Anyone planning their weddings from overseas?

[madcow]

Dewberry
I agree with ashlee,you're so neat! - so many ideas! I think the cooking sounds like fun! esp when my two best friends are already mums - hanging out is especially painful as they feel guilty leaving their babies (incl hubbies) at home.

Snippy
I didn't know you can custom make your m&m's, so cute even though I'm one of those weirdos that prefers m&m's just white and brown. i think you can get kisses in singapore but not in purple - but i don't really know, you can definitely enquire retail outlets there (no?) - just shoot them an email and see what they say.

I'm having a "make-a-wish" and "take-a-wish" table and giving Perugina Baci (italian choc)as take-a-wish item. They have love notes in them but it's blue and silver i think. Would it do for you? (blue a distant cousin of violet?)

 

[dewberry]

hee hee, thanks maddcow and ashlee... glad to have been of help... i'm doing the cooking thing here with my friends as well... only, we're going to incorporate a cookie swap as well... basically where everybody comes with a few different pre-made cookie doughs, and we all bake them and decorate them together... everyone gets to take home a big box of assorted cookies at the end of the day.

maddcow, do elaborate on your make a wish, take a wish idea... how does it work exactly? sounds great, i'm trying to come up with something fun like that too.

can you get perugina chocs in singapore? (i'm quite sotong when it comes to prices and items in singapore these days... when i went home last year i didn't shop much, eating took up way too much time, hahahah!)

 

[snipsnap]

maddcow...like the perugina baci idea especially apt for you since you since your fiance is Italian!!

. heard on the radio the other day the 'story' behind perugina chcolates. not sure if its a marketing ploy cooked up by the company though hah. but still very cute. read about hte make a wish take a wish thingy in martha stewart..though I am confused about the details. tell us more! I've had the chocolates before in singapore though I'm not sure if it would be more expensive since its imported.

dewberry ... MMMM cookies sounds delicious. anyway keep us up to date on the attendant gifts u end up getting! oh yeah u have the ritz spa menu?

ashlee .. aiyah its easy to quit smoking... i've done it many times

j/k sorry can't resist this lame joke. one of my friends always says that lol. anyway good job! it takes lots of will power. *pat on the back* will have to have my parents or someone check on the kisses in singapore. I just bought a bag today. to experiment lah hehehe now I'm going to end up eating it all bleh. random fact ..each 16oz bag has like 80 hugs! (I got the easter variety ..pretty pastels!) btw can I crash your hen party??? got mee soto leh!!!!! *slurp*

btw anyone knows where to mother of the bride dresses made?

 

[dewberry]

snippy - hee hee yes i'm still pondering on the attendant gift... think think think. will keep everyone posted if i have a eureka...

as for MOTB dresses, are you referring to getting them made in the US or in Singapore? aiyoh, a lot of the ones i've seen off the rack in the US are VERY aunty, so keep a wide berth from those. what kind of styles are you looking for, skirt suits, dresses, formal day or evening wear? my mom and mil have very different tastes, so i think one might end up making an emerald green cheongsam for herself, while the other will probably go for something simple and tailored like a skirt suit. i'm trying to get them to both wear similar colors.... so will stand out nicely. But oh well, these fickle women, hee hee... i won't be surprised if they change their minds next month!

oh, do gimme your email, the Ritz spa menu can't be posted here due to the size... sorry for the leycheh-ness!

 

[madcow]

Dewberry and Snippy
Seems like the brides-to-be from US are hogging this thread! hee! Yes, Snippy, I saw the take-a-wish and make-a-wish idea on Martha Stewart (MS) Winter 2005 issue. I'm doing it because I don't want a guest book since they are going to sign only a few pages out of what 20? Being an occasional neat freak, I thought it would be neat (no pun intended) for them to write their wishes in little cards, paste their mini-polaroids on the cards and put them in a glass canister ( large clear cookie jars from crate and barrel?) This way, I control the color of the cards(uh? I'm also a control freak?), and get to organize,frame or scrapbook the cards once the wedding is over. Take-a-wish: the couple in MS did it with a strip of love notes quilled into little coils but I thought you could do it either with fortune cookies (not my most favorite thing) or Baci (mmmm). Snippy, Baci means kisses in Italian too!

I get my Baci-fix from Watson in Singapore. Otherwise, we can order from www.nestleeuropeanchocolate.com

My mom and sisters are thinking of wearing cheongsums - let me know if you have good lobang in Singapore?

I need advice again - on photographer... the GM clients I called are very happy with him, but the limit of liability bothers me - it says that if there's a no show out of illness, acts of God, etc., he will just be limited to return the deposit and no other damages. Is this a standard clause in all your contracts? I really feel that I'm morphing into a bridezilla - so much nitpicking.

 

[ashlee]

snipsnap
U won't be back in time for my hen party lor! But I might be able to gate crash yours! hehe... Any luck at the handicraft shops?

 

[tootsieroll]

hi all,
something totally non wedding related....I bought my first car on saturday....it's a Citroen C3 1.4 SX....dunno why I'm telling all of you this, but I'm pretty excited, and it takes my mind off the wedding prep!! For the UK based, any comments on the various insurance companies? Anyone use Tesco motor finance?

 

[dewberry]

maddcow - the wish idea sounds fantastic! hmm, maybe i can steal to modify for myself as well...

as for cheongsum lobang, ok i'm definitely no expert, but there's a lady called Nancy in Bukit Timah Plaza (2nd floor i think?... but her shop is easy to find, facing the centre atrium, and it's the only shop with fabric and dressmaking stuff). her work is very good, very well cut and she seems popular with customers.... but she is a old-school tailor, so she doesn't have a lot of dress patterns to show or modern designs like Ted Wu's... hers is more traditional. we actually brought her a sample picture of the design we had in mind, and she gave good suggestions for what is suitable. her price range is around $200-300 for a full length cheongsam, but she can be flexible depending on how intricate your design is. my mom is getting hers made there (and i'm actually considering also, coz the last time i went home i got my basic measurements taken by her).

hmm, i know that a lot of photographers do make you sign clauses like that, but my colleague who recently got married basically had a heart-to-heart with hers, and they were able to come up with a middleground arrangement where they have a backup photographer agreed upon, in the case of illness, etc. but well, there never is a good contingency plan for acts of God, ... the consumer usually loses out. you might try just being honest with GM about your concerns... see if he is willing to suggest anything? tell him that your ultimate motive is to ensure there is a photographer present for that day, who will meet the standards that you signed your contract for in the first place!... hope it turns out well for you, we'll all be supportive here!

tootsieroll - congrats! the freedom of buying your very first car is always exciting, i know exactly how you feel! yay! continental cars are wonderful, i hate these american contraptions in the States. gimme a fiat over a ford, anytime!

 

[madcow]

Dewberry
gee, thanks for the cheongsum contact. I'll ask my mom to seek her out. As for the wish idea - go ahead and try it! Let me know if it's a blast if you really do it. I stole ze idea from someone else anyway

Thanks for the advice on GM - I'll pray about it and gather my courage to talk to him (heart-to-heart, gasp!)

spring break is here soon! counting the days till i get to see FH again!

toots - congrats on your purchase, vroom-vroom! sorry, can't help on car insurance.

