A wedding theme often has significance to the love story of future newlyweds, but what if it revolved around recreating a city? This was the challenge event stylist Gideon Hermosa took on, who brought to life a couple’s Singaporean romance in a two-hectare land in Vietnam!
Preview Exclusive: Celebrity Event Stylist Gideon Hermosa Transforms Two-Hectare Land in Vietnam for Singapore-Themed Wedding
Vietnamese couple Le Hung and Sophia Nguyen recruited the celebrity event stylist and Preview 50 Most Influential Artist for the grand-scale job, after Sophia discovered Gideon’s work in an international blog. Gideon and the team flew in to Vietnam, where the couple tasked them on their vision of a Singapore-themed wedding, inspired by the setting of where their love story began.
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Given the House of Hermosa’s short time in the country, the team only had a day to come up with their presentation of ideas, but with favored results. “We presented to [Sophia] a Singapore-themed wedding filled with modern architectural designs that were dreamy and interactive,” Gideon said in an exclusive interview with Preview. “We wanted to highlight places, colors, and experiences that were memorable to our couple. A sort-of time machine but made new.”
And so, the process started. The team worked on their ideas from scratch in an empty two-hectare land in Vietnam, building the wedding space, quite literally, from the ground up. “Unlike with event spaces that are ready for set-up, here is ground zero–like how one would begin building houses.”
After their initial meeting with the couple in June, construction began in September, just three months before the big day. Aside from the logistics and the groundbreaking needed for the massive construction project, the team encountered several bumps en route to the dream wedding–one of them being the language barrier.
“Locals are predominantly non-English speaking and a lot got lost in translation but it all worked out in the end,” Gideon told us. “I must say though that I admire the hard work that all the local hires put into everything. They remind us of Filipino work ethics. I now think I have to learn the language though!”
The non-stop rain was also put into consideration. “Some of the suppliers have to stop from moving, some were finishing their work under a makeshift shade. While planning the wedding, we already come up with a game plan for this type of weather,” he said.
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“We have a standby umbrella, covers for all the tables and diningwares. Moreso, we strategically set and placed the florals and centerpieces to stand the rain and wind. Most of the materials used and structures were built in consideration of any type of weather.”
After months of construction, the event was set. Towering structures gleaned from Singapore’s most recognizable sights, from architecture down to its vibrant palette. The flora adorning its layout came in pastel shades, as inspired by the colorful Peranakan Houses.
Many of the structures were inspired by the Lion City’s Gardens by the Bay, including the Supertree Grove, its spine-like tunnel entrance, and the wavy ceiling installion.
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The fireworks also took cues from the Rain Vortex at Singapore’s famous Changi Airport. Guests’ eyes were drawn to the wedding’s centerpiece: the grand facade of the Singapore National Museum, an almost facsimile for the couple’s stage. Throughout the night, the structure was lit in different hues to retell Hung and Sophia’s romantic tale.
The couple, alongside the guests, were left in awe upon seeing the aftermath. “It's been quite humbling to be commended in various languages! Our bride was very pleased with the results, even commenting that the results were better than what she imagined,” Gideon said.
“We pretty much did everything in the render, but she said that she couldn't believe how beautiful everything turned and massive the scale of it was.”
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See the rest of the photos from their big day, including Sophia’s gown crafted by another famed Filipino artist, Michael Cinco:
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Congrats, Hung and Sophia!
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