In a wedding celebration like no other, Kerby Ng and Joyce Cheh took a peculiar route to matrimony as they exchanged vows in a moving vehicle at a car wash in Perth, Australia. Their unconventional nuptials took place on November 30, 2024, precisely nine months before their official wedding in Bali, Indonesia, which was held on August 30, 2025. The secret ceremony, kept under wraps until revealed to family and friends during their destination wedding, has since captured the hearts of many.
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The couple, both aged 31, had already been engaged prior to this unique signing, which they emphasised was mainly for legal purposes. Ng explained their decision to keep the marriage a secret, noting, “We didn’t want to treat it like we actually got married yet till our official larger celebration.” The whimsical idea of getting married in a car wash sprung from Ng’s desire for a memorable and distinctive experience. He shared, “I thought of a car wash because we knew we were going to have a more official ceremony later on, so why not do the most ridiculous fun way to do the signing, something no one else would do?”
Kerby Ng, a content creator, invited his two friends, Karen and Daniel, under the guise of a simple trip to the car wash. The duo had no inkling that they would serve as witnesses to the couple’s marriage. Ng revealed, “They just accepted that I’m random like that.” Their surprise was palpable as they discovered the truth only when the officiation commenced. Karen’s astonished reaction—”What? Wait, are you serious?”—exemplified the delight of the unexpected moment, leading to a tearful and joyous atmosphere.
The officiant, Richard Douglas from Marriage Celebrants Perth, was just as taken by the couple’s unconventional idea. Ng and Cheh met him for the first time on the day of their wedding, and Douglas embraced the spontaneity of the moment. He arrived early to ensure that the ceremony was well-timed with the hustle and bustle of the car wash. Conducting the ceremony amidst the whirring machines posed its own challenges, as Douglas had to elevate his voice above the noise of spinning brushes and powerful water jets. He even took a moment to acknowledge their loved ones who couldn’t be in attendance, remarking, “We are thinking about you on this very special occasion.”
One of the charming details that set this wedding apart was the couple’s choice to exchange rubber ducks instead of traditional wedding rings. This playful nod to their engagement was steeped in personal history; Ng had previously proposed to Cheh with a rubber duck during a hot air balloon trip, making for what he recalled as “the funniest moment for the both of us.”
Almost a year later, when the couple disclosed their secret wedding to 120 guests at their Bali celebration, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Guests were treated to a film chronicling Ng and Cheh’s decade-long love story, culminating with footage from their car wash ceremony. The reveal was met with surprise, laughter, and emotional reactions, as guests celebrated the couple’s singular approach to their union. Ng recounted, “There were cheers and chants, and loads of people came up to us and said, ‘Only you two can think of doing something so silly like this.’ My mother yelled at me for not telling her, but in a funny way.”
Ng and Cheh’s love story began ten years ago in Malaysia during a cousin’s farewell gathering, where they felt an instant connection. Despite the challenges of long-distance dating—Ng in the United Kingdom and Cheh remaining in Malaysia for years—they persevered through separation, only to eventually rekindle their relationship. Eventually, Cheh moved to Australia, and the couple stayed committed to making their relationship work from afar. Following their engagement in 2024, Ng made the move to Australia after their wedding to finally be together.
Their story, infused with humour and heart, culminates in a unique wedding film now available on YouTube, capturing their journey from a cheerful car wash to an enchanting celebration in Bali. As couples across the globe seek distinctive ways to express their love, Ng and Cheh’s narrative stands as a testament to the joy of embracing the unexpected in life’s most cherished moments.