Anyone planning their weddings from overseas?

[dewberry]

hi maddcow!!! yeah, the chinatowns here are not bad. i found one hong kong dressmaker in SF chinatown that would do the full custom made deal and they even stocked a wide range of textiles, for only US$280 incl all alterations till it fits. you could prolly use that as a good gauge of what to expect in NYC, maybe slightly more for cost of living adjustment (haha, sorry i've been too engrossed in the job search).... anyways, good luck!

hmm, last rejoinder about shanghai tang... i personally think they're overpriced and their stuff isn't really nicer than most, it's just packaged nicely. shopping for everyday wear is one thing, but they don't have a big range of evening type gowns... i checked them out in singapore, and vaguely remember the hong kong store as well... honestly i think only the hong kong or shanghai stores (which had the full "imperial" tailoring services) are worth the money. dunno if the NY store has this service, but good to keep in mind as well!

 

[snipsnap]

ashlee...... AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW biewer's are so cute. how can flying something so tiny cost so much? I think I can fly myself for 600 euros

maddcow ...I love the white cheongsam! white is very sexy. perhaps some masking tape might guard against any spillage hee (uncomfortable though hehe). otherwise just make sure it fits well. dewy has a point about the photo of the dress and what you receive. the wonders of photoshop

but you can always order and return. I hope chinatown works out, remember to bring your 'haggling skills'!! otherwise you might want to consider taking your measurements and sending them to your mom or someone to tailor make back home. The final fitting can be done within a couple days when you're back.

 

[ashlee]

Hehe... cute hor???!!! That is why I am DYING to get one. Think they are selling for around USD1000 in US. The German breeder whom I was speaking to is so nice as well, now feeling bad we can't afford to get one from her afterall. Sigh, guess I just have to wait a couple of years till it gets popular here.

Snippy
I can fly myself to Germany and back for less than 150euros if there's a promotion! Maybe I can go germany, get one, put it in my pocket and smuggle it in! haha.

Maddcow
That is a really elegant CS! Hmm, u gals do have very good taste. I am so auntie compared to all of u! haha.

Anyways, my CS, as I said before, though it took only three weeks to get to me all the way from Nanjing, it came at least 2 sizes too big, even though I took half an inch off my waist and hip measurement!

So now headache, got to bring back to Sg to alter it, hopefully Katgrrl's tailor can sort it out for me.

But the workmanship is really good, I think.
Mine cost about USD150-ish, including shipping (by FedEx as well!). I requested to pay by paypal so I didn't have to give them my credit card details. They've got an ebay store as well, so I think they are quite reliable.

Like what dewy said, it is always risky to order from China, as alteration is going to be a nightmare.

Katgrrl got her CS made in Sg and she's really happy with the price. Maybe you can find out more from her.

Unless you are willing to take the risk, this is the website:
www.efushop.com

and psst... from my research, eaststore IS a little more expensive than its competitors.

 

[lilo_stitch]

halo ... how everyone? me going back to s'pore on 19 june and will be staying there for abt 2mths. when u gals are back may contact me ...
hmm .... mm i will delay my AD to 2007 liao

, as plan we wanted to have it on late 06 but it will have clash w our collect of apartment which will be btw sept to dec.
do u gals have yahoo or msn messeger? so i still can contact u gals incase u all married n dun come to this post anymore

.

 

[katgrrl]

Maddcow, I'm also of the opinion that it's better to have it made with a tailor personally. It's hard to be precise when ordering online especially when a CS has a lot more measurements than the run-of-the-mill blouse or dress. In fact, even though my tailor made it to my size, she had to take in at the waist & bust during the fitting to make the CS more shapely. Besides, you'll have more control over the material if you can feel & examine it in person. All in, I think getting it done in chinatown will be a better idea than going online. Alternatively, if u've 1-2weeks in SG, there are lots of tailors to choose from. If material isn't supplied, Arab St has a great selection of silks, laces & brocades. And if I'm still in SG, I can go shopping with you!

Ashlee, yeah, I dun think Sharon will charge more than $50. My aunts had blouses made there for $38. And Biewer is Soo Cute!!! (aren't we a chorus already?)

Lilo, sorry to hear about the postponement of your AD..but looking on the bright side, you'll have lots of time to plan for it then!

 

[durian]

Hi.... I am "old bride" liao, but i am posting this for a friend who is troubled with her arrangements.

the guy's side want to have a wedding ceremony and dinner in another country for their relatives, who are mostly there and not have any ceremonies here. They guy's side will not be contributing to any tables for the girl's dinner here.

The wedding overseas will be the "main" one-tea ceremony asupicious day etc.

Should the ticket for the bride and her parents to the country be sponsored by the guy's side? how about hotel accomodation?

If anyone else have similar arrangements, kindly advise. Note that in this case, the guy's parents are not residing overseas, just that they prefer to have it there to suit the relatives. Thanks

Hope to hear some opinion thanks

 

[madcow]

hello lilo
long time no 'see'. wow, in a matter of weeks you be back to good food and sweltering heat (well, it's no better here - I run the A/C 24/7)
Sorry, I don't have either of those, but we can still email each other. What's your email address?

ashlee
FH thought we can smuggle Biewer too - looks like a squishy, cuddly toy. Thanks for the info on the cs... gosh 2 sizes too big is a little ridiculous. i asked for a fabric swatch from eaststore and they agreed. the other one I checked out is chinese-tailor.com, this one is more specific, they looked at the design to the littlest detail and emailed back to me to confirm it. I'm very tempted just for the gamble but FH thinks I'm nuts - he's ultra risk-averse.

oh, snippy, I read once that we can use toupe tape to secure and create our own 'booby-trap' for low cut dresses - ala JLo,

this is my last week of fun, soon, I'll need to till the land and sow my work misery. where's Katgrrl and Ribbit?

