“Back home weddings are very traditional, usually involving a blessing ceremony and dinner in a grand hotel, but we wanted something different – preferring an amazing travel experience that our guests could share with us. We were very touched that our loved ones supported this decision, flying from afar as America, New Zealand, Malaysia, Macao, Vietnam and Taiwan.”
Why the Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa?
“We love sunshine and the beach, and thought Malaysian food would be popular with our guests, so we researched resorts in Kota Kinabalu. The resort itself is conveniently located close to the airport, with easy transport to the islands for sightseeing. Watching the sun set over the beach at the resort was pretty amazing.”
Funny Moment
“Our guests mistakenly threw flower petals on my father and I as he walked me down the aisle, rather than on me and my husband after we were married at the ceremony!”
The Dress and Suit
“My dress was from a shop in China called Lisianthus, and Nick sourced his suit from a tailor in Macau, Sartor Lab.”
Menu
“We had a 10-course dinner. Our favourite dish was the butter yellow prawns with crispy shredded egg.”
Superior Service
“Our wedding coordinator, Cynthia Lo and her staff were extremely helpful. Our beach ceremony was scheduled for 4:30pm, but it turned out to be very hot at that time of day so I asked if we could delay until 5:30pm. Sadie was already on her way to our ceremony in a golf buggy but Cynthia took care of everything, managing to stop the driver. Also, we arrived at the resort in a rental car full of wedding flowers (actually it was more like a garden!). When staff greeted us and opened the car door I don’t think they were expecting to see that type of ‘luggage’, but they just smiled and kindly transported all of it inside for us.”
Advice for Brides
“Don’t over think whether to have a destination wedding… just do it! You’ll get a lot more value than you might expect.”
Request for a wedding package proposal with Shangri-La Tanjung Aru at http://www.shangri-la.com/kotakinabalu/tanjungaruresort/weddings-celebrations/.