Today's couple first met during a mutual friend's birthday dinner in Jakarta. Vanessa just happened to be in town and didn't know the other guests, so she tried to mingle with the ones sitting close by. "I'm not even sure we had a proper introduction, but I remember the first sentence Yura said to me was, 'Want some dessert?' He made his first move the day after," recalled Vanessa.
Who knew, that day would eventually lead to a romantic New Year's Eve proposal at The Hermitage. "He gave me a baby's breath bouquet that he made himself. When I entered the room, there were heart-shaped balloons on the bed and a small box next to it," said Vanessa. Already in tears, she opened the box to find that it was empty. "Then, he opened the bathroom door and there were balloons saying 'MARRY ME'. Yura got down on one knee, held the ring, and popped the question," Vanessa reminisced.
Vanessa and Yura decided to have an intimate outdoor celebration attended by only 80 close friends and relatives. As a lover of all things vintage, it didn't take long for Vanessa to think of a wedding theme. "We chose a vintage theme with rustic details for a perfect combination. I'm so lucky that my decorator, Nicky of Sweetbella Florist & Decoration, happens to be a college friend who knows me well," she said.
For six months, Vanessa and Yura planned every detail of the wedding themselves. "Yura and I tried our best not to trouble our family. So, we created a spreadsheet to use as a budget simulation. We did plenty of research by asking our friends and checking Bridestory, of course," Vanessa explained. "Like any other couple, we had some disagreements, especially since we were on a limited budget. Yura constantly reminded me to have a top-down approach when picking vendors, by starting with the most important aspects of our wedding," she continued.
Their hard work soon paid off, as the wedding turned out just as they had always imagined. Vanessa looked stunning in a white lace dress by her childhood friend, Elsie Chrysila. "I love everything about my wedding. But if I had to pick one most memorable moment, it would be the father-daughter dance. My father is a bit stiff, so I didn't expect to have such a great dance with him that day," said Vanessa.