Oooo, I just realized this is my 100th post! Must have more emoticons

... okay, getting tired of typing..

 

[madcow]

oh Katgrrl, hello
i was busy typing my emoticons and did not see your message till I posted mine. Thanks for your advice. And yes, I think we have similar taste, shopping will be soooo fun. But as of now, things are so uncertain regarding jobs and where we'll be so I'm not sure when I'll leave for Singapore. Now, I'm swayed to do the cs in Chinatown. - thanks for dragging me back to planet earth

hello durian,
I'm not sure if I got your friend's predicament right...it seems primarily a money issue. We are paying our way and our folks are particularly nice about paying their own travel expenses too. We are sharing our money so who pays for what doesn't really matter for my case. Our working principle is to pamper our guests for making such an effort to see us tie the knot through what we can afford. Sorry if I can't be of more help.

 

[lilo_stitch]

maddcow,

busy look new place to move as one of our friend goin back to hk so need to find new place for onli me n hubby sigh .... tired of lookin either too old if not too x. how i wish my flat is really

. do u have skype? my email [email protected].

 

[snipsnap]

ashlee..actually u might be able to pick the pup up yourself from germany! xy brought her dog to the US on the plane in one of the doggie carriers (legally lah in case you're wondering haha). some airlines allow you to take your dog onboard if they are small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. it was free for them too if i'm not wrong!

lilo ... i'll be back july 7 ..i believe katgrrl ashlee and sya will be back that time too. we have each other's emails so we can keep intouch that way

can't wait to EAT and shop. hey that means you have more time to figure out the decor for your new flat right??

hi durian ..don't think it is expected of the groom's parents to pay for the bride's parent's tickets,accomodation etc. (I would be too paiseh to to accept) If the groom's family is hosting, it would be nice for them to offer accomodation for a night or two. But its not a given. My friend's dad booked hotel rooms for all his out-of-town relatives. As for us, we're not paying for any of the rooms of our guests cannot afford lah. So like maddcow..we will try our best to show them a good time to show appreciation instead.

maddcow ... my friend tried that once hee. she passed out that night *chuckles* but I don't think it was because of the tape (i hope), it was from exhaustion since finals were finally over and we went out to celebrate! congrast on the 100th post!!!!!!!!! confess ..how many were made on this thread? kekek

katgrrl ... slightly more than 2 weeks to go!! do keep us updated on your progress

 

[dewberry]

wah, you girls all meeting up, i'm so jealous!

but hey, don't just eat eat eat and forget dewy okay!!!! you gotta take lots of photos okay! hehehehe....

hi durian - my two cents worth, i also agree with maddcow and snippy that it's a money issue, hence a bit more sensitive and dependent on everyone's unique situation. in my case, we also took care of the entire wedding on our own, so there was no need to distinguish who pays for what. but i think that in your friend's case, even though they are hosting the main event overseas, it would be a little presumptous to assume the groom's side will cover the travel expenses... if they do offer, then it's a nonissue to graciously accept. but if they don't offer, then perhaps the groom might want to step in and pay for the bride's family?

i think what's important in this whole situation, is to handle things with tact and sensitivity. and open communication with honest feedback to all the parties, don't hold back any concerns. because ultimately both sides will want the couple to be happy, and will hopefully try to find ways to be sensitive to the other party's needs... if the bride's side honestly find it difficult to afford, i'm sure the groom (or couple) can consider to cover. or else, perhaps the bride's parents can reduce their singapore expenses by having a smaller affair with less tables, so that it would not be too taxing to attend such a "double" wedding. if all else fails, maybe try to see if they can stay with friends or relatives, to reduce the cost of accomodations? even if the groom's family doesn't pay for tix for whatever reason, they might still be able to arrange for relatives to open their homes to stay for the 1 or 2 days?

sorry, durian... i know it didn't answer your questions exactly, but hope it addresses the general direction of your dilemna.

maddcow - you are so CUTE! hahahah, i laughed when i saw all those emoticons, yay, congrats on your 100th!!! hehe, planet earth is good to reside on, but you're entitled to your cloud nine once in a while... aww, what's your work misery? need to commiserate, just drop me an email anytime, yeah? work's not too enjoyable for me right now, so i think i'm in the same ballpark.... sigh.

take care, girls! see ya when i get back from SF...!

 

[lilo_stitch]

maddcow ... u love cooking n baking too saw ur post of yum yum cheese cake. wat are good recipe do u have? can share, me also love cookin n baking

snippy, are u also going back to get married? sure!! we can meet up to eat n eat but i thk must be after u gals finish ur AD if not eat too much later gown cant wear

do drop me mail when u glas are back in s'pore as i'm very excited to meet u gals. maybe will ask one gal to jin if u gals dont mind, she oso coming over to uk soon.
dew, u like enjoy life leh... see u fly here n there so jealous
u dun need to get jealoue when we meet to makan leh, i tot u just went back for ur wedding? din you go makan makan hhee.e..e.
will take photo durin our makan time then send to u w all e local delights

 

[ashlee]

Snippy
I know xy brot her wire over under her seat. But I think only US airlines allow that leh.

Maddcow
U can get biewers quite easily in the US! Go get one to keep Cinnamon company!

