Indian wedding Services in Singapore

[necrosis]

hello SK,
am one of the newbies here.

your shopping trip sounds like fun...
i'm sure the prices there are much more attractive that SG ones...and the range too.

has anyone done or intends to do a photoshoot in india?
i was wondering if indian PGs do photoshoots like what we have...you know..outdoor shoot...that kind of thing?
cos i think i would like my friends/relatives see some part of india since the groom is indian...
comments?

 

[theaprilwedding]

Chick - Mine is Di Gio. Ask for Jeslin - she speaks better English than the rest. But before you look elsewhere, why don't you give Z'wedding another shot - threaten the manager with CASE and see what happens. It would be a shame to throw away $1.5k worth of deposit like that.

Sphire - I could just picture your nephews! Heh! Btw, do you have any pics of Mr Don's works? Might need a decorator for the tables at the temple reception (no need decor for the hall). Is his style traditional or contemporary?

Kayla & Shan - I didn't even know music stores can do compilations for us.

Kayla - Hey, it's good that you've got your checklist all done up. That way you can do as much as you need now and when your hubby is here, you don't have to do much else, other than the necessary tasks. Congrats on getting your visa!!! I hope I get mine before the wedding too. Don't want to have to worry about it on top of all the other wedding preps.

Brokenbudgie - My only complaint about the Ikea site is no online shopping.

Hopefully, they'll start soon!

SK - Welcome back dear! Whoa! You managed to fit in Mumbai, Delhi AND Chennai?? And all those outfits!!! Must be really gorgeous, esp when you said it was beyond your mom's imagination!!! What colours are they? Are they a round skirt cutting? Does your FH know what they look like or are you going to torture him with the suspense?

Nec - Thali is the nuptial symbol for the Indians. So during the ceremony, the groom ties the Thali round the bride's neck and that's when everyone throws rice grains over them. The bangle ceremony is done a few days before the wedding. Where relatives come to the bride's place for the ceremony where each one will take turns to put bangles on the bride's hands. What's the significance, I don't know.

Re. photoshoot in India, it's a novel idea but the logistics might be a hassle. You might need to do your research about the PGS in India. Do you know anyone there who can help fix you up with a good PG? Also you have to think about your MUA and airfares and such.

 

[kayla21]

Hi Rany,
Ya u should start working on your visa since you are already done with the ROM. Actually, for us the visa is an impt part of the wedding preps...The compliation CD i was mentioning are those like " 20 best tamil love songs" or something. U know those that can be bought off the shelves...Need those type cos my event coordinator is only for my reception, not for my wedding. It will be nice to hear some songs in the background...

I went to Ikea this evening and bought loads of stuff like candles, vases, carpets etc at reasonable prices! Going to decorate my wedding room with the help of some of my friends...Instead of calling a decorator cos at the end of the day, we cant keep any of the things they provide. I have yet to buy the bed sheets and curtains for the room.
My friends are going to throw a bridal shower for me on March 17, if i am not wrong...have to kick out my family outta the house for a day!!! don know what my friends are going to be up to???

 

[babygal88]

Hi gals...

Rany.. - the trial MU i have done is more to match for the bangle cermony as well as the engagement saree which I willl wear to the function hall... Extremely excited and more tired and can't wait to finish all these prep..i'm just happy to see the list gets lesser and lesser...

As for the CD.. so you will not have any DJ or so to entertain the crowd?.. Oh, i actually arranged for a DJ but later MIL managed to get a musician band with singers all night to entertain the crowd so got to cancel the DJ.. i tot DJ will be more fun cos we can ask to play more popular hits after the ceremony end.. most of my guests love to dance.. well doesnt matter lah.. so long they are happy.. your event planner surely can help you out with the compilation… anyway i can find out from the DJ contact and i'll let you know..Alternatively, my cousin in law is quite good with indian songs etc.. will check with her … so you want something classical or down-tempo..?

Kayla>> think you can get the "20 best tamil love songs" CDs in Tekka.. should not be difficult to find.. will keep you posted if i come across one..

 

[babygal88]

Kayla >> How nice to know that your friends are throwing a bridal shower for you (my wedding day is 17th leh)... so fun.. i'm so-called already married (ROMed).. so nothing for me lah.. But i did tell my FH to have another bachelor night even though he had one last year when we ROM... he said i was crazy..

 

[babygal88]

Kismet >> Rany's idea is not bad as well.. U can hang strings of pearls around your candelabras which is classy too. If you want to buy in bulk.. u can try Jalan Sultan complex or Arab streets.. i buy my DIY accessories from stores there.. they have loads of diff. color pearls in rolls, ribbons.. etc..

Angelic >> I’m going to use a mix of dots and crystals for both my ceremonies but will keep the crystals a little lesser.. just little at the corner of the brows here and there..so there’s a contrast… Also.. the crystals do not hold.. may worn-off after a while.. then your makeup will look slightly weird..

 

[babygal88]

Hi Nec.. my “prince†is a local Indian.. we knew each other thru the chatroom.. honestly.. I don't remember how he proposes to me … maybe under the coconut tree? Hahahe..

