I'm back!

Hee~ my wedding's over! Really grateful to all our sisters and brothers for helping out and ensuring that everything went smoothly for us. =) Big big thank you for them!!

I'm really glad that everything went smoothly. If I wanna be really critical, the only imperfection will be hubby's big fat bride. LOL! Who says all brides will lost weight towards their wedding? I'm the type that gain weight as I get stressed up... not good wor. =( I was 58kg when I went for my measurements, and I was 63kg when I last measured last Monday when I went clinic for a jab to clear my eczema. I've gained a shocking 5kg of fats as I work towards my wedding, not lost!! Terrible terrible me. (>.<)

And what's more shocking??

Breakfast - one humjimbeng and a cup of coffee
Lunch at his place - some rice with vegetarian dishes and some noodles
Lunch at my place - noodles and some nice stuff from the vegetarian catering
Pre-banquet meal - vegetarian pasta and guava juice in suite room
During banquet - first 2 dishes (cold dish & soup) and final dish (dessert)
After banquet - every dish in between that we missed in suite room
Middle of night while counting angpows - a cup of coffee

Ever seen one bride eat so much on her wedding day or not?! LOL!!! Scary right?!

19th April was great but it wasn't as glad after, when we spent the night counting angpow cash till over 3am, slept a bit then woke up to pack, check out and have lunch (we convert our complimentary breakfasts for lunches)... then realised we hasn't gotten our CDs back... including my photo montage, wedding songs and morning express highlight, which I haven't watched it myself. I've heard great feedback and I can't wait to watch it myself leh! I want my morning express highlight DVD~!! =(

We called the coordinator who asked the reception. They claim that they've given us when we checked out, but we didn't see it at all! (>.<) *sigh* Asked my videographer for another copy already, which will only be ready end of the month with the rest of my videos. Besides this case of the missing CDs, overall the experience at Furama Riverfront was great. My friends enjoyed the food and told me the banquet was great. Everything was flowing so smoothly, and the banquet ended on time. Everything was so smooth, so much better than I expected.

After checking out yesterday, I came back to hubby's place. I don't have anything to write about my "first day of marriage life" because it just felt like any other weekends I spent at his place... besides that I'm super tired, aching all over, and having difficulty addressing his parents as Mummy and Daddy. Keke~ I used to call out "Auntie! Uncle!" whenever I see them, but yesterday I was so nervous, everytime I see them I'll just smile and say "Hello" only... (>.<) Until last evening before hubby and I went out for dinner, I said "Mummy byebye" to his mum. This morning also greeted her with "Mummy 早安!" =)

This morning my MIL prepared my share of coffee in the coffee maker and also prepared a mug for me! Before this I used to share hubby's mug one... keke~ Now, besides having to shift my tonnes of belongings from my parents' place to here, the only thing that will complete my moving into hubby's place is the handing over of the keys... cos hubby hasn't made a set of his house keys for me yet! (>.<) So without my keys to this house, I still feel like a guest here, still feel like it's any other weekends before marriage... kekeke~

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.

Bedsheets, slippers, cards and a pouch

Collected our bedsheets and hubby said his mum told us to get a pair of new slippers as well... and put at my place first, before our AD one day he has to come and collect them. I think it's like something we missed out in GDL, or maybe more for AC. LOL! Anyway she mentions need new shoes (or slippers) so we bought the most cheapo slippers (@2.90 each!!) at the Giant near my place. :D

Went Popular with my colleagues during lunch on Monday and bought 2 packets of blank cards... meant to write thank you cards for my jiemeis. The little pressies I ordered for them have also arrived... I hope they'll be happy with the little gifts that I've bought for them. :D

Oh anyway the little pouch was bought on the same day so that day after work I took this shot of them together. Last Friday I meant to bring a bottle of mildew remover detergent to hubby's place to help clean his mbr's washroom a bit... but in the end the detergent leaked in my bag and the strong chemical totally destroyed the bag itself, my wallet, card holder, key pouch, umbrella, a watch (luckily is cheapo watch bought in Bangkok one!) and my fave demin skirt. My old and faded (I wear it all the time cos I love it a lot!!) denim skirt was bleached to patches of white at some spots. =(

So on Monday I bought this cute little pouch ($3.90 only!) with 2 compartments - one for my cash and another for the cards... will be using this for a while~

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.

Start of preparation

Yes... finally wor!!

