Anyone planning their weddings from overseas?

[cello]

Well, it is about bloody time I drag my feet back in here. Let's just say I have been sweeping things under the carpet and trying as much as possible not to panic about the wedding plans. BUT!
yes, clock is ticking and I must say that I am starting off the plans, but at a frightening slower pace. :-D

So much catching up to do! Looks like you girls have been busy. Suzxie, you must be excited (possibly nervous) with the wedding coming up so close. Hope everything is moving on nicely for you with less stressfull things to think about.

Update: well, we've decided to have our wedding reception in SRC. My uncle owns a restaurant right next door to their ballroom so parents figured that it makes a perfect choice. Which also means that the bulk of reception food will be done by
(partly) family and supervised by a close family friend. That is good news to me as I was afraid of the reception taking the bulk of the budget costs. Looks like I can afford to splurge on something else! Woohoo!!

Photography wise..... might be looking into just hiring someone to do one of those super posed outdoor shoots and have my unlce who has done photography for absolute years (mostly as a hobby) to do the actual day photography. I suppose that is another money saving thing but will have one of those chats where I'd go "I want these kind of shots, with this kind of theme, etc". Hopefully, he won't go mental on me and backs out on the eleventh hour. I think I might 'beg' one of my long term girlfriends to be the 'second' photographer (yes, becuase I am kiasu like that, the undying trait of a singaporean rocks on!). She is uber cool as she is a freelance photographer with big ideas. Plus, I love her and perhaps the pictures she takes for me might open doors for her. who knows!

I think it is very cool and tremendously sexy when our partners agree to wear our traditional suits/costumes. I did Ben's measurements this morning and gave it to my mom so that she can start having two or three baju kurongs for Ben. The next big concern is for my traditional outfits. That is going to be a toughie coz I have yet to come up with a design I like nor the colour or the material. I love the idea of lace but being the fussy pot that I am, I'd like to feeeeel the lace I am going to be wearing. Times like this, I wish I am back home on Arab street.

KatGrrl: I know Monsoon does tiaras and most times you can get lovely ones for about £25-30? Or try Ebay! I have seen some gorgeous tiaras on Ebay. There is a sweeties shop in my area called ....... * my mind is blank all of a sudden. Bollocks!* They have a website...I think Sweet Temptations based in Poole. Try googling it. They have a huge range of candy, sweets, fudge, chocolates...and everytime I go in there I feel like I am 9 years old all over again, wanting every candy and drooling at ice creams. :-D

Before I go, does anyone have any idea on what lingerie you are wearing under your wedding gowns? I have the tiniest boobies and in need of a good supporting bra that covers me up nicely as well as providing the extra OOmph! Hahhaha Plus, it needs to stay on and not drop on me. Any recommendations? And shoes, shoes shoes. speaking of shoes, what colour will be the best to buy so that I can wear it with virtually every wedding outfit I may own. Are you girls opting for shoes with straps, court or mules?

I am on a mission to create/design our invitation cards. Time is not on our side as we need to give out our wedding invites by earliest end of feb/early march for our international guests and so far, we have yet to sit down and decide on what we want. There is just so many designs out there (especially online) and I am going half crazy!

There is another issue..... what are you girls doing to motivate yourself into keeping fit and any insight on what beauty regime exists out there will be much appreciated. I know for a fact that I will end up with a break out when I get back home and am desperately trying to do things to prevent it but it is ever so Difficult!

Right, enough rambling! Nice to be in here again... hope you ladies are well and had a great time welcoming in the New Year.

Speak soon!
x

oh Ps: Name / Based in / WeddingDay / Venue / B.Shop (in chonological order)
PIYO, US, 12/12/04, M Hotel, Camellia Haute Couture
Suzxie, UK, Feb 05, Raffles Hotel/SVDP Church, nil
KatGrrl, Helsinki, Jun 05, RH, nil
Ashlee, UK Billericay, July 05, Raffles Hotel, The Wedding Present
MTan,UK, Sep/Oct'05,Deciding on Hotel/STC Church, nil
Missy, US, Nov 05, Hotel New Otani, Universal Bridal studio
Sya, UK Poole, July 05, Singapore Recreational Club, TBC

PS2: Big Hellooo to the ones who has joined in! I say the more the merrier. will be seeing more of you girls.

right, I'll shut up now!

 

[kkyko]

Hi Sya,

Shoes: I would say silver shoes with no toes showing would go with every outfit, at least for me!!! I found heaps of nice and cheap shiny shoes selling at OG in Sg. I especially fancy the dancing shoes 'coz they are cheap and comfy compared to other normal shoes. Only S$28 per pair. I do ball dancing so at least I can still wear them for dancing after the wedding.

Invitation: I copied the design from one of those DIY card shop here. They even taught me how to do it!!! So I just get the paper/envelopes/ribbon from the market and do it myself. It's cheaper that way and you don't have to write it 'coz you'll just need to do a mail merge thingy on microsoft word.

Underwear: get a nice girdle, that would do the trick... =P

Gals: I'm thinking of doing my actual day wedding album in SG 'coz it will cost me AUD$1k for doing it here. =( Any contacts/ideas?

Thanks!!!

 

[moggie]

Wow. I'm out for half a day and this place is bustling with activities!
Karen, you are here in Sydney too? Incredible. Someone in exactly the same shoes as me. Where do you stay? One week is really quite short, but I guess I lightened my load by getting my gowns here. I picked out my WG last week in Paddington!!!

I made appointments with 3 photographers yesterday. Next on the list, hair stylist and make-up people. How many trials do you girls usually go for? Or just the one and stick to him/her? I'm thinking of trying at least 2 while I'm in Spore.
Well...shoes...I read in another thread about this place called Leaping Lizards at IP. They custom-make shoes apparently. Will give them a try..

Karen: check out berryhappy.com. The photographer's all her rates up and I think it's quite reasonable.

Sya: what type of gown are you wearing? Have you tried one of those bustier type bras - the type that covers up to the waist? I heard it gives a pretty good shape and support too.

Cheers!

 

[ashlee]

Katgrrl
I haven't ordered the Cheongsum yet as the one that I really really want is out of stock. Sigh, just emailed them to ask if new stock is coming in. Thanks for the info abt IP, ya, think I'll definitely order online if they got the piece that I like. (It is the "White Silk Embroidered Peony Dress JL-801026", want it in white/yellow)

Ya, my fiance insists he cannot see my gown before the wedding. Lucky BS lent me gowns for the PS. When I went for the first fitting for my actual WG, he was hiding in one corner so he can't see it! haha, the designer took photo for me on my PDA and everytime I turn on my PDA, my fiance will panic and look away in case he sees my gown. haha... so superstitious!

Hehe, so your seamstress is in Finland?