 

[ashlee]

tootsieroll
c3 is such a cool car... what colour?
We are using tesco motor insurance. Quite reasonable, definitely cheaper than some big names. Norwich apparently does really good deals, and it is not just tv gimmick, "quote me happy". hehe...

Dewberry
But fords are the most popular, or should I say, common cars here! hehe... have to say they are really good value for money.

 

[snipsnap]

maddcow ... haha I think we have the same taste or have been reading the same magazines

I wanted to do the same with the so called guest book! was going to have a huge bell jar thing and make little cards where people can write their wishes on to place inside. Looks pretty too! I love paper with polka dots and stripes so I get to incoporate it hehe. btw if you are looking for paper, AC Moore or Michaels has books of color coordinated paper swatches ... would be perfect for this.

dewberry ... think my mom wants some kind of western style gown. anyway I'm wearing a CS as my evening gown haha so she better not steal my thunder j/k ... dude I can't even worry about what my parents or in laws will be wearing. too stressful. hopefully they can dress themselves. btw the emerald green CS sounds lovely! dunno lah ..anyway mom is picky..this cannot that also cannot heheh

maddcow don't worry too much about the photographer

nothing much we can do ... for one man shows it's really just based on hope and a prayer that the guy doesn't fall sick. there isn't much of a satisfactory alternative right? mine basically said he'd make it unless he's deathly ill in which case he'd get a back up to take over. I guess at least you won't be left high and dry. You should ask GM if he has someone else he usually sends in his place if he can't make it? I believe its the same for the Pond as well.

tootsie...congrats on the new car !!!! any pix to share of your new baby? agree with dewberry that american cars suck haha ... european brands always have the luxury feel. as for me I swear by japanese cars ie honda or toyota..they can seriously run FOREVER and have great mileage.

ashlee...ARGHK !!! I can't believe I wasted my president's day hol. Freaking snowing the whole day. I was planning on going to check out wedding crafts bleh. so not only did I not go to look for containers to wrap my kisses in, I also started eating the favors.

good news is I stayed away from the ones wrapped in purple.

 

[dewberry]

snippy - remember to gimme your email, for the Ritz spa menu (if you're still interested)... hehehe, i know what you mean by picky moms... mine is soooo ngeow too

hahaha, i agree about the jappy cars, they last aeons, my FH's mazda miata is about 300k miles and pushing it... he's crazy, drives it every weekend on those fantastically twisty Highway 1 roads along the Pacific coastline... i always shudder and pray he doesn't do something stupid.

yes snippy don't feel too crappy about succumbing, chocolate is GOOD... pheremones and all. i can't stay away from the stuff, but i don't like the american chocs, find hersheys too sweet... gimme cadbury anytime! and if i'm feeling generous, i'd hit up for some teuscher's... mmm mmm mmm!

 

[ashlee]

snipsnap
Huh?! U get "President Day"??? hehe... quite strange...
Oh dear, was looking forward for your updates on handicraft shopping. Don't be disappointed...Never mind eh? Can do it this weekend can't u?
It's also been snowing here for the last two days. Apparently gonna be bad on thurs. But nothing compared to ur NY snow lah. hehe...

If only we can get hersheys and jelly beans here. Sigh...

 

[katgrrl]

hi gals!
I'm back!

Snow?? wanna come to Finland to see it? At least half a meter in the south here and more than a meter in Lapland. It's prime skiing season now. But the thing is that the infrastructure here is really good - flights hardly ever ground despite blizzards, bulldozers start their rounds at 3am each time there's snowfall & gravel bits on all paths.

Dewberry, does your CS contact include material in her cost?

Maddcow, thanks for the take-a-wish and make-a-wish idea!! It sounds really fun, pls keep those MS ideas coming

I really think those guestbooks are a waste of money; think Polaroid pix are much nicer & more meaningful. Anyone has lobang for Polaroid?

Re: Cheongsam. I got this contact from the forum. It's Chung Liu Trading @Tg Pagar Complex L2, take the stairs in the middle frm NTUC. tel: 62277 866 (Contact person: Sharon) She charges $100-150 but u've to get all materials yourself. However, I'm not sure of the quality of her workmanship as neither my friend nor I have seen it.

Oh, and Athens is beautiful! Do go if u've the chance, I'm sure u'll all love it!

And I've fallen in love with Greek food... brought back 2l of olive oil and lots of green & black olives/olive pate to last awhile. I must have put on weight from all the feta and feasting. Never thought I'd say this but I discovered I miss the sun..somehow, the wintery sky here is different.

Oh, got me all the almond dragees in an Athens market too at less than half the Finnish price. Ashlee, maybe u'd want to combine a short holiday with shopping trip there? I strongly suspect it'd be cheaper than UK. I saw lots of confectionary shops piled high with wonderful handmade chocs -no time to go in to sample!

 

[suzxie]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your well wishes. Our wedding weekend went great! Some minor hiccups but all resolved/stuff I can live with. Laurence and I couldn't stop smiling for days... we looked as if we slept with coat hangers in our mouths!

After the wedding, we left for Bali for a week (went scuba diving for the first time!) and after a short stopover in Singapore, am now back at work with lots of happy memories

The last 3 weeks have gone past in a flash - feeling rather dazed but very very happy... can't wait for the weekend to catch up on some sleep!

Let me know if you need advice on anything.. I'll see if I can help!

Ashlee: it's been snowing in UK too! Quite a shock to the system from Singapore's 34 degrees celsius and one of the hottest and driest Chinese New Years on record!

Dewberry: mmmm mmmm... Love chocolate as well! It's amazing that your FH's mazda is 300k miles.. my European car is about to achieve 200k and I'm getting kinda nervous it might give out on us soon... we're saving up now for a newer car after our finances recover from the wedding expenses...

Snipsnap: I couldn't help laughing when I read your post about eating your favours!

Good going for staying away from the purple ones!

Tootsie: thanks for your well wishes! Congrats on your new baby! Re insurance - I've heard good reviews about Tesco motor insurance. We just call around and search the internet for the best insurance deal. I think we eventually got ours through RAC. Although Tesco may not be the absolute cheapest deal around, I think it is one of the cheapest around and may offer better customer service than smaller internet brokers .. don't forget to get some breakdown cover as well (AA, RAC or Greenflag) and get an ice scraper to scrape the snow and frost off your windows (easier than using a credit card on wintry mornings!) all the best and let me know how you get on!

Madcow: I wouldn't worry about your photographer's limit of liability too much - it is standard in most contracts, and it is usual for customers to query it. I second Snip Snap's suggestion of asking your photographer if he has any practical back-up measures that can be put in place if such acts of God/illnesses happen. For your peace of mind, you can also ask him how often such events have happened in the past.

Katgrrl: hi there! hope you had a great Greecian holiday! I haven't been to that part of Europe yet.. what's it like?

Sya: Salsa class sounds fun! Laurence and I did an impromptu dance whilst walking up the aisle at our wedding dinner... one minute I was walking and the next, I was being twirled around!

