💐 What Being a Bridesmaid in 5 Singapore Weddings Taught Me About Love

At this point, I think I qualify for a diploma in wedding logistics. Maybe even a minor in flower pinning and crisis management. Because after being a bridesmaid in five Singapore weddings, I’ve seen it all—drama, joy and one very unfortunate incident involving a missing groom’s shoe and a koi pond.

But beyond the sore feet and emergency double-sided tape moments, here’s the truth: being a bridesmaid has taught me more about love than any K-drama ever could.

And no, it’s not just about “finding the one.” It’s about the messy, beautiful, real ways love shows up—sometimes in chiffon dresses and other times in bubble wrap stress relief.

1. The Best Weddings Aren’t the Most Expensive Ones

One bride spent $80K on her ballroom wedding at a luxury hotel. The other? She held it at a rooftop garden with catered nasi lemak and a Spotify playlist [17.What Kind of Music Should We Play at Our Wedding?]. Guess which one had everyone crying (in a good way)?

Hint: It wasn’t the one with the 5-tier cake.

Don’t get me wrong—both were beautiful. But the magic wasn’t in the marble floors or dry ice. It was in the couple’s vibes. The laughter, the sincerity, the way they looked at each other like, “This is it.”

In our Asian culture, it’s so easy to get caught up in face. But the weddings I remember most are the ones that felt like them—not a Pinterest board brought to life.

2. The Bride Is Never the Only One Stressing

You think the bride is stressed? Try being the bridesmaid in charge of making sure the gatecrash [2. Top 5 Wedding Gatecrash Games ] games don’t involve wasabi in weird places and that Uncle Peter doesn’t sneak in durians (again).

Behind every dreamy bridal entrance is a team of half-panicked, fully committed women praying the veil doesn’t get caught in the escalator.

But here’s the thing: that stress, that chaos—it’s love in action. Not the glamorous, rom-com kind, but the “I’m-holding-your-dress-while-you-pee” kind. The best friendships are forged in the furnace of bridal drama.

3. Some Couples Just… Work

There’s no other way to say it. In every wedding I’ve helped with, I always clock that moment—the look, the inside joke, the quiet hand squeeze when things go sideways.

And I’ll be honest, not every couple has it. Sometimes you can feel the tension under the surface, the pressure to perform for family, the forced smiles. But then there are the couples who laugh through the gatecrash, slow-dance in empty ballrooms, and text each other memes while posing for photos.

Those are the couples who remind me that love is less about drama, and more about deep compatibility. Emotional fluency. And shared memes.

4. There’s No One Right Way to Love

One couple was super PDA—even had a mini makeout session during their couple shoot [26. Do I need a pre-wedding photoshoot?]. Another barely held hands but wrote vows that had the photographer crying through his lens.

Both are valid.

I’ve learnt that love looks different for everyone, and that’s okay. There’s no universal checklist (though Singapore Aunties will try to give you one). The key is finding someone whose love matches your language—whether that’s words, touch, quiet presence, or strategic ang pao packing.

5. The People Who Show Up Matter More Than the Ones Who RSVP

Weddings are the great relationship filter. Trust me—when you’re short two bridesmaids last minute and your secondary school friend shows up at 7am with kaya toast and your backup lash glue? That’s love.

I’ve seen friends become family. I’ve seen family fade into background noise. And through it all, I’ve learnt that love is not just between the couple. It’s in the people who stay, support and say yes—to dresses they didn’t pick, colours they didn’t choose and a schedule that starts before the sun.

So… What Did I Really Learn?

That love isn’t just about the I dos. It’s about who shows up at 5am with under-eye patches, who holds your hand when the vows shake, who dances with you at the end even when they’ve changed into slippers.

Being a bridesmaid isn’t always pretty. But it is profound.

And now, as I plan my own wedding, I carry every one of those messy, magical moments with me.

So if you’re lucky enough to be asked to stand beside someone on their big day, say yes. Wear the dress. Carry the tissue. Be the calm in the chaos.

Because love isn’t perfect. But when it’s real, it’s so worth it.