From The Straits Times    |


Photo: Corina Marie Howell, courtesy of Max Loong and Sepideh Haftgoli/Fly Entertainment

As you are both based in different countries, where are you planning to hold the ceremony?
MAX:
 We are getting married on the magical island of Bali in Indonesia, as we spend a lot of time there (at our family owned boutique luxury villa resort, Hidden Hills Villas).

We have both fallen in love with the tropical island. It is a combination of the authentic realness of nature mixed with the tropical beauty, charm and spiritual culture of Bali which was important to me, combined with Sepideh’s love for the fantasy and fairy tale world she adores.

Additionally, since we have family coming from all over the world (Iran, Switzerland, United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, Australia, etc.) we felt that Bali would be a great meeting ground that would allow those closest to us able to attend, but also to have a little vacation of their own!

What kind of wedding are you looking to have?
SEPIDEH:  Since Max and I are in the entertainment industry, we very much wanted to ensure that our wedding would be different. We know this will likely be one of the biggest parties we ever throw in our lives and so want to make it amazing. It definitely will be a formal wedding, as we are a couple that loves to dress up! Anyone that knows us will know to bring their ‘A’ game when it comes to style. It will also be elegant and fancy in style, but we still want to have fun, let loose and party!

Have you pinned down the details?
SEPIDEH: We initially wanted to have the wedding at Hidden Hills Villas, where the place can take up to 60 pax, but quickly realized we were approaching 150+ guests and thus would have to find another venue that could accommodate a sit down dinner of that size.

We knew our dream venue had to be an incredible view and that we wanted it outdoors. Max and I are not big fans of your typical hotel wedding or dressing up a banquet hall. We wanted to find something beautiful, unique and with enough space and found that at Khayangan Estate. This venue is surreal with its cliff-front views of the ocean and its exquisite landscaping.

We will be having a travel-themed wedding. Both Max and I are avid travelers and have been traveling together ever since we met. This has been a huge part of our lives (and will continue to be). We started the theme by sending our guests passport invites. This theme will continue throughout our wedding in very creative and unique ways, which I won’t give away now. Our colour palette is light and more on the pastel/neutral side with blush, white, peach, light yellow, creams and a pop of gold and some greenery.

What about your wedding gown?
SEPIDEH:
My gown is being made by haute couture designer Inbal Dror, and I am really looking forward to wearing it! I wanted it to be sexy, yet classy and timeless. I have looked at several dresses, and am quite picky about my choices, but I knew I found the right one when I tried this dress on. The brand is known for its elegance, and yet there is a striking sexiness about its dresses. I just can’t wait to wear that dress that I will remember years to come!

How are you planning a wedding long distance?
SEPIDEH:
Thankfully we have a local Bali wedding planner, Paper Diamonds, who’s helping us coordinate and plan while I do so from Los Angeles. It makes things so much less stressful with all the other activities and events that are also going on.

Have you had any arguments about the wedding? Were there different priorities? How did you resolve them?
SEPIDEH:
They say if you can get through a home renovation and the planning of a wedding with your husband then you can get through everything. We’ve already done both and more, so I’m hoping this means everything else is a piece of cake!

MAX: Of course we do argue about things but we always hear each other out on our opinions, we try to look at the other persons side and then the compromise starts. Any relationship is built on compromises. No two people on this planet are the same and therefore the only way to last, is to adapt to each other. It also helps that I let Sepideh make all the decisions for the wedding :-). 

Any wedding planning advice for readers?
SEPIDEH:
If you have the luxury, start planning as early as you can so that you don’t stress yourself out, especially if you are a hands-on bride. Stay organized, make lists and tick that checklist off one by one!

MAX: An amazing location like Khayangan Estate, a fantastic and yummy caterer like ours, Dijon Bali, a big band which in our case is super talented Eva Scolaro, lot’s to drink and your friends. Mix that with a lot of patience, creativity and unfortunately quite a bit of money. 

What are your wishes for the wedding day?
MAX: I would love our wedding to be the best day in our lives, the most amazing day for my wifey, a day I hope our friends and family will never forget. 

SEPIDEH: I just want to be in the moment, enjoying every second of the day with my husband (wow…first time I’ve written it I think), my family & friends.

Read all about the couple’s love story – how they met, how things progressed, and more, in the September 2016 issue.