" For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother,
and be joined to his wife, and the two chall become one flesh."
Therefore what God has joined together let not men separate
Matthew 19:5-6

The Big Day

Date : 19th September 2009 , Venue : St Georges's Church, Singapore
Event : Church Wedding & Solemnization

Date : 21th September 2009 , Venue : Regent Hotel, Singapore
Event : Tea Ceremony & Singapore Dinner

Date : 26th September 2009 , Venue : Northam Hotel, Penang
Event : Tea Ceremony & Penang Dinner

For further details, address and map, click here

Our Parents

Groom Parents : Tan Hooi Hwa & Evelyn Tan Aye Neo
Bride Parents : Liew Sin Hun & Lee Nya Bee

The Team

Groom : Sean Tan Sze Hsien
Bride : Liew Hooi Yin

Best Man : Joel Teng
Bridemaid : Phoon See Wan

Officiating Minister : Reverand Malcolm Tan
Wedding Coordinator : Leanne Yong

For more information on the wedding team

Contact

Email : freshlibaked@gmail.com

Marriage

"It's something that you're only meant to go through once in your life. And that's why when you get married you have to make sure it's to the right person. And you have to make sure that it's done right.

When our relationship started deep down inside we both knew that we would one day end up on the journey of marriage together. God had seen fit to bring us together and He intends to see us through our lifelong commitment to one another. His grace is what sustains us and strengthens us daily in our shared walk.

Looking back we see all the laughter and tears that we've shared, as well as the many heartfelt gestures and fond memories. It's only been 2 years and already so much has happened!

These are the experiences and memories that help frame our thoughts as we work together to plan our wedding. Indeed it's not an easy task, we're bound to disagree and we're bound to have arguments and to get upset with one another. But we're also bound by our love and we're bound by our commitment to love and serve the other.

As we embark on this next stage of our relationship we are so thankful for all the Lord has done for us but also for all the friends who have encouraged us and showered us with blessings on this earth.

What a joy and blessing it is to enjoy company on life's road!"

Frustration of Wedding Planning

Everyone says that getting married is a long and tiring process and no matter how many times you hear that you're never really prepared for it. It's been 5 months now since we got engaged and the amount of stuff to think about and prepare for is almost endless.

First the wedding date has to be decided on, followed by the venues for tea ceremony, church ceremony, reception and dinner. These form the framework and set the timeline for everything else. Then it is followed by the choosing of best man, bridesmaid, getting the dress, thinking of the decorations, program, gifts, etc etc. The list goes on.

With all the things that have to be done, you would think that the wedding day is the WHOLE marriage itself. Everyone wants everything to be just perfect for that one special day when you celebrate your union as a married couple.
(There are even people who have spent most of their single life dreaming and planning for their dream weddings. In fact, if people put as much effort into 'being married' as they do 'getting married', there would likely be a lot less broken marriages in the world right now.)

It's easy us to do the same thing. We argue about small things, get frustrated with the planning, the organisation, the differences in opinions that we have and how we're going to pay for everything. In fact we stop relying on God to provide but get suffocated by the wants that we have surrounded ourselves with.

Only when we sit back and take a break do we realise that actually, while the day itself is important, it's really just the beginning of something much more important: a lifetime of being married - which is really why we're doing all this in the first place!

So with that in mind, we are reminded that while things may not go exactly as we planned (or maybe not even close to what we planned at all) what's important is not so much what the wedding is like, but what it symbolises: Our desire to live committed to one another as man and wife.

And nothing could spoil that.

Our Story

Around a long table crowded with people, there sat at the corner a girl, totally out of place. Her friend next to her was engaged deep in conversation with people she didn't know from the other side of the table. Sitting right in front of her sat a young man. "Who is this rude fellow?", she thought, as the man didn't even acknowledge her existence. Instead, he turned to the guy next to him, talking and laughing. There was such relief when the food arrived and she ate it quietly…

HY : And that's how we first met. Talk about making a bad first impression! But to Sean's credit, he came around to say 'hi' to me about a month later at Easter Camp. It was there that we exchanged our first words even though we'd seen each other in church every Sunday after the incident at the restaurant. After that, we spoke for only a few more times.