Katgrrl
Tailor sounds really reasonably priced, hmm... maybe I can make another one there! haha.

Durian
We are paying for the wedding ourselves too and so friends and family are paying for their own airtix and accommodation. Sorry, can't help as well.

Katgrrl
Two weeks and one day!!! Are you getting excited already???

 

[dewberry]

hi lilo... yes, i do love travelling, but actually this time is for a business trip.... hehehehe, as for the makan, yes i just went back for my wedding, so i'm not so interested in the food, as i am in ALL YOU GALS! i'm so bummed that i'll be missing out the fun, but not to worry, just leave an empty seat for me, put all your handbags and shopping bags on it, and i'll be there in spirit... hahahaha.

sorry, holiday mood liao... have a great weekend everyone!

 

[durian]

Hi all,

Thank you very much for all your responses.
Well it is really a sensitive issue, not only about money, but also about face- can get quite complicated esp when other things thrown in.

Some people think that the parents should get complimentary tickets, from at least the couple, esp the more traditional ones.

Thank you all for responding, surely will let her know that indeed many brides' parents pay for their own ticket and it is not that out of norm.seems like there is no right and worng and they really got to decide for themselves what to do.

Thanks again.
and yes it is really my friend's case. I am an "old bride" liao... got promoted to being asked these things by friends

 

[snipsnap]

ashlee> aiyah that sucks..*cracks brains* see if I can come up with any other schemes kekek. btw moxie is going to have a 'cousin'! my cousin who lives here is buying a black german shepard puppy. they are sooo cute!! now she'll have a 'relative' to play with lol. I'm so excited.

lilo> i'm leaving for my honeymoon after the wedding. so prolly best to meet up before hehe. erh how about some japanese food..that's not fatty right? lol dewy> haha wah leave a seat for you. that's a bit morbid don't you think? hehe anyway you can count on me to take pics on behalf of everyone. so exciting!!! hey maybe we can even have a second meet up session in the US or UK

katgrrl..have you discovered any new eating places? I found this website that has pretty neat reviews http://food.asia1.com.sg/news/

durian..yah agree that things can get pretty complicated. the bride's parents might feel slighted. even though its not required, maybe to appease the parents the bride and groom can pay for their plane tickets.

 

[lilo_stitch]

helo ... i so envious that u gals got so many cute n funny n sweet ideas for your AD. Till now i still lost dunno wat i wan n wat to plan sometime more memerable wedding

ashlee, hope u feel better now

dew, maybe we can have tel conference w us

snippy, japanese food !!! can also me no preferance, may be can try color by e bay eat all u can (Shima Aji)

sya ... sya .... where are u?

 

[lilo_stitch]

paiseh ... not maddcow post recipes is katgrrl

 

[ashlee]

snippy
Aww... black alsatian!!!! I have to admit I do not like the usual german shepherd, think they are quite plain and hasn't got a nice personality (Dave's sister got one, and have to say we are not impressed at all).
But I LOVE black ones! Have seen a couple of them in the park near us. They are gorgeous! And they seem to be tamer and gentler as well. Good good, Moxie has a bodyguard now!

Dewy
Agree with Snippy, leaving a seat empty for u is not the most auspicious thing to do. haha. You'll be on our mind though!

Lilo
thanks sweetie. I am perfectly alright now, as u probably can tell from my tone. Haha. Think I am one of those people who will get upset over nothing for the sake of getting upset! Hiakhiakhiak. sorry, a bit siao today.

I agree with you. All the gals here are masters of ideas, very stylish and absolutely fabulous bridezillas, except for me! psst, tell u what... steal their ideas lor!

(that is what i am doing!)

 

[katgrrl]

Exactly 2 weeks to go! argh...

we just moved into our serviced apt today..so the extra room will come in handy when MIL, Best man & his fiance fly in on the last week. Prep-wise, the wife cakes delivered today will be going out with the cards soon. Hahah...last nite, I made a chinese sweatshop out of FH & dad slaving until past 2 in the morning cutting papers, stuffing envelopes, making church programs blah... hehe, literally a sweatshop cos there was no AC in my parents living rm & it was Humid, man!

Durian, for us since we're paying for the wedding ourselves, both sets of parents have been very understanding, not least because we talked with both sides regarding their expectations & all. But I agree with all that has been said, that there are no set rules. For us, we're really happy that our Finnish Best man is coming here just for a few days, so we're more than glad to provide his accommodation & make him a nice welcome pack to show our appreciation

My galfriends are throwing me a bridal shower tomorrow heehh..dun think it'd be naughty at all though - more than half of them are mommies

Dewy, u'll definitely be on our mind when we meet!

gotta go now! Bye-eee!

 

[snipsnap]

Hello ladies! Where is everyone?

Katgrrl sounds like you are making good progress! you aren't missing out on much here. The weather has been awful the past couple days! In the 90s. I was seriously sweating buckets. We have no air conditioning either haha. FH and I have to fight for a spot infront of the fan

hrmm speaking of sweatshop I'll be running one too when I get home haha. Got ribbons to tie on all our invitations. I'm also makign my own labels to paste on my favors. I saw them selling for $11.95 per sheet online!!! (http://www.beau-coup.com/mini-oval-labels.htm) insanity!!! I'm going to try making them myself since it only costs 19 cents per sheet of blank stickers. wish me luck hehe. perhaps I can make em for you girls too once I get the hang of it. hehe

tell us how your bridal shower went

what no policeman turned stripper?? lol

ashlee> where are u gal? when are you leaving for SG again? I'm so excited ..but so much work to do before leaving *sigh*. btw I ordered that halter dress, though I'm going to return it

... it didn't look exactly like what i'd seen online! the material was really crinkely even on the bust area.

