Real Weddings: Kirsteen and Richard

Barristers Kirsteen and Richard Zimmern wed at the Repulse Bay Hotel in May 2007. “We were looking for something traditional and classic,” says Kirsteen, who walked down the aisle to a string quartet and harpist playing “Ave Maria”. The civil celebrant service was complemented by the exchange of traditional vows, as well as a special set of vows made by Kirsteen to her two young step-children, promising to be a good and loving mother to them. “They cried, I cried, and I think half the guests cried at that point—it was a really special moment,” she says. The couple then walked back down the aisle as husband and wife to The Beatles’ “All You Need is Love”, to be greeted by some 200 guests. Everyone then enjoyed champagne while Kirsteen and Richard went to take pictures, before moving inside to the Verandah restaurant for dinner and dancing. “The day was more or less perfect, except for the weather—it was so hot!” says Kirsteen. “Everyone had to move inside a little earlier for dinner because of the heat, but it actually worked out fine in the end.” So is there anything she would have differently? “For such a large wedding, I probably should have hired a few more photographers to make sure that there were plenty of pictures—it was a lot of work for just one guy and his assistant.”

The bride wore:

A self-designed wedding gown made by GP Harmony in Cyberport

The groom wore:

A dark navy suit, cream cravat and waistcoat, made by Tai Pan Row in IFC

The bridesmaids wore:

Sage green, empire line floor-length gowns with spaghetti straps and cream detailing, with reversed colours for the flower girls

Decoration:

Kirsteen’s mother-in-law enlisted the help of Silvio, an events planner responsible for many big events in Hong Kong. He sourced a marquee and decorated it with hundreds of beautiful white flowers, and the path to the Verandah restaurant was lit with candles and strewn with rose petals. The bouquet was made from Lily of the Valley flowers flown in from Europe that morning.

Invitations:

Aries of Progressive Press. They featured a monogrammed design of the couple’s initials, and came sealed in wax. Kirsteen personally addressed the envelopes, calligraphy-style.

Hair and Makeup:

Kirsteen’s makeup was done by her brother-in-law’s girlfriend Bernadette Fava

Photographer:

Norm Yip

Entertainment:

A string quartet and harpist for the wedding itself, and a live band from the Grand Hyatt in the evening

First dance:

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

The guests ate:

The wedding dinner began with lobster salad, followed by a tomato consommé, and then a choice of beef or halibut. A chocolate and kumquat sorbet rounded off the meal before the cutting of the cake, which was actually many small cakes arranged on a stand. It very light, made with a white chocolate mousse and raspberry sauce, also arranged by Silvio, and decorated with the couple’s initials. Unfortunately Kirsteen can’t share the recipe with us as the chef keeps it a secret!

The wedding night:

Kirsteen and Richard were taken to the Peninsula Hotel in a limousine for their first night together as husband and wife

Advice for couples planning their weddings:

“Relax and let someone else do it all. I had so much fun, it really was the best day ever!”

Want to tell us all about your special day? email contact@myhkwedding.com. We’d love to hear from you!