Luckily no one was injured and we managed to pull it off. It was kinda nice

I wanted to ask.. where do you get your asian supplies in poole? I haven't found a chinese store in basingstoke yet...

Ok gotta go now and do some work! the old brain is really rusty after all this time away. catch you gals later...

 

[ashlee]

Katgrrl
Welcome back!!! Aww, sounds like a heavenly trip -- food and cheap shopping, what more can one ask for?! hehe...
Good idea on the shopping trip. Greece is definitely cheaper than UK, I would think. hehe... How are the dragees? Saw some in a "posh" supermarket here and it costs nearly £8 for less than a handful! Luckily you are not getting yours from here! hehe...

Any photos of the trip to share?

Suzxie
Hmm... I am in the UK. hehe, woke up this morning, praying that we would be snowed in but was only about 1 inch deep. Sigh. But heard it is going to be really bad tonight, so woohoo! fingers crossed for a snowed-in day tomorrow! hehe...

Really can't wait to see your updated website, gal. How was raffles? Did you have a band? Did you have a post dinner party? Aww... tell us more!

You work in London don't you? Loon Fong at Chinatown does quite a good selection of asian condiments and spices (more chinese than malay/peranakan tho). Even got Yeo's Singapore Curry! hehe. But of course it is nothing like the peranakan food in Sg... *dribble*

 

[cello]

*sneaks right back in and hands everyone a toy hammer*

right, girls now is the time to take the toy hammer out and kill me quick! can I please die now? I seriously do not think I can handle work and wedding preparations stress any longer. it's like one bad news to another. Let's just say, these last few days I have been in hiding. Times like this, I wish there isn't any wedding to plan. I've got literally five months and it is all back to square one.

One of my bridemaids shot me an email and said that on my wedding day ie 23rd of July, there will be the National Day Parade Rehearsal. Meaning: logistically, it is virtually impossible to hold a wedding in SRC. I can already imagine the whole NDP being way too loud for the liking of the bridezilla in me. So much for just wanting to 'pop' outisde for picture taking with the guests. GRRRRRR!!! *pulls hair out*

what am I going to do?? there is plan B but I am not very keen on it. Plan B is to carry on having the dinner reception under the void deck as well as the lunch reception on sunday. To be fair, I do not mind having it on the sunday but not for the saturday night as well. Am i being too narrow minded for just wanting to have something my way???? I spoke to my mom about it and all she kept mentioning about is having it at the community centre (i don't like it there coz it is way too spacious) or having both reception under the void deck.

*pulls the drawing board out*
right, I need help girls. Big time. Any sugestions will be great. At the moment, I came out with this list:

1) Fort Canning - Raffles Hall
2) Mandai Orchid Garden (I am afraid of mosquitoes though)
3) Shrooms @ Chijmes
4) Les Amis
5) The Mango Tree
6) Tepak Sireh ( mom said something about it being new)
7) Alkaff Mansion (does it still exist?)

Any thoughts or comments on these places? The fact that we have to come up with a new place means we have to work on our budget and guests list yet again. I think I am going to cut down our guests list from 150 to 100-120max. Can't be dealing with this any longer. Just when I thought I have it all sorted and can move on with other things!!

What pisses me off as well is leeming travel agents not calling you back when they say they will. I mean, how hard it is to call someone back especially when giving the sales person a huge business?? I am up to *here* with travel agents. Infact, I am to neck high with finding information.

I do aplogise. I hope my ranting is not putting anyone off. I just do not know what else to do.

*breathes in*
*breathes out*
*breathes in*
*breathes out*

stress minus my fags = me being hideously irrational

 

[cello]

oh by the way, check out the menu for The Mango Tree:
www.themangotree.com.sg

and check out Tepak Sireh - think traditional malay
www.tepaksireh.com.sg

i am actually more excited about the food. heheh

 

[cello]

Suzxie: Welcome back to freezing cold England! I hope you are not missing home already. I know I would. How did your wedding go? We want details and pictures! So, Mrs. how does it feel to be officially married? I guess now it's back to same working routine. What was the highlight of your reception? Do fill us in.

Queer Eye for The Straight guy is distracting me. Speak to you all later! Keep warm, people!

 

[snipsnap]

What happened to the forum ...looks different!!!

katgrrl welcome back! hehe u are totally right. how bad a storm is ..is propotional to the # of snow ploughs the state has. In Mass we have to get at least a foot for it to qualify as an 'emergency'..and even then I still have to work BLEH. I have given up hoping for snow days. They're just not very compassionate at private companies..trust me When I was in NC where they had like 2 ploughs for the entire state ... the whole place shuts down with an inch of snow haha. I enjoyed that. Finland definitely takes the cake though for the amt of snow!!!

maddcow..hey yeah yeah tell is about your lobang for the polaroids. I nixed the idea coz I thought it would be expensive.

dewberry > ooh right...got carried away blabbing ..my email is [email protected]. spa here I come! wohoo!

suzxie > CONGRATS on the wedding!!! must be having post wedding blues now hehe. I know I would be! yeah yeah second ashlee's request for pix hehe. and also info on your vendors!! aiyah u know us ..kaypoh with a capital K. I was also thinking of Bali for a quick honeymoon since we're already blowing almost a month of vacation in SG for our wedding. Lemme know how it went! Did you book the flight and hotel in SG or from the UK? I'm wondering which would be cheaper.

Ashlee..loong fong?? how come all the chinese stores have the same name one haha. we have a loong fong here too..but its a dim sum place. BTW so I finally stopped by the craft store (Jo Anne Fabrics) on the way home yesterday! Its the ghetto one though but I didnt have time to make a detour. Was overwhelmed by the frickin jungle of fake flowers they had there. It was actually kinda scary. Aisles of huge fake monstrous flowers staring down at you. Ehrmm maybe I won't be making my own corsages after all hehehe. aiyah see how lah. will check out the other stores (nicer) this weekend. think part of the reason was that I had no clue of what I was looking for.

The trip was not entirely fruitless though. Heheh I bought 2 cherry wood colored flower girl baskets, $1.99 each granted that the quality was crappy but cheap lah. Was hit by the inspiration stick (impressive for someone who failed art) ..gonna tie a huge purple satin ribbon on the edge where the handle meets the basket and pin on a diamante brooch in the middle of the ribbon ...ala Monique Lhuillier's latest WG collection (refer to Martha Stewart Spring 2005 issue 2 pg 42 j/k heehee)! hah so proud of myself. I even have the brooch from some cheapo sweater I have. Will fill the basket with stalks of white flowers and rose petals. damn right its a good idea LOL

 

[madcow]

I think they've changed the forum, I was trying to post my message and received an error msg saying that they are undergoing maintenance (?) anyway, I like the change.

Sya - oh girl, I'm so sorry to hear that. Stay off the ciggie! You can do it! (well, easy for me to say, I don't smoke) But, things will turn out better (since this might be the worst) - oh dear, I'm just not very good at consoling(?)