过大礼 (dunno if having 安床) - 30th March 2008
Customary Wedding (AD date) - 19th April 2008

*to self* Yea, well done! Only left with like 3 months, then you start preparing for your AD... slack too much liao lah!! Grrr~

Haha yea, I think both of us really not that onz about this preparation, unlike the other BTBs I know, can get lots of things done as far as 6 months before the AD. I ought to feel ashame of myself!!! (>.<)

I've consolidated a list from some other sources or other brides' Multiply sites, but probably left out quite a bulk of things that need to be done...

Completed so far:
Solemnization
WG and EG made
Photoshoot taken
Corsages ordered
Bedsheet ordered
Photographers engaged (his friends)
Banquet-related
 - contract signed last weekend
 - banquet theme selected
 - wedding favors selected
 - Invitation cards collected

Yet to be done:
GDL stuff - his mummy will take care
Hotel food tasting - appointment in March
Print invitation inserts - discussing with printer
Confirm convoy/helpers - in process
Confirm attendance
Plan actual day schedule
Plan seating arrangement
Prepare Thank You speech
Select songs for dinner - in process
Send out invitation cards
Do childhood/photo montage
Engage videographer for AD - looking
Make appointment for manicure/pedicure
Book caterer for GDL (his family only)
Book caterer for AD lunch (both families)
View album layout/finalise wedding album
Final fitting for WG and EG
Prepare songs and montage in CD/DVD
Hotel rehearsal (testing CD/DVD at hotel)
Lose extra weight gained over x'mas and new year!! *plays with big round wobbly tummy*

Please help me~ I'm worried I left out a lot of stuff, please guide me with as much details as possible on what are the things that have to be done for GDL/AD!! Thanks a lot sweets!!!

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.

It's the first day of...

...of 2008.

I'd like to thank all my friends and my dear family for the rather smooth-sailing 2007 that has just passed. And also thank them for their thoughtful gifts and the wonderful moments at our warm little ROM celebration at my hubby's place (also my future place) on 16th December 2007. (^_^)/ THANK YOU!!

Wishing everyone a new year filled with love, peace and joy~!

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.

It's the last day of...

...of 2007.

2007 wasn't a bad year, but I still wish for a better year in 2008!!

We always wanna be better and better one right? Nothing's perfect, and there'll always be room for improvement. When we achieved something good, we wanna fulfill something even better!

The only thing that has to be the best the first time round will be our wedding! Cos there's no part 2, no sequel, no supplementary paper to retake... So, all the best to all the brides-to-be!!

To everyone: Have a better 2008, and a wonderful year ahead!! May your new year be fruitful and prosperous, and filled with fun, love and joy! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.

It's over

Yea, our ROM was over yesterday~ And I'm officially a Missus, no longer a Miss!!! *level up* OMG, I feel so... auntie... already. *whines* =X

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.

Bridal Package Hunt

Here's a narration on our hunt for our most ideal bridal package, and the happenings along the way... and my frank opinions on what I encountered.

Our first experience on negotiating for bridal package was at the most recent BOWS... get to learn about packages from Thomson Wedding Design and The Wedding News over there. It was our first ever experience and before that we have never been visiting any bridal studios with friends or siblings or friends etc before. I didn't know what a bridal package normally covers and just started learning from scratch via talking to the coordinators there. Everything I know about getting married, signing up a bridal package, etc... is from the SgBrides forum!

We wanted to go and find out about the offers from more bridal studios but already took too much time at the 3 booths we went in to talk to. Also went to the Stefine booth cos he was quite interested in the flash animated love story... but that's not cheap at all! In fact, our budget's quite tight now...

My worse experience at BOWS 2007 was at the Seletar Broadway booth... I was dragged into the booth by one uncle and initially a young lady attended to us, but when we wanted to leave, another more senior lady joined her to persuade us. They were super pushy and wouldn't let us leave! Furthermore, they kept claiming that they are the best and everyone who walked around would go back to them so... why not just sign on the spot? Kaoz! We didn't think much people will sign up with them lor. And I had to verbally fight our way through to get outta that booth!!!

"If you are so confident that everyone will come back to sign at your booth, then might as well let us go, if you are so good and so confident, you won't worry that we won't come back one right??" And the more senior lady (think is the lady boss?) still told us need not consider so much, just sign. I told her that we wanna go back and discuss about it first, and she told us not to leave the booth. She said we could just discuss in the booth and make the decision on the spot. I shot back at her, "We still prefer to discuss about this in privacy..." and walked off! The people there are super pushy till I find it kinda scary!!!

