KUALA LUMPUR: Come to the reception in Kuala Lipis on Sept 3. That was the message from Datin Siti Nurhaliza to her legion of fans across the country.

Tears rolling down her cheeks, she blew kisses and waved to hundreds of her ardent fans in the gardens from a balcony of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Dressed in a Cinderella-like wedding gown, pop princess Siti was greatly touched by the show of affection from the fans who repeatedly called out her name.

It was her wedding day and hordes of fans had turned up to greet her, although the much-hyped horse-and-carriage ride through the gardens had been scrapped.

The cream satin silk she wore that was laced with thousands of pearls of various sizes was planned for the carriage ride.

“I hope my fans can come to our reception in Kuala Lipis,” she said at the meet-the-fans session, ahead of her glittering bersanding (sitting in state) ceremony with husband Datuk Khalid Mohamad Jiwa at the convention centre, touted as the Wedding of the Year, yesterday.

Many of the fans were Indonesians who were either working or studying in Malaysia or had travelled here just to be part of the glitzy event.

True-blue fan Rekha, 25, who had met Siti a number of times at her concerts in Jakarta, took a month’s leave from work and came all the way from Irian Jaya to arrive here on Aug 8.

“I attended her akad nikah ceremony on Aug 21 and am here now for the bersanding,” said Rekha, who sent a wedding gift to Siti and was there in the crowd to hand out flags to the fans.

“I will go to Kuala Lipis and then rush back to Jakarta on Sept 6 so that I can attend the event for Siti’s fans in Indonesia on Sept 9.”

Three friends from Kuching who are studying here, claiming to be big fans of Siti, were among the excited gathering.

Nadia Azwan Julaihi, her friend Viviana Mohd Daud and another girl who did not want to give her name screamed out: “Siti, we love you.”

Hidijah, 29, who came from Medan with a daughter and five friends said: “We are disappointed to learn that the horse carriage ride was cancelled. That was one of the reasons we came.”

Wedding planner Datuk Raja Rezza Shah had given the occasion a romantic touch that blended with the garden setting of the ballroom of the convention centre, the main venue of the couple’s bersanding ceremony.

Soft lilting music in the background, fresh baby’s breath, pink and white roses and soft green and white orchids plus abundant pastel colours of pink, green and white decoration reflected the joyous mood of the event.

For the bersanding, Siti looked resplendent in her wedding attire and looked every inch a princess with a dazzling tiara and matching accessories.

The 27-year-old diva wore a classic songket creation in a champagne shade while her 47-year-old Prince Charming was in a matching outfit.

The guest list included royalty, politicians, luminaries from the entertainment and fashion worlds as well as close friends and family members of the couple.