Alex Rendell and Jenny Charoenchitmun are proof that a set up can lead to a very good thing. The pair first met in Bangkok during the summer of 2017. “At the time, I had just returned from New York after completing my master’s at NYU. A mutual friend, knowing we’d get along, set us up for drinks,” says Jenny, who is the managing director of a zero-waste plastics company. “That evening, we each brought two close friends along—but we ended up at a separate table, just the two of us, sharing a bottle of wine. Little did I know, it was the start of something special.”
After seven years of dating, Alex—an actor and environmentalist—knew that he had to surprise Jenny when he would give her an engagement ring. He actually first asked for her hand in marriage in April 2024, yet waited until that July for a big proposal moment in Banff that her friends and family were all in on. “I was completely clueless, especially since I’m usually the one planning our trips,” notes Jenny. “Somehow, he managed to propose during a sunrise canoe ride on Lake Louise—an activity I had picked myself—yet he had already arranged a photographer to capture the moment. I was completely surprised and so convinced it was just another one of our usual trips, especially since he waited until the very last day to propose.”
Not only did Alex surprise Jenny with a ring, but he had also already booked their wedding venue at Rayavadee in Krabi, Thailand, where they took their first ever vacation together. “We had it in our heads all along that one day we’d get married here, with our small group of family and friends, enjoying the weekend together,” shares Alex. With a February 8, 2024 date, the couple would had less than seven months to plan their dream wedding.
The couple teamed up with The Wedding Bliss Thailand to bring this vision to life. “I wanted everything to feel elegant, minimal, and effortlessly beautiful—truly embracing the ‘less is more’ approach,” explains Jenny. White roses were a main facet of the design, as the bride felt they created an “environment of tranquility, simplicity, and elegance” paired with the ocean views. She adds, “The flowers were meant to add beauty without overwhelming the space—subtle yet stunning, perfectly complementing the venue.” The natural backdrop of the resort was also a major part of the aesthetic, with an oceanfront cave on the property serving as the venue for a dramatic reception dinner.
