Sasha and Harris actually went to the same high school, but they didn't know each other back then. They crossed paths again later in Melbourne, where Harris was working and Sasha was pursuing her master's degree. Originally, Sasha was introduced to Harris's cousin, but he harbored a secret crush on her as time went by. Eventually, Harris asked for his cousin's blessing to make his own move on Sasha.
The proposal was no less enthralling. It happened while the two were attending a friend's wedding in Bali. "We were about to leave when he asked, 'If you're not planning to wear your usual ring, why don't you put on this one instead?'" shared Sasha. She later found out that the actual engagement ring wasn't finished at the time. Because he felt that it was the right moment, Harris couldn't help but propose to her with another ring. The second proposal, with the real ring, came afterwards at a rooftop café in Jakarta.
After eight months of planning, the wedding finally took place at Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta. "I chose a modern Javanese theme for my wedding ceremony, with a gebyok painted in bright colors like pink, yellow, and orange," shared Sasha. She was bored of the usual all-white kebaya, so a touch of color was added to hers using through pink, yellow, and peach beading.
The couple's Padangnese heritage was represented through the seven tiers of fabric in vibrant shades of purple, silver, blue, and fuchsia that decorated the reception ballroom. "The colors matched my navy blue kebaya and custom-ordered songket, which I paired with a silver suntiang headpiece," said Sasha. "To add a modern touch, we chose a forest-inspired theme with plenty of plants and leaves, and also added chandeliers," she continued.
Everything went as Sasha and Harris had planned, aside from one special surprise. "After I threw the bouquet, suddenly our friends started to dance. They mixed modern dance moves with a bit of traditional Padangnese, and even ended the routine with a song by Sheila on 7, Harris's favorite band. It was so entertaining!" shared Sasha. Looking at the wedding pictures snapped by The Portrait Photography, we can tell that the guests had the time of their lives that night.
