Gillian Chung's La Wedding: Date And Details

Hong Kong singer-actress Gillian Chung and her Taiwanese-American cosmetologist/doctor fiancé Michael Lai held a pre-wedding reception and engagement party at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles on 25 May 2018. The couple then held a wedding ceremony in LA on 26 May 2018, followed by another ceremony in Hong Kong on 20 December 2018.

Gillian Chung and Michael Lai's pre-wedding party

On 25 May 2018, Hong Kong singer-actress Gillian Chung and her fiancé, Michael Lai, held a pre-wedding reception and engagement party at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles. The event was attended by both their families, as well as Chung's celebrity entourage, including good friends Joey Yung, Joyce Cheng, Yumiko Cheng, and Twins partner Charlene Choi.

In his speech, Michael expressed his gratitude for Gillian's efforts in maintaining their long-distance relationship, saying:

> We came from two different families, cultures and backgrounds. Despite being busy, she still spends a lot of time to maintain our relationship. To this day, I am very thankful to her. It was a great feeling when you meet the right person.

Gillian, who wore a bridal gown designed by Jenny Packham, also acknowledged the challenges of their long-distance relationship:

> But the two of us sacrificed a lot to see each other and maintain our love. I am not a very mature woman. Michael will have to look after me. We will work hard to support and encourage each other.

Michael also surprised Gillian by performing a piano accompaniment to David Tao's "Love is Simple".

The couple first met in July 2017 while Chung was filming Tree in the River in Taiwan. They admitted to dating in October and announced their engagement in February 2018.

The couple's engagement announcement

On 1 February 2018, Hong Kong singer and actress Gillian Chung and her fiancé, Taiwanese doctor Michael Lai, announced their engagement. The couple shared a photo of a diamond ring on Instagram, given by Lai to Chung.

The pair first met in July 2017 when Chung was filming Tree in the River in Taiwan. They admitted to dating in October of the same year and announced their engagement just a few months later.

The engagement announcement came as a surprise to many, as the couple had only been dating for a few months. However, in his speech at their pre-wedding reception, Lai alluded to the fact that he knew Chung was the one for him: "We came from two different families, cultures, and backgrounds. Despite being busy, she still spends a lot of time maintaining our relationship. To this day, I am very thankful to her. It was a great feeling when you meet the right person."

Chung also admitted that it wasn't easy being in a long-distance relationship, but that the two of them had "sacrificed a lot to see each other and maintain their love". She also acknowledged that Lai would have to "look after her" as she was "not a very mature woman". Despite the challenges, the couple was committed to working hard to support and encourage each other.

The wedding ceremony in LA

Hong Kong singer and actress Gillian Chung and her fiancé, Michael Lai, held a pre-wedding reception and engagement party at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles on 25 May 2018. The event was attended by both their families and Chung's celebrity entourage, including good friends Joey Yung, Joyce Cheng, Yumiko Cheng, and Twins partner Charlene Choi, who was also her bridesmaid.

In his speech, Lai expressed his gratitude for Chung, acknowledging the challenges of maintaining a long-distance relationship. Chung, who wore a bridal gown designed by Jenny Packham, also shared her thoughts on their relationship, admitting the difficulties of being apart and the sacrifices they had made to maintain their love.

The couple's engagement was announced in February of the same year, and they first met when Chung was filming a new drama in Taiwan in July 2017. They publicly confirmed their relationship in October 2017.

The second wedding ceremony in Hong Kong

The second wedding ceremony of Gillian Chung and Michael Lai took place in Hong Kong on 20 December 2018. The couple had previously held a wedding banquet in Los Angeles in May 2018, but it was not officiated by a solemniser.

The Hong Kong ceremony was a romantic event held at the waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui. Chung wore a short blush-pink dress with a plunging neckline, while Lai looked dapper in a blue suit. About 30 close friends and family were in attendance, including Chung's former Twins bandmate Charlene Choi, Joey Yung, and Leo Ku.

The couple's wedding cake reportedly cost $18,000. Chung's boss, Hong Kong magnate and Emperor Entertainment Group chairman Albert Yeung, reportedly paid for the wedding and gifted the couple an apartment in Shanghai worth six million yuan.

At the ceremony, Yeung had some "stern" words for Lai during the couple's tea ceremony. He warned Lai to "be good to Cheung, otherwise, don't come back to Hong Kong," which elicited laughs from the guests.

The couple's divorce in 2020

In 2020, after less than two years of marriage, the divorce of Gillian Chung and Michael Lai shocked the world. The couple had a long-distance relationship, with Chung based in Hong Kong and Lai in Taiwan. Despite the distance, the couple sacrificed a lot to maintain their relationship.

The couple first met in July 2017 when Chung was filming a drama in Taiwan. They admitted to dating in October 2017 and announced their engagement in February 2018. They held a pre-wedding reception and engagement party in Los Angeles in May 2018, followed by a wedding ceremony in the same city in June. They also held a second wedding ceremony in Hong Kong in December 2018.

However, in May 2020, Dr. Lai, then 31, announced their split. Their divorce was finalised in less than 80 days. Chung, then 39, told the Hong Kong media that she would not marry again as she felt she was not suited for marriage. She also shared that they still communicated and were comfortable being friends during their separation.

There were various allegations about the reasons for their split. One of Chung's friends claimed that Lai was too childish and immature and that he would often meet up with internet celebrities and pretty girls for drinks late at night, embarrassing Chung. The friend also alleged that Lai was lazy and not motivated enough, despite Chung's support for his cosmetology practice.

Lai, on the other hand, published a long essay detailing their marriage and divorce, portraying himself as a victim. In response, Chung hinted at her own reasons for the divorce, stating that she had very low requirements for love but that if her bottom line was crossed, it was truly over. She shared an incident where she felt disappointed and ignored by Lai, indicating a breakdown in communication and a change in his behaviour.

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