Not sure abt dragees in the UK... this website looks awesome though
http://www.favoronline.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=69

Sya
Can try the strapless stick-on silicone bra. The best one in the market is apparently called Nubra, costs around S$150. But there are loads of cheaper imitations in the market selling for $40 - $70. I bot a make called Flaunt from CK Tang just b4 my PS as I forgot to get it from my BS. But the sides kept coming off, though it doesn't really matter as it is well hidden behind my bustier gown anyway.

As for the breakout, dunno the prevention but the cure is obviously tea tree oil! hehe, I really swear by it!

Karen
Do you mean studio and outdoor shoot or just making up an album with existing photographs you have?
If it is studio and outdoor shoot, it is not much cheaper in Singapore, if at all. If that is what you are looking for, can try Chris Ling Photographers. Fell in love instantly with their work when I saw their website. www.chrisling.com. hehe... we had our photos taken by them, quite happy with the outcome.

Moggie
Well done with your appointment scheduling!

My MUA was arranged by my BS and I was totally thrilled by the trial makeup and stuck to him so I dunno what you can do if you are not happy with it.
My MUA is called Kenneth Lee. Absolutely funny and sweet.

(He told me he does a lot of magazine covers and celebrity makeup, incl Michelle Chia's makeup in the Lux advert).
But not quite sure how much he charges... if you are interested to speak to him, I can pass you his no. (err... think he doesn't mind... hehe)

 

[kkyko]

Hi Moggie,
I stay on North Shore. You? =) WG from Paddington? How much is it? What's the design like? Who's the designer? Thinking of checking out the bridal shops here as well. Saw a really nice one in Neutral Bay. Let me slim down a bit first (which I scared that will NEVER happen) before setting my foot in bridal shops!!! Not sure about the makeup artist in SG. My ex-colleagues in SG gave me some MUA names. I'm not sure about their work. If you are interested, I'll retrieve them from my work email tomorrow. Let me know. I found someone really good doing makeups in Sydney if you are interested!!! He's a Malaysian Chinese. He works for MAC, usually base at Bondi Junction Myer. I believe having a Chinese MUA is better as they are more familiar with Asian features. Let me know if you are interested.
And have you found a photographer for your ceremony in Sydney?

Hi Gals,
Thanks for the tips re photography. I'm actually was referring the making the actual album. I am going to engage a photographer here to do my AD shooting in Sydney. But just a PLAIN PLAIN album will cost me AUD$1000, mind you, that was ONLY a basic one with 20 pages. That's why I'm thinking of bringing it back to SG and get those art shop to put them together for me. Any lobang for doing that?

I'm having another problem. My FH doesn't want to dance at all at the wedding, meaning I might not be having my bridal waltz!!! Not very happy!! My mum even advise me not to have a dance floor at the reception as it's not very nice to have the groom sitting down doing nothing while the bride is dancing with all the men there!!! *sigh*

 

[ashlee]

Karen
I do not have any contacts for the wedding album but I know someone on the forum who does, she posted a note abt it somewhere in the forum before. You can try PM-ing her and ask her for advice. She got a lot of lobang of all sorts, really gotta hand it to her! Her name is Goobergrape Lover. Very nice gal...

 

[katgrrl]

Hi gals!

Sya, thanks for the tip on Monsoon & eBay tiaras..will look for them online

As for Sweet Temptations, dun I know what u mean about temptations?? Somehow when I'm 'supposed' to be watching my diet, visions about choc bars float across my mind's eye. Arrrgh!

Lingerie: I bought a strapless bra from Women's Secret (S$60). It comes with optional straps but best of all, it's got some silicon edging that 'sticks' better onto the skin. I was seriously considering silicon bras like those mentioned by Ashlee but I got mixed reviews from the forumers over whether it will come undone halfway through the day. So I eventually went for the traditional strapless bra since my gown isn't barebacked, just strapless that's all. Alternatively, a bustier/corset type may hold & tuck in quite nicely. As for lift, get those padded ones a la Maximizer? Oh yes, before I forget, u ought to get your lingerie at least before you go for your fittings. This is to ensure that the gown will sit snugly on you on the AD

Shoes: I second Karen - silver. Was about to say the classic black but guess it won't go too well with a white dress. Actually, if u want something funkier, how about pink? A white dress with dainty cutesy pointy pink heels

Next question is, how will pink go with your baju kurungs.... Btw, my ex-British boss wore a high pair of boots with her gown so I guess it all depends on your attitude

Fitness & Beauty regime: Aerobics/swim & weight training 2-3times a week..that is the ideal anyway, if I'm disciplined enough to drag myself to do them! I need to lose 2-3kg preferably

Beauty regime -bare minimum, off-the-shelf facial cleanser and Lancome moisturizers

Cards: Here are some DIY ideas www.individualpapers.com/ We'd be making our own cards as well with vellum, handmade paper and pink organza ribbon. Gotta start cracking next month...


Karen, sorry, no contacts for the album but if u just wanna buy an album, u can try:
a) Linn Kong Photography http://www.linnphotography.com/handcrafted_albums.htm
$80-150 for about a 20-page album (i.e. 40 pages if u use both sides), 3-4 days to make an album, and u can bring your own fabric for the cover altho they have a wide selection of designs & indian silks. (Hmm, maybe I could even bring the silk & lace from my Cheongsam to make the album in!)

b) Wedding Gift Shop @Delphi $160

Hmm, unfortunately, your mum may be right about the dance floor if your FH's uninterested in dancing. I suppose u've tried all means of persuasion & coercion.. How about ensuring him that there'll be lots of practice prior to that and a mth of body massage if he'd dance with you? heheh...

Moggie, nice work going with the appointments!

Fyi, I shortlisted 2 MUA and had 2 trials ..the first one made me look like a '7th month artiste'. ewwwww! but I'm rather pleased with the 2nd one and it's the cheapest at $450 too!

Ashlee, cool! that's 1 of those CS that I really liked too

And thanks so much for the favours link. Wonderful. I think I just may place an order with them.. if the dragees suck, I'll just have a few kg of chocs to last me till Christmas.

 

[ashlee]

I couldn't believe what I found at BHS (British Home Stores)... I found two designs that are PERFECT for WGs!!! And not expensive as well £40. Hehe... Very nice with loads of beading. Haven't bot them yet but I know where to go if I can't find better ones than those!

Was thinking of boots with WG, when I was at a sale in a shoe shop last night... saw some nice white boots with pink embroidery, only £40 as well. But thought the heels not dainty enough... so maybe if I find pretty boots I might wear that for wedding too! hehe...

Katgrrl
I just thought that website does an extensive range. But I never had it before, so dun quote me for it! hehe... I am sure u can order a sample before you bulk order can't you? hehe... but if u need help finishing the choc in the end, tell me, I'll "sacrifice" myself and help you with it! haha...

