17 BMWs TURN UP TO PICK UP BRIDE

Car owners agree to be wedding convoy after S'pore groom makes online request
By Tay Shi'an

July 14, 2008



THEY did not know the groom.

Yet, these BMW owners agreed to be part of his wedding convoy and for free.

Never mind the sky-high petrol prices and having to get up early on the big day.

It was Mr Clement Lee's romantic idea, it seemed, that had struck a chord with them, and they were all geared up to help him pull off his wedding surprise last month for the fun of it.

The convoy of 17 gleaming BMWs arrived at the bride's home and whisked her off to the couple's new Jurong West Housing Board flat.

Mr Lee, 29, a sales manager, had posted a request in the online forum of BMW-Sg.com, a community of BMW enthusiasts, two weeks before his wedding to Miss Jessy Lim, 27, a bank relationship manager.

Mr Lee said: "I wanted to surprise her with an entourage fit for a princess."

Many of the volunteers did not even know Mr Lee, who has been a member of the 12,000-strong online community for two years.

But they appeared to be touched by his gesture.

One volunteer, Herman, posted on the forum: "I don't really know u personally but heck la! Congrats bro!"

Another, known as pheob, said: "Congrats! So nice of you to do this for your wife-to-be. (It's) every girl's dream to be doted on like this."

Even Mr Lee was bowled over by the fast and furious response – within 24 hours, seven BMWs owners had offered their cars and their time.

Within a week, the entourage of 17 BMWs (including Mr Lee's family's silver BMW 320) and a Mini-Cooper was assembled.

Mr Ryan Chua, 26, founder and administrator of BMW-Sg, was one of those who offered his car (a 2007 black Z4 M coupe) and also helped to plan the logistics.

LONG TRIP

The challenge? How to get the large convoy from Mr Lee's Bukit Timah home to Ms Lim's Bukit Batok home, then head to the couple's Jurong West flat before going to their church on Orchard Road for the ceremony.

Mr Chua said: "We did some initial discussions on our forum and via e-mails about the route we wanted to take. We had a practice drive with the convoy leaders and sweepers (the last driver) two nights before the actual day itself."

Some owners even organised a mass car wash to make sure their cars were shiny for the big day.

Mr Lee also got the bridal shop to provide 100 pink and white ribbons for the cars.

The bride said that when she saw the huge crowd of people and cars downstairs, she initially thought: "It must be another wedding, just ignore."

Then, when she came out of the lift, and the owners shouted: "Surprise!"

The bride said she felt stunned, touched and "so privileged".

She said: "Not many brides get to experience this."

As a final salute, when the cars drove past Ngee Ann City on their way to the church, they sounded their horns three times and revved their engines.

Mr Lee said: "A lot of people were staring at us and clapping their hands."

The couple offered a token hongbao to the owners to cover the petrol and Electronic Road Pricing costs, but several declined to accept them.

Mr Lee said that in future, if there is a similar request by another bride and groom on BMW-Sg, he would definitely respond and pay it forward.

Mr Chua said that since the website started in 2001, about eight wedding convoys have been organised, in groups of 15 to 25 cars.

He said: "For the drivers, it's mostly fun and to be able to be part of someone's special day and having the ability to make it happen – even (if it means) having to wake up at 6am in the morning on a weekend!"

The strong camaraderie can be seen in other car communities here too.

Alfa Romeo Owners' Club of Singapore president, Mr Abdul Rashid Karyeo, 48, said the club organised three wedding convoys for its members last year – one all the way to Kuala Lumpur – and all for no charge.

The biggest convoy was 35 cars in 2006.

The club even did a wedding convoy for a non-member four years ago, who requested it via his colleague, who is a member.

CONVERTIBLE IN DEMAND

Mr Karyeo, who owns six Alfa Romeos, has also lent his $179,000 blue 2001 Spider convertible at least five times to serve as the bridal car.

ReXFactor, an online community of Subaru enthusiasts, has done about seven wedding convoys in the last two years, while Rav4 Expedition Singapore has also done numerous wedding convoys for fellow RAVers, one all the way to Muar in Malaysia.

SgMerc, set up last year, said it has not received any requests for a wedding convoy. But it has organised convoys for charity events and welcomes the idea.

Mr Karyeo said there are those who go to the Alfa Romeo Owners' Club for help, then are never seen or heard from again after the events are over.

He said: "But that does not deter us from doing such a programme if requested. Most of us like to keep the spirit of the brand and membership alive.

"This is what they drive, a living memory for them, something they would treasure."

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/st...170733,00.html

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