Our first Christmas as Mr and Mrs

Matthew Song and Alice Oei

Alice:“It hasn’t been all hearts and roses since Matthew and I got married, but we’re more in love than ever. Despite having a similar circle of friends, we only ever met when a friend introduced us at Pangaea in November 2011. 

We didn’t see each other for an entire year after that, not until the Singapore Tatler Ball in 2012, funnily enough. That night, he was seated next to me and my mother. He charmed the socks off of her and she invited him to the Equestrian Ball happening the week after. We’ve been inseparable since. 

This Christmas, we’ll be off on a relaxing cruise around Australia and New Zealand with my family. And the beauty of finding your soulmate is that he is able to make even the most mundane of activities fun and interesting, let alone a fabulous holiday.” 

Matthew: “Being married to Alice makes me feel complete—I now have a wife, a best friend and a confidant to come home to everyday. She’s my biggest cheerleader. When I’ve had a terrible day at work and can’t find that silver lining, here comes my wife who thinks I’m the best person on earth.

After our first meeting, I lost her contact details when I was thrown into a swimming pool with my phone during a wedding party. A year later, a friend of mine invited me to the Tatler Ball where I was seated next to Alice and her mother. And here we are now. 

Next January, we’ll be commemorating our first wedding anniversary with an evening of our favourite food and wine, and will be sharing it with our relatives and close friends, to thank them for their advice and support this past year.”

Our First Christmas in our new family home

Lydia Lim

“When I was younger, my family and I would travel overseas together during the festive season. But for the last five years, we’ve been more homebound and thrown house parties instead. I suppose this has to do with age; my parents want more time to catch up with friends as they slow down in life and creep into retirement, while my brother Aaron and I have travelled quite a bit that we’re going in reverse now by staying at home more and planning homecooked parties with lots of good wine.  

My family worked with WAL Associates to design our new home, and it’s been highly satisfying to see our personalities translate into the style of wallpapers, colours, furniture and layout. Since we moved in on the first day of September this year, my family and I won’t be waiting until Christmas to start throwing parties. Christmas for me is about gathering a bunch of my closest friends and hosting at least two house parties where I’ll roll up my sleeves and get creative with the menu, decorations and table settings. With ample parking space around the house and our open-concept dining and kitchen area, we’re ready to go!” 

Our First Christmas with our baby

Tiara, Markham and Victoria Shaw 

“When we became parents to Victoria in May, we realised that we were no longer just a couple but a family. We feel a strong love for baby Victoria and a new sense of responsibility to raise her to be strong, kind and loving. We harbour high hopes and dreams for her, but ultimately wish that she would grow up to be happy and gracious.

The first couple of months following her birth went by in a blur, but now we see her personality, sense of humour and curiosity developing every week. The most fascinating thing is the development of her sense of humour. Recently, we discovered her infectious laughter while playing with her. She’s also grown curious about food and loves the water like the both of us, which makes bath time a highlight of her day.

We’re excited for Victoria’s first Christmas this year and the rest of our journey through life with her, seeing the world through her eyes and learning new things about ourselves through raising her. She brightens our lives in every way; every smile, laughter, gurgle or coo she makes melts our heart and makes that moment a precious memory.”

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