Veteran MediaCorp artiste Chen Tianwen, 51, announced his wedding plans with his Chinese girlfriend of two years Bao Xiao Hui, who is 21 years his junior, in a Facebook post last March. The lovebirds said their ‘I dos’ at the Registry of Marriages two months later.
A year on, the actor finally threw an elaborate wedding banquet – which consisted of 53 tables of family and friends – at Marina Mandarin last Thursday (May 8), to celebrate the couple’s union in matrimony.
Although the bridegroom sounded worn out while speaking to xinmsn over the phone after his big day, Tianwen was visibly in a good mood. He even revealed that he had successfully shed 4kg in a week for the wedding.
“But I still feel chubby!” he chuckled.
According to the Ilo Ilo star, wedding preparations started six months ago and as he has not settled the bills with the hotel, he has no idea how much he splashed on the wedding. “I paid $5,000 as deposit earlier but I haven’t done the sums. I don’t even know where my car keys are now!” Tianwen laughed.
Decked in a white “prince charming” outfit, Tianwen arrived at the hotel with his best man (long-time friend Lin Wei Xian) and four “brothers” (Cavin Soh and young actors from The Lion Men, Maxi Lim, Jasper Lai and Bao Er Cong), to fetch his bride on Thursday.
“I’d wanted to go [fetch the bride] on my own, but the photographer commented that the photos would look too boring,” he let on. Thanks to his good connections, Tianwen was easily able to form his band of brothers a few days before his wedding.
Thankfully , they were spared from gate crashing games as Xiao Hui did not have a team of bridesmaids. Instead, Tianwen won over his wife in three steps – using oranges to form “1314” (which signifies “forever” in Mandarin) in a lion dance move, changing the lyrics of a love song to say “I love you, Xiao Hui”, and promising to adhere to the commandments of marriage.
As part of the acclaimed Ilo Ilo team, Tianwen had to attend various film festivals in different countries last year. On top of his packed schedule, the Golden Horse Awards Best Supporting Actor nominee was kept preoccupied with his contract talks with MediaCorp, which resulted in the postponement of the wedding.
Despite the delay, Xiao Hui had no complaints. “Actually, she did not insist on holding a banquet. But I believe that it is only right for me to organise one, to give her ‘status’ and assurance as my wife,” said Tianwen.
Even though Xiao Hui, who is from Hulunbeier City in Inner Mongolia, wanted to keep it a low key affair, the actor simply has “too many friends”. Not only did some of his buddies specially return from overseas, Tianwen also arranged for his wife’s family and close friends to travel to Singapore for the dinner.
Among the 53 tables of guests, 11 were for Tianwen’s celebrity pals and ex-colleagues. Expressing his regret for not inviting many of the crew he has worked with, the actor claimed that “even 100 tables would not be enough”.
The star-studded wedding banquet saw the attendance of local artistes such as Xiang Yun, Chew Chor Meng, Jack Neo, Chen Shu Cheng, Rayson Tan, Kym Ng, Priscelia Chan and husband Alan Tern, as well as Tianwen’s “disciples” in The Lion Men – Tosh Zhang, Maxi Lim, Noah Yap, Wang Wei Liang, Charlie Goh and more.
Besides landing sponsorship from reknowned local bridal shop Whitelink, Tianwen’s good relations with his colleagues also earned him a capable emcee for the night. “During Star Awards, (veteran host) Samuel Chong asked if I needed any help with my wedding. I lacked a host at that time and he agreed [to do it] without hesitation!” the actor beamed.
Last year, Xiao Hui’s application for Permanent Residency was rejected and her subsequent appeal was also turned down due to “confidential reasons”. Advised to submit a new application at a later timing, Tianwen is still perplexed by the outcome. “I need to meet the Prime Minister if it still doesn’t get approved,” he half-jokingly exclaimed.
When asked on his honeymoon plans, the busy thespian shared his schedule for the rest of the year, which includes filming in Penang for Ch5’s Mata Mata 2, and said: “My wife understands the nature of my work. If she is bothered by it, I wouldn’t have married her!”
After returning from Malaysia, Tianwen will immediately begin work on a new local movie tentatively named Wayang Boy. The MediaCorp actor will also join the cast of an upcoming drama in September, which will again set his holiday plans back by a few months.
While he hopes to welcome an addition to the family in the near future, Tianwen thinks that baby-making is something which “cannot be rushed”. “Times are different now. Of course I want to have children, but the number of kids [I have] also depends on my financial ability,” he explained.
So, when can we expect a junior Tianwen or Xiao Hui?
“Hopefully next year!” the actor cheerily replied.
From left to right: Bao Er Cong, Cavin Soh, Chen Tianwen, Maxi Lim, Jasper Lai and Lin Wei Xian.
Tianwen and his 'band of brothers'.