A Little Plan

Danar’s metallic black BMW X3 came to a stop right in front of Aruna Studio. After greeting Marco and Dayu, who were still busy wrapping up their work that afternoon, Danar immediately took Aruna’s hand and led her toward the studio exit, accompanied by teasing remarks and playful looks from his fiancée’s two work partners.

“Have a safe trip, you two! Take care, future bride and groom!” Marco called out.

Aruna waved back before shouting a reminder to Dayu. “Don’t forget, Yu, you’re taking my car home. Don’t go hitching a ride with Marco on purpose!”

“Yeah, yeahhh … I haven’t forgotten!” Dayu replied with a giggle. “When else would I get the chance to show off in the boss’s future wife’s car?”

She grinned mischievously. “Besides, my motorcycle is still at the repair shop. After getting unlucky with another canceled online ride this morning, I might as well enjoy this free perk.”

“Have you told them?” Danar asked a little later.

The car was now inching its way through the heavy traffic.

Aruna turned toward him and gave a small nod while smoothing the wrinkled edge of her blazer.

“I only told them you proposed last Sunday. That’s all. No wonder they’ve been unusually quiet since lunchtime.”

Danar chuckled softly and reached over to ruffle Aruna’s hair briefly.

“How did the meeting with that super-duper difficult client of yours go?” he asked gently, glancing at her before returning his attention to the road. “You said on the phone that it was a huge success, right?”

Aruna leaned back against the leather seat and let out a relieved sigh.

“Yeah, a huge success for my little studio that’s still finding its feet. Bu Anggun agreed to the revised cost estimate. She signed off on the whole one hundred and sixty-five million rupiah just like that. So, that’s one major worry off my mind.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” Danar said, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. “That means we can focus on the next steps for our wedding. Have you given any more thought to the reception at your parents’ house?”

Aruna turned to look at Danar’s profile, taking in his strong jawline and the faint shadow of stubble along his chin.

“I’ve actually been thinking about Bapak’s front yard. If we put up a decorated wedding tent, the space to move around will be rather limited. Then there’s the parking for the guests. Wouldn’t it be better to look for a spacious multipurpose hall or a venue owned by a government institution? The amount of money you gave us the other day was quite substantial. Maybe we could use some of it to .…”

“Una, sweetheart,” Danar interrupted just as the car stopped at a red light.

He turned to look deeply into her eyes. His gaze was warm and full of affection.

“That money belongs to you and your parents. It’s not up for discussion. If we need to rent a venue for the wedding reception, I’ll cover the cost myself. But honestly, I’d much rather hold the reception at your house.”

Danar took both of Aruna’s hands in his.

“I want our wedding to feel sacred and intimate. Just family, close friends, and the neighbors next door. A reception in a hall feels too formal and distant.

“Wouldn’t it be better to save tens or even hundreds of millions of rupiah instead of spending it on a venue we’ll only use for a few hours? We could use that money to grow your interior design studio or put it toward our children’s education someday.”

Danar’s words sounded so sincere and reasonable, as though he had carefully considered their future together.

Aruna took a deep breath and smiled in reluctant acceptance.

“Fine, if that’s what you want. Besides, as an interior designer, I’ll just consider this a challenge. I’ll transform Bapak’s minimalist yard into an aesthetically beautiful and memorable wedding venue.”

Danar beamed and briefly kissed the back of her hand before pressing the accelerator as the light turned green.

“I trust you completely with that. As planned, we’ll meet the wedding tent vendor this evening. Mas Bayu messaged me earlier and sent me the details of the meeting location.”

Their journey through the evening traffic ended at a family restaurant surrounded by lush greenery, with a peaceful, nature-inspired atmosphere.

Danar went straight to the reception desk and confirmed the reservation under the name Bayu Laksana. A waiter then escorted them to the meeting area.

Cool air greeted them as they entered a spacious room with floor-to-ceiling windows, bordered by lush green plants along the window edges.

At table number twenty-three, tucked into a corner and furnished with dark gray ergonomic chairs with orange cushions, a medium-built man wearing glasses stood as soon as Danar and Aruna approached.

“Hello, Mas Danar. And you must be Mbak Aruna. I’m Bayu Laksana from Armada Tenda. Please, have a seat,” Bayu greeted them warmly, shaking both their hands.

“The grilled ribs here are delicious, Mas. You should order some first. Once our food arrives, I’ll show you our tent portfolio. When we spoke on the phone yesterday, you mentioned wanting an intimate wedding concept. Is that right, Mas? Mbak?”