 

[snipsnap]

Hi ladies- I have the Nubra but am nervous about wearing it out the house. Feels like it might fall out at any moment and the center portion doesn't stick very well for me

though I've heard that it works well for some people who can even go clubbing with it hah. sya..me small chested too but I'm thinking of getting a regular strapless bra and using the nubra inserts to give the extra lift.

oooh wedding shoes, my obsession. I'm going to go for a pair of gold sandals or open toed pumps since my evening gown is gold. versatile..can even wear it after the wedding. one of my friends is wearing the cutest pair of baby blue raw silk open toed pumps as her something blue. its so adorable! if i'm not wrong designer cynthia rowley also wore a pair of pink heels with her wedding gown. ah the random facts i can come up with

hrmm boots are trendy but I couldn't imagine wearing them in the singapore heat.

sya ..I haven't even mailed out my save the date cards to overseas guests yet hehe so u aren't terribly behind. but I finally got started working on our wedding website! alright will pop in again later..got to get back to work now

Name / Based in / WeddingDay / Venue / B.Shop (in chonological order)
PIYO, US, 12/12/04, M Hotel, Camellia Haute Couture
Suzxie, UK, Feb 05, Raffles Hotel/SVDP Church, nil
KatGrrl, Helsinki, Jun 05, RH, nil
Ashlee, UK Billericay, July 05, Raffles Hotel, The Wedding Present
MTan,UK, Sep/Oct'05,Deciding on Hotel/STC Church, nil
Missy, US, Nov 05, Hotel New Otani, Universal Bridal studio
Sya, UK Poole, July 05, Singapore Recreational Club, TBC
Snipsnap, US, July 05, Ritz, Dang

 

[moggie]

Hi girls
Karen: I'm in the Eastern Suburbs - at Rose Bay. The bridal shop i went to is Karen Willis Holmes in Paddington. The dress cost $2,600 inclusive of all fittings and alterations. I wanted to lose some weight before I walked into one of these shops as well...but this dress at KWH made me feel as slim as I could ever be. The bodice is so well made and sturdy, it held my tummy in even though I just had a rather big lunch...that's why i went with it!
I tried a few other shops in the city. The Dymocks building has a few bridal shops though i didn't like any except Seventh Heaven on the 3rd floor, I think. Be careful about the pricing in the bridal shops here. Some of them offer nice gowns for just $1,000 but doesn't include future alterations, and some hidden cost. Very deceptive.

I'm keeping my ceremony in Sydney simple. Not sure if i want a MUA but can you give me his contact? Myer Bondi is just 10 minutes away from me. I think i'll go have a chat with him.

Oh, and if anyone has any contacts for MUA and don't mind passing them out, please do. I'm desperate. I've only got one through recommendation..and the rest through the Net. I'd rather trust you ladies on this one. Everyone of you seem to have done so much research! I only have one week in Spore...don't want to have too many "7th month artiste" trials, as ashlee said!

Thanks girls!

Cheers!

 

[kkyko]

Hi Moggie,

Yeap... will check it out the bridal shop at Paddington. Yeah... I was thinking of going to Abbey at Dymocks for the wedding gowns. Heaps of people getting their gown there. I didn't know about the hidden cost!!! I heard that alteration is NOT cheap and I know I definitely need alteration if it's OTR!!
The Sydney MUA is called Jayson. His number is 0403924291. Give him a call before you go down there. He only works part time at the store. BTW, he does hair as well.

Can't find my SG MUA contacts... will have to ask my friend again... will get back to u soon...

 

[moggie]

Thanks Karen.
Oh, I went to Abbey. They have heaps of gowns..and yup, many people I know got their gowns from there too. If you can, try going there on a week day. It's a mad house on weekends!

Cheers!

 

[kkyko]

Hi Moggie,

I'm working at Chatswood... can't really make it there on a weekday... X)

 

[ashlee]

snippysnap
I couldn't and wouldn't go out wearing my stick-on bra as well!!!
OK, that was for my PS, so I put on the stick-on bra at home and felt really insecure as they were so heavy and obviously will fall off as the sides kept peeling off. So I put on a normal bra over it and set off to the studio for my makeup and PS. And obviously, when I put on the gowns, I took off my normal bra.
So I also not sure if it hold properly when I wear it with my actual EG that is low cut in front. They held on well for my PS as my gowns were tight bustier ones. Oh dear...
Is yours the authentic nubra? Mine is the cheaper version called Flaunt from Tangs. Should have bot the more ex one, just that I forgot to get it from my BS b4 the PS.

 

[cello]

Nubra sounds very exciting but the feeback completely opposite! It makes me worry if it will definately slip out at the later stages. I like the idea of inserting the fillets into our bras...might to go lingerie shopping with the fillets, then try on with my dress. I've tried the stick on bras but feel that they do not do enough boosting! hahha ...kinda looks weird too.


right have to rush off for a meeting, will check back in later.

 

[snipsnap]

hi ashlee..don't think it's the brand! i got the actual nubra since it was on sale (thankfully) and it still doesn't stick bleh. wow you did your PS already ... that's awesome! How did it go? Who was your photographer? Are you satisfied with your pix? Did you have to top up? Sorry for billion questions haha. ooh and remember to share the pics! I won't be doing mine till mid July before my wedding.

Oooh here are some more cool links to get inspiration for wedding invites:

http://www.julieholcombprinters.com/

http://www.invitationswithstyle.com/index.asp?site=73&sid=104657338190D45F08B8A36AF

I really love those cards but I'm probably going to go with the free ones from the hotel to save some $$. To console myself ...figured most people will throw the cards away anyway

..actually I'm guilty of that too. hey was checking out the peony CS. It's really cute! Though if the price is in US dollars it seems kinda pricy. You can rent a kua for about SG$300 ..but i guess you can't keep it or wear it again!

 

[ashlee]

snipsnap
Wah, lucky u tell me the authentic nubra doesn't work wonders either, I was just thinking of buying that to replace the 2nd grade one I've got! Cheers.

Hehe... I very efficient hor? Did my PS six mths b4 wedding. More kiasu than anything. haha. Got the pix liao, very very happy with it actually. My MUA & photographer really made me look so much prettier than I know I can be (so u can imagine how ugly I am! haha).
Photographer: Kelvin fr Chris Ling Photographers.
Fell in love with his work when I was researching for photographers, very romantic pix. He is a very very nice guy and funny as well, kept making jokes so we'd smile naturally for the camera.

Ya, cos my package was with BS, only the very basic album, so we had to top up. But we chose the lowest top-up (cos we din plan a budget for it), approx £1400, that's all we could afford! haha...

Will be collecting the album and the CDrom in June, just in time for our wedding in july!
What abt u? Got photographer liao?

