An Oceanside Wedding in Bali, Indonesia

Vivi and Yoga met in high school, but they can't quite remember the intimate details. "I seriously forgot how I got her number. Whoever helped me back then, thank you!" says Yoga. After dating for almost nine years, Yoga (who has a family business) bought a ring for Vivi (who works as an equity analyst). One day, Yoga declared that he hid the ring somewhere in Vivi's house, and sent her on a hunt for it. "After turning my house upside down, I still couldn't find it. Turns out he kept it himself all along!" says Vivi, who ended up engaged after the playful game of hide-and-seek.

Nine months later, the couple traveled from their hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia, to Bali for a destination wedding on November 19, 2016. They tied the knot at the Soori Bali hotel surrounded by about 150 guests. The celebration, which was inspired by the surrounding ocean scenery, had a nautical theme and minimalist design. According to Vivi, it was "a perfect event to start our next chapter of life together!"

For their wedding, Vivi and Yoga rented out the Soori Bali in Bali, Indonesia. They were drawn to the hotel's minimalist design, relaxing ocean sounds, black sand beaches, and cliffside ceremony location. They also loved the venue's privacy and seclusion. According to Yoga, "Since most of our friends are usually busy, we felt the occasion would give them a chance to relax and have a getaway."

The stationery suite by Papillon Card was largely inspired by the ocean. A watercolor design graced the inside of the dusty blue envelopes, and an antique gold wax seal with the couple's initials adorned the outside. Veronica Halim calligraphed the suite, which also included accommodation cards and a hand-illustrated map.

In the morning, Vivi and Yoga participated in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, in which they served tea to their elders as a sign of respect and gratitude. "Without it, our parents and elders wouldn't see us as officially married," says the bride. "I think continuing our parents' tradition by doing the tea ceremony gave a nice touch of tradition to our relatively modern wedding."

For the tea ceremony, Vivi wore a dress by Indonesian designer Yefta Gunawan and a headpiece by Rinaldy Yunardi. "The headpiece for the tea ceremony is really delicate and special," says Vivi, adding that it was also handmade and heavy. Yoga wore attire by Shanghai Tang.

The tea ceremony took place near a table decorated with a white woven runner, branches, red-orange tropical flowers, lanterns, and antique Chinese chairs.

Yefta Gunawan also created Vivi's second ceremony gown, this one featuring a form-fitting silhouette, slight V-neck, and pearl beading. According to the bride, "I love the pearls and cape he added to the dress (for the reception). It really ties well with the ocean-inspired theme." She also donned a veil by the designer, her Cartier engagement ring, and her mom's jewelry. Flora Lines Decoration created Vivi's bouquet of white tuberoses, her dad's favorite flower, to honor his memory. "While a tuberose bouquet is definitely not a common choice for weddings and not as pretty as the usual bouquet arrangement, I had no regrets, and the special meaning definitely made the walk down the aisle feel more special," she says.

Yoga wore a dinner jacket, pants, bow tie, and shirt from Wong Hang, which he paired with Prada shoes.

Vivi's nude mesh Christian Louboutin shoes were embellished with silver crystals.

The couple's longtime friends served in the bridal party. The bridesmaids wore dresses by Maria Ruth Fernanda in soft blue.

Vivi and Yoga wed near the black sand beach and ocean. According to Nastassya Saputra of Flying Bride, who worked on the concept and design of the wedding, "We built flooring on the lawn at a heightened level, so as you enter the ceremony area, you would feel like you are on the water." Ghost chairs provided seating without blocking ocean views, while rows of candles along the aisle created minimalist drama. Thousands of capiz shells hung from the structure, and more were placed atop guests' chairs to create unique visual interest. According to Nastassya, strong winds ruffled through the site before the ceremony. "When the wind stopped, the rows of capiz were still hung, but with some capiz intertwined with another. It actually looked very natural and artistic!" she says.

An acrylic table anchored the ceremony site without interfering with the backdrop. Greenery added a pop of color, and a tree covered with capiz shells stood behind the table. 

