Bali High
Planning a destination wedding in a country you’ve never visited can present its share of challenges. But for Rebecca Lam and Derek Lai, the exotic locale of Bali infused their celebration with an aura of magic.
Derek first noticed Rebecca at the University of British Columbia’s Chinese Collegiate Society. It was September 1996 and both were first-year commerce students.
“Rebecca was always busy,” Derek recalls of those first encounters at UBC. Their paths crossed often, as they volunteered with the Collegiate Society and shared several commerce classes. They were soon studying and working on assignments together. “Over time, we grew closer and it developed naturally from that,” Rebecca says.
Derek recalls a student dance where he realized not only how beautiful Rebecca was, but also how he felt about her. “It was kind of a turning point where I acknowledged my romantic feelings and attraction to her,” he says.
After graduation, their careers led them back to Hong Kong, where they had both been born. With the move came a new 
depth to their relationship. “We were working and still together,” says Derek. “I began to think of her as my soulmate. I could turn to her, whatever happened in my work, in my life, anything. I realized that I wanted her in my life, always.”
In February 2009 the couple was back in Vancouver and celebrated Valentine’s Day at a downtown restaurant. Rebecca recalls Derek being particularly nervous that evening. After their meal, he suggested driving to Stanley Park to look at the stars.
But as they drove to the park, the overcast sky made stargazing unlikely, and it was cold out. Still, once on the forested park drive, Derek pulled over and parked. “Then,” says Rebecca, “he got out and walked around to my side, opened the door, got down on one 
knee and proposed.”
“I began to think of her as my soulmate.” Derek recalls his nerves as that moment approached. “I’d had a script all worked out, but that moment I’m not sure what came out of my mouth. I just improvised.”
Once back home, they began planning a destination wedding and spent a couple of months looking at different locales. Eventually they decided on Bali—a new destination for both.
The exotic tropical island had a magical allure. Bali is beautiful,” says Rebecca. “It has such a strong culture and would be a wonderful experience for our guests.”
Rebecca and Derek booked the five-star Bulgari Resort, located on the Bukit peninsula southern Bali. The resort is steeped in traditional Balinese details and high Italian style.
Rebecca took the lead organizing their wedding. “It was definitely harder than planning a local ceremony. Language was an issue and selection is limited by season, climate and weather.”
“We had 80 guests. Many came from Canada and overseas, so some of our long-haul travellers spent a week in Bali, making a vacation out of it.”
There was no shortage of activities for guests, given the exotic locale. There were excursions to famous temples and terraced rice paddies, yoga classes, surfing, or afternoons taking in life in the local village. Others chose to just hang out at the resort and relax on the beach or at the pools.
The couple’s wedding mantra was to keep things simple. Fuchsia, the theme colour, was carried through in Derek’s tie, the invitations, the flowers and the cake. “We brought a lot of
fuchsia ribbons from Hong Kong. We kept the decor simple and decorated the chapel with the ribbons,” says Rebecca who recruited her bridesmaids to tie ribbons onto the chapel chairs.
On the afternoon of April 10, 2010, guests gathered in the Tirtha Uluwatu chapel, about 10 minutes from the Bulgari Resort. Rebecca, in her strapless A-line Vera Wang gown, entered on her father’s arm. She and Derek were married in simple Christian ceremony. Then guests made their way to the Bulgari’s Sangkar Restaurant for the reception. Dinner featured a three-course Italian meal with a selection of beef, duck or fish. One of the highlights was a video their friends put together. “In the video, our friends imitated us doing the things that we usually do,” says Rebecca. “It was very silly, but also very touching and meaningful.”
Following the reception, the newlyweds and their friends went back to their villa and continued their celebration around the pool. “Having all our friends there made our wedding 
magical,” says Derek, “especially being with them in a relaxed environment. No-one was in a rush to go home or needing to rush away between the ceremony and the reception.”
The magic of Bali will live on for Rebecca and Derek, in memory, and as a destination to which they can return one day and share with their children.
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For more images from Rebecca and Derek`s wedding, click here.
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