We wanted to save $$ ... so we figure out that if the relatives that are going to turn up during the temple wedding are the same people who will be turning up for the Indian banquet… No point catering the food twice.. additional $$ for lunch reception if we do it in a temple… Meanwhile.. I can't get a good venue with most of the temple for a 1200pp dinner cos i booked late and esp. on my wedding day 17th Mar.. so just do everything in Kalsa function hall..

It’s a pity I can't get wed in the temple.. I think it’s very sacred and grand to wed in temple and get blessings in front of the deity.. oh well.. No choice lor..

Will have a small simple Chinese dinner banquet cos my family is very small..prob within the next 5-6 mths later.. I have not had an idea where to hold it though..

Wah… your Indian ceremony in India?? It’s so cool…How fun.. I look forward to visit India soon.. wanted to go last year to get the sarees and stuff but we don’t have the time… in fact my FH had gone to India 3x last year.. but I always can’t make it..

 

[babygal88]

Nec, actually hindu ceremonies in India last for days or even weeks depending on how extensive the family wants to celebrate. Although the wedding itself is held on one day, there are a number of ceremonies usually held on separate days preceding the wedding:

There’s the 'Misri' or the Ring Ceremony.. something like engagement… Usually is after the horoscopes of the bride and groom are matched and the decision is made for them to marry. The pujari/priest will decide the auspicious date, and the bride's parents host the event (mahurat). Basically to exchange the gold wedding rings. Groom's parents bless the bride and give her a saree, some jewellery and flowers for her hair. The bride will change into the saree and wear the jewellery given .The bride's parents also bless the groom and give him a suit, a watch and some other gifts. The couple exchanges rings after which, five 'sumangalis' (married ladies) perform the 'aarti' for them and all the elders present bless them.The couple will welcome each other with garlands and sweets exchanged between the two families. Usually ends with a dinner party for friends and relatives. Nowadays most pple in SG skip this step or they combine with the ROM lah…

For the sikh, they have the Mehndi Party and for hindu Indian like our FHs.. we will have our bangle ceremony.. – It happens 2 days before the wedding.. mine on 15th Mar..

Here’s wat I understand:
The bangle wearing ceremony, which some called this the Chuddo or Pendlikoothuru or other names, held in once a bride’s life time. It’s more like a beautification ceremony… an occasion usually celebrated by the bride's family at home in the evening, 2 days before the AD ceremony.. There’s also a ritual bath, where the cousins apply the turmeric and coconut milk on the bride’s face and body. Then the brother's wife or any other older lady from the family leads her for her bath. After the bath she completes the ritual by wearing a new sari, gold jewellery, etc..

In traditional India, the bangles are put on the bride, by the bangle seller or bangdiwalla. Relatives and friends present at the ceremony are also given by him a pair or more of their choice free of cost. There will be some songs sung as well whichever appropriate to the occasion. Offerings of money in token of blessing are put in a tray placed before the bangle seller. The money collected will be given to him as the payment that he gets for the work done.

The Chuddo among the upper castes, consists of a set of seven glass bangles of a green colour on each wrist. The lower castes will have bangles of seven rainbow colors. Usually the seller will first slips the green bangles on the bride's wrist. The bangles have to be uneven in number. The bride's parents may also present the bride with gold bangles, which are also slipped onto her wrist by the bangdiwalla. Then the sumangalis will slip the bangles into the wrist of the bride…

Actually within South Indians and North Indians groups, they have different communities which they perform slightly variation in terms of the rituals for weddings… so if you are marrying in India.. they may just follow the traditions based on the "village" they come from.. some very extensive some very simplified...

In SG, we simplify quite a bit lah… Mayb we are lazy?

What I know is—
Bride is seated on a wooden plank on the dais. Underneath this plank a banana leaf filled with a handful of uncooked rice is spread. Three stools are placed in front of the bride; 'kumkum', sandalwood paste and rose water are placed on one stool, betel leaves, betel nut and flowers on the second, and a plate with 'arathi' (a mixture of lime and turmeric mixed in water which turns red) on the third.

All the assembled Sumangalis or married women apply sandalwood paste on the bride's hands, put 'kumkum' on her forehead, sprinkle rose water on her and also perform an 'arathi', thus completing the beautification ceremony. They will be presented with the betel leaves, sweets, flowers and bangles by the bride. This gifting is done to ensure the married ladies bless the to-be married girl and wishes her to become a part of their group..

The bangles symbolize married life for the bride, as they are broken only on her dead husband's coffin… That is why, when glass bangles break, it is thought to portend ill luck.. so take care of them after the ceremony and just be the “Tai-Tai†till the AD.. Leave the chores to the family and don’t do anything huh…

Just live up to the “beautification ritualâ€lor…

U can have henna (Mehndi) painted on your hands and feet on that day.. I’m going to do it.. Normally this step is done on the day before wedding day but if you have all the bangles on your hands… very difficult to put.. some families very sticky abt putting this just the day before the wedding… but I think it shouldn’t matter… so long you put it for the wedding, all the same lah…

Mehndi signifies the strength of love in a marriage so brides will try to leave it on as long as possible! If you are fair.. they will turn out extremely beautiful… to keep the color darker, we can apply medicated oil on the prints..so it will last well till wedding day..