 

[katgrrl]

Snippy, the bridal shower was fun! Everyone of them made a dish..even the most culinarily-challenged one made battered fish fillets with tartar sauce. I'm so touched by all their efforts

We had chili crabs, chicken curry, pasta etc... Heheh, so there was no 'policeman' at the party heheh...

Good luck with the labels, gal! I printed my own favour labels on heavy paper as well which I'll be gluing onto the ribbons of my organza bags. Saves a bundle, I agree!

Hmmph, sorry to hear about the halter dress? Any others that u're considering?

 

[madcow]

hiya - poppin' in to see what's cookin'

Snippy - aww, too bad about the dress. was it the silk one? wish i can go shopping with you. the labels look cool, i'll 'hire' you without a doubt! oh, have you bought your lingerie yet? I'm thinking of getting marabou mules

(gee, does that count as lingerie? sheesh, i can be pretty kitschy)

Katgrrl - your girlfriends sound really cool, very sweet! What are you busy with now?

i'm busy juggling work with figuring out my ensemble. With no mom, nor sisters, nor FMIL here, and FH wanting a surprise at the altar (he doesn't want to see my dresses b4 the wedding), I'm having a weird time being darn indecisive. argh crap, I'm giving myself up to end of this week to decide. Good grief!

 

[frogprincess]

Hallo girls! I am back online after the zillionth phone call to Telecom Italia, and there is STILL no internet connection in my house! I saw all the pix of your furry babies, and I LOVE them all! I am sure you must be tired of hearing this, but they are all soooo cute.. I am dying to get a dog, but the appartment we are in is carpeted everywhere and too small to put a dog in, plus we have no time to devote all the love care and attention it deserves (sigh) so I guess I can only admire other people's dogs vicariously. I am still having post-wedding stress because my folks are all in Europe now, so I have to play tour-guide and tour organiser! The last of our Singaporean guests (my brother) leaves this weekend, so the BIG sigh of relief is just around the corner, and we can start writing thank-you cards

Maddcow honey - you have all my sympathies with you about not having Mom and sisters with you in deciding on things. I am sure you have friends who will give you a hand though! Does FH's Mom some input or his sisters/cousins? Fabien's family did SOOO much stuff for our wedding, so without them, nothing would have been possible. I am sure they would pitch in if you just asked them!

 

[frogprincess]

Hallo Katgrrl!!

since you are only 2 weeks to go, and I dunno whether I will be online again before then GOOD LUCK, and HAVE FUN!! It will be a truly wonderful day I am sure, and you will really love every single second of it.

From my own experience,although I am pretty sure you have everything all sorted out anyways, I have just included some little 2 cents worth of last minute stuff to think about...

1) Remember to pre-arrange your bouquet toss (if you are doing one), because I once attended a wedding where the bridal bouquet ended up on the floor (there was a moment of stunned/embarresed silence).

2) How are you exiting the church? Confetti? Fresh petals? Our French friends got bubble blowers outside the church for a really frothy effect!

3)You will need a handphone holder- someone to be your personal secetary and take all your phone calls and pass them to you where appropriate, especially all those congratulatory ones from overseas!

4) For all the close family and friends who are not in Singapore but would like to be there AT that moment, you probably would like to fix a time to phone them to say hello (we phoned Fabien's grandma in France just after we solemnised in Singapore) Buying a calling card like Phoenix or Singtel ICC helps to reduce the bill!

Lotsa love and hugs and excitement!

 

[snipsnap]

hahah maddcow ... u are too funny. can I suggest a feather boa to go with your mules lol. no haven't gotten the lingerie yet. Any ideas? hehe

You can always bounce your WG ideas off us! btw if you come down to boston we can hit the shops together hee. i went to the bloomies private sale yesterday. it was chaotic, imagine throngs of women searching for a bargain. but any shopaholic would be proud of me ... I made out with 2 dresses. one for the wedding! I got it for $170 marked down from $308!!! Oh and I also got a price match on the gold shoes I'd bought several weeks ago. I "almost" bought this vera wang EG that was 2 sizes too large and long for me haha. and I have no idea what I would do with it. but it looked so good (and it was like $300 marked down from $1100 ... i'm a sucker)! ...haha the dangers of going shopping alone. someone please stop me arhgkkk....

oh here's a link to the silver dress:
http://www.absstyle.com/details.asp?Action=update&CtgID=1&ProdID=894&VariantID=7526&COLOR=Silver&SIZE=2&Qty=1

katgrrl...your friends are so sweet! so what's next in the line up for you? I'm ordering my favors today and waiting for my labels in the mail so I can print them ... oh and still have to hunt for my wedding ring.

ashlee!!!! where are you? too busy making candles? hehee

ribbit... welcome back

sounds like its mad busy over there. I know a girl who badly want to get married so i'm sure i can 'arrange' for her to catch the bouquet! LOL ... u know I actually caught the bouquet once (not intentionally haha) and I was engaged the following year ..hrmm...

