The heart wants what it wants, and nobody knows that better than Lelian Chew. As the founder of The Wedding Atelier, a luxury wedding and events planning company based in Singapore and Hong Kong, Chew counts the lovestruck couples of Asia’s elite as her clients. Her job? Bringing their desires to life on their big day.
“Each project begins with a deep understanding of my clients’ dreams and the setting that will best reflect their love story,” says Chew. That may sound simple enough, but as the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant showed us last year, the world’s wealthiest couples tend to dream big. Like, get-Rihanna-out-of-her-quasi-retirement-from-music big.
“This group of clients already has access to everything they could possibly want in their everyday lives, which means the stakes are incredibly high when it comes to their wedding day,” explains Chew, who founded The Wedding Atelier in 2013, and has since been overseeing between 10 to 15 weddings a year. “The pressure to create something that exceeds their expectations is immense, but the opportunity to do so is what makes this experience truly exceptional.”
In recent years, Chew says that her ultra-high-net-worth clients have shown a stronger desire for “experiential and immersive celebrations”, as well as the use of cutting-edge technology like drones for entertainment, or artificial intelligence for personalisation services. Destination weddings are back on the rise too, she adds—especially in exclusive, lesser-known locations that you can probably only travel to via a private jet.
“Given that this inner circle of clients is very small, there is always a need to offer something completely unique and unseen before,” says Chew, who leads her team at The Wedding Atelier by the mantra that anything is possible (with enough time and resources, of course). “It’s not merely about having the best of everything— it’s about crafting an experience that tells a deeply personal story, one that reflects the couple’s individuality, cultural heritage, and aspirations.”
Ahead, Chew reveals the elements that go into creating an unforgettable wedding for the ultra-rich.
A Grand Imagination
“One of the most unique wedding themes I have worked on involved a couple who envisioned their celebration in a theatre. They didn’t just want a traditional wedding with dinner and speeches. The entire wedding was designed as a show that captivated guests from beginning to end, with programmes like a live orchestra and theatrical performances that told the love story of the couple. We even curated a custom programme, much like a playbill, for guests to follow the evening’s events. It was a wedding that blurred the lines between celebration and performance, ensuring everyone had a part to play in this truly unforgettable experience.”
A Hefty Budget
“I won’t spill the numbers, but there’s a reason why the BBC chose to do a documentary on us and called it the Million-Dollar Wedding Planner. What really drives us is the trust that clients place on us to propose the best ideas, no matter the scale. It’s the art of transforming our clients’ visions into reality that truly defines our approach. Each wedding, regardless of its budget, is treated with the same level of commitment, creativity and passion.”
Fine Dining
“When selecting chefs and restaurants for a wedding, it’s about far more than securing top-tier, Michelin-starred talents or offering the most expensive dishes. Our clients, often connoisseurs of fine food and wine, are also deeply involved in shaping their culinary experience. In one of the most memorable weddings [we worked on], a client went above and beyond for his guests. A wine aficionado, he wanted to serve wine with his own label at the wedding. We helped him locate and purchase a vineyard to grow his own grapes and staged the wedding there.”
Location, Location, Location
“With the right time and resources, we have the ability to transform any location—no matter how unique or challenging—into a beautiful setting that will create a lasting impression. I have had the privilege of orchestrating weddings in some truly extraordinary locations, including private islands, beautifully restored castles, abandoned mills and even in the middle of oceans and deserts.”
A Welcome Environment
“Curating the guest list and seating arrangements is a delicate art that blends thoughtful planning with meticulous attention to detail. We consider not only the relationships between individuals but also their comfort and the dynamics of the overall event. The weddings we organise are rarely standalone events; they typically feature a series of celebrations, each with its own unique format. By varying seating styles—such as incorporating standing cocktail receptions, relaxed lounge set-ups and formal sit-down dinners— we create an engaging flow and ensure guests feel valued and comfortable to mingle.”
Some Famous Faces
“We pride ourselves on bringing the finest entertainment to our weddings, with performances ranging from private concerts by international stars to collaborations with artists who usually don’t perform at private events. We are bound to secrecy with non-disclosure agreements, so we can’t reveal specific names. When planning weddings with celebrity guests, we prioritise discretion and privacy, managing every detail with the utmost care. Special arrangements, such as VIP access and personalised services, are made to guarantee these guests feel comfortable and secure throughout the event. Fielding off paparazzi is one of the key challenges that we address. Managing potentially viral news leaks or unauthorised media access requires a comprehensive approach, including strict non-disclosure agreements for all vendors and staff, detailed guest list protocols with personalised invitations, and secure check-in processes.”
Plan B, Plan C, Plan D
“‘Assume that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong’ is a mantra that we all practise at The Wedding Atelier. We always plan for the worst-case scenario, whether by securing a backup indoor venue, providing extra cover or maintaining flexible timelines. I can do many things, but weather is one aspect I unfortunately cannot control. Trust me, we have tried! One unforgettable experience was when we were planning a wedding on a private island that faced an unexpected, off-season tropical monsoon. The marquee had to be rebuilt three times due to strong winds. The menu cards got soaked, and being in a remote location in the middle of an ocean meant that we had no immediate access to reprint them—not to the standards we wanted. In the middle of this chaos, we activated our trusted printing house back in Singapore overnight, bought an intern a return flight ticket and had him fly down to the private island to deliver the new menus, all within the span of 15 hours. The craziest—and perhaps most rewarding—part? The client had absolutely no idea any of this was going on.”
Special Requests
“At one wedding on a remote island, a wedding guest requested to sleep in his own bed. I didn’t bat an eye; we simply arranged for his bed to be transported over to the island. Was it difficult? Yes. But impossible? No. We never judge a request; our role is to facilitate and make things happen, no matter how unique the request may be.”
This story originally appeared in the Feb 2025 issue of GRAZIA Singapore.
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