Actually the wedding practice are also different among the Indian race/group (Punjabi, Bengali, hindu, etc…) Aiyoh..Very complicated.. just like the Chinese dialets.. the teochews, hokkiens, cantonese, etc has different traditions to follow...

Sorry.. I know I’m a little long winded… too much saliva...

 

[babygal88]

So.. as for the Thaali... also known as Mangalyam or mangal sutra... it's gonna be a long-winded story from me again... hahaha

.. Don't want to bored anyone here...

So if you want to know more, just give me your email.. i'll write you the symbol and signifance, prep for it, etc...

 

[babygal88]

Yo SK.. SK - Looks like you had an excellent trip and best of all getting all the wonderful outfits!!! i can imagine your wedding albums will really look like a fashion magazine photo spread.. you must look stunning in those !!

 

[babygal88]

Sphire >> Actually there are lots of books on the meaning of these wedding rituals, for different indian groups and different communities betw. north indian and south indian...

I'm very thankful that my FH has an astrologer/ astrologist Uncle... he had a Master in astrology from UK and studied these for years and practise it in Bangalore where he choose to reside there (he's a S'porean).. He reads for the rich and famous there and he's got good clientele base here too... He was just back here last month and was abt to leave to India again but i invited him to stay for my wedding this mth..

He's like my NEW best friend.. My MIL can only know these much abt the rituals so every other day my Maamaa Vishnu is my "walking encyclopedia".. i just need to ring him and he's got the answer.. i felt bad to ask him to explain but we are like best pals or rather father and daughter.. he promise to get me some of his books for my bed time stories...to read abt the traditions... I'm so intrigued by the traditions and customs of indian wedding rituals..

 

[smurfet]

Hi people.. sorry abt dissapering for so long, its been crazy at work. been working till 1am everynite. so u can imagine how bad my eye bags are!

thanks sooo much guys for the florist and candle contacts. to be honest had gone down to IKEA but hadn't seen some of the candles that i found online! must open my eyes wider... but thanks once again people, really appreciate it...and also thanks for the idea of perls.. will prob do both flowers and pearls with candles..

SK, welcom back.. i've been really excited to hear abt your trip.. am sooo glad u had a good time. I'm leaving next weekend, really excited but so much to do before hand... any new suggestions as to where to go? also, u mentioned custom making your chura, where did u do that? i would need chura too and would love to custom make it if possible.. thanks babe....

otherwise, its amazing to see how much everyone accomplishes.. i'm still very slow. have only confirmed my venues, menus, photographer and mehndi lady... so much left to do...

 

[janessa]

hi all....me m so lost wit my wedding prep....need lotza help n advice...weddind on 1st dec...nt sure where to get saree frm? shld i buy o sew a lenga?m considering to get my pre wedding photo shoot done at Golden Horse(yishun)...any comments abt them? me not sure where 2 print my wedding cards n any recommendations for make artist for AD n photographers n videographers...?

 

[necrosis]

WOW. Joelle.
Hats off to you girl. that was a really detailed explanation!!!
actually, after reading rany's answer (thanks rany!!) i went and asked my FH abt the thali etc. and his brillant answer was: "dunno, ask my mom".
LOL.
but i think you've hit the nail on the head...when ya talk abt the engagement ceremony, i recall it being mentioned by his mom once...then the tumeric bath etc, his cousin-sister wedding had this...so i'm guessing i'll be having this too.
yup, all of it done in india, where i'll be the only non-indian around.
lol.stress too!

how come ya have to cater for 1200pple!!??!?!?!!??! that's crazy! at least when i think of the chinese dinner kinda scale...500 pple already like super a lot...

my FH is bengali, so the base is mostly kolkata. went there once to meet his parents.

bought a sari there and it was so cheap compared to SG.

man, to all BTBs, go to india and get all the india sstuff there!!!!
it's less than half price over there!!!
Incredible india!

kismet: flying off to which part of india?
surely will be busy shopping etc.

good luck in getting lovely clothes n stuff.
(good and cheap somemore!)

 

[necrosis]

joelle,
me gonna print those posts of your to show FH.

thanks so much.

my email addy is [email protected]

ask you, have you learnt tamil? speaking?
at least your FH and family are Sporeans, mine are all india indians, so language is a big (huge) obstacle.
and religion too.
am catholic. they are hindus.

and my FH is the only son of a Brahman family...so actually they are VERY traditional, very conservative.


we met while learning salsa in NUS. heehee...

 

[smurfet]

Thanks Nec, really nervous abt the shopping spree. I'm going to dehli for 10 days and amritsar for 3 days. my shopping list is streching miles long and i have no idea how i'm gonna get everything in the 2 weeks but i aim to! And wow, wedding in india, lucky u.. u can do such amazingly grand weddings there! will be a fairy tale wedding... if we can be of any assistance just ask...

Hi Jan.. it depends on your status.. will u get a chance to go to india? or are u planning to get everything from here.. if here then i would strongly advise u to put on a comfortable pair of shoes and walk from selegie (menu's) all the way down serangoon road without buying anythign.. just to see all your options, prices etc etc, before making up your mind. You'll deff find something.. my personal fav shops are jinders and stylemart.. though sheetal and a few stores on serangoon road do have lovely sarees (and cheaper too!).. don't really know much abt bs so can't help u there as for wedding cards, some of the girls here have done it in singapore and malaysia, while others including myself are getting ours done in india etc....all the best!

