She wants to dance on a beach

She was only 16 when she started imagining what her big day would be like.

Miss Amy Kan (above left) , now a 21-year-old undergraduate, said: "I would talk about marriage with my classmates in secondary school. We were all dreaming of the future."

Miss Kan dreamt of getting married on an island in Greece, such as Santorini.

The ceremony would be held close to dusk, the setting sun casting a romantic glow on the sandy white
beach.

"The beaches there are beautiful, and there would be fireworks during the party," she said.

"My guests would dance on the beach to slow music. There would be a band playing love songs with an a capella group serenading everyone."

Now older and wiser, she has a more realistic picture of her wedding. In other words, more attainable and hopefully within reach.

After doing her sums, Miss Kan hopes to marry her 23-year-old boyfriend in five years.

"Although there are no plans to settle down yet as we are still studying, my ideal age for marriage would be about 26," she revealed.

"My boyfriend will be 28 by then.

"We both would have had time to work and save some money for the wedding, and have children perhaps one to two years into our marriage.

"I wouldn't want to give birth too late because I don't want a wide generation gap between our children and us."

Down the aisle

Although she's not a Christian, Miss Kan dreams of walking down a grand church aisle.

A lover for romantic, dreamy settings, she also wishes to shoot her pre-wedding photo album in Europe, because of "its rich culture".

Destinations on her wish list include Rome, Italy; and Prague, Czech Republic.

And the big day itself would include visits to the homes of their parents for the customary tea
ceremonies, she said.

"We have to respect them (her family) and hold a traditional wedding followed by a banquet in the
evening," she said.

Miss Kan estimates her future wedding to cost between $20,000 and $25,000, and caps it at a maximum of $30,000.

Preferring to keep the party to family and close friends, she thinks she will be hosting about 100 guests. Chinese food will be served, she said, as it's "the safest" bet.

"I would want my wedding to be held somewhere different, preferably overlooking the sea with a lush
garden outside for the reception, and where people could walk around under the starry night."

But, pragmatism may eventually prevail in the choice of venue.

She added: "The ambience outdoors is great but I wouldn't want to risk bad weather or perspiring guests, so a hotel's function room may be the best option as (the) comfort of guests matters.''

Airy-fairy affair for her

Miss Serena Ong (above right) may not have a boyfriend yet but that doesn't stop her from dreaming up her fantasy wedding.

She imagines an airy-fairy affair - it is a fantasy, after all. The 28-year-old fresh graduate said: "My ultimate fantasy - should there be no constraints at all - is marrying on a private aircraft piloted by my groom.

"The plane would fly over Marina Bay."

Another vision of her dream wedding is to say her vows on board a commercial aeroplane, with close friends and family present. (That way, the pilot-groom can be free for the wedding, too.)

But Miss Ong does also have a more down-to-earth wedding plan, rooted in reality.

Celebration
 
The big day would be a mass celebration of love for all her guests.

"I want as many people present as possible," she said.

"I see my wedding as a good opportunity for family and friends to catch up."

For that day, the big-hearted girl has big dreams for all her guests, single and married alike.

"I hope my married guests would be reminded of their wedding vows and feel the love for their spouses grow stronger.

"I want my attached friends to feel they've found the right one.

"And I'd like the single ones to hope that they would find love soon."

Miss Ong said she is always "very touched at her friends' weddings". So she hopes they would feel the same way on her big day.

For such a big bash, she estimates spending at least $50,000.

The most she's willing to spend is $80,000. Miss Ong said she first fantasised about her wedding when she was about 16.

For the marriage solemnisation, she imagines it being held in a restaurant on the top floor of a building that would give her guests a panoramic view of Marina Bay, she said. As for the ceremony, she prefers sticking to Chinese traditions.

Miss Ong said: "The morning activities would include the typical Chinese tea ceremony and gate-crashing games."

These would be followed by a wedding banquet, where she will be decked out in her favourite wedding colours - gold, silver and purple.

Chinese food is the menu of choice and romantic ballads would play in the background.

A band would play classical music to accompany a slide show that details her love story.

No celebration is complete without song and dance - Miss Ong hopes to dance with her husband and sing a duet.

"There would also be a thank-you speech to my family, bosses, colleagues, friends - all who have shaped me and been with me through the various stages of life - and, of course, the person who introduced me to my husband!"

This article was first published in The New Paper.