To begin the ceremony, Vivi and Yoga processed alone. The couple then recited traditional vows. Yoga recalls his favorite moment of the day: "I got so nervous during the ceremony, I kissed her before the priest said I can kiss the bride!"

Veronica Halim designed a book, which displayed a watercolor painting of Soori Bali on its cover, for the couple. Inside was the wedding program, their vows, and some inspirational readings about marriage.

The newlyweds recessed to "Turning Page" by Sleeping at Last while guests tossed white petals.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour near the pool and bar. They drank local wines and ate various canapes: tempura fried scallops, duck spring rolls, ham with sweet melon, and green tea falafel.

At the same time, Vivi and Yoga took portraits with Erich McVey around the resort. The surrounding elements, like the black-sand beach and cliffs, served as natural backdrops. "I was nervous since a white dress and wet, black sand don't really go together, and I still had the dinner reception afterwards," says Vivi. "But with the amazing light from the sunset, I knew I couldn't miss the photo opportunity!" After taking pictures, the bride washed the black sand away in her hotel room bathtub, then dried her dress with a hairdryer so it was ready for the reception.

The reception took place near a helipad at Soori Bali. Since the bride and groom aren't fond of flowers, they found alternative ways to decorate the venue. According to planner Nastassya Saputra, "We used natural oceanic elements, such as luminous oyster and capiz shells, combined with rows of dramatic candles to decorate various long dark wooden tables." Drapery and lamps added elegance overhead. One personal touch was the succulent terrarium centerpieces. "Vivi once told us that she used to have a terrarium with beautiful succulents inside. This made Yoga laugh so hard, as he said that the succulents, which could stay alive even without water, died in her hands," says Nastassya. "The funny story left a mark on us, so we decided to replace flowers on the table arrangement with a variety of exotic succulents."

At the tables, dusty blue linens with white tulle represented the ocean and its foam, and acrylic chairs were adorned with dark cushions tied with a bow. On top of the white plates sat a sand-colored napkin and a sprig of greenery. The bride says that the place cards, made with a capiz shell locally sourced in Bali, were a favorite among guests. "We intentionally kept the torn edges surrounding the capiz, as they naturally look much more beautiful that way," she says, adding that the gray calligraphed named by Veronica Halim were inspired by Soori Bali's dark sand beaches.

Soori Bali catered the dinner with barbecue-inspired main dishes and Asian-inspired appetizers. The menu included Indonesian vegetables, banana blossom salad, grilled prawn and fish, chicken leg, beef ribs, squid, and roasted potatoes. Dessert featured a fruit salad, poached pumpkin, blueberry green tea, and mango sticky rice.

Lenovelle Cake baked a towering Irish coffee-flavored cake with gradient blue coloring and nautical elements. The nine tiers symbolized the couple's nine-year relationship.

For the formal dinner reception, Vivi added pearl necklaces, a cape by Yefta Gunawan, and a headpiece by Naturae Design to her ensemble. The couple danced to "All Of Me" by John Legend. Vivi's most memorable moment of the day was "the kiss after the dance, when fireworks also went off at the same time," she says.

Each guest received a blue luggage tag, which was packaged inside a small linen pouch tied with a blue silk ribbon by Froufrou Chic and stamped with "Thank You."

Photography, Erich Mcvey

Location and catering, Soori Bali

Concept, design, and styling, Flying Bride

Coordinator, Bali Wedding Paradise

Planner, Hilda by Bridestory

Flowers, rentals, and lighting, Flora Lines Decoration

Videography, David Salim Photography

Stationery, Papillon Card

Calligraphy, Veronica Halim

Cake, Lenovelle Cake

Music, Djampiro Band Bali

Rentals, The Host Table

Bride's gown, veil, cape, and tea ceremony dress, Yefta Gunawan

Bride's accessories, Christian Louboutin (shoes); Rinaldy Yunardi (tea ceremony headpiece); Naturae Design (reception headpiece)

Hair and makeup, Lona Makeup

Bridesmaids' dresses, Maria Ruth Fernanda

Groom's suit, Wong Hang

Groom's tea ceremony attire, Shanghai Tang

Groom's shoes, Prada