 

[chick77]

Joelle, you are unbelievable. Think you know more about all the Indian traditions than most of us here..hehe. Btw, i have a question - so for the bangle ceremony, does it need to be the glass ones or can we cheat and where the plastic ones..? I'm so clumsy..scared i do something inauspicious..The other thing i heard is we need to be vegetarian 3 days before the wedding..thats gonna be hard for me..hehe..

SK - welcome back! Sounds like a very fruitful trip, cant believe how you managed to squeeze so many places in India )

Rany - hey i checked out DiGio yesterday. Din see yr posting on Jeslin, so got served by sm1 called Casy. Its expensive if i jus want to rent a WG - they quoted me 1.8K - and those are 2nd hand ones. Is your pricing like that as well?? I also went to Ted Wu..lovely gowns, excellent service as we didnt have an appt..they quoted me 1.4K. Gal, realised i missed yr question on timing. I dont think you can pick your timing - actually for us, the priest/astrologer at the temple looked it up for us and wrote it on a sample invitation card form/template. So i think before u print your cards, you need to ask them to write that form, cos they had to write my name in Tamil/Sanskript? and same goes for your hubby's name..and they can write the auspicious timing for you as well..and u just bring that to the printers. They will also tell you that you need to bring 5 cards to them..for prayers etc

 

[kayla21]

Hi ladies,
I collected some of my wedding blouses yesterday and they fitted me perfectly...glad that i did not put on any weight during the past few months. After that i went to Susiee's to choose my ornaments for the bangle ceremony and wedding. Going to wear the full bridal ornaments...they are made of pearls and white stones cos they match well with my wedding saree. still thinking of what kind of hairstyle for the bangle ceremony...any suggestions ladies? must be something that allows me to wear the tikka and goes well with a saree...Last but not least,i finally got my wedding bangles...got them in metal and with heavy stonework cos i am very scared of wearing glass bangles!!! i have cut myself badly b4...nevertheless, i will add some glass bangles for the sake of tradition.

 

[singbride]

hi ladies,

wow, looks like all of us are really busy...since i got back, i've been busy with work and this weekend has been a busy one too. Yesterday was my dad's birthday and today is my FH's birthday

.

kismet - i got my wedding chura from this place called Chottey Lal and Sons. There are located along the 5th right side lane off Ajmal Khan Road in Karol Bagh. You can pick up a lot of your wedding stuff(eg stuff for oil ceremony, milni, kelirey and other accessories) from this store. There is a store opposite them called Anarkali. They sell lehenga, sarees and suit materials.

Other stores for you to visit in Karol Bagh are Frontier Bazaar, Vivaah (on W.E Padam Singh Road). If you go to Frontier Bazaar, look for a Mr Rawat who sits on the second floor near the wedding lehengas. Tell him you were recommended by Satnam from Singapore who just collected her wedding outfit end Feb. Also do check out Vivah (2 or 3 stores down from Frontier), they have some great stuff. Look for Ravi and if you are buying anything from there, tell him u are my relative from Singapore. Other stores to check out in Karol Bagh are Perfection House (near Tanishq), Roop Sarees and Bombay Selections. Roshans and Meena Bazaar are other places you could check out. If you are looking to buy the turbans, dye duppattas etc, you could go to the 4th left side lane off Ajmal Khan Road. I went to a store called Satnam Pagris.

There's an area called Lajpat Nagar, which is slightly cheaper than Karol Bagh. South Extension is more expensive that Karol Bagh. My advice is to park yourself in Karol Bagh and check out all the stores there. You should be able to complete your shopping. Look for your outfits first as these need time to be stitched. I've heard that stuff in Amritsar is more expensive than Delhi. So if you like something in Delhi, do pick it up there itself. There are some card printers in Karol Bagh near Bank Street (where a lot of the jewellers are). But the best place to get cards in Delhi is Chawri Bazaar. You could take the metro (their version of MRT) and get off at the Chawri Bazaar station.

If you need advise on anything else, just let me know.

 

[singbride]

Sorry for the long post above ladies, but that was more to help kismet out for her up-coming trip. It can be overwhelming when you have a huge shopping list and limited time on hand.
kismet, one of the items that i didnt have time to find which you can also get at Karol Bagh are mithai bags. If you do come across them, i'd love the contact. Thanks! Can't wait to hear about your shopping trip!!

My actual wedding outfit is a fully embroidered rose pink lehenga. Its a normal round skirt. My reception outfit is a deep red silk lehenga with a western twist. My sangeet lehenga is in blue n gold with a 'sexy' tie back blouse and fitted mermaid cut skirt . My FH's wedding sherwani is in blue and gold brocade and looks amazing. It will go well with my outfit

. For the sangeet he will wear a kurta and he's still undecided about his reception outfit....