“Yes, Mas Bayu. We’ve agreed to hold the reception at home. But I’m sure you understand that a house’s yard has more personal details to consider than a hall or an institutional venue,” Aruna replied before quickly choosing something from the menu.

Aruna didn’t feel like having a heavy meal, so she ordered Coffee Butter Nougat Toast and a hot Green Tea Latte. Danar ordered only a Long Black. When the waiter came to their table, Bayu added a Vietnamese Coffee to his own order.

While they waited for their food, Aruna began explaining the concept she had been developing in her mind since her brief discussion with Danar during the drive.

“Mas Bayu, the width of Bapak’s yard should be enough for the wedding dais. But there’s one large mango tree on the left side, near the fence,” Aruna explained.

She reached into her work bag, took out her tablet, and quickly sketched a rough layout of the yard before showing it to Bayu.

“Bapak definitely won’t agree to cutting down that mango tree. What if we turn it into a focal point and incorporate it into the wedding dais design? We could wrap the trunk in tulle and wind fairy lights around it. The stage itself should be kept low. As for the tent, I want something simple so the limited space doesn’t feel cramped.”

Bayu looked thoughtful as he studied Aruna’s sketch. Then he smiled broadly and nodded in agreement.

“Wow, it’s obvious that you’re a true designer, Mbak Aruna. You have a way of making a small space feel alive with just a few thoughtful touches.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“In that case, I’d recommend a clear-span tent with a transparent roof. We can raise the tent structure to create the illusion of a more spacious area. At night, the silhouettes of the mango leaves and the decorative lights you suggested will be visible from underneath the tent, creating an atmosphere that feels both sacred and beautiful.”

Aruna nodded enthusiastically. Her eyes lit up as she added more details to her sketch.

“Yes! That’s exactly what I had in mind. The fairy lights wrapped around the branches would look so lovely. Oh, I’d also like fairy lights along the inside of the tent frame. We could add some hanging greenery in the center too, but nothing too crowded.”

Beside Aruna, Danar simply sat back and listened.

He leaned comfortably into his chair, resting his chin on one hand as he watched Aruna explain her ideas with such enthusiasm.

Their conversation was briefly interrupted when the waiter arrived with their orders.

“Looks like I’m the only one who ordered food,” Aruna said with a soft laugh before offering Danar a piece of her toast.

“Take your time, Mbak. Please enjoy your food first,” Bayu said warmly.

He took a sip of his coffee, then pulled a laptop from his work bag and opened the folder containing his tent designs.

“Mas Bayu, for the guest area, I’d prefer an open-sided tent rather than a fully enclosed decorative tent. I want our guests to be able to see the wedding dais from their tables.”

Bayu nodded and turned his laptop screen toward Danar and Aruna.

“In that case, I’d recommend a Roder tent with open sides. It’s similar to a wedding tent, but the roof is plain white rather than transparent. We can also prepare transparent side curtains in case the weather changes.”

Aruna studied the tent design Bayu had shown them, visualizing how it would fit into the blueprint taking shape in her mind.

A satisfied smile appeared on her face.

“Oh, and one more thing, Mas Bayu. We’re planning to invite only around one hundred and fifty guests. With the intimate wedding concept we have in mind, how many tables and chairs do you think would fit inside that Roder tent?” Danar asked, speaking for the first time since the meeting began.

Bayu took a quick sip of his coffee before answering.

“We can provide the tables and chairs as part of the package, Mas. As for the number and layout, my team and I will need to inspect the site in person. When would you and Mbak be available so we can take measurements as soon as possible?”

Danar paused to consider his schedule.

“My project schedule is pretty packed tomorrow, Mas. How about the day after tomorrow? I only have a morning meeting that day.”

“I’m available then, Mas. What time would work best?” Bayu asked, preparing to make a note on his tablet.

“Una, would four in the afternoon work for you?” Danar asked, turning toward the woman beside him.

“That works for me. We can also check how much afternoon sunlight reaches Bapak’s yard,” Aruna replied, her interior designer instincts kicking in again. “That way, we can visualize where the fairy lights should go for the actual wedding day.”

Danar smiled and nodded in agreement.

“How about it, Mas Bayu? Is four in the afternoon okay? I’ll share the location with you.”

“That works, Mas. My team and I will be at Mbak Aruna’s house at four in the afternoon the day after tomorrow,” Bayu confirmed, tapping his tablet to finalize the appointment.

“Okay, then. See you the day after tomorrow.”

After settling the dinner bill and shaking hands, Bayu excused himself and left ahead of them.

Danar and Aruna walked side by side toward the parking lot, surrounded by the cool evening air.