S : We didn't get to know each other better till nine months later when we went with some church friends on a trip to East Malaysia. A mutual friend of ours had asked me to help ask about Hooi Yin's walk with God as she was a new Christian then. I wasn't sure if she'd want to share something so personal with me, but to my surprise she spoke freely about it. And as I listened, I knew deep down inside that I wanted to know more about her.

HY : Not long after the trip, Sean asked me for my number and started calling. At first, I simply thought that he was just a friendly guy (I also didn't know then how full of lame jokes he really was!). He was charming, thoughtful, kind, and nice in every way and we got to know each other a lot more over a single long distance phone call per week. That's how it went for the next six months.

S : But after a few incidences, things started to get complicated. We both felt that we'd lost focus of God and that He was calling us back to Him. Though it was tough, we came to the decision to stop communicating, take a step back, re-evaluate and re-dedicate our lives back to serving God. Both of us willing to take that risk and commit the next half a year to Him. Even though it hurt at the time of the decision, with prayer and faith we were very much at peace in our hearts. And somehow we knew deep down that things were going to turn out fine no matter what happened.

HY : As we let God take charge of their lives, He revealed His glorious plan for the both of us in His time. However, while we were each going our separate ways and getting to know God personally, throughout this period we were both unaware that each of us was wondering how the other was doing.

S : Finally, when it came time to meet up again (6 months later), we were both so anxious that we'd both become strangers to each another. But to our great joy and surprise, we quickly eased back into conversation picking up from where they had left off!

HY : Time passed and our friendship continued to blossom. Till one night, as Sean came to my place to pick me up for dinner he told me in my room that he loves me very much and asked me to be his girlfriend. Speechless, all I could do was give him a big hug and nod, a smile written all over my face!

S : And that was when our courtship began. The rest as they say, is history…

Now, in case you are wondering: why didn't the young man at the beginning of the story speak to the girl sitting opposite him? The answer is simple… it was because he was shy.

We thank God continually for this relationship and pray that Christ would always be the centre that binds us together!

Photo Taking : part 1

So we had our first photo taking session for the wedding yesterday.

It was a very packed day and we couldn’t have done it without our two helpers. A big thanks to Andrew and Dorothy for taking the afternoon off to drive, accompany and help us out along the way. Dorothy helped with Hooi Yin’s dress and Andrew drove us from place to place.

The places that we went to, in order, are:

1. Little River Railway Station
2. Barwon River
3. Pettavel Winery
4. Point Lonsdale Lighthouse

Kym, our photographer, did a great job and was infinitely patient and gave good instructions to the both of us. Initially it was weird having someone taking such intimate photos but we eventually warmed up… though ironically the temperature cooled greatly so we were frantically trying to finish off the shoot by the end of the day.

Our next shoot is in May and will be areas in and around the Melbourne CBD area so we’ll be taking more fun shots with a totally different mood and setting.

We’re both looking forward to it!

Photo Taking : part 2

The photographs from the first session turned out unexpectedly well. There are a few shots that become our individual favourites.

This time, we had more photographs taken in Melbourne CBD. The weather was absolutely pleasant and wonderful, which was an answered prayer as it had been rainy and cloudy for the past few days. And we managed to get some autumn shots with a touch of drought (the leaves were more yellowish-brown from lack of water, rather than red). There were awkward moments when some people tried to take pictures of us from a distance behind our photographer. But the good part was people actually gave way for the photographs and stopped their cars to let the bride in wedding gown pass. The funny thing was, people kept shouting congratulations (one even expressed this through car honks) that we finally gave up explaining this is not THE day and returned the well-wishers with a simple thank you.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen protests around CBD and weekend crowds, we ended up stuck in traffics, taking long detours and unable to shoot in places that we initially planned. Now, we ended up with lots of photographs in the wedding dress, and very little in the other outfits! It was a big disappointment but we'll have to learn to be content. Overall, Kym was excellent. She was trying her best to get as close to and as many photographs the way we wanted despite the situations. She was very patient and even stayed overtime. And not to forget, a big thank you to our lovely friends, Roy and Shu Min, who willingly agreed to help out.

