meant to be”. I didn’t know that kinda stuff moved him but it did.

Although we started cheesy, our relationship together is quite un-cheesy, I guess. For the 6 years we’re dating, Rey never bought me flowers – at all. We spent time mostly at home. Watching TV, ordering take-away, the relationship is so – I won’t say boring – it’s comfortable.

The proposal happened one night when he took me to have a really nice dinner in a really nice place, complete with a reservation and a train-long list of a set menu. It was super predictable. Rey is bad at making surprises. But to know that he prepared all of that, being the person that he is (un-romantic); he brought a huge flower bouquet (for the very first time, finally).

Despite the predictable situation, tears were flowing out by the time he brought out the ring. He didn’t say all the “will you marry me” kind of stuff. Instead, he only asked, “do you want to be with me always?”

I said yes, by the way.

The Venue

We chose Alindra Villa for the venue because it had 21 rooms that could accommodate around 60 people, including both of our big family and closest friends. Imagine having all your significant people in one place! We could have anyone near whenever we needed any kind of support.

The Ceremony

The ceremony was kind of of tricky to arrange according to our desire, as we were getting married in Catholic Church. Not all Catholic Churches allow a marriage to have the bride walked down the aisle by her father, or to have The Scripture’s song as the here-comes-the-bride song, or to have the bride and groom exchange personal vows – all things that we wished to have for our ceremony.

But luckily we chose the right church (Francis Xavier Church, Kuta) and the right priest (Fr. I Nyoman Suryana, Pr.), that both allowed us to have those things. It was a dream came true and we can’t believe how lucky we are until today.

The Reception

The dinner was everything we wished for: nothing but enjoyable. We ate our favorite foods (Balinese, complete with suckling pig and satay), our favorite songs played beautifully with an acoustic arrangement, fairy lights, natural flowers and decoration of dusty blue, leafy greens, and grey fabrics.

A wooden dance floor and the best MC turned the night into the best night of our lives. We mingled with everyone, enjoying a good meal and drinks, heartfelt speeches, casual games, even a surprise dance from Rey right before our first dance. Oh, I can go all day talking about the wedding! It was a dream came true.

Favorite Moments

My favorite moment is when Rey and his groomsmen gave me a surprise dance at the dinner reception, using my favorite song “Are You Gonna be My Girl” by Jet. Remember how predictable Rey is for me, that was the best, most successful surprise he finally managed. I was completely taken aback by it. As a person, Rey is never “extra” at all. He is never comfortable being in the spotlight or making a scene. That is more of my thing than his. For instance, he never even wants to sing karaoke. He’s that type of guy who likes to keep it “low”.

But there he was that night, dancing his ass off like there’s no tomorrow. When I asked how he managed to do it, moreover convinced the boys to do it, it turned out Rey snatched a liquor bottle from the groomsmen table at the start of the party – got them drunk enough and forgot about embarrassment. Super effective! I treasure this moment so much because it shows just how much Rey’s willing to do things for me, even if it’s beyond his comfort zone. I’ll always take this memory throughout our married life, through the smooth and the rough.