And of course he can't see my wedding and reception outfits until the actual day itself...Keeping him in suspense..Heheheeeeee

 

[smurfet]

Hi SK... wow. Your a gem! thanks heaps! honestly, really really appreciate how much youve shared. Its certainly overwhelming the amount of work there is to do in such a short time. I'm not only shopping for myself and my FH but my entire family here in sg.. so its crazy!!!

but thanks once again. I'm gonna be staying in Karol Bagh at a hotel so alot of your stores are gonna be really easy for me to do. also, u're outfits sounds amazing. did u get all your outfits from frontier and how long did they take to stich everything? and where did u get your man's outfits from? I want to get my dad and bro's kurta's or sherwani's with matching stoles and turbans...
As for the mithai bags, a friend of mine got hers from Chandi Chawk (am sure i'm spelling this wrong). She even got them to print her and her hubby's name with the date on it. was really nice. I'm deff getting some too so i'll be sure to pick up a card for you and give u all the details when i get back.. thanks once again SK...

 

[smurfet]

Sk, sorry, another question. Did you buy your Rumala for Guru Granth Sahib from Dehli too and if so, where? I want to custome make mine to suit my outfit but am not too sure of which shop to go to.

Thanks heaps again, was explaining to my mum about this forum and about all the places you recommended and she was soo touched that there are actually people who are soo willing to offer.

 

[babygal88]

Chick >> Nowadays, most of brides will use bangles tat are metals and much better as they can hold all the stonesworks.. like the ones Kayla bought... Can cheat a little.. I bought those metals ones which is glass coated bangles but not the plastic ones.... Can pass off as glass bangles for appearance but you still need to add some real glass bangles..

very nice but I pick the ones that have very simple stone works so that the gold bangles can stand out.. MIL wanted me to wear more of the gold bangles though.. Cannot wear plastic ones for sure…. Just be careful lor.. anyway.. you will not be doing anything for the 2 over days so can relax lah..

As for the vegetarian thingy.. yea.. a must to fast for 3 days before the wedding.. 3 days will pass so fast even before you know it..shouldn't be hard lah.. i tot it will be hard too.. so i actually started abt 2 wks ago..well.. you don't really feel the cravings... unless your family eat the meaty stuff in front of you.. i always have separate dinner whenever i'm at home.. only now that i'm still working.. having lunch @ work is very hard cos my workplace don't have much vegetarian food choices... my lunch is always fruits and oats...

My FH thinks i'm very selfish cos he also have to eat vege stuff whenever we have dinner together... He even teased me that he feels like a cow whenever he had the salads with me for dinners so he added some caviar and salmon to it..

but my FIL loves to have dinner with me cos he knows i will make an additional share of vege. food whenever i come home early.. like pasta or soup… he's kinda of a healthy fella.. I don’t like to have too much mock meat cos it’s fattening.

 

[babygal88]

Another week has passed again.. I'm so not looking forward to my wedding day which is in less than 2 wks time..

Time really flies… I’m not really physically ready, some more kilos to lose.. can’t rely on the veg diet alone so need to exercise intensively… Funny thing is I’m actually have no craving for meat.. just that very little selections for me when I eat out.. so sometime I stick to my oat cereals and Italian salads… so boring..

Ok.. more updates abt my prep over the wk..

Invites.. completed most of it.. sending to friends and posting.. Postage is now very ex.. abt $0.50 for a simple card that weighs less than 15 gsm…

I think the size really matters… Just postage we spent abt $100+.. MIL just sent out another batch to post 2 days ago..

Items for ceremonies> Uncle Vishnu wrote me a long list of things to buy.. and he handwriting is worse than doc’s prescription..

I hinted to him that he needs to email me the list instead.. hahaha..

He replied… you want me to sms you to your mobile instead?!?

But he very patient lah.. cannot fault him for taking the trouble to explain to me what’s I’m buying (all in Hindi terms) and when I use it within the ceremonies.. so if you gals like to have the list.. I have complied it simply.. let me know and I’ll post on the threads.. Good things must share share lah..

Did lots of shopping trips back and fore to JB.. I gave up after 2 trips..

hate the jams and it’s affecting my work.. can’t catch up with projects.. so I pity my ILs who need to cross the causeway @9am and then to get the shopping done..

but they are very resourceful so I think they can manage without me..

They saved quite a bit of $$ on the "prayer" stuffs and the flowers were cheaper there.. Cost me abt RM $400 for 4 sets of garlands, 2 set of flowers for hair.. hand bouquet, 100 roses + orchids,+ some loose flowers for the cermony... This includes delivery...IL said in SG, U can expect to pay SGD 400 for the same stuff...

Lenhga suit for bangle ceremony> collected but still need alteration cos the lady who did the alternation is very junior I guess so she did not alter enough.. I don’t think I have lost so much weight lah.. cos my Uncle Vishu called me “gudu pandi" !

 

[babygal88]

Hall decorator >> MIL commented that Vanan’s charges are on the high side (abt $2.5K) based on the design requirements she wants.. But design wise she’s happy with it… except that I warned her that Vanan will not be the one handling the deco job for that day as he’s also getting married on 17th Mar @ Tank temple.. so it will only be his malay guys working on the setup.. so I’m a little wary abt the service level…

She’s not comfy with Raju cos he do not have much wedding deco pics for hall function to show… mostly the birthdays and temple set up.. so she’s still deciding… haiz…

didn’t know she will be so picky abt deco.. Finally she decided with a contact called Ravi… quoted abt half the price that Vanan quoted for the same design…. I just leave it to her so long she’s happy..