Even though we might not get as many photographs as the first session, we hope the rest of the photographs will turn out well. Will be exciting to view them soon. So with some adjustment, our photography venues are:

5. St Paul Cathedral
6. Carlton Gardens
7. Brighton Beach
8. CBD Alleyway

Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

One Month Countdown

My my my, where does the time go?

It’s now slightly more than one month to the wedding and things are starting to heat up. We had both quit our jobs in Melbourne and moved back home. In fact Hooi Yin has just finished her exam so she’s now prepped and ready to go. Sean has been semi holding the fort in the meantime, meeting up with the church, the florist, the hotel people, all the friends and helpers as well as sorting out the other little things that crop up here and there. We are really touched by all the friends and families who so readily and sincerely offering their help to us.

Planning a wedding is not rocket science but it’s really such a mammoth undertaking that it’s more than any one mere mortal can take on his own. However when there are two people planning it together that’s when it starts to get interesting.

It’s way more fun, it’s way more frustrating, it’s also very satisfying

As it says in the book of Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 (and am taking this verse a bit out of context):

It’s always good to have company on the road that you walk in life. Even better that the person keeping you company is not only your best friend but also your soul mate and dearest confidant.

We’ve still got a way to go, there’s all the nitty gritty little things to sort out before we can say that we’re done and sorted through everything. But we wouldn’t want to miss out on any bit of the preparations.

Because we’re doing it together.

September

It’s SEPTEMBER!

The month of our long awaited big day is finally here. And we are frantically finalizing and combing through every single detail. Everyone around us is either excited or stressed out.

A large part of the frustration is that each person has different ways of dealing with things and wanting the day to be as perfect as they imagine in their mind. However, this may not be the same for others, hence the friction. Coupled with poor coordination and communication, exasperated by the fact that there is still an endlessly long list of things-to-do!

During time like these, we are easily irritated. Embarrassing to say, I've had my fair share of impatience and annoyance too. It is difficult dealing with so many issues and trying to coordinate so many parties at the same time. Even more so as both of us are far apart. Making a simple decision take double the amount of time. But thanks to the telephone, email and skype, we've managed thus far.

Who would have imagined wedding planning could be so tedious! But by the end of the day, once we've apologized, reconciled, and come to appreciate each other’s efforts and differences, AND STILL find that we want to spend the rest of our lives together, it is all worth it.

We are trying the best we can to make this wedding as perfect as it can possibly be. And despite whatever mishap crops up on the day itself to just sit back relax and enjoy.

We Are Officially Married

We're finally here at the end of our road to getting married.

It's been a tiring 1 1/2 year long process, started when we got engaged in Feb 2008, but as you can tell the end results far out-weigh the costs that we have incurred.

We've been through 1 wedding ceremony, 1 dinner in Singapore and 1 dinner in Penang. We've shaken more hands and smiled for as long as is physically possible and then some. We've been photographed as much as some movies stars and had to endure make-up, changes and even standing in dress shoes without the chance to sit down.

All in all it's been quite a wild ride.

However, there are some bits that we're thankful for which have made the whole experience just so amazing.

Firstly, our family and friends who stepped up to lend a hand and generally organise our events so that they wouldn't descend into chaos. There would not have been a wedding without them. Period.

Secondly the weather. It rained bucket loads in the days before the wedding and on the day itself it kept on raining until the ceremony started. Just when we thought things would get quite inconvenient for everyone, it stopped. God must have held back the rain just as the bride was arriving and we benefited from the cooler weather throughout the ceremony.

Lastly everything went smoothly. There were no major mishaps and only a few small hiccups. Even when the groom [accidentally] smashed a champagne glass at the Penang dinner, no one batted an eyelid. Thank God for all that!

So here we are, poised for the adventure of a lifetime : being married.

Thanks to all who joined us in our preparations, who prayed for us and wished us well on our journey together into happily ever after.

May our road ahead indeed be blessed.