US$180 for hand embroidery CS not ex right? Can wear as many times as I want till I grow fatter and can't wear it anymore! haha...

 

[snipsnap]

Hi Sya, Ashlee back again. Sya funny how you call it fillets, makes me think of fish filets haha. Yeah, I think it depends on how well it moulds to your body shape. Guess it didn't work out too well for us eh? So ladies any recs for lingerie to wear beneath the WG? There is always victoria's secret (they're having a sale btw) but was wondering if there were any other good 'maximizing' brands out there.

Ash I'm sure you are gorgeous lah

Whoa £1400! Ouch, we haven't budgeted for that either. Though I've heard horror stories of people topping up to 10k!?! Can you tell me what it includes? How about if you don't top up at all? Honestly I'm not even sure what my package includes (we are getting andrew choi). urhgk. *sobs* the thing is we got our AD photographer and he is charging 2k+1k for the album. I guess we'll have to decide between the PS album or the AD album hah. Anyway where did u guys end up going to take your pics? I am so bummed that we can't bring our dog back to be in the pix with us

 

[katgrrl]

Hi gals,

Snippy, it'd so sweet to have your dog to be part of the wedding! We're also having the PS 2 weeks before the wedding. Oh, and thanks for the links on invites... I especially like Julie Holcomb's style -so timelessly classic!

Ashlee, thanks for offering to help offload the chocs

Who knows, maybe I'll pop by UK 1 of these days!

Moggie, my MUA is Sandy Ho. Check out www.xxxyyy.com.sg Replace xxx with 'making' and yyy with 'faces' (I couldn't post the url due to advertising concerns it seems)


On the sticky issue of silicon bras, personally I feel that if your gown is not low back, a normal strapless bra will give better peace of mind. If u've to buy one, I'd recommend one that has a thin strip of silicon edging the interior...this holds onto you better than without, I feel. Have a good weekend everyone!

 

[katgrrl]

For those getting married in june & july, have u gals bought your air tickets? Hmm, I haven't decided the period to be staying in SG after the wedding...heck, we haven't even decided when & where to have the honeymoon.


If it isn't too personal, but would u girls be staying for good in the places you are in right now or planning to move back to SG? esp for those of us who have foreign spouses... I guess career opportunities & kids will come into the question then.

 

[kkyko]

KatGrrl,

Yeah... where to stay is always hard to decide. I suppose I do want to have my kids grow up in Sydney having a bit more space and less stressful school life!! But the reality is that my FH seems to be having quite a good career over in SG. So not sure... and the future in-laws are "hinting" that we should stay in SG for another couple of years so they can come to visit more often. *sigh* Now we are hoping for a potential assignment for my FH overseas. Then maybe we can delay our decision to be made a little bit later... =P

 

[ashlee]

snipsnap
Wah! How come your actual day photographer so ex one?!?! Mine only $800 cos it is a promotion tied in with the PS.

We went to Sentosa as we wanted greenaries and sea... and also took a few at Singapore River. Would have gone Esplanade but was getting late and all three of us were so tired fr excessive laughing. hehe...

If dun top up only get 24pages of 15R photos. So it's like one big block of photo per page lor. With the upgrade, it will be 50 pictures, 4 collages, 24 pages in all. Making it a bit more interesting lor... since we're getting back all the images on CDrom, I guess we can do up better albums and portraits in the future after we've saved up lor. hehe...

Awww, I was sooooo disappointed we couldn't get our doggie in our photos too!!!! And she can't be there at our wedding as well, very sad...

My friend smuggled her cat into her hotel room on her wedding day but left her dogs at home as they would bark. hehe...

What dog have u got? Mine is a silky terrier, 4.5 years old, but still cute as a puppy. Brought her over from Singapore, poor baby had to spend 24 hours on her own in her crate to finally get to see me at Heathrow airport.

Katgrrl
ya ya, tell me when u are coming to UK ok? hehe... we can go out makan together!

We got our tickets liao. Man, are we kiasu or wat?! haha, got fr Virgin Atlantic but think it is SQ planes. So much cheaper than horrible Air France that we took last month.

We also havent decided on honeymoon. Cannot book anyway till March or April when promos for june/july come out. Furthermore, I can't leave Sg for at least 5 days after our wedding as my passport will be submitted to the British High Commission to apply for my spouse visa. Urgh! Annoying or wat?!

 

[ashlee]

Not gonna have kids in UK!!! Most, if not all, the kids here are absolute twats/sh*theads! And can u believe it, that some people are lobbying for the UK govt to totally ban parents hitting their own kids, can't even spank them when they misbehave. Alamak! Like that how to discipline them?! So stoopid.
I used to be a Sec Sch teacher in Sg and only after I've come to the UK, have I begun to appreciate how well brought up and behaved our asian kids are.
Here, only horror stories of teenage pregnancies, teenagers raping their teachers, killing their girlfriends, toturing a dying man and leaving him to die, and many many more. Totally pathological society I feel.

We've been talking abt moving back to Singapore or emigrate Australia. But now too many financial commitments here, got to earn enough pounds first. Hopefully, can shoot before our kids are old enough to learn all the nasty things from the people or society here! hehe

Btw, dun misunderstand that I hate this country. I dun. But I think it is not the best place in the world to bring up a child. Good place for adults though! hehe...

 

[katgrrl]

heehhe..I remember the BBC news on that one about banning the rod. Hmph, and I remember having this 'spare the rod and spoil the child' discussion/debate with my FH sometime ago too

Generally, I'd prefer raising my kids in SG...

We're torn between moving back and staying. SG =great food+Asian values+social network (for me anyhow)-nothing to do on weekends- lack of nature- stressful lifestyle.
Finland=great nature+ peace&quiet+ changing seasons+ good & free education- no dim sum- no social network though.

If we move back, it makes much better financial sense as well esp if he can get another stint in SG, besides the fact that job prospects are much better for me. cha-ching! sigh..dunno lah. Leave it to God.

Karen& Ashlee, Oz seems to be a nice place to stay

less hectic lifestyle with the big plus that it's relatively near to SG. What with all the cheap airfares, it almost feels like JB! ok, stretching it a little but still.... oh, and it has a Chinatown! As u can see, I'm starved of dim sum Ashlee, makan in London sounds like a very good idea.