Let's see (I've lived in the States for 5 years and trips home had been short) - I'll go for
(a)Les Amis - good food, good ambience - they used to have a breakfast place in botanic gardens too (still around?)
(b) Mandai sounds good - you get to ride an elephant or release real butterflies! As for mosquitoes, I don't think I got bitten when I went to the Birdpark in July so I think it's ok if you request citronella candles to be lighted?
http://www.alwaysbrilliant.com/?T=1&PD=43483;
other places you might want to consider:
(c)then there's also Esmiralda at Chijmes that I've always favored (still around?)
(d)Mezza9 at Hyatt (still around?)
(e)L'Aigle d'Or at Duxton Hotel - I initially wanted this place for my wedding. They let you have the hotel lobby if you have a big crowd.

Restaurants can be a great venue because they count on repeated business and are thus eager to please.

Snippy - yes, I DO think that we have similar tastes. For the polaroids, I was thinking of i-zone cameras www.i-zone.com 12 exposures per pack and I'm thinking of getting them (camera and film) from walmart. Not sure about the price though - i figure most of my guests are couples, I would only need 65% of my guest list for exposures.
Really? My future MIL loves JoAnn - i went to the one in Virginia with her - wasn't that bad. MIL is making my veil for me

- thought it would be sweet. I was thinking of going to Michaels to look at escort cards (do they have any there?) are you thinking of doing that? hey, the Monique idea is really swell - i was thinking of doing the brooch thing on my bouquet - see we ARE similar!

Katgrrl - welcome back! olives! *drooooool*

Suzxie - Yay! Glad you still remember us! Stories, pictures, tales, oopsies, more more more!

and to all - thanks for the advice on photography. GM says I get the copyrights and he will find a backup if he forsee any probs! Woohoo!

 

[katgrrl]

Sya, s-l-o-w... d-o-w-n... it's ok, 5 mths is still not too late to change your venue. After all, you've got lots of other stuff/ideas sorted out right?

Alrighty, u've made quite a nice list there already. (Last I heard, Alkaff Mansion is closed) And here's what I'd do to narrow down the choices.
- # of guests Can the venue accommodate 100 guests? Strike out those that can't. simple. Can they give u the whole restaurant/room for privacy?
- total budget for reception inc catering if it doesn't have an inhouse restaurant, flowers, seating, cockage etc.. Know what's your budget and cross out all those that exceed with a big red line.
- mood aka ambience How do u & Ben envision the reception to be? Mango Tree by the beach sounds lovely, while Sireh reflects your roots...which would u guys prefer?

U may have other decision factors but <u>prioritize</u> which factor is the most important and work the list from there. Most of all, u probably have to delegate the task of negotiation to your mum &amp; bridesmaids. For example, if it's a restaurant, ask if it's possible to have 2 set menus instead of providing a full spread e.g. 1 meat &amp; 1 chicken. Negotiate like crazy because u'd be taking the whole place e.g. free flow of juice or soda or naan (yummm). If flowers &amp; decor aren't in the deal, factor in the cost in your consideraton. Start a spreadsheet in Excel to keep track of each venue not just in terms of cost calculations but other misc details

Suzxie, welcome back!!!

Congrats on your wedded bliss! May we all have 'coat hanger' smiles!

Keep us posted of everything. Would love to hear of your Bali trip (thinking of a beach holiday myself), Raffles-do and all! U really ought to visit Greece (Ashlee too). Wonderful sunshine, islands for diving, great seafood and Greek cuisine &amp; wine.... hmmm.....

Ashlee, the dragees are perfect. First, I bought 1.5kg of dried fruits and nuts covered in hard sugar that look like coloured pebbles (http://www.favoronline.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&amp;ProdID=458) for €12.50/kg and then when we went to the wet market, we found a store that sold the classic almond dragees at €8/kg! I was like *drats..* but I rationalized that since there'd be a wedding celebration in Finland as well (yes, this is a recent development), I could use the pebbles for the Finnish guests. If u're going to Athens, I could direct you on where to go

If u guys like snow, come to Finland for a winter safari! Best time to visit is Jan-April. Skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoe walking &amp; sausage grilling in a Lappish tepee in the pristine wilderness. I could help to organize

Took some pix in Greece but no time to put them up yet! Will keep u posted.

Snippy Hope u haven't cannibalized all your favours yet

Good observation there regarding the relationship between perception &amp; # of snowploughs. Mark told me that he hasn't had a day of school/work cancelled because of snow heheh...not even when it was -35c (-31F)! Actually, yesterday when I was walking to my supermarket at -11C, I noticed that the LCD display of my phone was kinda slow because it was on the verge of being frozen!

 

[dewberry]

snippy - i sent you the doc already... woohoo, i'm living vicariously through it. hehe, i know what you mean by scary craft stores... we also have Jo Ann Fabrics, but i like Michael's better... like you, I also failed art, so... yeah it's all look look see see, don't dare to buy. One advice from all my failed experiences - when all else fails and nothing sticks or stitches or whatever, whip out your hot glue gun! hahahah, martha seems to depend on it.

suzxie - add my congrats on your wedding! hahaha, yes yes do share the good and the bad, we're all kaypoh.... from your initial description, sounds like everything went off perfectly! i laffed out loud when i read about you and Laurence smiling for days... hahaha, i can just see us beaming ourselves silly as well!... hope you stayed cool in SG... heard it was sooo hot, there were bush fires! duh?! in SG?! sheesh. hmm, as for advice, who did you use for makeup? any tips on how to handle MUA, how to prepare, the whole process, etc... i'm sooo anxious about not being able to communicate to her in time, as we only go back a week before the wedding, and having the trial session so late. i'm booking blind... but heard lots of good comments from katgrrl and others re: Sandy Ho.

sya - *totally sympathize*! don't worry, breathe girl, breathe! okay, first of all, before you throw SRC out of the window, have you made sure the times and plans will definitely clash with NDP rehearsal? If so, then *calmly* look at the other options, and at this late point, go with gut feeling. don't choose something you don't like at first feel, coz if you have concerns about anything, you don't want to spend the rest of the time rationalizing it out. my personal experience at Les Amis is PERFECTION (at a cost of course!). and they are very flexible, i'm sure they can pull off anything you want. alkaff mansion is closed, that's what i heard. not familiar with the rest on your list, but the important point is to just go down the list and talk to all of them, and make sure you take good notes to remember pros and cons of each. that way, you can review and compare all of them, i'm sure only 1 or 2 will jump out as perfect 10's.... or close. everything else will fall out. quick glance down your list, tepak sireh sounds YUMMY! and the few pics look grand in a cool way too... ethnic is in these days, and since it's part of your culture, i think it's very appropriate. you can always westernize the decor or table setting, etc and embellish with other elements if you don't want it to be too traditional-looking. my own wedding will also have a lot of chinese touches, and we kept the traditional banquet coz food is the biggest impact to set the theme of your wedding... budget-wise, consider total costs, and not just the price per head... ask yourself questions like: do these locations throw in other decor, flowers, food/bev elements that you might otherwise have to pay for with SRC? does the room itself have good elements that you don't have to spend too much to decorate? if so, you might still come out even on the $$$ and have your full 150 guest list... so take it all one step at a time, okie???

keep smiling, don't give up! we're all here to support you... you can rant all you want!