 

[dewberry]

ribbit - congrats... again! sounds like you need some serious post-wedding relaxation.... do give yourself some time to calm down, BREATHE, and revel in the High that you get from all the wedding milestones completed! isn't it a great feeling? hang in there, girl...! come back soon okay?

snippy - wah, you devil shopper you.... sounds like you got some good deals, and that price match - man, those shoes were made for you, honest. i love the silver dress as well, just saw something very similar in a shop window i passed by today! i think it was a versace dress too, hehehehe.... yours sounds like a lookalike steal for 170! hahaha, i know about the vera wang itch, i almost made off with the same mistake earlier this year, saw it in Marshalls for similar cheapo price.... hey, did you know that Marshalls stocks designer wedding gowns these days? (at least the nashville ones do, they've got Lhuiller and Vera Wang and Reem Acra and all the high end goodies) but the sizes are all impossible. hey, those labels are nice, what favors are you getting? you're a DIY queen, if it were me, i'd just be pressured to pay for the damn stuff and be done with it.

katgrrl - i'm counting down for you, girl! eeeee, so exciting... sending all my good wishes to you, can you feel the "oooosh"?

maddcow - aww, don't feel too bad... i know the stranded island feeling, couldn't decide on all those fashion options either and my support network were all over the world. but don't worry, trust in your innate great taste... don't consider too many options and be bewildered, i'm sure deep down you know the fluff from the real stuff. between you and snippy, y'all can set up a wedding style shop on your own, man! hehehehe....

ok lah, still jetlagged and travel-lagged so i'm off to zzzz-land.... just got back from my trip to CA. it was great fun, over the weekend we got in touch with nature and camped overnight beneath the redwoods... it was soooooo awesome. but then we had to get back into polluted civilization and go to work on Monday, what a bummer. blech.

 

[frogprincess]

Hallo Dewy! Yes, it is good to see you online again - your CA trip sounds awesome. Snippy and Maddcow - can I tempt either of you with a trip to Milan? Sounds like you girls would enjoy the shopping spree that Milan seems to induce..

Hahaha - I just realised that there is my wedding photo on the Singapore Brides homepage! It is used to advertise the "spend and afternoon with the experts" banner and the "bring your dream wedding to life" link. I guess that is my 30 seconds of fame...

Ummm does anyone know who owns the rights to use the images of our respective weddings? If I can find a way to profit from it, perhaps we can use it to fund the aforementioned Milan shopping spree (just kidding)

 

[madcow]

aww people, you are so sweet! (kisses and hugs), I can't spend too much time thinking about A dress - so I'm giving my subconscious a chance to exercise its muscle while I busy myself with work - I kind of called off the search party until my subconscious acts up (I sound schizo). It's such an esoteric world out there - who knows fibres' different from weaves and shantung is a derivative of the "shandong" Province?

such a long paragraph for a simple word, "Procrastinating"

ribbit - *waves madly* hello, welcome back. It's important to digest and think through your wedding (my singleton humble opinion, er who am I to give advice?) and make time for yourself. And btw, a Serravalle trip is part of the itinery - (snippy, they have La Perla outlet there!) but most of all, i think it will be fun to just spend girly time together and perhaps leave our FHs to 'bond' (hahaha). Oh, you'll be etched in history, the whole world sees you smooching your hubby. p.s. it's a gorgeous angle.

dewy - when are you going to CA again? Man, at the rate you are going, I don't think Nashville can hold you back any longer.

Snippy - I saw the mules at www.fredericks.com - sale and prices are crazy. When are you leaving for Sin?

Katgrrl - one more week to go! whoo-whee. i'm sizzling with excitement here for you.

Ashlee - where are you? Boarding the plane to Sg?

 

[snipsnap]

*pricks ears* did someone mention OUTLET??? and a shopping spree in Milan wahahhaha how can I sign up!!! lol .. ribbit depending on the contract and how you negotiate, many photographers have it written so they own the rights by default. regardless they should still request your permission before posting the pics right??

dewy *hugs* welcome back to the hot humid yucky east coast keke. haven't seen you on icq lately! come back lah I need someone to listen to me rant haha. Wow designer gowns at Marshalls??? *shove* u guys are lucky! ours suck even though TJMaxx is supposedly headquartered here. Maddcow you should totally check it out! I smell a bargain ...

maddcow..i'm leaving july 7 woohoo!

btw I tried printing the labels at kinkos yesterday. they turned out pretty good except that the font was kinda blurry. I always have that problem when I create stuff in photoshop

going to try again this time with word font. wish me luck. once it's set I can create labels for all you ladies too! hee ...ooh i also did a mock up of the ang pows I'm going to use. I bought these red baby envelopes from papersource, stamped the words 'merci' in gold on the packet and tied a red ribbon around it. I love it! Will take some pix tonight and share...whether you want to see it or not HAHA.

roll call ... no sya? ashlee? lilo? aquí

 

[dewberry]

snippy - *hugz back!* haha, yes i'm back and yes, it's icky hot over here in the Deep South. so gross. yeah, i've been working late and studying too, trying to catch up from those past weeks of indulgence.... had to get out of the house or those eerie beckoning sounds i hear from my DVD player would be too tempting.... sorry never managed to come onto ICQ... will try to come back one of these days lah, we need to catch up, i wanna hear your rants and commiserate with you! hehehe... but sounds like you've been productive, are you excited, going back in 2 weeks leh! sheesh, so fast? you'll be gone and my exam's coming up that same week, eeeeps!

maddcow - i know, right?! i went schizo myself on all the fashion options, not to mention textile choices. *shakes head sadly* was very traumatizing for someone like me who regards clothes as a nice-to-have and not a must-have.... kekekeke, i'm weird, i'll go crazy on all the "stuff" (accessories, decor, space design, etc), but oddly when it comes to clothes, i'm very blah.... no lah, not going back to CA for a while, not after those back-to-back trips - i need to concentrate on reality now.... although you're right, i've REALLY got bitten by the moving bug, i can't wait to go there permanently! all the more reason why i'm studying furiously and trying to finish up my project obligations here in nashville... sigh. i've got a certification exam coming right up (july 7), which has gotten me all flustered and panicked. man, the last time i studied so hard was for my A levels, sheesh!