On a less dreary topic, I just found a website with pretty nice tiaras

hehe...check this out

http://www.yourweddingcompany.com

 

[snipsnap]

hi ladies...snow storm here today so guess it will force me to work on my wedding stuff

ashlee ... thx for the PS info! FH is into photography and we were looking for AD pics that capture the moment and emotions. alot of the work we saw were very canned shots. perhaps we weren't going to the right places. Originally we wanted the pond that alot of the girls are using..but we were too slow lah. they kena booked

hrmm you aren't bring your dog back? too long a journye? at least coming from the UK no quarantine is required right? for us there is a 1 month quarantine and that really sucks!! wanted to bring her home to meet the family too. but i guess she wont' be allowed in the hotel that day. wish hotels in singapore were more pet friendly! darn. we have a welsh corgi puppy

katgrrl no haven't gotten the tix yet. is it really much cheaper if we book early? hehe i'm kindof a slacker. no honeymoon plans yet either. will go somewhere in asia if we do it right after the wedding. otherwise we'll go maybe a month after and it'll probably be in europe or somewhere. as for going back to sg ... hehe we haven't decided yet..but at least FH is singaporean too so it might be an easier decision. we're torn... SG to us = food + family but way too hot. though we prefer the education here. ashlee wow that's impressive

sec sch teacher! I was a relief teacher once while in uni and got into a fight with one of the students haha long story

not sure if i have the patience to be a teacher

 

[kkyko]

Katgarrl,

Yeah... true about Finland food... my fiance was there for training last May. He thinks Finland Chinese food is LOUSY... Probably they are operate by mainland Chinese which is totally different taste from us!! Come to Sydney!!! We have the best dim sim here and sometimes I even think it's better than HK ones!!! Hahahahaha...

Hey gals...
I'm torn between taking pre-wedding shoots in SG or in Sydney. I'm thinking that ppl actually pay big bucks to have pre-wedding shoots in Sydney. Would I look silly if I take pre-wedding shoots in SG? BTW, I found some freelance album makers in SG. They said they can make those bridal shop type of album for me for SGD$100 or less!!! So I could bring those Sydney location shoots back to SG for album compilation. What do you guys think? But then getting a package in SG would include actual day things... hhhhmmmm... can't think properly...

 

[moggie]

Katgrrl
Karen is totally right. The tim sum in Sydney is fantastic. I absolutely love it. About staying here in the long term, my FH and I have not quite decided on that yet. It depends on his career opp here.
But what we've agreed on is that we will not raise our kids here. Not to burst your bubble or anything. Sydney has a great environment to bring up kids in terms of the lifestyle. The great outdoors, the fresh air, etc. But cultural difference seems too big, at least for me. It is getting extremely Americanised here. Kids are dressing up like budding Britney Spears. Perhaps it's getting more liberal everywhere but what I've seen here is too extreme. Just over the New Year when I was in a park watching the fireworks, there were heaps of 14 - 15 year olds dressed up in next to nothing covering only their vital bits strutting around. Even the aussie friends we were with (who have teenage kids) were appalled. Maybe it's just me. I may be open-minded but I have my limits.

Karen
I think it's a great idea to bring your sydney shots back to SG for compilation. And yes, I think photography studios charge much more here than in SG. Do you know a friend with an interest in photography (i.e owns a decent camera, and can take some nice shots? If you do, why not ask him/her to help you take some nice location shots in Sydney (will probably not charge much) but take up a package in SG? That way, you can have nice location shots of Sydney and professional shots of SG complied into one album?
Have an idea you may find lousy, but I'll suggest it anyway. You can post a message on one of those university message boards (I think it's about $30 on UTS website) - offering some final year photography major students to take some shots for you. You get what you want, and they get some experience (and maybe a small fee. I know...students are students afterall but if you select properly I'm sure you'll find someone decent. Hope I'm helping, and not adding to your troubles ;-)

 

[kkyko]

Hahahaha... I finally found someone to do my AD photography. location shooting and videography!!! The price is okie (still much more expensive compared with the SG one, of cos). Even this guy thinks that I should do my album in SG!!! =P So I think I'll just get my gowns in SG and/or HK. And take the pics in Sydney!!! =)
okie... 1 task down...

 

[ashlee]

Katgrrl
I was stuffing myself silly with dim sum when I went back two weeks ago! hehe.. there is this dim sum place at the top floor of China Square (err... not sure of the name actually, but the one with multi-storey food court and Roti Boy, hehe). Very very nice dim sum! They got buffet dim sum in the evening, but my sis said the variety is not as good as normal times.

snipsnap
A corgi!? Aww, cute! Ya, dun think quarantine is needed but dun wan to put my ashlee (my baby's name) through the agony of flying longhaul again. Plus, it is bruddy expensive. We prob got to put her in the kennel when we go back in July for the wedding though...

You got into a fight with a student?! haha... so funny. I very fierce teacher in school one, all the lower sec students were scared of me. haha, upper sec ones just stay out of my way. Really enjoyed the teaching bit but hate the extra admin and preparation stuff. Too stifling for my nature as well. Might go back to it as a retirement job in the future though. hehe...

Karen
Why wud u look silly doing PS in Sg leh? That was wat we did... But we figured that was the best and cheapest way out for us as it is still very uncommon for couples to take prewedding shoot (though people with extra pounds to spare are beginning to do it) and the charges here are ridiculously astronomical!

Where is this place that does the cheap album??? so cheap!!! Can pass me the contact so we can maybe get them do a second album???

Good job for striking three things off your list!!! Get your gowns now!

 

[cello]

hello everyone,

if i am not careful, my ideal wedding might well be my mother's ideal wedding. so far, she's won on where we have our reception and who takes our actual day photographs. when it comes to arguing with my mum, i always lose!

all these talk about dim sum makes me hungry, especially since it is a sunday. the one place that i usually go to when in london is in chinatown. i think it is called jade-something. it is literally right round the corner opposite the mcdonalds in leceister sq.

if anything else, the one thing i miss most about home is the food (& the company of course). anything that is worth exploring in regards with food here in the UK is very costly. even in america is not so bad. i thought it was definately much cheaper in comparison plus it sure tastes so much better too.

i would love to move back home for a few years when we have our children, mostly because i think it is best place to instill practising our traditions, culture and most importantly religion. i know i can be quite liberal and modernized but still cannot bear the idea of seeing my children almost being astray....what with the many major social problems the UK faces.

Besides, unless Ben gets offered to work in the s'pore symphony orchestra, being in the Uk or Europe is financially a better option for us. I guess financially, plus the space (i find being at home now can be very claustraphobic) and the weather is much better. Education wise will be the most expensive as Ben has always believed in private education. To me, what they offer in private schools can be as good as our typical neighbourhood schools.

if we are staying on here, then my parents will have to come and stay with me for 3-6 months every year just so that our children will have a good balance. i admit i will not be able to do the job as good as i'd wanted it without the help of my parents influence. in terms of teaching them the value of traditions, culture and religion, my parents are my first port of call. in terms of education, european culture, open thinking and even musical abilities (no surprise there), his parents will be the ones we turn to.

on a less serious note, we tried calling travel agencies to quote us price tickets and so far, everyone that was recommended was qatar or gulf airlines. have anyone of you flown with them before?

is virgin airlines cheaper than SQ? don't mind me asking but how much did you pay for it, ashlee? i don't think virgin airlines is any cheaper than SQ but if it is cheaper than Air France, i'd opt for Virgin airlines as they are really comfortable. we are trying to book as a group as many of us are flying out together.

in regards to honeymoon, we are most likely choosing Asia. Ben has never been to asia before so we are taking this chance to travel as much as we can in asia. not too sure where yet.

katgrrl, you must come down and meet up with us here in the UK. we'll meet up for a meal or high tea somewhere.

we are now working on our invites and i love those links your guys gave me. thank you for that. i think the idea of making them ourselves is very likely.

hope you girls are enjoying your weekend. X

 

[katgrrl]

Hello there!

