Wedding-Bali.com is kickstarting a brand new column featuring real-life wedding stories. Our very first interview is with Celine!
This is the second segment of our interview with her. Check out the first part over here!
Did you find it difficult to plan and organise your wedding? Were that any aspects that you found to be particularly challenging?
No, I did not find it a challenge to organise my wedding. We did not hire a wedding planner – I worked closely with the manager of Yayasan Bali Purnati. She provided me with the contacts of local vendors, and I visited them to purchase the supplies that I needed for my wedding.
It was fun, and everyone that I met was very friendly and welcoming.
I think that the ceremony was one of the more challenging aspects of planning my wedding.
David and I decided on a Balinese ceremony, but we did not want a religious ceremony. There were several practices involved in the ceremony, and I thought it was important to gain an in-depth understanding of the meaning behind them.
For example, we participated in the practice of exchanging food during the ceremony. These dishes had a variety of tastes and flavours, and these flavours represented the different experiences in life. This practice was representative of our commitment towards sharing everything in life, regardless of whether such experiences were good or bad ones.
Bali is a land of diverse attractions. What are your favourite places or activities in Bali?
I really like Ubud.
It is unique, and there are good vibes to this place. It is relaxing to be there. There are many great yoga places and teachers – one can have a restful night, wake up early for a yoga session, and head out to an organic restaurant after that. It allows you to disconnect and recharge from a hectic city lifestyle.
I also like the South of Bali. There are beautiful beaches and seaside places in the Bukit, and these places are great for surfing.
We are all interested in the love story behind a wedding! When did you and David meet, and how did he propose?
We met at school during university.
He proposed during our holiday – we were by the poolside with our friends. It was very surprising and unexpected for me. Right before his proposal, we were in the middle of an argument, when he suddenly said that he planned to ask me to marry him.
I was very surprised – it was so spontaneous. I never planned on getting married, and this was something that I was adamant about. It was a very emotional moment, and I thought it was courageous of him to propose.
Celine also shared with me her thoughts on a destination wedding in Bali. I found it to be very insightful, and thought I’d share it here with all of you:
I think it is important to know what you want, and not to follow or be constrained by the thoughts or opinions of your family or friends.
We wanted a casual and non-traditional wedding, and to have a shared experience with our friends and family members. Both of us were living in Japan at that time, and we wanted to spend as much time as we could with our guests, as many of them were flying in from France.
A destination wedding allows you and your partner to be the ones solely involved in planning for your wedding. This is important as at times, the process of planning your wedding becomes complicated when your family members or relatives are involved. If you like a grand, princess-themed wedding, it is your choice to go ahead with it. Bali offers a diverse range of attractions, and it is great place for all kinds of weddings.
