What is in your mind when it comes to the idea of an ideal wedding?
For some, it is all about the photography, the banquet, and the honeymoon. For others, it is all about a simple ceremony involving only family members. There are also some who believe that getting registered is equivalent to a complete marriage without any other ceremony. However, one thing we know for sure is that any wedding needs a good venue, just to make it really memorable.
If you are looking for a memorable beach wedding with the option of a lovely banquet and plenty of beautiful places for outdoor wedding photography, you should start making your preparations in Penang island. There are many themes which you may use for your wedding, and give you the variety to add uniquely creative ideas to make your wedding more fulfilling.
Heritage Theme
Get dressed in traditional Baba and Nyonya clothes, and take photographs in real heritage buildings as backgrounds and set-ups for a different experience out of the studio. There are Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and many other heritage buildings for you to take photographs in. If you are interested in a little adventure as a backdrop, you may make a little arrangement with the photographer to film you walking along the streets in Little India or in front of the elegant buildings along Beach Street.
Beach Theme
Many ladies agree that the beach is an ultimate romantic venue. Many girls imagine a sweet and romantic proposal by the beach with a bunch of beautiful roses and a diamond ring just the way they imagined it should be. It will be even more romantic if there are a lot of people there to be witness to this grand proposal, so a beach wedding will be ideal.
Penang beach hotels have lovely beaches offering such beach weddings, including Rasa Sayang Hotel, Golden Sands Hotel, Park Royal, Hard Rock Hotel and E&O Hotel. Arrangements can be made to have the witness of the wedding, and if the couple wants it, a priest may also be appointed to officiate the ceremony.
Garden Theme
Penang has some really beautiful gardens, such as the Botanical Garden, Youth Park and Penang Hill. Penang Hill has an additional plus point of the funicular train and a view of the whole of Penang. There are a lot of greens that will become similar to a fairy land in wedding photography sessions, as long as the photographer is skilled enough to identify the best locations with the most attractive trees and natural formations.
City Theme
A city theme is probably one that is least used in weddings, maybe because the cliché of wedding is to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, Penang has an abundance of scenery, such as the pier with its ferry as background, landmarks such as KOMTAR, and plenty of other interesting buildings. The couple may also take advantage of the Gurney Drive or Esplanade for photography sessions, and it will be interesting to see the contrasting background with the sea and the city's prosperity.
Religious Themes
For those who are interested in having a religious theme for the wedding, Penang has a lot of temples, and you may get permission from the chief monk to use the temple for prayers and wedding photography, especially if you would like to ask the chief monk to bless the new couple as part of the ceremony. If temples are not of your interest, you may also seek the permission of the many churches in Penang for photography purposes.
There are a few approaches if you wish to have a wedding in Penang as a foreigner. If your spouse is local, you may be registered first at the government Registrar of Marriage with all documents ready. As a foreigner, you will need a copy of your passport and a letter from the consulate to prove that you are single at the moment of marriage. If you have been married before but divorced or if your spouse had passed away, do bring the relevant documents for support of your declaration.
Once you have got the legal documents ready, you have the option of getting help from either a wedding planner or the hotel public relations handling your banquet. Either of them will be able to help you with the type of wedding you wish to have, and may pitch in some interesting ideas which you have not thought of. Both will also be able to make preparations for your wedding including photography and the dinner function.
Have you got an idea for your marriage ceremony yet? There are a lot of ideas once you see Penang. Start making your preparations today!