FH Coat and my Bro’s Kurta & Ring >>…. We went to a few shops…1 near stylemart and the other A1 fashion.. We like the one @ Fashion palace/Jewel palace.. but it will cost us $380 for FH’s coat !

He’s very picky abt the design yet he don’t want to spend the money… ...He nearly fell off with MIL cos he suggested to wear shirt and pants which he can sew a nice one from his regular tailor @$180… He said only wear once so no need to buy so expensive one…He’s got a point too.. haiz.. stubborn fella…

Finally bought with my Bro’s Kurta..

actually I dun have a brother so I “borrow†my FH’s best friend to be my bro (he’s Chinese) for the AD ceremony… He’s so buzy and could not catch him for the whole month.. So he managed to finish work early today and buying for him was such a breeze.. has to customised a ring for him cos the design we wanted did not have the size..

 

[babygal88]

Thaali or Maangalyam >> I was told that we nearly missed the good timing to make the Maangalyam last wk cos I need to make it within the full moon period… so my IL quickly had it put for making.. They said that in olden days it is made out of gold in the shape of a tiger tooth.

Legend has it that in the ancient days the bridegroom killed a tiger, pulled the tooth out and tied it round the neck of his bride, proving his valour. Strings of thread (they actually strung 108 times) are dipped in 'haldi' (turmeric) and the gold pendant is strung on them. The groom has to tie the 'mangalyam' thread with three knots. ok.ok… No more granny tales from me..

I saw that some of the traditional families wants to see how the Mangalyam was made.. so in SG we do not have the luxury.. they just melt it and weigh in front of us just to prove the grammage and will send to the workshop to make it.. that’s all.. well not much fun though.. cannot take pix also..

so I can’t add into my photo-journal… but I made acquaintance with one of the salespp here, he said I can get disc if I come by and get some nice pieces..

MIL will arrange to get the thaali pick up next week.. She said she will organize her “sumangali†group for the collection.. cos tradition is that only married women should collect the thaali for you… in groups of 5s or 7s or 9s.. Even FIL can’t appear at the shop lah.. wat a custom…?

I have requested to change the Thaali to chain after the wedding…I knew some of my aunties still wearing the string for many years and never strung it to a gold chain… OMG !!..

They usually inherit thaali from their MIL…

I’m a sucker for necklace accessories and knowing that, my FH told me that I will be “stuck†with the Thaali chain after he puts on for me… then I can’t remove it to wear all my nice sets… If I remove, it’s bad luck and god will punish…

So I asked why my MIL can remove it all the time… and teased her that she is very naughty to do that cos God will punish … my MIL was dumbfounded… hahaha

 

[babygal88]

Other jewellery: SIL and MIL fighting

to give who buys what items @ the goldsmith lah… So embarrassing…

the goldsmith told me in mandarin that I’m actually very lucky to have pple piling gold on me.. haiz..

I think he is more happy than me cos there are more willing buyers... I don’t fancy gold really…MIL picked one mango-shaped design but I’m afraid that I will not use it.. so I decided on a pearl set (locket and earings) which I intended to use it next time for the chinese tea ceremony… still contemplating abt the set of pearl bangles I saw but a little ex.. abt $1.6K per set

Bedroom set >> We set a budget abt 5K..No time to scout around so we made some quick checks @ factory outlets in Woodlands last weekend. Went to Courts but the pieces are too modernize.. prefer more wood-feel furniture... Room is not very big so can only stuck with queen size bed..

FH love to have a water bed but it will cost us $3-3.5K for a queen size without the frame.. definitely out of our budget..

.. average spring/foam mattress like Simmons or Searly/Dunlopillo already cost abt 3K+ with bed frame ..didn't know nowadays beds are so expensive…

.. luckily one of his uncles knew a contact from the waterbed company and managed to get the bed @$1.3K.. it was the last piece of a particular range.. so we were lucky.. we fancied a nice bed frame with heritage wood color from its showroom… priced @$ 1450.. it reminds me like a bed and breakfast holiday @ Cairns.. Managed to negotiate for a package price @$2.5K (No GST!).. Very good deal..

... I’m so looking forward to slumber on it now..

Had slight problem with the wardrobe furniture cos not many shops in the furniture mall sell similar style.. the closest was European furniture which are either too expensive or too big for the room or too little storage…

.. even Barang Barang do not have what we need… so happen to come across a custom-made wardrobe shop which does walk-in wardrobes… With the remaining budget, managed to grab a 6Ft length custom-made till 8ft ceiling height wardrobe so that we can store all the stuff, even my makeups and toiletries.. at least I can save on having a dresser-table.. cost me abt $2.1K.. quite satisfied

with my purchase although decision was made like within 2 hours..Kinda desperate lah.. but no choice...

.. Left with abt $400.. still scouting for curtains/lights…see if can get a dresser cabinets or side table… Have to stretch the $$..

