From Manila to Muscat, 400 family members and friends revelled in honour of Roma Hemlani and Jaskaran Singh’s union
There’s no denying that Roma Hemlani and Jaskaran “Jas” Singh know how to party it up with the best of them. So, when news broke that the well-loved couple were getting hitched in Oman, everyone (the 400 that made it to the exotic destination, that is) knew they were in for an unforgettable time.
Having scouted and viewed 10 ritzy locations across the globe, the couple made a fine compromise, as the groom’s family and friends reside stateside while majority of his Filipina-Indian bride’s side come from the Philippines. Al Bustan Palace in Muscat impressed the couple from the start. So it was that this stunning and romantic venue became the fitting backdrop to the three-day Sikh extravaganza.
From the traditional and themed regalia donned by the couple and their entourage all throughout to the vibrant décor of the wedding reception, all elements came together beautifully, creating a visual feast from glamorous start to finish. “It was the most beautiful evening!” reminisces the recent bride of her reception, adding, “The purple lights shining out on the mountains were just magical.” While the newlywed acknowledges that their destination wedding was logistically more difficult to pull o , she simply wouldn’t have it any other way.“The challenging part was having to fly back and forth for everything, but in the end, it was so worth it.”
When: 7 December 2019
Where: Al Bustan Palace, Muscat, Oman
How did the two of you meet?
I met him in 2013, the day he moved to the Philippines. I was still studying in London, but I have always spent Christmas holidays with my family in Manila. Our parents are friends and we met one night over family dinner. Initially, we were just friends.
But in a series of phases through our relationship, we ultimately became best friends, and now... he’s my husband.
What was that big moment where you realised that he was “the one”?
I was out for drinks one night with a friend and I asked him if he knew anyone who was down to go out that night. He said, “Ask Jas, he’s really cool.” Prior to this, I met him once two years back at a family dinner, and we barely even spoke. I called him anyway, and he said he was busy so I hung up and didn’t think I would see or hear from him again—we weren’t friends anyway. The next day I was at a birthday party and I got a random phone call at midnight. It was him. He asked me where I was, and I told him, and he immediately hung up. I found it really weird, but I was tipsy, and I forgot about it. Twenty minutes later, he surprised me and showed up. We sat down for hours just us two and we talked about everything. I had just met this guy and I told him my whole life story and I’ve never ever done that with anyone. It takes a lot for me to open up to someone, especially someone I just met. I went home that night thinking this is the guy I’m going to marry.