 

[katgrrl]

Snippy, that's a neat idea u have there on transforming a plain ol'basket into something festive &amp; sweet. I love making stuff too

In fact, I'm considering making a bouquet of silk flowers for my PS in addition to the real bouquet. It would also later double up as a piece on the reception table. Another project is making a floral wreath for the church. Btw, here's a site with easy to make projects http://www.save-on-crafts.com/weddingcrafts2.html

Maddcow &amp; Snippy, I'm really sure the US have a much better selection of dried/silk flowers than Finland. Guess I'd have to wait till I get back to SG &amp; its venerable Arab St then. sigh.. I've seen izone being used at a wedding. The only prob I have with that is that the pix are really tiny!

 

[dewberry]

hahaha, sounds like everyone is on this forum at the same time... hi hi hi everyone!!!

sya - i echo maddcow, L'Aigle d'Or at Duxton Hotel is realllly good. the head chef (old-hand frenchie) is very willing to please, and their service is usually elegant but impeccable. this is our little secret restaurant that we ALWAYS go to when we're back in SG together. although haven't been there for a while already.

katgrrl - your dragees idea sound better and better everytime i come to this forum (i'm starting to think maybe i should do them too!) how much will yours end up being, per piece (wrapped and all)?!

 

[cello]

helloooooo,

hrmm, i actually quite fancy this new refreshing layout. it beats the previous layout big time. before it was more 'industralized'?

Thanks for the ideas Katgrrl and Maddcow. I think you are right about trying to decide what we want from our reception. I guess I was just getting too carried away with the hurried and may i add, panic planning that any reception seems good to me. Right, what we do want is to have a more contemporary/classy ambience for our reception.

Budget wise, I will have to rethink and re calculate. Infact, I am even going to suggest doing the wedding a day earlier ie on a Friday instead of Saturday. I don't think my parents are too keen on that but will see how it goes.

Moving on..... Katgrrl: oh! do load up your pictures in Athens. I heart pictures. Sounds like you had an awesome time. It is fantastic how you even got your dragrees all at once. Just don't go eating your favours like how SnipSnap is. hehehehheh j/k.
Temptation is hard especially if chocolate is concern. In the UK, we have Thornton's and it is dededelicious! This is really bad, one tme I bought a box of chocolates for Ben as a gift and managed to eat up the entire box of chocolates by myself.

Maddcow and SnipSnap: Polaroids are in baby! I don't know how much a pack of polaroids costs in s'pore but in the UK it is about £11-13 a pack of ten. I am hoping that it will be much cheaper back home. I was thinking of just getting some nice good quality paper and bind it into a book and stick the polaroids taken by the guests with their well wishers in it. I'm having about 120 guests so will most likely be buying about 80-90 polaroids. To try and minimise the queue, perhaps borrow two or three polaroid cameras from your friends and have one of your bridemaids/ushers to be in charge.

Winter in Finland sounds tempting. Not too sure if I am going to try skiing again. The last I did, I fell so unglamorously and hurt so bad. I could not even walk for days and had a big bruise. I like the idea of snowshoe walking and getting into the cabins, cozing up, eating and cuddling up with a hot chocolate.

 

[cello]

<u>Facials</u>

For those looking for types of facials, you might want to consider this. Elemis Visible Brilliance Facial
As the name suggests, this facial promises to make a visible difference to your skin, and is truly indulgent treatment that's guaranteed to provide total relaxation. After the gorgeous facial massage and applicationof delicious plant-based exfoliators and masks, your skin will be glowing.

I don't know if your girls in the US are able to get facials with Elemis but in the UK you can have one for £55. I think facials and spas are great for hen nights as well. Think: pampering. Lovely!

 

[madcow]

Sya
You sound better already - keep us posted on your planning, okay? *pat pat* Dewberry's right, we'll be here giving you moral and if possible, practical support!

Katgrrl
I'm thinking of making a wreath too. Our wedding will be in December so we don't really have to worry about church decorations. But I'm thinking of making the wreath for the bridal car (*wink, snippy you know where i got the idea?) - something reusable and portable! Are you thinking of a fresh wreath? I like freesia - but i don't think you can get that in Sgp - so have to settle for orchids and lemon leaves - any ideas?

 

[madcow]

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/hippo.asp

oh, got this from FH via email - hope it will brighten up your day, Sya

 

[frogprincess]

Hello girls, I couldn't help noticing some questions raised, and since I am based in Singapore, I thought I could provide easy answers.

So.. Just starting with Madcow's queries...

First, the venues you've listed:
(a)Les Amis - is still around. check their website at www.lesamis.com.sg

(b) Mandai sounds good - It's great, you can even do it at the Mandai orchid gardens. And although you can light citronella candles, they are no match for the comando trained mozzies in singapore !!

(c)then there's also Esmiralda at Chijmes that I've always favored (still around?) Still around, but you will have to fight for space with the clubs around the area.

(d)Mezza9 at Hyatt (still around?) Yes, still going strong.

(e)L'Aigle d'Or at Duxton Hotel - Well, you know the other great comments already so I shan't repeat them

Secondly you DO get freesias in Singapore (depending on the season though) I used freesias and wax flowers in my hair for the wedding! Check out www.wishingtree.com.sg for elegant and simple arrangements.

Hope it helps!

 

[ashlee]

So much to read... information overload... dunno what to say now liao.

 

[suzxie]

Hi all!

Thanks for your best wishes again!

Our marriage festivities were over 3 days.. Day 1: Dress Rehersal and BBQ for family and friends, Day 2: Church Wedding, Tea ceremony, Dinner for family and friends by the sea at SAF Yacht Club, Day 3: Wedding dinner at Raffles Hotel. We ate and laughed and talked and cried and generally had a whale of the time!

There is so much to say and so little time.. will make a start now and will continue in a later post...

What Went Wrong
(1) Wedding car at wrong place. Girls! Confirm your pick-up locations! The wedding car was to have picked Laurence up to bring him to the church. It spent 2 hours waiting for Laurence at Raffles Hotel whilst he was waiting for it at Jervois Rd. O dear. When the mistake was discovered, it raced to pick Laurence up, and then me. I was about fashionably late (abt 10 mins) for the service.. couldn't have timed it better! It gave the guests the opportunity to arrive and be seated before I got there.

(2) Pageboy (5 years) refused to walk down the aisle. He was eventually coaxed down by his dad but half way down the aisle, (with my cousin playing Pachelbel's Canon in the background and 200 people in the congregation), he turns round and shouts to everyone at the top of his voice "DON'T TAAALLK!!!" Ahem. Luckily everyone laughed!

(phew!) .. youth is forgiven much.

(3) Bestman dropped the rings during the church service. My dad walked me down the aisle and passed me to Laurence (

Wow! My favourite memory), Laurence and I then took our seats. Everyone else sat down and then suddenly.. we heard the clanging of rings falling down onto the floor and rolling to goodness knows where... OMIGOD!!

Best man had a discreet hunt around and some heart-stopping minutes later, eventually found them, phew!