Oooh, very tempted now to go to UK and meet up everyone

We are thinking of going somewhere in March before some of his mileage points expire. Gotta discuss with him..on 1 hand, we've been to London before, only have got an extended weekend and some sun might be nice ..sigh!

Karen, I almost never go to a Chinese restaurant here. I know a few decent ones but I reckon that I can whip up the same stuff myself anyway your FH prob went to 1 of those 'adapted' ones...1 trick I learnt is to speak with the cook directly and ask for an off the menu dish. But seriously, why would anyone go to a foreign country and have Chinese food? Unless it has a sizeable Chinese population, I wouldn't set foot in a Chinese restaurant in Germany, Nepal, Mexico, Italy or even France if I was there on holiday.

Sya, pls lemme know if Ben signs on with SSO! so exciting! I used to be a regular concert goer when SSO was still at the VCH. The accoustics at the Esplanade is great however, not a single bad seat in the house. But if u guys will be in SG from May-June, the Singapore Arts fest will be on.

Have u guys talked about your parents staying up to 6 mths with you when there are kids? Dun wish to intrude but this is potentially a sensitive issue due to cultural differences. Ashlee, Sya & Suzxie, u girls read Neil Humphrey's "Notes from a Small Island"? it's hilarious!!!

On a more serious side, it's an honest account of Singapore (warts &amp; all) through the eyes of a foreigner/Brit. Things that we take for granted as a normal course of life sometimes hold totally different meanings for a foreigner. For example, the clutter of dirty dishes, the close proximity to the next table and noise from people yelling at the top of their voices at dimsum restaurants or hawker centers are enough to drive some westerners nuts. Or the simple example of <u>not</u> being able to use the spoon and fork concurrently when having a nasi lemak (they use a fork with rice)

These are just a few obvious instances of culture shock, many more exist on the levels of attitudes and beliefs. Hmph, sorry for digressing....

Karen, great to hear that you've found your AD photographer. Feels really good to check off an item on the list doesn't it?

Ashlee and Snippy, any pix of your dogs? I won't be able to bear leaving my 2 hamsters at home too..

argh, and grandma will be in SG too for a while. What to do?

 

[snipsnap]

hi ladies .... ashlee, yup prices in the US are outrageous and no one really does prewedding shoots here anyway. a very average photographer would already cost 2k and up for the AD itself. i'm so glad I'm doing all of mine back home

. have any pix of your dog to share? mine is lying next to my desk as i type hehe. kat, ash leave me your e-mail I'll send it your way. ooh kat what about your hamsters..any pix ...what kind are they? i used to have 2 pet turtles named pitcher and catcher

(don't ask why haha)

oooh I love london hee..too bad i'm kinda far away hah. high tea sounds smashing

though I remember the prices being outrageous! sya ..agreed...the US has tonnes of options with regards to food and they aren't expensive. actually the prices in london were similar to the US except for the fact that it was in £s. that's like almost 2x the price.

speakign of culture shock.. confession ..u know i kinda like that we don't have to clear our dirty plates at hawker centers in singapore

hehe feels weird leaving em behind..but yet strangely liberating!

btw have u gals given any thought to wedding day jewlery? I know my bridal shop loans them out but i don't know if they'll be to my liking (picky ol me)

 

[ashlee]

sya
air france is truly horrible - the service n the paris airport are atrocious. We had to q 4 nearly 2 hrs at Paris airport just 4 transit!
We are paying only ard £600 for Virgin, but we reckon it's an SQ plane. Not much diff fr getting fr SQ directly. better book early as i think it's a promo.

Katgrrl
ya, read his 'notes fr an even smaller island' (can't really remember the 1st one or the 2nd one, or both). Frankly, I was rather offended by the way he talked abt SPGs. He was trying 2b funny, but he basically meant that all women who r with ang mohs r dim n r after their money or just 4 novelty sake. Dun like him at all after I read that bit (muz be the 2nd bk)...

snipsnap + katgrrl
Photo of ashlee? Absolutely! But right now using my PDA, no nice pix of her here. Will put up one here tmr when I'm on a PC.

snipsnap
Ya, send me photo of your baby please... or you can put it up here n show everyone?
my email: [email protected]

Bot crystal necklace + earrings 2 go w my EG fr Tangs. Got 50% of for necklace cos of sale.

They have a counter that does swarovski (how to spell huh? hehe) crystal accessories, can even custom-make them. Price is quite reasonable, very nice. Might get another choker 4 my WG fr there, but only if my BS refuse to lend me their expensive necklace (that is for sale, not loan). hehe... see my luck how...

 

[kkyko]

Ashlee: I've got this contact from one of the photography forum (I think I'm addicted to forums!!!) Her name is Samantha.
email: [email protected]
hp: 9273 2942
And from another thread, I learnt that there is this photo shop 2nd floor at Penninsula Plaza on Orchard doing the same thing. But no contact details left there, maybe get ur sg friend/relative to check that out for you.
Katgrrl: yeah... feel like i've achieved something finally...
snippy snappy: not sure... probably going to get it from HK/SG when i'm there in Easter... both places got really good selection on costume jewellery... i'm more looking for jewellery with cubic zirconia... cheaper than crystal... but as shiny as crystal...

My package with my AD photographer actually included another day worth of outdoor pre-wedding shoots!!! I was so happy to learn that it will only cost me AUD$600 + $200 for touch up! A photographer from SG who is a frequent visitor in sydney quoted me AUD$2000+++!!!! Apparently pre-wedding shoots here in Sydney is getting popular. I went to see a couple of photographers, they all include 1-2 hours worth of pre-wedding shoots in the package.

Hey gals... have you guys thought of whether to put hair pin with crystal/peral beads or fresh flowers as hair accessories?

 

[ashlee]

Karen
Cheers for the contact. Will get my maid of honour to go check it out! Thanks!

Ya, I am also wondering what I should use to accessorise my hair... Tiaras are nice and sweet but not sure how it will look on me leh... might have to go try out at the shopping malls. Oh, the website that katgrrl gave has got really nice tiaras... very tempted.

