Irwin Lim and Gigi Goh.

In the Fall/Winter 2016 issue of Tatler Weddings, society’s married couples (including one soon-to-wed pair) share heartwarming tatler_tatler_stories of their marriage proposal, and we discover that planning the perfect proposal takes a good amount of legwork, and indeed, some element of espionage! Here, they recount the moments leading up to that magical proposal.

IRWIN LIM & GIGI GOH

Irwin, partner at Known Group, and Gigi, events director at Dreams Establishment, have been married for 10 years. They have two sons, Luke, aged six, and Jake, aged three

How did you meet and what attracted you to him?
Gigi We met in art college (Lasalle), and I was drawn to his sense of humor.

What did you look for in a wife and did she reflect those qualities?
Irwin I was looking for someone who was grounded, humble and humorous. Gigi reflected those qualities. 

How long were you together before he proposed?
Gigi Two years. 

How/when did you know you were ready to take the leap?
Irwin We were schoolmates and it is during project work that you get to know the best and worst in someone… nuff said! 

What were the most popular trends in marriage proposals around the time of the proposal?
Gigi I believe it was “ring in champagne” or “ring in something”.  

How did you choose the time and venue for the proposal?
Irwin We had won tickets to Europe during a New Year’s Eve countdown party and when we were planning the itinerary, I decided it was a good idea to do the proposal during the trip. 

How long did you take to plan it and who were your “advisors”?
Irwin Designing and making the ring was the easy part. The tough part was figuring out how to get the finished ring into Europe with me, undetected. I did not want to put it with our check-in luggage (in case it got lost in transit), but bringing it with carry-on luggage was not without risks either. Metal detectors, nosy customs officers, and Gigi’s curiosity… the struggle was real. Thankfully I had watched enough spy movies to know better!

I was one of the first amongst my friends to get married so I had no “advisors” or planners to speak of. I had asked her parents for permission (they said “Yes”) and they were well aware. I did make a boo-boo with the time zone conversion, and they got pretty concerned when they did not hear any updates. (Remember, this was way before the convenience of Whatsapp was around!) 

How did you decide on your proposal ring?
Irwin We had discussed getting married, so I was aware of the exact design and cut she wanted. I snuck out one of her fashion rings to get it measured by the jeweller, so I knew that the ring would be a perfect fit. 

How many rehearsals did you have prior to the proposal?
Irwin None. 

How did you calm your nerves in the moments leading up to the proposal?
Irwin I did do a recce of the hotel premises and I knew exactly what the surroundings of the proposal venue would be. That preparation definitely kept me calm. 

Read the full story of how Irwin proposed to Gigi in the Fall/Winter 2016 issue of Tatler Weddings.

Styled images: Bryan Jean Photography
Other images: Courtesy of respective couples