Liyana + Carlos : Peranakan-inspired | Rumah Tangsi KL
With Liyana and Carlos, we go way back.
The couple engaged us back in early 2020, when they were planning to have this beautiful intercultural multi-celebration. Then covid happened and everything was put on hold. In between we still managed to style their nikah and tea ceremony (which you can also read about it in our previous blog), but their reception was postponed indefinitely. At the time, we weren’t sure if it was ever going to happen.
The couple had envisioned a really unique wedding that honored their respective cultures, and we wanted so badly to be a part of it. When it finally happened after 2 years, we made sure to pull out all the stops to make this an unforgettable visual experience for both the couple and their loved ones!
Their choice of venue played a huge part in creating this one-of-a-kind celebration. Rumah Tangsi – an old colonial mansion, currently a national heritage building, is an iconic landmark in KL with its bright yellow exterior, distinctive European-styled architecture and rich historical significance. It was originally built as the residence of Loke Chow Kit, a prominent entrepreneurial figure back in the early 20th century. Hence the old townhouse interior with long corridors, wooden staircases, vintage flooring, and an open courtyard. This meant that we had A LOT of space to play with and get CREATIVE!
Between honoring the couple’s cultural backgrounds and the venue’s historical significance, it just came naturally that a PERANAKAN theme was the perfect way to go! BATIK became the main element of their decor. We rolled out beautiful large pieces of batik fabric against the courtyard pillars, paired with peranakan-inspired tropical flower arrangements, which then became the main centerpiece and backdrop to this entire decor suite. These motifs echoed throughout the space, with the table decor adorned in batik table runners and handicraft folding fans.
Liyana and Carlos requested for a “walk down memory lane”, which made use of the long corridors and additional rooms around the mansion. We reimagined the space into an art gallery, displaying photos and writings of the couple’s families, their cultures, how they met, etc. The adjacent room became an extension of the gallery, with their wedding ceremony video from a year ago projected onto a white wall, on loop for guests to just sit back, relax and reminisce. We completed the space with rattan chairs and stools for guests to enjoy this unique cinematic experience!
Unlike the common event space, Rumah Tangsi’s layout was not originally built for events, hence there were few awkward nooks and corners that had to be figured out. In order to create a more immersive experience for guests, we strategically placed decor to make up for these areas. One instance being the rattan dividers that we placed by the washroom entrances to redirect the walking path, making it more comfortable for guests seated nearby.
It didn’t help that it rained heavily right after we left! Guests had started arriving by that time, and the floral arrangements around the open courtyard were in bad shape after being rained on. Thankfully the team quickly turned back to restore them just in time before the reception began! All in all, we were just grateful for the chance to bring Liyana and Carlos’s wedding vision a reality. To think that it almost didn’t happen, these ideas that we’ve worked on for so long together wouldn’t have been made into the visual experience that we, the couple and their loved ones all remember today. With that being said, we will be sharing Part 2 of their reception at a different venue soon so stay tuned!