(4) Order of church service messed up. During the church service, my brother in law was to have sung a responsorial psalm (he had practised for weeks), followed by a reading by the Best man. Unfortunately, the Best man (yes the same one who dropped the rings.) was too nervous to notice the order of the service. As a result, he "potong jalan" and read his reading before my brother in law had a chance to sing his piece. Needless to say, the order of the mass was thrown a little askew and all 3 celebrating priests raised their collective eyebrows and the music director buried his head in his hands... luckily, bro-in-law did some tweaking and got to sing his piece in another part of the mass... Best man was blissfully unaware for days after about his faux pas..

(5) Wrong hand for the ring? During the service, after the wedding rings were found and blessed, Laurence was to put the ring on my hand. Thing was, we didn't know which hand! We debated for about 15 seconds... our congregation laughed aloud with us

(p/s It was the left hand!)

O yes, some guests also commented that the portions that Raffles Hotel served during the wedding dinner was not sufficient. Ah well, chances are that everyone would have forgotten about it in 10 years time!

So yes.. a few minor mishaps but strangely, when I look back on the wedding, the mishaps and our family laughing and exclaiming about them made everything OK and the mishaps were the highlights and most memorable moments of our wedding.

Next posts... What went right and What I did not expect!

 

[snipsnap]

ladies ladies ..what a flurry of activity! we need to upgrade to a chatroom man

where to start where to start!

sya > You mean the SRC didn't tell u about hte rehersals??? How can?? Don't worry 5 months is plenty of time. Have a friend who planned hers in like 3 months and it was one of the best wedding I'd be to. though I suspect her parents had been planning it for years haha. anyway can't really provide feedback on any of the locations because I'm damn suaku. but chijmes is a lovely. you can decorate that portion of the courtyard with lanterns. the ambience will be fantastic.

maddcow> ..your MIL is so sweet!!! *melts*..makes the wedding all the more meaningful. hee clarification on Joanne Fabrics. I think its just this particular store that is crap. btw what are escort cards? are they like place cards? hmmmmm ...YES I saw that wreath for the car in MS hahah ..must say its really cool!! ...but u know what I got to let go at some point. will leave the car decor to the BS ..but !@*!$ what if they look really obiang??? i hate those cutey bears on cars hehe...apologies to those who like em

re polaroids ... please share if anyone has prices on em

I'm too lazy to look them up lol. Did a quick scan of the site linked but it didn't include prices.

katgrrl> boy do I have an idea for u lol. i saw this favor in where else, Martha Stewart Weddings, that ahd those pebbles you were describing. They filled this tiny minature sized galvanized white pail with it and had a little tag on the handle. was soo cute!! ...ooh and another one that would be great..she wrapped robin's egg blue almond dragees in tulle and tied it with yarn. she also created this paper cutout of a blue robin and tied it together with the yarn. it was so beatiful *sigh* (Maddcow hehe remember seeing this??)... btw athens pics?

...ooh tell us more about the bouquet u are planning to make? I am so intimidated after seeing the flowers at the store. no idea how to proceed.

dewberry > Thanks for the menu. arghk the list has too many options!!! heheheh I am overwhelmed. Which one are you thinking of getting?

suzxie> hahah your post was hilarious. the bestman is so sotong haha. anyway its the little things that go wrong that make your wedding more memorable isn't it?? hope they captured it on video

reminds me of the things that'd gone wrong at past weddings...groom left behind at hotel with no ride!!! bestman faints from heat stroke

think it'll be kinda boring if everything went as planned

 

[katgrrl]

Suzxie, Thanks for sharing!

Murphy's Law, man! It's hilarious when u relate it but I hope I'd be as calm &amp; collected as u seem to be on that day, being the stress bunny that I am

Snippy, u're tempting me! heheh...I kinda know what u mean by the lil buckets. hmph, I need to check the local bookstore if they've got MS Weddings; I'm bursting with curiosity now. Oh yes, I think I saw the little tulle bags with the paper robins on the website but sadly, there isn't much else there. figures... Hmm, as for the bouquet, I got the inspiration from 1 of the forumers who did this

I'll replace the string of beads either with pearls or a crystal butterfly pin. I'm just hoping that I'd be able to find realistic looking silk flowers in SG that aren't too tacky.

Anyone knows where to find silk flowers in SG besides Robinsons?

Sya, dun worry okie? I'm sure things will work out for u.. just take it 1 step at a time

 

[cello]

Hello ladies,

thank you so much for the advice and support. I think I'm feeling much better now coz I emailed a list of things MUST DO for my darling bridemaids which included a set of questions that should be prepared to ask when speaking to the vendors. :-D I rang my Mom at 6.30am (s'pore time) just to let her know that push comes to shove, we will have to bring forward the wedding ceremony and evening reception a day earlier. I could hear abit of the "ermmm, I don't know about that" kinda tone, but she also said to call back on sunday and we will have another 'meeting'/discussion about it.

Snipsnap: I know! I can't believe it either how they completely miss that important bit of information. I was shockingly-fuming mad as you can probably imagine. It was just wasn't the kind of news that I wanted to hear especially not within the same time when work related issues are stressing me out as well.

Hello Ribbit! Welcome to the thread. Are you getting married this year too? When is your wedding day? Thank you so much for that list. Now with two recommendations from yourself and Dewberry, L'Aigle d'Or at Duxton Hotel is definitely one of my top list for my girls to check out. I just hope they can come up with halal menu as well. Due to over excitement, I forgot to think about my Muslim relatives and friends. *smacks forehead*

Katgrrl: That picture is really pretty. I have seen pictures of silk flowers in wedding magazines and I must admit alot of them are really pretty. Shame, I don't know much about where to get them but will ask around for you. One of my aunts (one of my thousand and one aunts), loves to kai-kai so she would know things like where to get silk flowers. I agree with silk flowers, really best to look at the product yourself as well if unsure coz last thing you'd want is it looking less tahn what you desire.think classy but not tacky! hehehhehe

Suzxie: LOL!! I bet those hiccups made your day memorable. One of my friends from home had the same problem on her ROM but on this case, her hubby was the one who didn't know which finger to put the ring on. I thought that was a great highlight. Funny and adorable. Raffles portion is indeed tiny. I remember feeling so hungry after my uncle's wedding that me and my other cousins went out for a late night prata in the most glamourous way! :-D It was delicious though and the ambience was cozy and romantic. Lovely!

Can't wait to hear more of your stories..so keep them coming!

SnipSnap: The US website is selling the Polaroid film for $55.00 for a pack of 5. http://www.polaroid.com/us/index.jsp Are you ladies able to do tax rebates on your purchses?
Speaking of tax rebates, when we go on our shopping trips back home, are we still eligble for tax rebates? Can we actuall become a tourist and claim it all back?

right, gonna go and hit the sack. I'm having a super long day at work tomorrow and already am dreading it.

 

[frogprincess]

Congrats Suzxie! Sounds like your wedding was really memorable (either in spite of the heart-stopping moments or because of them). I had a similar "potong jalan" incident during the speech segment of our wedding dinner, but our emcee ad-libbed adroitly and saved the day. I thnk that ultimately, everything little thing will simultaneously be a major crises and absolutely perfect.

Hello and hugs to Sya (thanks for making me feel welcome) = Yes to both counts - I just had my Jan wedding in Singapore, and I am planning my June wedding in France. So technically, I am planning a wedding from overseas.

