Bride-to-be who took pre-wedding photos at iconic Glass House: 'Our date here was magical'

The iconic Glass House, next to Park Mall on Penang Road, will be demolished in late September for redevelopment, and couples who have flocked there over the years are sad to see it go.

Mr Jonathan Ng, 31, and his fiancee, Ms C.C. Ouyang, 30, will regret its passing - they have been dating for nine years, and memorable chapters of their love story played out in the flagship outlet of seafood chain Fish & Co at Glass House.

They hold the place so dear to their hearts that they held their pre-wedding photoshoot on Monday at Glass House, which is under the same management as Park Mall, a lifestyle and furnishing centre.

The couple, who are due to tie the knot in September, met in 2007 at Princeton University in the US, where Mr Ng, a Singaporean, was studying for his master's degree.

After a one-year, long-distance relationship, Ms Ouyang, an American citizen, visited Singapore in early 2008 and one of the first places Mr Ng took her to was Fish & Co at Glass House.

During the date, he asked the live band there to play their "couple song", Hey There Delilah by US pop-punk group Plain White T's, which is about a couple in a long-distance relationship.

Ms Ouyang said that back then, she really enjoyed the experience and could see herself living in Singapore in the future. She moved to Singapore in late 2008 after graduating.

"I love the unique structure and am a huge fan of seafood," she told The New Paper.

In late 2012, Mr Ng, a regional manager at a multinational company, planned to pull off a public proposal and deciding on doing the deed at Glass House was a no-brainer.

MEANINGFUL

The venue became more meaningful to him because it was special to Ms Ouyang, a vice-president in the finance industry.

"She would always bring up the date because she really likes the place," he said.

On the big day, he reached Glass House an hour earlier and alerted the staff about the proposal.

He also told the live band that he would like to join them in performing Hey There Delilah.

"I've never sung on stage before (that) so it was pretty ballsy," he recalled with a laugh.

Halfway through his performance, he jumped off stage and got down on one knee before popping the question to Ms Ouyang, who was shocked into silence for so long that patrons were chanting "Say yes! Say yes!".

When she finally regained her composure and accepted, a three-generation Turkish family seated next to them bawled in happiness.

An elderly woman at their table even went over to cradle Ms Ouyang's and Mr Ng's heads in her hands while blessing them with a joyous married life ahead.

"At least that's what I hoped she said in Turkish," he joked.

Ms Ouyang said it was a dream proposal because the place had a deep sentimental value for her.

"It's a good tale to tell the kids," Mr Ng said.

When the couple learnt that their special place could vanish for good in a few months, they were sad because of the "so many memories attached" to it.

Ms Ouyang especially appreciates its family-friendliness, which makes it so wholesome and nostalgic.

"It's a great place for young relationships to develop," she said. "And our date here was magical."

Ironically, the couple don't have any photographic mementos of their first date or the proposal at Fish & Co.

Ms Ouyang said: "We are happy and fortunate (Fish & Co) let us do the (wedding) shoot here as a chance to get some clear, final pictures."

divraut@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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