Martell, Mayhem, and the Wedding That Sparked Kings.alcohol
- May 10
- 3 min read
Qiuhui & Nigel — Raffles Hotel, November 2022
When Nigel called me out of the blue one day, I already had a feeling I knew what it was about. We were schoolmates who had lost touch after graduation, so for him to suddenly reach out could only mean one thing — he was getting married, and somehow, I was going to be part of it.
That alone already made this wedding special to me.
Nigel is one of the most free-spirited people I know, and even though he was a friend, working together was not exactly straightforward. He is the kind of person who could randomly start talking about rearing chickens in the middle of a wedding prep conversation, and somehow that was just very him. It was amusing, unpredictable, and definitely kept me on my toes. But that is also part of wedding coordination — learning how to adapt to the different personalities of every couple, and finding a way to work with who they are rather than against it.
Still, nothing quite prepared me for how the actual wedding day would unfold.
The gatecrash alone set the tone. It began with Martell Cordon Bleu, and I still remember the sight of the groomsmen turning the tables on the bridesmaids by making them take shots before Nigel could even go in to fetch Qiuhui. It was hilarious, chaotic, and very much the beginning of what the rest of the day would become.
From that point on, there was always hard liquor somewhere in the room. At the couple’s homes, in the hotel room during breaks, at the ballroom — there was always a bottle nearby. The entourage quite literally drank from morning till night, and by the end of it, the whole ballroom seemed to carry the unmistakable scent of Martell. Even the games revolved around alcohol. At one point, guests could even take extra shots to “upsize” their prizes. Honestly, that kind of idea could only have come from Nigel, and I have to give him credit for staying true to himself all the way through.
I am not exaggerating when I say the smell and taste of Martell lingered in my life for the next week. I lost my appetite entirely — which, I suppose, was a blessing in disguise because I lost weight too.
But beyond the madness, this wedding also gave me something unexpectedly meaningful. Watching that crowd taught me just how much alcohol, when enjoyed in the right spirit, could bring energy, loosen people up, and shape the atmosphere of a celebration. And funnily enough, that was one of the moments that eventually sparked the birth of Kings.alcohol, the sister company of Pei.weddings. What many people do not know is that Kings.alcohol is actually a partnership between me and one of Nigel’s groomsmen, Kingsley — which is, of course, where the name came from.
So in a strange way, this wedding left behind more than just memories.
If there is one thing this day taught me, it is this: if you know you have a drinking crowd, do not overpack the programme with too many formal games or rigid segments. Because once the drinks start flowing, the crowd will naturally move to its own rhythm. And if you do plan games, then they should probably lean into that energy rather than fight against it.
Qiuhui and Nigel’s wedding was loud, funny, slightly absurd, and entirely unforgettable — the kind of day that only happens when a couple fully embraces who they are, and lets their celebration reflect exactly that.
