Sometimes, it’s the little touches that make a great celebration. In the case of Julie Lu and Alex Lee, meticulous planning and customisation made for an unforgettable three-part celebration.

Having recently moved to Singapore to work with her father, Julie Lu, a consultant with a background in finance, was keen to widen her social circle. So, she was up for it when a close family friend arranged a dinner outing between her and private banker Alex Lee. Not long after that first outing in November 2012, they became an item, pursuing their shared interests of golf, yoga, travelling and dining out.

On 8 September 2013 while watching the sun set from the highest point of The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas in Bali, Alex proposed. The moment couldn’t have been more romantic, with the couple surrounded by beautiful views of the ocean and lush garden. Julie was taken by surprise and ecstatic when Alex popped the question.

The Theme & Concept


Following an intimate matrimonial ceremony, the couple received guests during two tea receptions. The wedding banquet was held at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, which was incidentally where the groom’s sister had held her wedding banquet in 2011. Working with the hotel’s banquet team and their wedding planner, the couple had a customised celebration that in their own words was “unique and meticulously planned and executed”.

Julie was dressed in a Vera Wang gown straight off that season’s trunk show and simply accessorised with a diamond pendant, a gift from Alex’s parents. She later swapped this for a dramatic red evening gown. Alex, meanwhile, was dapper in a three-piece bespoke suit from Oxford Tailor which was accentuated with Hermès cufflinks, a gift from Julie.

As the eco-conscious couple did not want shark’s fin soup on their dinner menu, the hotel’s culinary brigade created a delectable new soup that was traditional, tasty and well presented. Among other dishes on the degustation wine-pairing menu were porcini-chawanmushi soup topped with truffle, and a roasted suckling pig, where the meat came in flavourful fried sticks. In her blog, noted food critic Sylvia Tan described it as “one of the best Chinese wedding dinners I’ve enjoyed at the hotel”.

The cultured sounds of The Teng String Quartet in the background kept the mood at the reception suitably elegant while the master of ceremony, local comedian Rishi Budhrani, cracked guests up with his hilarious antics. Putting groove into the evening was the live band ShiLi & Adi.

Three weeks later, the couple were in California for a second ceremony and banquet. As a child, Julie had dreamt of getting married at The Resort at Pelican Hill. She envisioned an outdoor ceremony overlooking the ocean and golf course with rose pedals strewn across the aisle. Her favourite colours of blush pink, gold and silver were used as the theme for the celebration among her close friends and family. 

The Highlights

Family and friends came together to plan both the church ceremony and local wedding banquet down to the last detail. Guests at the Marriott banquet took home a special wedding favour inspired by something the couple had previously seen. The hotel’s pastry chef spent months perfecting a set of “bride & groom” cake pops, which were presented in an elegant box.

The couple was also particularly pleased with the floral arrangements at both the church and hotel. Wedding planner Caroline of The Wedding Stylist worked with florists CC Lee and Fiore Dorato respectively for months to execute the floral designs. “The fresh flowers added the finishing touch to the already beautiful church, and the cascading table floral arrangements including details like the white carpet, which stretched from the ballroom entrance to the stage, made the evening magical,” Julie says.

Memorable moments included the speeches delivered by the newlyweds’ fathers. One thing about the big day particularly moved Julie: “Alex is extremely shy on the dance floor, yet he enthusiastically agreed to share the first dance with me before all the guests at our wedding banquet in the US.”