On the other hand, my first experiences negotiating about BS package with Thomson and Wedding News were good. They were nice and friendly yet not pushy.

One fine Sunday afternoon... we went to Tanjong Pagar Road and went back to Wedding News where we were shown their gowns and Ken showed us some photos before and after editing too. I totally love Ken's photography style! All the nature around the couples, greenery and sea, the natural expressions, candid poses... I love his pics so much! And his friendliness put us at ease too.

Then we went to Di Gio where Casey immediately let me try on 3 bridal gowns (for my first time ever!) which fitted my plump figure very well and I was very impressed! His service was excellent and we liked the album layout and the acrylic album covers as well. I still prefer Ken's photography, but I love the gowns at Di Gio and the designer Casey really impressed me.

Our last stop that day was at Yvonne Creative which I wanted to check out at BOWS but spent too much time fighting at Seletar Broadway that we didn't get to.

Yvonne Creative's staff was nice at the beginning. The gowns are nice, but we were super unimpressed by their photos... the contrast and vibrancy not there. Guess our expectation pushed too high up after seeing Ken's splendid photography (Wedding News). Towards the end the staff turned pushy she kept saying they are "designer brand", so must be compared with other designer brands like Milan etc, and cannot be compared with common brands like Di Gio etc. I was rather disgusted by her tone, and then she started rushing us to sign on the spot before we leave... we didn't of course. Her attitude totally turned us off!!!

I work in the west of Singapore so one evening after work I went to IMM with 2 girlfriends to browse around and enquired about the packages at DoubleUp and E-Bridal... the uncle (DoubleUp) and auntie (E-Bridal) there were great salespersons and made their packages sound very nice and very attractive... but I wasn't impressed by them at all, cos have seen so much better at Wedding News and Di Gio.

Finally we signed up at My Bridal Room (MBR)... forum friend Jonathan recommended MBR to me first. Coming from a guy who's experienced in wedding planning, I wouldn't doubt his choice. I checked out MBR in SgBrides forum and saw lots of raves, so told him that I wanna at least go down to MBR and take a look before deciding (we like both Wedding News' photography and Di Gio's gowns and service, and have already discussed about their packages in depth, such as how much more we have to budget if we want extra pages, extra poses, all photos' softcopy returned, etc). I was thinking that we could also take a look at Bridal Concept (which we didn't get to visit in the end) since it's around the same area.

Uncle Quek attended to us and threw in lots of stuff that we asked for into our package, such as hotpressed album, acrylic album cover, more pages and more poses, all softcopies returned etc... our package actually added up to be rather pricey in the end, but we were happy about the contents of our package, and we thought Sam's photography is reasonably good too. At that point of time (first visit to MBR), we still love Ken's photography... we uber like his friendliness and natural candid style. But now I'm sure Sam can do a very good job for us after seeing fellow MBR bride (and fellow Multiply.com BTB) Verene's photos. Uncle Quek is very warm and sincere, and we really feel at home at MBR. After some discussion, we decided to sign the package on the spot, saving ourselves the hassle of going to other bridal studios to bargain, plus thinking hard to make the decision later. So MBR is our final decision.

We already went to MBR for our first appointment last Sunday, and the designer Sandra was really great and helpful! I brought my younger bro and his girlfriend along, and told him how lucky he was to have a sis like me to always help him along the way... he never had to pick up things from scratch because I'm always there to help lay his path out nicely for him... will super duper miss him when I gotta move outta parents' home!! Anyway yea, tried on some gowns which didn't fit me as I'm still fat. But we've settled with our designs and Sandra has been wonderful, helping us visualise the gowns and now I can't wait to see my gowns... both MTM so really gotta wait!

While hunting for our bridal package, I surfed SgBrides forum a lot and found out about which are the bridal studios that are more ranted about or raved about among the BTBs. The plan was that we would just go to the more raved-about ones and save the hassle to talk to those pushy ones or with many complaints. SgBrides forum did help me a lot, and I'm a very happy BTB now because I'm assured that with my comprehensive bridal package from MBR, we are definitely in good hands, and I'm going to enjoy all my fitting and photography sessions. (^_^)v

All entries labelled 'wedding diary' were first published in Multiply.com and migrated over here on 20 August 2012.