Elegant Bali Wedding with Oceanfront Chapel Views

September 3, 2025
Words by Kinsley Brown
Photos courtesy of various

Nap and Mikaela’s wedding in the highly desired destination of Bali contained three days of joy, culture, and just the right amount of chaos—wrapped in ocean views and topped with noodles at midnight.

The couple’s story all began in a situation rather like a Hallmark or romantic comedy movie. “Nap and I met on October 13, 2017 (a Friday the 13th!) during my father’s birthday dinner,” Mikaela says. “So you could say that our parents set us up. My father always takes credit—he even said so during his speech at our wedding!”

Now, turn the clock forward to January 2025. Two hundred guests from all over the world touched down in Bali for what the couple calls their “mini-vacation with all the people we love.”

A Chapel by the Sea

While Bali is famous for its beaches, Nap and Mikaela wanted more than a shoreline. “We’re also traditional in the sense that we still wanted to get married inside a church/chapel,” the couple explains. The Ocean Front Apurva Chapel at The Apurva Kempinski gave them both: soaring glass walls, an altar that seemed to float above the Indian Ocean, and a front-row seat to the endless horizon.

Unfortunately, although Bali is always striking, it was monsoon season—the wettest the island had seen in decades. “Through lots of prayers and with the help of a wonderful ‘pawang hujan’ or ‘tukang terang’ (rain stopper), we were blessed with beautiful, sunny weather on our wedding,” Mikaela recounts. Apparently, even the skies didn’t want to miss the party!

Food, Glorious Food

If you judge a wedding by the menu, Nap and Mikaela’s was a masterpiece. “We are both foodies, so it was very important to us that all of the food during our Wedding Weekend was amazing,” they said. Guests dined on Balinese cuisine at the welcome dinner, wagyu and soft-shell crab at the reception, and comfort food at the brunch. And when the dance floor kept the party going? Out came a Mi Sedaap noodle station and chicken fingers.

To wash it down, Mikaela’s sister created three signature cocktails: The Mika, The Napoleon, and Infinity. Guests were encouraged to try them all and vote for a winner. (Spoiler: Infinity stole the show.)

Hydrangeas & Fairy Lights

For décor, the couple leaned into nature’s own beauty. Hydrangeas—Mikaela’s favorite flower and the star of Nap’s 700-bouquet proposal—lined a seemingly endless aisle at the chapel. At the Ritz-Carlton welcome din ner, fairy lights twinkled above tables dressed in warm-toned flowers, while panels of photos chronicled the couple’s first seven years.

Inside the Candi Ballroom for the reception, designers transformed the vast space into an indoor garden, complete with a gazebo-like sweetheart table and floating floral centerpieces.

More Than Logistics

Like many couples, Nap and Mikaela learned that planning a destination wedding is not all palm trees and cocktails. “Planning a destination wedding is a bit like climbing a mountain — it’s a challenging adventure, not something you just waltz into with a ‘ta-da!’ and expect everything to fall into place,” they admit.

But they credit teamwork—and each other—for getting through it. Nap put it simply: “As the groom, what made the planning process easier was truly my wife — she knows exactly what she wants and understands what I like.”

Their wedding planners, based in both the Philippines and Bali, also became essential allies. From 1 a.m. Zoom calls to juggling payments across countries, the team made sure everything came together. “Our tip to couples: Find a wedding planner who doesn’t just treat it as a job, but who truly has a heart for the craft and a love for the couples he/she works with,” the couple advises.

Culture, Connection, and Cocktails

Knowing most guests wouldn’t have time to explore Bali to its fullest, Nap and Mikaela brought the island culture to their celebration. Balinese traditional dancers performed at the welcome dinner, offering a taste of the island’s culture. Welcome kits awaited in every room, filled with local snacks, essentials, and a custom sunblock-insect repellent hybrid crafted by Nap.

By the time the send-off brunch rolled around, guests had not just celebrated a wedding, but shared an entire journey—complete with jet lag, hangover patches, and inside jokes about “that noodle station.”

A Celebration Worth the Climb

Looking back, Nap and Mikaela see the whole experience as more than just a wedding. It was a crash course in patience, communication, and joy—pretty great training for marriage itself.

“Wedding planning is like a test run for the dynamics of marriage,” Mikaela says. “Patience and understanding are essential — if one of you is swamped with work or is overwhelmed, the other person can take over. It truly is a partnership.”

And with that, Bali gave them not just a wedding, but a celebration that felt every bit their own—hydrangeas, cocktails, rain stoppers (pawang hujan), and all.