 

[lilo_stitch]

helo ... everyone,
me just reach s'pore ....

here is as hot as uk. now is tired, sleepy n restless after e long flight

. when are u gals will be back?

 

[madcow]

Heylo...

Snippy - aren't you excited? leaving so soon and before you know it, you'll be walking down the aisle! Did you receive the latest MS mag? So great, isn't it? I was reading it while chomping on a Whopper and fries - ultimate delight. Oh, I forgot to mention your great choice on your silver ABS dress. What are you busy with now? I don't think you can concentrate on work at all!

Dewy - darn those childhood years when I didn't spend time dreaming up my cinderella gown - now I desperately need a Fairy Godmother. I'm deciding between an off-the-rack dress and one to be made by a very sweet dressmaker here, not to mention getting last minute tutorials on fabrics and construction of a gown. Between Alencon and Chantilly, duchess satin and shantung, choices-choices-choices. I even discovered a fabric made of hemp and silk and the tree-hugging part of me wants an eco-friendly gown (i.e. hemp-silk, both are renewable resources) but FH told me that the US/Singapore customs will probably send the dogs and rip up my gown or even worse, burn it (and smoke it?). Enuf about me, re the exam, don't worry you'd pass when the time comes, just remember to breathe, focus and do your best. I'll send you an email and we can both commiserate, but hopefully doesn't distract you from work. The last I worked hard was O levels! How the hell did we take 9 exams? *shudders*

Lilo - it's no different here - hot and humid but the nice thing is we get breaks, 20's and low humidity. I can't fathom how I used to down a bowl of fish head noodle soup on a hot afternoon at a hawker center.

Katgrrl - yoohoo? how are things going?

 

[snipsnap]

Yup the countdown is starting ... funnily, dewy's exam countdown ends the same day as mine (7/7!)

dewy - good luck for the coming exam!! no more procrastination ok! you know studying at coffeeshops and bookstores never works for me since I'll be too busy planning on what to eat next lol. oh and not to mention being distracted by the people around me. yes..I've a very short attention span kekek . gosh some days i really wonder if I have Adult-ADD.

btw I finally got my wedding ring .. a tad last minute as usual. the lady at the store was telling me it would take at least 4 weeks to get one for me. I'd have left for SG by then..boohoo. Fortunately, she checked with the place and they are able to get it to me before I go back! yay! my ring is a simple micropave eternity band. the diamonds are really really teeny..and makes the ring all sparkley. I likey!

Maddcow - Wow the options!! Hey what's the difference between alencon and chantilly? I would check out the bridal discount stores too before making a decision. There are a couple in MA and they have brand name stuff for less. I would have gone there if they had smaller sizes. I'm too short and small

... you might have better luck! Guess it also depends on how much the dressmaker is charging.

Lilo ... yay! I'm next in line headed for SG. Actually ashlee might be on her way there as we speak?

 

[madcow]

Snippy
good for you on the ring - sounds like a pretty one too! so you didn't use the new jersey guy? I think your CS is made of chantilly lace - alencon lace is what you usually see on Lhuillier, Lazaro, Christos and Judd Waddell designs. The flowers on Alencon are bigger and are re-embroidered (cords are thicker). I'm going with the dressmaker (and kissing the bargain Wang dress I had in mind goodbye). Argh, I'm considered borderline petite by US standards so it's sometimes hard to shop. I usually visit Ann Taylor or Banana Republic (2 omnipresent stores in DC anyway). There's not much to offer here in madcity (except for ice-cream and cutie cows) - but loads of vintage shops, I'm tempted to join the hippie circus here.

Don't forget crest whitestrips - and your shoes! Have you gotten Spanx or NuBra? Don't forget those too. I once went to a wedding in Michigan and FH and I forgot our attire but remembered our shoes!

 

[snipsnap]

hi ladies! sentiment of the day is i want to elope haha! the wedding stress is finally getting to me *tears hair out* urhgk ... our vendors are so incompetent!! maddcow ... I didn't end up using the NJ guy since we were too busy having fun in NY that weekend and put it off. He was kind of a distance out from where we were too. If you were thinking of having him make your ring, one of my friend's did use him and she only had good things to say.

Wow I learn something new everyday

yup I've seen those dresses with alencon lace ... they're really lovely especially since the detail shows up nicely in pics! I find that in real life though they have to be used more sparingly since it can get overwhelming. so do tell us what you have in mind for your gown!!! that's so exciting

I'm definitely considered petite. have to shop at BR and Ann Taylor petites. Darned vanity sizing!! Remember several years ago I could fit into a 2R but these days that's not even possible. Or perhaps I lost weight! HAHAHAHA just kidding. Actually I console myself by saying if I were the average size 6 I'd be really poor since I'd have to buy all these gorgeous clothes that actually fit

omg what did you do without an outfit for the wedding??? I just started my whitestrips treatment hehe ... i tried on my nubra the other day .. it keeps falling off! Maybe I need to wash it thougH I haven't even worn it urhgk. still have to get the spanx. my cc bill is through the roof!! sorry for the rambling this morning ...btw where's our other partners in crime???

