From The Straits Times    |

jg_2 (471a) (9)_1.jpgGlenda’s cousin was her matron-of-honour, while her goddaughters were bridesmaids. Justin’s best friend was also his best man, whose son was the page boy.

Hi Glenda, thanks for speaking to us! We enjoyed your celebrations very much! Can you tell us, how did you plan for it? Did you do it yourself or did Justin share the work?
I would say we both planned for the wedding and it was a 70/30 effort. I did 70 per cent of the planning. Justin’s quite an easy going person so he’d agree with most of my choices.  

Were any particular aspects of the wedding that did you insisted on? Were there any compromises and how did you guys deal with them?
I planned the wedding with military precision haha! He wanted me to have the wedding I wanted so there wasn’t much compromising to do. The only thing we took some time to finalize was the location. He was quite particular about the venue so I had to hunt for a few places before we decided on the perfect location of Tamarind Hill. He’d make the overall big decisions while I concentrated on the nitty-gritty details. 

J&G_1-128_0.jpgThe bride’s gown, which she wore for the lunch and dinner, was very elegant. Out of respect for her elders, she added a bolero for the tea ceremony and lunch.

What were your priorities, as well as his, for the wedding?
I had several and happily it was the same for him too. I think a big priority was to “compartmentalize” the celebrations. One for family and another for close friends, so we held two separate events. Lunch was the traditional Chinese ceremony for the family and older folks while dinner was a cozy do for our friends.  

J&G3-044_0.jpgGlenda’s aunt and uncle helped her put on the veil before the gatecrashing ceremony.

No matter how well planned a wedding is something always goes wrong – is that true for your case? Were there any major fiascos/problems pre-wedding or on the day itself?
There definitely was, but nothing major. It’s important to try and predict what might happen so when it does, you’re prepared for it.  We were so grateful for our trusted “in-charge” persons who executed contingency plans immediately.  You can say I planned and on the day, left the rest in the hands of capable friends.

What did you love, and hate, about the wedding prep?
Planning was fun but the stress of it is something that I didn’t enjoy. Cost was also a factor and we had to work within a budget otherwise the celebration/ party could easily balloon out of control. But I love planning and I loved planning the day I always wanted.

Complete this sentence: If only…
I could do it all over again …. I would in a heartbeat!

jg 5(470b) (64)_0.jpgGlenda carried a classic bouquet of roses and pearls.

What did you learn from this experience that you would share with other brides-to-be?
You must have an overall in-charge person other than yourself and trust him/her because he/she will make the final call on the day. He/she must understand the big picture and your budget. In our case, Justin’s best-friend Bryan was his bestman and overall in-charge person together with his good friends Daniel and Shereen. I had my cousin Dexter. They were all fantastic. Also choose your bridesmaid or maid of honour wisely (I chose my cousin Beverly) because she’ll need to literally “serve” you. And because she’s either your sibling, relative or best friend, she’ll not be used to “serving” you. She’ll need to help you with bathroom needs and check on your appearance (panda eyes, lipstick stains, stray hair, etc) as the photographers will be snapping like there’s no tomorrow.

Justin & Glenda4-054_2.jpgThe solemnisation ceremony honoured Glenda’s Peranakan heritage.

So now that you’re married, how are you adapting to it?
The key word is adapting. It’s about two individuals committing to one life. As long as both are willing to adapt, it’s a fun and interesting ride; plus a learning process. We both have different habits and we have to get used to each other’s good and bad bits. Plus I always make him kiss me before he leaves for work and before we both retire to sleep. So no matter how busy or tired we both are, we’re assured of a kiss sometime in the day.