Partitions will be up in 2 days so now doing major spring cleaning the room…painting will follow and more shopping to decorate the room…

Toe Rings: Bought but FH nearly got a fight with the shop owner

cos he finds that it was very expensive to pay for a $40 toe ring that is made from silver… he rather splurge a good semi-precious stone one from India…haiz…Very hot-tempered lah!

Wedding favours: arrived… need to stuff the sweets and source for a nice gift box/wrapped to house it.. Lucky the school holis are near so have engaged help from the kids to pack them.. my designer friend helping to work on the gift tags.

Still pending with my scrapbook… to collect the studio photos next week, need to work on the event proceeding /program guide…

 

[singbride]

Hey kismet - No worries..We are all here to help. Both my wedding and reception outfits were from Frontier. As i had my outfits customised, (eg the embroidery was done from scratch) it took a month and a half for the outfits to be ready. But they have beautiful material ready just waiting to be stitched to your size. You could get them to stitch it within 5 days..How many days to you have in Delhi? Make sure you shop for your wedding outfits first as they take the longest to get ready. The trick is to tell them you are leaving 2-3 days before you actually are! This gives you allowance for any alterations that may be required. Eg if you are leaving on Sunday, tell them you leave on Friday night. Do note that the Karol Bagh market is closed on Mondays so save Monday for some other market like Chandni Chowk etc or Chawri Bazaar. South Extension is closed on Mondays too.

I got my FH's sherwani from Mumbai but you can easily get the kurtas and sherwanis you require from this store called Gujralsons on W E Padam Singh Rd (just a few stores away from Frontier). Its a store with a huge sign at the junction so you wont miss it. Sherwanis these days come with matching stoles so dont worry. Buy the outfits first then take them to the row of turban stores on the 4th left side lane off Ajmal Khan Rd to buy matching turbans, eg Satnam Pagri. If you want to buy Kalgi, Sehra's etc, you can get them at Chottey Lal and Sons (5th right side lane off Ajmal Khan Rd). The turban stores also sell Rumalas and palla. You can check with them about custom making according to your outfit.

Thanks for the info about the mithai bags. Will wait for the details

 

[singbride]

Joelle - Just wanted to say hats off to you, gal!! You've done an amazing job co-ordinating your wedding and i know it gets overwhelming sometimes. But you should look forward to the biggest moment in your life as we usually only get to experience it once. I'm sure you are going to make a beautiful bride! Cant wait to see your pics

 

[singbride]

kismet - just read an earlier post of yours where you said you had 10 days in Delhi. That should be more than sufficient. Just get your wedding outfits first and save the remaining shopping for later

 

[singbride]

Chick, Rany, Kayla, Sphire - Hope all is going well with you gals

 

[theaprilwedding]

Chick - $1.8k just to rent a gown? No package nothing? That's strange! Not sure what you mean by a 2nd hand gown but we're paying $1200 for a gown AND suit rental. Both OTR. Did Casy understand your needs correctly?

Joelle - No, the music I was talking about would be played at the temple. When guests are coming in and getting seated, I prefer to have some music playing to add to the ambience. When the ceremony starts, the temple musicians will take over. But when the ceremony ends, and the guests come up to the stage to congratulate you, the musicians usually disappear. So the CD player comes on again. I don't think the temple will allow a DJ up there.

As for the evening, I'm planning to put together a playlist of some nice downtempo music too. Not engaging a DJ, because between my friends and I, we have a wide range of music tastes I can tap on. My mother seems to have engaged a bhangra troupe. Although I have to sit down with the hotel and make sure this is fine with them and figure out if we can have room for a dancefloor. If we do have room for a dancefloor, I'll work on another playlist for that too.

Joelle, can I pls have that list that your Uncle Vishnu sent you (re. items for the ceremony)? My email add is [email protected]

SK - Woweee!!! Your lenghas sound gorgeous!!! Drool!!! Needless to say you'll look really fabulous in all of them. Hey, which MUA's are you fixing up a trial with? I thought of calling Saheli this afternoon to ask for rates and to fix up a trial.

Kayla - I got my visa too!!! It arrived in the mail on Saturday!!! It was a real surprise because we only submitted it late Jan and already it's been processed. And there was no interview!!! My hubs and I thought it'd be around May that we'd get it because they said to all 3 to 6 months for processing but whoa, this far supercedes our expectations!!!

As for my updates, got my wedding saree from Jewel Palace. A purple Kanjivaram silk with heavy gold threadwork on the body. I never thought I'd be wearing such a colour but it looked good so I settled for it. The hubs and I have decided that the order of the sarees would be a red/green north indian stonework saree fr the home to temple, the purple/gold kanjivaram at the temple, and an off-white north indian stonework one at the banquet. Decided to settle for a saree at the banquet to save $$ and trouble in scouting for the perfect evening gown or the perfect lengha.

Also saw some invitation cards at this new place called Mix Printers. They are on Upp Dickson Road, next to Madras Woodlands. It's got a good selection but not huge. Saw one that I like but my mom, cousin and even the hubs says it reminds them of CNY (no offence to anyone intended). Mom says it's cos of the colour (red and gold), Hubs says it's cos of the size (huh??). But the hubs says he likes it still and it does look regal so if I do decide to go with it as our invitation card, he'll still be happy. Hmmm... dunno whether I should settle for that or go look at Gemini.

