How It All Goes Down
First Methodist Church — Singapore
- Because Nick left early for the wedding, Rachel catches a ride with Nick's aunts and uncles. The paparazzi swarm upon arrival.
- Rachel is dismissed as "some rich socialite" while the photographers shift their focus to Eddie and Fiona's family (3.4.7).
- A newscaster interviews Eddie about his fashionable crew.
- Dr. Malcolm is unimpressed that Eddie gets so much attention for his clothes when he's the heart surgeon.
- Rachel initially felt overdressed compared to Nick's aunts, but the opulence of the other guests makes her feel better.
- Victoria Young is indignant about being told where to sit in her church.
- Annabel Lee decorated the interior of the church to create a "vaulted forest floating just above everyone's heads" (3.4.21).
- Victoria's review: "That Annabel woman has transformed the church into one of her ghastly hotel lobbies!" (3.4.23)
- Guests sit wherever they please, ignoring the seating assignments, based on "ancient rivalries among Asia's old-guard families" (3.4.24).
- Oliver sits next to Rachel and offers "running commentary on the arriving VIP guests" (3.4.28).
- Nadine and Daisy gossip about the guests. Nadine waits for Alistair and Kitty Pong to be rejected by the Youngs.
- Alas, she was "greeted cordially" (3.4.34).
- Wisely, Daisy says the family is "far too classy to make a public show out of it" (3.4.35).
- Eleanor arrives, sees Rachel, and assumes she's using Nick's money to furnish her wardrobe.
- The church suddenly falls silent as Astrid and Shang Su Yi walk in. She "hasn't been seen at a public function like this in decades" (3.4.46).
- The wife of the president of Singapore bows to Su Yi—Oliver shares that her family was saved by Su Yi's during WWII.
- Fun fact: Su Yi's dress is made of lotus flower stems.
- The wedding of the century begins: the Vienna Boys Choir makes an appearance, as does Charlie Siem the violinist, and Araminta enters looking resplendent.
- Another fun fact: Valentino came out of retirement to make Araminta's gown.
- Annabel "reveled in her family's social triumph" (3.4.68).
- We find out Astrid coaxed Su Yi to come to the wedding so people wouldn't notice Michael wasn't there.
- Mission accomplished.
- Eddie tries to figure out which uncle can make good business contacts for him.
- When Colin sees Araminta, he feels it was all worth it and he tells Nick so.
- Heart filled with joy, Nick spots Rachel in the crowd and realizes he wants her as his bride. He mouths, "I love you" to her (3.4.74).
- Eleanor sees this and panics: "no time to lose" (3.4.75).
- And the most romantic award goes to Araminta:
- Her one thought as she stands next to her husband-to-be: Astrid "couldn't even be bothered to wear a new dress" to the wedding (3.4.76).