We’ve all seen our fair share of white fairytale weddings, but one Singapore couple went for the complete alternative.
To celebrate their love for the macabre and each other, the couple hosted a handful of lucky guests at a black-themed wedding.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @destroyryvn on Instagram
What made the event more special was that they held it in an abandoned oil plant.
The couple, Stanley and Amanda, first announced their marriage on Instagram on 9 Apr.
Source: @abandonedsingapore on Instagram
From their joint account @abandonedsingapore, which uncovers “the side of Singapore you never knew existed”, the couple shared snapshots of their special day.
While the groom donned a classic black tux, the bride sported a black lace dress — a stark contrast from the conventional white wedding gown.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @destroyryvn on Instagram
As it turns out, Amanda had worn the dark gown as their wedding took inspiration from an all-black theme.
Apart from their outfits, their wedding table displayed similarly-themed decor, from dead flowers to skulls and taxidermies.
In the caption, the newlyweds revealed that they had hosted the ceremony at an abandoned oil lubrication plant formerly owned by Shell.
Speaking to Singapore Brides in December last year, Amanda shared that she and her husband met online due to their common interest in exploring abandoned places.
Before their wedding, the couple had also taken a series of pre-wedding photos at an oil refinery.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by Hong Ray Photography
Explaining the location, Amanda said
Its complex interior network of pipes and tubes represent the vicissitudes of life and marriage we will navigate together as a couple, as we don various facades (masks) along the way.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by Hong Ray Photography
The pair also told MS News that they knew they “definitely did not want to have the typical hotel wedding with hundreds of guests and a banquet-style dinner”.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @destroyryvn on Instagram
Initially, they thought about having their wedding at the Old Changi Hospital.
When this didn’t pan out, they were suggested other venues like the black and white colonial houses, the former Singapore Chinese Girls’ School buildings at Emerald Hill, and the grounds of an old power station.
However, Stanley and Amanda weren’t keen as they wanted a place that “looked very abandoned, run-down, and with algae and moss growing everywhere”.
In the end, they settled on a lubrication plant that was once used by Shell.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @ohsnapterrence on Instagram
“The reason why we chose the abandoned lubrication plant was because no one had really ever heard of it before and it was an exclusive location where it had been left more or less untouched ever since it was abandoned back in 2016,” they explained.
Once they pinned down the location, they had to seek the necessary approval from the relevant authorities.
The process involved making a downpayment, providing the details of the space they would be using, the clean-up plan after the event, and the number of people attending.
Perhaps not unsurprisingly, Stanley and Amanda did face some naysayers who criticised their wedding.
Some comments on social media go so far as to question how long their marriage will last or accuse them of disrespecting their elders.
One netizen even doubted their ability to properly perform their jobs in the finance sector — all because of the style of their nuptials.
But such remarks were like water off a duck’s back to the couple.
“We already expected such comments and actually found them quite amusing and rather entertaining,” they told MS News. “We certainly don’t blame them because many Singaporeans just lack the exposure to appreciate different creative ideas and cultures.”
Stanley and Amanda are also thankful that the people who matter the most to them received the wedding with open arms.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @j_blinder on Instagram
“It was a black-themed wedding and thankfully, all our family and friends were sporting enough to play along,” they wrote on Instagram.
They also quipped that at the end of the day, “it’s just a theme”.
Stanley and Amanda also had some valuable advice for others who may be mulling over having such an unconventional wedding.
Besides doing enough research on the theme and utilising a mood board to brainstorm as many creative ideas as possible, they also recommended engaging “great photographers and videographers” to capture “these essential details you’ve painstakingly put together”.
After all, the devil is in the details.
Image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @su__ria__ on Instagram
The newlyweds also noted that sometimes, “big doesn’t always mean better”.
“We feel that sometimes, we spend too much time worrying about what others may think. However, at the end of the day, you still can’t please everyone.”
It’s your big day (and) you are the one footing the bill for your own wedding, so don’t go out of your way to impress people you don’t really care about.
Kudos to Stanley and Amanda for staying true to who they are.
We’re sure that they will look back on their unique wedding with nothing but happiness.
For the rest of us, the couple serves as an inspiration to never settle for the mainstream if it’s not your style and to have the courage to go for what you really like.
What do you think of this black-themed wedding? Let us know in the comments.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image courtesy of Stanley and Amanda, photography by @destroyryvn on Instagram and Hong Ray Photography.
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