Looking to combine the best of both worlds? Judy Ang, a financial recruitment consultant, decided to do exactly that when she got married.

Judy wore a stunning masquerade gown for her wedding in Japan.

The 33-year-old held a masquerade ball in Tokyo last November and another reception - with an island theme - for her family and friends in Singapore in June this year.

"I had the best of both worlds. And my themes really suited the weather in the different countries, which was great. It was cool in Japan at the time and in Singapore, it was really hot," says Ang with a laugh.

A Singaporean, she moved to Japan for work in 2000 and met her Japanese husband, Hiromasa Ikeda, 35, an investment analyst, through a friend in 2003. At the masquerade ball, she wore a huge red ballgown which she bought in Tokyo, while her husband donned a tuxedo he had picked up on a trip to Europe in 2003.

"I've always loved the colour red and I also wanted to stand out in the evening. Also, it was autumn in Japan, so it was especially fitting," says Ang.

At the ball held at the Roppongi Hills Club in Tokyo, guests got to pick masks to wear during the event and a jazz band was brought in to get everyone in the mood.

The couple also chose to serve French food. "We didn't want a traditional Japanese wedding and we thought French food would be unique," she says.

And a unique wedding continued to be her mantra at her reception in Singapore. With the help of wedding planner Hannah Hong of Heaven's Gift, she brought the beach into the ballroom at Raffles Hotel.

To create an island feel, they used colours such as green, orange and pink, and decorative items such as coconut husks and candle wreaths and topiaries as table centrepieces.

The topiaries and candle wreaths, comprising pink, coral orange and chilli-red roses, were also combined with yellow makora orchids and green foliage to reflect a Hawaiian theme.

The couple got into the spirit of things by donning matching Hawaiian outfits they got from Kauai Island in Hawaii.

"We had attended a friend's wedding in Hawaii and loved the casual air it had," she says.

About 180 guests attended their June reception which featured Japanese fare such as sushi, alongside local favourites like fried rice.

"I got exactly what I wanted because I got to dress up on one hand and I also got to experience a really casual wedding on the other," says Ang.

She and her husband went casual with a Hawaiian theme for their Singapore wedding.

Were people surprised by your decision to throw a masquerade ball?
Yes, I think they were. Everyone was calling me because they wanted to know what they should wear. I told them to go all out and be as extreme as they like. It was a lot of fun. Some turned up in kimonos and others just stuck to
their qipaos. But everyone had to wear a mask.

Why did you decide on a Hawaiian theme in Singapore?
We wanted something casual that would allow us to be comfortable in this weather. We came across a shop while in Hawaii last November that sold matching outfits for couples and that helped us decide on the theme.

Were your friends and family surprised when you told them it'd be a casual affair?
They were shocked. I don't think they knew what to do.

A wedding is supposed to be a formal event and when we told them to turn up in short-sleeved shirts, they weren't very pleased. My father turned up in formal wear, but he ended up taking off his jacket eventually.

What was the most difficult aspect?
In Japan, there were many difficulties. Usually, the Japanese book a hotel and allow it to handle everything.

I wanted to be a lot more hands-on so I searched for a hotel that would allow me to bring in my own photographer, videographer, gown and wedding favours.

What was the most modern aspect of your wedding?
Our pre-wedding pictures were really modern because we had pictures of our bridal party of nine in white tops and blue jeans.

In Japan, it's considered very manly for women to wear pants.

What was a traditional aspect you simply could not do without?
My wedding ceremony in a chapel, the speeches by my family members and the yam seng (traditional toast).

What was the hardest traditional aspect?
We kept the traditional bits to a minimum and the hardest part was negotiating with our parents to allow us to do so.

PHOTOS: Plush Photography