Randall & Yves
Yves and I met 18 years ago in Kuala Lumpur. The time when PalmPilot was a trend then and as cool as having the latest iPhone. I mentioned PalmPilot because we literally exchanged our PalmPilots to key in our phone numbers. This happened right in front of Concorde Hotel at the street while on my way walking to the also the most chic gym in KL then - Sweat Club at Renaissance Hotel. He was on his way home from the same gym. We crossed path, acknowledged each other, stopped for a chat and then that was when we whipped out our PalmPilots.
We are two very different personalities and characters. Yves is French and you know how people perceived French in general, no he is nothing of being a snob. He is a gentle giant, generous, helpful and a kind hearted person. At professional level, he is focused, structured and organised.
I on the other hand is totally the opposite. I am impulsive, take risks, jump first-and see what happens attitude. He is totally not the romantic type but I am all about ambience, mood, aesthetics, music and fashion.
We were inseparable since, lived together, bought a house in KL and living a life as any couple would do.
Then one evening on our way home driving, France legalising gay marriage was the topic of our conversation. We talked about it and the next second you know is - let’s do it! This is exactly the example of how a non-romantic and an impulsive person decided to marry. Not at a romantic venue, customised memorable event nor a surprise either. Instead as a structured person he is, we were stressing about the documents required instead, to get married especially when it involved Malaysian legal system. French side has nothing to worry about, it is me concerning how to successfully obtained a Certificate of Single/Non-married document from JPN at Putrajaya and Ministry of Home Affairs and submit to the Malaysian Embassy in France to process our marriage in France.
The process went well and smooth. Only then I looked for Ling referred by my friend because I was looking for a customised ring man enough for both of us. Ling did an excellent work!
Now, here comes the romantic part. The actual romantic scenario happened in France on the day we exchanged our vows. We had a beautiful set up, small scale, very private and co-organized together with his family in Southwest of France in Pau (pronounce as Poh). It has a magnificent panorama of the Pyrenees Mountains, here we found a vineyard located at Jurançon called Clos Lapeyre
Pau is beautiful and well known for its production of white wine and vineyards so where else to organise a wedding reception but at a private vineyard. Surrounded my mountains, sunny weather in cool autumn season
The whole wedding event was a joint workforce of my besties in KL, thirteen of them came with us to Pau. we did the table set-up, deco, music and French counterpart managed the venue, food and flowers. This is romantic to me
After the wedding ceremony at lunch we had our brief 3 second first wedding dance to Spandau Ballet’s True and that’s it. Told you he is not romantic!
There is such thing as true love, the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Most of all, attention is not required but presence.