 

[ashlee]

katgrrl
Hehe, careful goobergrape lover sue u for infringing copyright! haha

Suzxie
Your wedding sounds fun! Must see photos!
Did u have chinese dinner or buffet at raffles? I am soo worried there isn't going to be enough food as my friends and family are really big eaters!

 

[suzxie]

Hi ladies

Err.. I lie.. further wedding details later...

Katgrrl: Winter safariing in Finland sounds great!

Will definately keep that in mind, though finances still getting over wedding excesses. Laurence is also now buying a used convertible - he says he wants to enjoy life before little ones come along, becos then he'll have to go back to sensible cars! *Ker-ching, va-va-vrooom* sound of money driving off..

Katgrrl and Snippy: Bali was great! We usually use Misa Travel http://www.airfares.com.sg/ who have very good deals on airfares etc but found that SIA's website had the cheapest fare for the days we wanted to travel: http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/app/saa and booked with them instead. I think it was about S$250 per person. We stayed here: http://www.balivillas.com/villas/uluwatu/index.html the scenary was awesome and I had a massage and facial overlooking the sea. I would definately recommend the company ... they were very prompt in answering all my email questions. There were lots to do in Bali.. scuba diving at Lemboggan Island (with Bali Hai tours), boogie boarding at Legian beach, shopping and going to the spas at Ubud and just chilling out in general. I would recommend seeing the Kecak Dance at Uluwatu temple at sunset. We were late and walked into a small amphitheatre on a cliff overlooking the sea. The sun was setting in the background, and on stage, just 1m from us, there were about 50 men were seated chanting and girls in beautiful costumes, dancing the elegant and stylised Balinese dance telling of a tale from the epic Ramayana. My description really does not do it justice .. it was spectacular!

Ashlee: I have been praying the whole of this past week that we would be snowed in as well but no such luck. Hope the snow continues for the weekend, though. I'm planning to wake Laurence up early for a weekend snowball fight if it snows tomorrow! Thanks for your London foodie tips... I'll try and see if I can find any asian store local to Basingstoke though.

Raffles was amazing... it was so glamorous at night. Beautiful!

It was also the day before Valentines Day and we had scattered rose petals on the table, roses folded into the napkins (thank you Martha Stewart!), a love poem for each guest at their place setting (tied up with burgundy ribbons), a jazz singer, pianist and bassist. I think everyone did enjoy themselves! When we had a receiving line after the dinner, all the guests walked out with bunches of flowers in their hands. We had a post dinner dance as well but I snuck out early cos I was dead beat... went back to our room where parents were doing overtime counting the angpows...

Sya: hey there! Don't worry gal, everything will be perfect for your day! I do miss home already... luckily my sis and aunt are coming to Belgium in March for a conference.. will go meet them there. Just to add to your facial recommendation - I have very spotty skin and found Crystal Clear Microdermabrasion really helped.. it is about £35 per session. http://www.crystalclear.co.uk/adviceqandamicro.htm

Dewberry: I packed a few bottles of Magicool to stay cool and they worked quite well.. http://www.magicool.uk.com/home.htm As for MUAs, I used Justina Lee of http://decharacter.com/justina/. She is listed on this site. Also booked her blind but she turned out to be v good and professional. Don't worry, I had my trial make-up session very last minute ie on the day before the wedding ... I gave her a photo of the hair style I wanted and the type of look I wanted (natural) and away she went! Everyone commented that my hair and makeup were excellent. I think based on my experience, wedding MUAs in SG are pretty professional and I am sure Sandy Ho will do a terrific job as well!

Maddcow: Wow, your MIL is making your veil for you? That makes it so special! How's everything coming along?

Ribbit: thanks for your well wishes! Welcome as well! Whereabouts are you getting married in France? How are you handling the planning?? Do tell!

 

[suzxie]

ashlee: I had traditional chinese dinner (classic menu) for raffles. Suggest you have a word with your Raffles co-ordinator or the chef beforehand about your concerns. Looking back, I should have done that but naively I thought that the food should have been enough becos we were very full after the food tasting! Dunno what happened on the night. Also don't know if Raffles will ask for a top-up $$ for bigger portions. Hmmm....

 

[dewberry]

suzxie - thanks for the magicool recommendation, sounds like a great idea! i'm definitely gonna pack a few botts. would you be able to share your photo of the hairstyle you brought to justina? thanks for the reassurances, i feel a lot better knowing that yours turned out well also, despite the blind booking...

ribbit - welcome to the thread! you're definitely an overseas bride as well, hahaha... no matter that it's all "toh-balek"... how did your first wedding, go? do give us the details, or if you're comfortable... share pictures!

snippy - yeah, i also bewildered. just reading it made me want to go to a spa then and there! i'm partial to the brides bath idea, or one of the night spa pkgs... but i might just end up doing a mani/pedi treatment thing... coz the thing about spa that i'm worried is that i have sensitive skin... and i wouldn't want to use any alien products the night before the Big Day! gasp, what if i broke out in hives all over?! and sheesh, the dream spa ritual for a whopping 3.8k is just too unbelievable... i wish i knew donald trump and had the wherewithal to luxuriate in such decadence! hahahah, good thing we're all not living in singapore.

 

[ashlee]

suzxie
Snowball fight?! haha... that would be funny! Unfortunately we dun get that much snow where we are. At most an inch or so. Quite pretty though, feels like Xmas and everything looks like they are covered by icing sugar! hehe... I feel so "sua ku", like never see snow before! haha

Mind me asking how much did u spend on the roses for the napkins? And how much for the jazz band? Was toying with the same idea but dunno our non-existent budget allow for that or not! hehe... btw who was your florist at raffles? We are using Woodsville, wonder if they are ok...

 

[katgrrl]

Hi Suzxie,
Bali sounds magical... *wistful*..and Uluwatu looks heavenly!! And do come to Finland if u can.. I'll love to meet Laurence &amp; u.

well, u know boys will be boys. Given half the chance, Mark will also buy a sporty hatchback instead of the practical 5-door car. Does Laurence watch Top Gear? We love the show..him for the super cars; me for the witty dialogues...cracks me up even tho horsepower doesn't mean much to me

Yeah, dewberry, I agree with u. I don't go for facials but isn't it generally said that one should have a buffer of 2-3days after a facial/spa just in case there are adverse reactions?

Ribbit, nice seeing u here too

How are plans going with your French wedding? We just started looking at venues in Finland for late August. There'd still be lots of sun then - sets around 9+, I believe, and not much mozzies (trust me, the Asian cousins are like chihuahuas compared to the pitbull mozzies here..grrr). Probably rent a cottage by a lake and have a buffet by the lake. Every cottage comes with a sauna so I guess some friends will be going to &amp; fro the sauna &amp; the lake. enuff yakking for now. Your turn!