 

[madcow]

Yeah, it was so crazy -the wedding in Michigan. The wedding was at 10 am, we reached the destination at 1 am, found out from the concierge that the nearest Walmart was about 1.5 miles away, woke up at 7.30 am, was one of the first customers at the store and bought something decent. I wore dress pants with a sparkly camisole, FH wore pants with a shirt and tie. Luckily it was a luncheon, so nothing too dressy. By 2.30 pm, we returned everything we bought. whew!

calm down - things are going to be just as they will be: you'll be there for each other through come what may! breathe and take walks with FH or do something just for the two of u, nothing wedding related. Think about what makes you nervous, write it down and think how you can eliminate it. Some of our worries are just that - we do our best and nature picks a random draw. What I learn is that it takes courage to face our worries and a marriage is really about being courageous. Wedding planning is allowing ourselves to not just "do" but also just "be". Be nervous, be meticulous about our details, be a bride-to-be. It's a huge party, we make huge expenses, it's natural to feel excited, overwhelmed, worried and even experience buyer's remorse. Re vendors, keep pestering them till they give you what you want - stay emotionally detached though and always try to speak to the upper management if the service people are incompetent. Threaten to write to the press, post on Singapore Brides, and CASE. You are a smartie, exercise your consumer rights. p.s. Our elopement plan was foiled by the priest who strongly advised agst it

i think the rest of the gang have more important and productive things to do than obsessing

 

[madcow]

okay, got to stop my monkey posting business here.

Backless 101:

Snippy here's a tip I learnt from Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig (fr Swell) on maintaining "buoyancy" with tape technology: one or two strips of masking or electrical tape that go from one armpit to the other, pressed beneath the boobs in the same line as underwire would go, thus pushing them together. De-sticktify tape first on fabric before applying to skin so as not to remove boob when removing tape.

Above for emergency use if NuBra fails to perform - maddcow disclaims all liability should the fire department be called in to disengage the said tape.

 

[snipsnap]

Hiya ladies!!!! Where's everyone? I believe one of us is getting married this weekend ... ashlee. Let's send her our best wishes for marital bliss ... shall we? (oh dear I am sounding like yoda)

maddcow ..your outfit sounds pretty cute for something thrown together at the last minute ..and from Walmart no less! Chic for less. OMG I might need that electrical tape to attach my nubra (it isn't sticking for some reason!!!) though i wince when I think of removing the tape haha.

oh btw I ordered the cutest guestbook yesterday. check it out. it has little activity pages where guests can 'predict' things like the number of kids you'll have and their names. very cute!! I was tempted to make it myself but its kinda last minute and I don't have the time. so am shelling out the money *sobs* http://www.guestbookstore.com

anyway I am leaving for SG next week. am busy wrapping stuff up here. katgrrl, ashlee, sya, lilo.....rendevous ladies? have my foodtasting and photoshoot within the first couple days I'm back. I'm so excited!

dewy ..haven't heard from you in a while. hitting the books I hope

 

[katgrrl]

Hi-eee everyone!

The deed is done & the rings are non-refundable -I've joined the ranks of Suzxie & Dewy!

Everything went beautifully on Sat. As expected, things were nuts starting from 5 days before - ROM visit, selection of photos, church rehearsal, arrival of the groom's party .....& trying in vain to keep up my gym schedule...

And now, I think I managed to unwind quite successfully at Samui from the wedding stresses, much to the relief of my hubby, I'm sure

There was some drama that very nearly drove me up the wall though. My hotel coordinator told me 1.5 weeks before the event that he was leaving..*gasp*! And then, there was the MUA debacle. Due to my schedule change, she was already booked at the time I wanted her to come. To cut the story short, I finally settled on a MUA after going through 2 more changes. But this lady's really good as she'd done several fashion shows before and her charges were the most reasonable one, to boot. Maddcow, if you still haven't found a MUA, u really ought to give her a try. I only wish I had her doing my photoshoot as well. Anyway...

Ashlee, u must be up to your neck in SG right now. Remember to have fun! And Snippy & Sya, take care too..and if u need any help in SG, holler and I'll be there to help in any way

 

[madcow]

KatGrrl
woohoo! for you. welcome back to the forum. I can't help but think how time flies and where did all the time go? gee, that "MUA debacle" sounds stressful. I've booked with Sandy, an overzealous part of me wanted to strike off a to-do list back in March/April. uh-oh, I hope my make-up session will turn out fine.

Snippy - oh, did you enjoy all the fireworks? So cool, isn't it. I was watching it with my dog but she was busy guarding us and running around crazy to pay attention (such a whiny dog). Yay, you'll be leaving soon for your wedding, I'm sure it'll be lovely. Are you wearing strappy sandals? I always depend on pantyhose/thigh-highs to help prevent blisters for my pumps. I think you may need the toeless ones if you are wearing sandals (but I've not tried them). Cute guestbook, if I were in Singapore, I'd crash your party to sign it

Ashlee - Hope you had a fun wedding! You have all my best wishes - *smooches*

I'm so tired of work right now and am just hanging in there (by a thread).... okay, got to limit my post

 

[frogprincess]

Hello Katgrrl congratulations! Look forward to seeing the photos - or maybe after your summer bbq.. BTW did you feel strange when you started saying "Hubby"? I still refer to "my boyfriend, err husband" I am currently writing all the thank-you cards (or at least trying to). It is the last wedding hurdle to clear!!!