 

[ashlee]

My Ashlee's photo, as promised...

<center><table border=1><tr><td>

Ashlee
ashlee small pix.bmp (35.4 k)</td></tr></table></center>

 

[ashlee]

The pic is of ash in our bed... sleepy baby

 

[snipsnap]

hiya ladies ... katgrrl ashlee .. i sent you links to see my baby's pix

karen ..wow good deal on the photographer! btw did you see my post to the dang thread? Think I'm going to go with fresh flowers (white) for the morning ... and maybe a pin with crystals etc for the evening. heheh like ashlee, not sure how I'd look with a tiara lol ... my face is kinda round so erhmm hehehe

 

[katgrrl]

Hi gals,

down with a cold today... nearly 'pengsan' after 20min of workout yesterday

Anyway, this will be a good reason for making me sit still and start tackling the thesis work I'd been procrastinating for so long.

Ashlee, really cute terrier!

wish my babies were a lot bigger so that I could let them run free hehe..They're Siberian dwarf hamsters (winter whites). They're brothers but have got such different personalities..one's timid &amp; the other's all gung-ho. Used to live together until they started fighting so I've housed them separately.

&amp;

As for hairpiece, I'm mostly likely going with a tiara. IMHO, the shape of a face has no bearing on the choice of hairpiece; rather, it's the hairstyle that should complement the face shape. Hence, flowers, hairband, pearl/crystal pins or tiaras all present as possible hair accessories

I've got a round face too so I reckon I'll be letting either my hair down (literally or having it done in a half bun. Check out the http://www.weddingchannel.com/ for great suggestions on hair accessories and hairstyles

I would so lurve having a chic up-do but it makes me look even rounder...argh... of course, if u're having a trial hair &amp; make up session, that'd be the best time to experiment which style looks best on you. Have to say that I reached my decision reluctantly after seeing some of the pix of my trial.


Ashlee, I believe you meant 'Scribbles from the Same Island' which is the 2nd book. Hmmmph, gotta confess I haven't read it (altho it's sitting on my desk right now...bedtime reading!) will reserve my comments for the time being although I know that N.Humphreys has a cynical and sometimes caustic style to his writing.

 

[katgrrl]

Introducing Button &amp; Bubbles! Button (the pearl) is the timid one and is just content being sprawled ages on my palm while I stroke him while Bubbles (the 'natural') seldom sits still, is always curious and always adventurous (except when it comes to vegs!)

 

[ashlee]

snipsnap
Haha, ur face cant be rounder than mine gal! Me so chubby... quite annoying, sigh...

Your Moxie is really really cute! Still got that puppy look. My ashlee has lost her babyface

Katgrrl
Me MIA from work today too... got a bad cough and cold! hehe... not much better now, but guess got to go to wk tmr. Sigh.
What thesis work are u doing? Are u studying?

Aww, I love hamsters too! Look at your babies' big black eyes! Used to have a siberian hamster (think that's the breed name)named Fifi, brown with white tummy. Quite big, abt my palm size. I was staying in the univ hostel then and would bring her home every weekend. I used to put Fifi in her transparent hamster ball so she can go places, like under the sofa and into the kitchen. When she died, I buried her in the park downstairs to my parents' flat. Ashlee was there for the burial. I was crying so hard...

I totally understand your wish that u can let ur hamster run free and play with u... that was why I got a dog, someone whom I can play with and hug...
How old are ur babies? Hehe, my same friend who smuggled her cat into the hotel on her wedding had also smuggled, literally, her hamster in from Oz! She managed to get away with putting her hamster in her coat pocket. haha...

Oh, sorry gals, I get really excited and carried away when I talk abt pets...

Ya, that's the one! N Humphreys' second bk! If I remember correctly, I bought the second one as the first one was so funny. But I got so annoyed by his demeaning couple of chapters on SPGs, that I stopped reading it. The second one is not anywhere near the previous one. OK lah, I'd better stop moaning abt it. Maybe I just haven't got THE sense of humour. hehe...

 

[ashlee]

Back to wedding topic...

Ya, my face is so chubby, my MUA had to leave my fringe when he bunned up my hair for the PS. It did work as it covered half my cheek. But if I were to use that hairstyle again for AD, I can't wear a tiara liao right? So strange to have hair hanging down at the side when wearing tiara... oh dear...

btw, what is IMHO? hehe

 

[snipsnap]

katgrrl ..awwwww they are absolutely adorable!!! hehe but I got a story for you gals haha ..me and hamsters, we don't have a good history. kinda bizzarre actually. we used to have this cute gold hamster we called Hammy when I was a little girl. one day after giving it a bath (do hamsters even have to take baths?? dont' know which misinformed person told us that) I (yes me the guilty party) accidentally dropped hammy and it went splat on the floor, that night it went to hamster heaven. I was so sad..I cried for hours. my parents felt so bad that they bought me another hamster .... we called her Happy. All went well for a couple months till one day she was playing in her cage and somehow tore her leg?? then she started bleeding late that night and died the next day?!?!? duh morbid. wtf

anyway from then on no more hamsters for me hehe .. ashlee haha your friend is damn 'powderful'..can help me smuggle my dog in or not

ashlee..i think i win lah. i have a round face and small forehead... so my fringe is like really low

problem right?? katgrrl..was imagining myself with my hair all tied back and tiara crowning my round face lol ... ashlee got any pix from your photoshoot to share? I have seen styles with tiaras and side swept bangs, so I think its possible. wow funny all 3 of us have round faces kekke. high ^5

IMHO = in my humble opinion

 

[cello]

hey girls,

for those of you worrying about having a fringe and wearing a tiara for your hair do... not to worry because it is quite a trend. I have seen brides who wears a fringe on the side and had a tiara on. I'm even considering it. It actually looks pretty good. It helps to balance out the face... I would think it works for any face types.

can you believe how expensive tickets for singapore is?!?!? I've been calling travel agents and they are all quoting in the £550-600 region. I feel so bad mentioning that kind of prices to my friends and his family. :-( it is such a costly thing even though all of them are very excited about having this chance to come over to singapore.

thinking of entertainment. in your opinion, what makes a better option? Having a good DJ that can play a wide range of music and having the ability to induce the guests to the dance floor or having a jazz band? we've gone against having a string quartet as ben says, there is going to be alot of classical musicians at the wedding and he can expect them to be very critical so, that is out of the window. hahha... but he hasn't thrown off the idea completely. we might have a quartet for an hour or two, use our ipod to play music for two hours and then let the jazz band/DJ take over.

I'd much prefer a DJ as i'd like some dancing to happen after the dinner but still can't decide on it. anyone of you having the same problem deciding what to do for entertainment?

