On the 10th of May 2025, Mau Vern and Wei Wen were married under God.
Guests were welcomed with coffee and local delights in the foyer. As they mingled, many church members took the opportunity to meet the couple’s friends and family, while others left messages of encouragement at a well-wishes station near the coffee stand. Among the heartfelt notes, Mellisa Andriani wrote, “Super excited for you, Mau Vern & Wei Wen! May you work well to minister to God’s church as you live this life together for Him!” and Alethea Gan added, “Congratulations! I’ve been encouraged by your mutual love and service to God as a couple!”
Soon, the bride and her bridesmaids arrived. Wei Wen was clearly feeling both joy and nerves. Mau Vern had arrived earlier with his groomsmen to greet guests. There was a quiet anticipation in the room as everyone took their seats and the emcees prepared to begin.
The Arrival of the Bride
Once the hall was filled, emcees Natalie Ooi and Joshua Johnson welcomed everyone warmly. They each shared how they had come to know Mau Vern and Wei Wen, describing the couple as consistently thoughtful and caring. Wei Wen is known for her eager, yet reflective questions, while Mau Vern is recognised for his genuine concern for those around him. Smiles of agreement spread across the room. The couple’s character also shone through the foreword in their wedding booklet:
“As you celebrate with us today, it’s not merely about rejoicing with us that we’ve found each other to enjoy a lifetime of happiness together. Rather, our hope for you is that everything in this wedding ceremony will help you to consider the life that is truly worth living for – the purposeful life for God.”
After a brief round of light-hearted questions to get to know the couple better, the bridal procession began. Accompanied by Before the Throne of God Above by Sovereign Grace Music, the bridesmaids, Sook Ann, Lilian, Melody, Sok Yan, Huei Yi, and Kylie walked in ahead of Wei Wen. At the front, Mau Vern waited — visibly moved and expectant. As the verse rang out, “One in Himself I cannot die, my soul is purchased by His blood,” Wei Wen entered with her father, beaming.
After her father gave her away, Mau Vern led Wei Wen to sit with his family — a symbolic act of her leaving her family and coming under his headship. The emcees reminded everyone of the weight of this moment:
“We are gathered here as the church today in the presence of the Creator and Saviour, to witness, pray and encourage Poh Mau Vern and Tan Wei Wen at the threshold of their life together as one in shared service under God.”
They followed with a sober call from Ephesians 5:
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”
Songs and Sermon
Three songs were sung before the Bible reading: He is Our God, It’s Your Grace, and All I Have Is Christ. Lucas Tan, who read the bible with Mau Vern when he first joined CERC, read Acts 17. When asked why they chose those particular songs, Wei Wen said, “We wanted the first song to declare our great God who is knowable to our guests”, while the other 2 songs were the couple’s reflection. “Vern and I were once lost in darkest night, yet we thought we knew the way. We want to call our friends and families who are still against God to come to God and seek his mercy.”
Elder Joel Lee preached the sermon. He reminded those gathered that the couple we see today are not the same people they were four years ago. Back then, they chased the idols of modern life: pleasure, comfort, and success.
“The plan was clear: put in the hours, stack up credentials, make money, then enjoy life – travel the world, eat good food, post about it online, die eventually.”
But in time, Mau Vern and Wei Wen came to see that these things did not bring lasting joy. Instead, they discovered a far greater purpose: to live as God’s children and to serve Him. Their vows bore witness to that change — a declaration that they now live for Christ, not for gold, silver, or stone (Acts 16:29).
A prayer by close friends & speeches
After the sermon, friends Eldwin and Jan prayed for the couple. Jan prayed that Wei Wen would submit faithfully and honour Vern’s headship and always be reflective in her thoughts and actions – ever unafraid of speaking the truth in love; Eldwin prayed that Vern would lead with godliness and sanctify Wei Wen in the Word.
Then came the couple’s speeches. Vern, gave a calm and deliberate speech that had clearly been prepared with care. Though nervous at times, the church witnessed his warm and earnest desire to proclaim Christ to his friends and family. One by one, he called his friends and family to look at their lives and consider instead a purposeful life for God. Wei Wen followed in the same vein with a heartfelt message to her family and friends, also desiring that they worship God wholeheartedly.
The closing lines served as a declaration of who they would be as a couple before God.
“How we live this life matters now, whether we are for Him, or against Him, as Jesus will one day come back to judge the living and the dead. Wei Wen and I are really looking forward to having more conversations about life with you. Our home is open for you to come and have a meal-you can also come over to our house to teach us your signature dishes.”
Thus, summed up the desire, trajectory, and nature of the new couple, Vern and Wei Wen – one that was thoughtful, highly concerned for people, thoroughly convicted, and dearly committed to living for God in hospitality, worship and service.
The church celebrated with thankfulness for the wedding they witnessed, for this wedding was not just the celebration of a couple united in love — it was a testimony to a deeper, eternal union: Christ and His Church.
