LESS IS MORE
One would assume that with their A-list status, Foo and Raymond’s reception would entail all things glitter and glam when it comes to its setting. That wasn’t exactly the case, however, what with Raymond’s taste for rustic beauty. In fact, the only thing that gleamed all night was the intricate beading on the bride’s Alia Bastamam dress – a delicate contrast against her husband’s masculine Andy Sulaiman suit. “There was never a plan for elaborate sit-down dinners. We had always wanted our wedding to be cocktail-style,” said the Chinese-Portuguese beauty, adding that the idea was originally conceived by her old man. Enlisting the help of planners from the Mont Kiara-based Mint Events & Soirées, the lush compound of Marble 8 was transformed into a cosy, all-white, almost nest-like yard in which the couple exchanged their vows – an occasion much revelled by their witnessing guests. Orchids and baby’s-breaths in contrasting shades of white peppered the view, with a big portion of the former dangling from Raymond’s hold as she walked down the aisle prior to the vow exchange ceremony. The garden’s greenness helped break the stillness of the blank colour. “I didn’t want it to be too flowery. With the green, things looked more natural.”
The couple’s penchant for simplicity extended beyond the event’s setting. They insisted that their attending guests wore cocktail attires as comfortable as their close relationships with them. “If I have to describe it, it would be ... resort-style. Well, without the beach,” quipped Foo. Of the rewarding benefits of such rapport, Raymond said, “I think the wedding worked out the way we envisioned it – intimate, relaxed, and enjoyable – because everyone involved were all my friends. The photographer, the DJ, and the emcee ... each person taking part is a true friend.” The casual arrangement made the event “very, very easy to handle”, so much so that the planning for it took only three weeks. Such tasteful haste is definitely unheard of in the realm of wedding planning, but then again, this is Keith Foo and Kim Raymond we’re talking about.