 

[dewberry]

ashlee - hey! i'm using woodsville too! from what i've heard, they're more than OK, they're very professional and great flair for design. i'm sure you'll be happy. Cecilia the owner is very accomodating, i can't count how many times i've gone back and forth with the design for my centerpieces (and still haven't decided yet!) so i don't think you have any worries there....

katgrrl - yep, you're right about the facials. i'm definitely not having a facial the night before... but whatever i consider will probably be a body treatment (special bath soak, massage, etc...) or else just something "minimally invasive" but relaxing like a moisturizing spa mani/pedi... still a bit hesitant about adverse reactions even on the body.

wah, you girls talking about such idyllic weddings (*sooooo nice!*)... the relaxed mood with the lake and sauna in the cottage, mmmmm! can't wait to hear more about what you finally decide on!

 

[frogprincess]

Hello grrls! (sorry katgrrl your dyslexia is infectious - *grins*)

Yep moved to this thread where the stress of planning a wedding from overseas is a bit more of a relevant topic (although as Dew Berry correctly points out it is a bit "toh-bah-lek" for me)

BTW Dewberry, the sum of it is that the Singapore wedding at the Beaufort Sentosa worked really well. Of course things never go exactly as planned, and little hiccups happen, but everyone had a great time, and planning for the France wedding should be a little easier cos we feel like we are vetrans now! Let me email you the link to our wedding website to look at the photos.

Ashlee - I have a contact for a jazz band in Singapore. Was going to use one at first too, but in the end different friends sang for us using a "minus one" (it's like a karaoke CD with music but no words) I will email you their rates when I get back to the office on Monday. It's a five piece jazz band and quite reasonably priced.

Suzxie - Bali is one of my favourite places in Asia as well! On a slight tangent - there is a brand called uluwatu - www.uluwatu.com which has lovely resort wear and shawls and stuff. Our wedding list bedlinen is from uluwatu, so that we can take a piece of Bali with us wherever we go.

Katgrrl - French wedding is trundling along. I have just decided to worry about one frigging thing at a time, so first things first to go through all the mindless admin here in Singapore (cancel credit cards, phone lines etc..) and the fun things (goodbye dinners/ lunches/ tea sessions) before moving to Italy and planning the France wedding a little closer (i.e. 600 km away as opposed to 60000).

 

[katgrrl]

Ribbit, yup, '1 thing at a time' -a great reminder too to keep my sanity in check.

Hehehe..actually "grrl" was actually a pun on the sound when u growl

...As u may have guessed from my posts, I'm a lil' feisty &amp; pull no punches. HB likens me to a chilli padi

 

[madcow]

Suzxie
Thanks for sharing your experience with us - oopsies add so much character, I guess we all agree to that! Oooh - I wish I was your guest, flowers, poetry - heavenly!
One question: Do you have to pay extra when asking for individual flowers for guests?

Ribbit - Welcome! The more the merrier! Thanks for the tip on freesia.

Katgrrl - I'm not a big fan of silk flowers, my mom is - I think Lim's Arts (?)and shops on second floor above Cold Storage at Holland V have a good selection.

Sya - Do keep us posted on your venue selection, yah? As for tax rebates, we can't claim, but Ben should be able to claim subject to conditions ($500 purchase within a certain period etc)

Snippy - was at walmart yesterday checked out the following for you (and for me as well):
polaroid cameras:
one600 ultra = USD39.88
one600 Classic = USD29.88
Film 600 (20 exposures) = $19.99 though during christmas we bought 30 exposures for that price.
- For 10 exposures = $11.69
Spectra film (suitable for other models) = $21.44 for 20 exposures

izone 200 camera = 13.87
12 exposures sticky film = $6.74 ($5.64 for nonsticky)
36 exposures sticky film = $14.88 (same for nonsticky ones)
I'm using izones because I'm framing up my wishes card. My friend used izone for her guestlist poster (i'm hoping to inherit her camera and besides, it turned out okay, because she took people's faces and not the entire profile)

escort cards - they are like placecards but indicate guests' table numbers/names

 

[ashlee]

ribbit
we may not have space for a five pc band leh... function room is only small. Can have three pc instead? haha...

katgrrl
at least you are likened to chilli padi, my fiance always say I am very "auntie"... sigh

 

[dewberry]

ribbit - gee, thanks for sharing your wed-site, will wait for your email! oh and please gimme your jazz band contact also, my email is: [email protected] i'll share my pics too, when the time comes... sounds like the beaufort sentosa wedding was a success! i've seen friend's weddings there and the sunset pics were very pretty.

suzxie - ditto with maddcow too, flowers and poetry are such nice personal touches. me and FH are also incorporating poetry on the table settings, we've been scouring the bookshelves for appropriate couplets to use around the room... any ideas to share, please send them my way! (my email addy is above)

ashlee - hahaha, i think i am also quite auntie coz i usually don't bother to dress up... makeup? what's makeup?! hee... although i'm considered fat-auntie... right now, i stand out among all of my skinny friends, but i think that in about 10 years, i'll just be seen as comfortably plump!

 

[snipsnap]

hiya ladies ... can't believe the weekend flew by already ... that marks another week I've done nothing for my wedding preps. but my excuse is I had some relatives (with kids!!!) visit and I'm super exhausted. getting nervous and am desperately seeking save the date cards online.

suzxie..wow that magicool contraption is neat! never heard of it before. think FH will be very very grateful for it hah. uluwatu sounds lovely!! did u book it online or through a travel agent? how many days did u spend there?

dewberry ... u're kidding 3.8k for the spa??? hehe my wedding has got better uses for the money lol btw you're using woodsville for your centerpieces? do they tie up with the ritz? the last time I spoke to the wedding coordinator she'd mentioned they used either Steffi's or Goh/Lee (something can't remember). do you know what flowers are included with the package? I wasn't paying attention the last time I talked to them ... what is wrong with me!!!

ribbit ...welcome welcome! can you email me the jazz band contact too? would love to see your wedding pix too if u have any

heard beaufort is gorgeous. [email protected] TIA!

katgrrl ..actually seeing goober's flowers was what inspired me too haha. originally thought fake flowers were kinda tacky. but after seeing em u can't really tell the difference!! yup like maddcow mentioned remember seeing flowers at Lim's at Holland V. I think goober had also mentioned some other location where she had gotten hers. let me know how your little project goes

i'm going to pass for now. skill level required is kinda high kekke

maddcow, sya..wow the polaroids are expensive! izones are a little out of my budget too considering there are so many additional things I want! urhgk..would be nice if money could fall from the sky eh?

 

[dewberry]

hi snippy, yes i agree, i'd rather sink that kinda money into... more flowers, for instance! i'm not actually using Ritz's package flowers, but decided on woodsville for general decor including centerpeices, cake table, draperies and stage decor(heard Steffi's was expensive, and the other one I think is C.C. Lee....) But I did talk to Joey about what was included in the dinner packages, and they are very minimal, just topiaries along the aisle, centerpieces and a reception table arrangement. they are usually just basic flowers like roses or orchids, but negotiable if you want to top up more $$$ for elaborate arrangements or specific flowers. you can also opt out of the flowers altogether and go with a different florist like woodsville... depends on your package. since you are getting the ballroom, i'm sure your guest list quota is large enough for them to be pretty flexible on these things... btw, if you're looking for the details, the florist info is included on your copy of the contract with Ritz....