Maddcow -- you can keep hanging in there by THIS thread (muhahaha me so corny)

 

[katgrrl]

Maddcow, have u made any deposit for Sandy? *evil grin* My MUA for the photoshoot was Sandy and honestly, I felt that the new MUA was better with hair & MU. Prior to the day, she actually asked if I'd a picture of the look I wanted. And on the day itself, she brought a huge folder of magazine cut-outs to discuss.. she's really the first MUA I talked to who didn't believe that there's only 1 single bridal look for every girl

Okie..I'll shuddup gushing about her now. Lemme know if u want more details..

Ribbit, thanks

Know what u mean about the thank you cards. At that stage quite soon after I finish sorting out the photos and reprinting them for everyone! sigh...

heeheh..yah, it still feels a little strange addressing him as "hubby".

 

[madcow]

Ribbit
oh yeah, this thread is my only lifeline and my only escapade with work swarming around me. But soon, everyone will be married and this thread will turn obsolete with time ... so will I, I'd be a crusty ol' steak/beef jerky --- sigh, i feel so jaded

Katgrrl
It's okay to gush abt your new found MUA. Who is she? I can still reccommend her to my bridesmaids and others looking for a MUA may benefit too

. I'm history, I placed a deposit and don't think I'd change, I'd just concentrate on upkeeping my natural beauty and hope that it will prevail any war paint mishaps

Just share with me what to look out for re Sandy? Did you get stood up?

 

[snipsnap]

katgrrl ... congrats!!!!! glad everything went well

you'll have to share your pix when you get them! my ps is next week on tuesday, but my gown isn't even done yet *grumbles* ..but I'll survive. can't wait to share the pix (if they're good haha) ..oh yeah do let us know about the MUA. it'll be good backup for me should mine turn out unsatisfactory hehe. and she does sound really amazing!

maddcow ... you think your puppy is whiny? You haven't met mine yet lol. We took her to watch the fireworks too yesterday and she totally freaked out (not unexpected since she hates loud noises). She was cowering behind me the whole time. what a silly! If we didn't have her on a leash she'd have found a hole and to hide in all night bleh. Oh and at one point she went to hide behind the legs of a nother guy who was lying down behind us. how embarrassing!

anyway we'll be dropping her off for 'summer camp' at her breeder's tomorrow. I'm so going to miss her. *sniff*

ribbit ... haha yes I can't get used to saying fiance either. and husband ..well just makes me feel so old! *sigh*

ok and to those of you who'll be in SG ..we have to meet up!!!

 

[katgrrl]

The 1st picture of my wedding is up! alright, granted that it's just the cake, hopefully that will whet your appetite for more

http://www.CS.com/cakes/050625cs01.html (replace CS with cheryl shuen -1 word)

My MUA on the AD was Ziv. I don't think I ought to post her number here so I'll email you guys instead. No, I didn't get stood up by Sandy. She confirmed on the 'exact' time a couple of weeks before the day, but I changed my plans so the entire schedule had to be pushed back by 1.5hrs. Unfortunately (or fortunately as it turned out), she was already booked for the later timeslot... In retrospect, it wasn't Sandy's fault as I'd changed the schedule.

Maddcow, don't worry... Sandy's not too bad too

As with all MUAs, just make sure that you Communicate & discuss what you'd like before she begins. Fake lashes or without, colour of eyeshadow, lipstick etc.. Speaking of lashes, I faced pretty strong resistance from Sandy when I insisted on using only half the lash for my photoshoot, which btw, is an acceptable practice that I corroborated from a few sources. (Turned out great in the photos as they were hardly visible)

Tip: Buy your own fake lashes if you don't wish to pay an extra 10 bucks to your MUA. Aries has a great selection going for $2-3. Hope this helps

 

[madcow]

Hey KatGrrl
Thanks for sharing your cake pix. I'm not a cake (except when it's cheesecake) person but the filling sounds yummy! Thanks for the assurances re Sandy - it's no biggie, I'll just check out your before and after pictures when you have time to share (hee!) To tell you the truth, I've never seen any good make-up on weddings (my pretty friends look like ghosts either because they went on a crazy diet months before or they break out before the wedding and then the tropical heat always muck things up). So, my expectations are way low but hey the pictures always look great.

My sweetie is driving 1000 miles to see me, and I have Japanese cheesecake in the oven, I managed to solve the mystery of my last failure - argh, the Japanese lady who provided the recipe stated the oven temperature in Celsius and I mistaken it to be Fahrenheit!

Snippy - Bon Voyage!

 

[katgrrl]

Wow! 1000 miles...cool! Have a great time with your sweetie, Maddcow! I'm so excited for u!

And do share with me your japanese cheesecake recipe when u've the time. As u've probably found out by now, any oven temp in the range of 300-450 is usually Fahrenheit while those in Celsius will usually be 180-220 (Grilling is about 250c, the hottest temp any recipe will ask for!)

Ribbit, I almost had a chance to see u in Turin

Hubby (there, I nearly wrote 'FH' again) will be in Milan for 3 whole weeks and if I am Finland, I'd have tagged along. That will be way cool.. sigh. So, the next best thing is to......give him a shopping list!

Do u know of any specific mall/shop where he can get me a nice handbag?

Snippy, bon voyage! when are u leaving? Do drop me a mail and we'll meet up for some makan ok? Where are Sya & Ashlee?

 

[lilo_stitch]

sya ... how are u? heard there's bomb london

 

[frogprincess]

Yes, Lilo - there was a series of explosions in London along the tube during rush hour. One of my friends was inside the tube, and was slightly injured but heavily traumatised. London is currently in a state of shock and grief. what a world we live in.

sorry if I sound so sombre on this essentially happy thread. just hoping that the rest of you guys are okay?