Bridal Jewellary: the last time I went home for a visit (we are talking about 2 years ago) , I saw alot of costume jewellary which was absolutely beautiful. It was in Bugis junction in seiyu. You might want to pop in and have a look.

Shame about not being able to be home in mar-june as it'd be fantastic to watch an event at the Esplanade. We are flying back on the 13th and will be back at work on the 12th of aug. I will be using almost all of my holidays from work with 4 days spared for x'mas. What about the rest of you? How long are you intending to stay in singapore after the wedding?

On another note, do you guys have an inkling on how the spouse visa works in Britain? I am abit confused. They mentioned something about a 3 year period but I am not too sure if it is a 3 year period after your marriage before you get to be a permanent resident or more even? Ben wants me to apply for a British passport and I am wondering if I can apply it for it when I get back home.

Hope everyone is well and keeping warm. X

 

[ashlee]

snipsnap
How come all your hamsters so accident prone one? Think u better stick to dogs lah. haha... ;p

somehow, I dun quite believe u gals when u say u got chubby faces leh... hehe, me very big sized one, so when i say chubby, i am chubbier than Katgrrl's hamsters' cheeks that are filled with food! hehe...

So it wont look funny lah?! Ok, will go try on some tiaras at shopping mall this weekend. Cosmetic jewellery is quite reasonably priced here...

Cheers for enlightening me on IMHO... hehe, me so ignorant!

Sya
Ya, we are also feeling bad that his family and friends have to pay so much to go over just to attend our wedding. If only we strike the lottery, then we can buy everyone tix! hehe...
btw, £600 very reasonable already. We just paid £800+ for Air France tix to go back last mth! Daylight robbery! Bad service some more. Makes my blood boil every time I think abt it...

Ok, abt the visa thingie. It is very annoying! Apparently, we can only apply for the spouse visa after the ROM. And we have to submit our passport to the british high commission in singapore for abt five days to apply for the visa. So no honeymoon right after wedding! Hmmph! Might have to go Sentosa after wedding to get away from everyone!

And at the end of two years, if we are still married, then we can apply for british citizenship. My colleague's south african husband had to wait for six mths for his application for citizenship to get thru! Very inefficient I have to say...

 

[tootsieroll]

Hey gals,
Wow, what a lot to catch up on! I've been back in Sg for 2 weeks now, still loads to do (still trying to decide on Kua!!!), gotta pay deposit for photo and video guy today....also planning to go see veils.

Just my two cents into this contribution on where to settle....being in singapore the past 2 weeks has made me appreciate how much singapore can offer. I think it's really how you like to balance your life, and what you feel is quality of life to you. I love the safe, urban, efficient feel of Singapore (and of course the food is unsurpassable!)....but the UK/Ireland offer much in terms of the open spaces and that children can also have a life outside of academic studies. The FH was really impressed with Singapore - this was his first visit - he has taken to chai tau tway and you tiao big time The plans are that if he gets offered enough financial incentive to work in Singapore, we will move here. Agree with Ashlee about bringing up kids in England....it's a bit scary to know that virtually every school has got drug pushers....I'd be more willing to bring my kids up in Ireland, assuming that it's still a good place to bring kids up there in the next few years

 

[ashlee]

tootsieroll
Hihi! How are u? U been a busybee then? hehe...

Good luck with the shopping gal! Do update us on what you bought and all the progress u've made!

 

[katgrrl]

Tootsieroll, have lotsa fun in SG!! I know exactly what you mean with 'balance' and 'QoL'. I entirely second u on all those points u mentioned about SG &amp; UK (well, Helsinki for me).

Hehehe... Chai tau kway and you tiao huh?

have u brought him to try the seafood yet?

Ashlee, I'd been reading N.Humphreys...thought the SPG issue was just a mountain out of a molehill

It's an unfortunate fact that there <u>are</u> women who'd go for skin colour &amp; money. But it's also a fact that there are bona fide mixed relationships. One has to be confident of who he/she is and their r/s

Oh, I'm completing my Masters hence the thesis (where's my motivation?? wedding planning is so much more fun).

More on the to-wear-or-not-to issue on tiaras, here's a site to help u choose 1. http://www.bridalfashionmall.com/choosing_tiara.html Thanks for suggeting eBay btw! An eBay shop by the name of Eden Jewel has a huge selection of fab tiaras at very affordable prices. Very very tempted now

Sya, would a DJ including all the audio equipment be cheaper than a jazz band? Well, I'd say the following factors should help make your decision easier:
-total Cost
-Mood! Having a live jazz band spells Glam!
-Versatility. A DJ can play classical, jazz or light blues from his CDs for the earlier part of the evening, and then switch to another genre for the dancing perhaps?

Btw, if u're hiring a DJ, I dun think u'd need to play any music out of your iPod. Let the guy do the job and besides, it'd be 1 to-do item off your list.

No idea yet on how long we'd be staying in SG after the wedding Plans are still pretty fluid at this point

And if u guys are grousing about immigration red-tape, my B***** residence permit is still in the works since July of last year! hullooooo? It's not citizenship we're talking about..just a <bleep*> residence permit. The ministry has assured us it's no prob for me to get in/out of Finland but this is plain ridiculous.

 

[ashlee]

Katgrrl
Abt N Humphreys, just hated the way he condemns all SPGs. But nvmd, not hurting me anyway, just a bit buay song after I read it, prob reading too much between the lines. hehe...

Cool, what Masters are u doing? I am supposed to be taking my professional exams as well. Had planned to do three papers in April but think I might have problem doing just one! Urgh! So undisciplined! But u r right, this is more fun and definitely MORE distracting than anything!!! hehe...

Will go to ebay too to view the tiaras...

 

[suzxie]

Hi everyone!

Sorry I have been AWOL for some time... too busy sorting out last minute stuff but have been "ghosting" and reading up on everyone's post.

Everyone's pet looks cute..!

Re Live in Singapore or not debate: yes, agree that bringing up kids in Europe is a bit of a lottery, and Singapore is nice, pleasant and safe option. Singapore will always be my "safety net". However, I remember feeling so claustrophobic living in Singapore (controlled media, lack of space) that I don't think I can go back there to live for any great length of time. Having said that, the last time I was back was 4 years ago and things might have changed. Never say never...


Katgrrl: at long last, (sorry) my friends' dressmaker is Nancy. Address: V3ga Dressmaking
Bukit Timah Plaza, #01-07. Telephone: +65 64664041. Best of luck on the thesis!

Sya: cheap flights to Singapore, try:

http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Singapore/
http://www.expedia.co.uk/ (Not the cheapest but usually a good start)
http://www.singaporeair.com/ (I heard SQ had a deal for £499.. not sure when it applies).

Gosh.. look at the time.. gotta cut this short and dash to get my final haircut done before going back to Singapore. I leave on Wednesday next week.. WOOOO HOOOO!!!!!!