Hey, anyone of you printing a msg on your invites to hint at money gifts? The hubs and I really want to but is it strange to do that on a traditional indian invitation card? Anyone seen it on an indian invite before?

Girls, just checking, the henna and vegetarian fast is 3 days before the wedding right? So let's say if my wedding on 2 June, then does it mean that I get my henna done and start the fast on 31 May? Or is it 30 May?

 

[angelic8]

Rany,

How much was yr wedding sari? Where did u buy the other 2 sarees from? I dun wish to wear red for my temple wedding...wish to wear purple or blue

 

[necrosis]

rany:
congrats on the visa.

your sarees sounds gorgeous...like those bollywood kind!!!

joelle:
love reading your posts...always so full of info and entertaining..

keep it up! but do get plently of rest too esp before your big day!!
getting excited for you!! lol...
amazing that you can stick to a veg diet...if i don't have meat, i'll have withdrawal symptoms!! lol...feel very unsastisfied if no meat...hope my FH's family doesnt have this tradition!!!!
now all your weddings clothes/jewellery/make up settled...house also more or less settled...
ya should start to take things easy...go to a spa for facial/massage to destress...

sk:
you are really very helpful...even if i'm not going to delhi, but i feel that if i have to go with a long shopping list, i'll be so well prepared now!! your rose pink lengha sound gorgeous...cant wait to see you in it! i'm sure your FH is more anxious!

kismet:
remember to drink lots of water on the plane...
and in india too!
take a notebook with all the info sk provided and corresponding (long) shopping list..
check them off as you go along, and when you see the checks, you'll feel lighter and lighter as you realise less and less left to do!!

take care of your valuables too...heard Delhi lotsa snatch thieves etc..

 

[kayla21]

Hi Rany,
So happy for you dear! Good that you have covered the most impt aspect of your wedding preps...Your wedding saree sounds gorgeous dear. Am glad that things are falling into place for u

Hi Sphire,
How was your sis's engagement? Anything in particular about Mr Don?

I am going to tekka this evening...going to give the order and probably give a design that i have in mind for my wedding garlands. Seems that serangoon road is going to be my hang-out place for the time being...hehehe...Heard from my hubby that he has gotten his suit for the reception. He is yet to buy his sherwani suit for the wedding. hopefully, our outfits would match each other's.

 

[fairyind]

wow! love reading all the posts! am getting v excited myself ladies, though my wedding still long way more to go!

me right now scouting for MUA for my ROM too. trials are kinda ex huh? but no choice i guess. am going for a trial with shanti soon. will let u guys know how it goes ok? in the meantime all the best to u gals!

 

[chick77]

Joelle, thanks for the explanations gal. U should look forward to your wedding yah, m sure you'll be able to finish all the preps in time. You've got quite a lot done already...Btw, since you seem to be the expert here, i've another question, sounds stupid to me but jus wanna clarify - do we use the same bangle ceremony bangles for the actual day? Also, are the shops in JB open on Sunday?

Rany - is your 1200 package inclusive of photography? 2nd hand meaning OTR and used by someone previously..I think you only need to start fasting on 31st..which is the day of bangle ceremony..Thats what i'm doing, my wedding is on Sunday and bangle ceremony on Friday and start fasting on Friday..something along those lines..
With regards to the $$ thing, i havent seen it on any Indian invites gal. Are you having 2 cards, one for temple and another for dinner? The dinner ones i've seen people put the $$ thing...as much as i'd like to give such a big hint, i won't be doing it..

Sounds like the action in here is heating up for all of us...Was supposed to do my trial with Rupini today, but she cancelled on me...So its supposed to be tomorrow. Will keep ya gals posted as well....

 

[sphire80]

Hi Ladies
Mi back again!! Exhausting!! So many posting?? kekekeke. Wow!! Ladies hvnt got time to read through all the posting. Will do so later. Seems like lots of preparations goin on.

Chick/ Rany/ Lisa - Mi din get to tke any photos on the engagement day. Too busy. Everyone commented that deco was beautiful and food was tasty. Both provided by Don. He decorated lift landing, my living room and the void deck (food served). He charged $300 for deco. Only a little disappointed that some decos we discussed earlier were not put up. Will send photos when Nasir passes the soft copy in 3wks time.

Rany - Don is a traditional decorator. Simple yet elegant.

Chick - Nasir was great on the day. My uncles and he used to be childhood friends. So he was quite comfortable around my place. He mingled till 11pm.

 

[sphire80]

Rany - Regarding the songs, Jothi music does record songs but not MP3. They also hv CD containing wedding songs from movies but dont thinks its the latest. Alternatively u could engage a DJ & sound system its ranges abt $200 to $500... but thts a waste for temple wedding.

SK - WOW!! Looks like your trip is really fruitful. Ur outfits sound gorgeous.. cn send pics?

Kayla - Sorry gal din read ur post earlier. Don was great. My sis in-law's and my neighbour (son getting married in June) are now thinking of engaging Don for the wedding.

Joelle - I think u are put us indian brides to shame...kkekekeke. Just kidding. Do send me the rituals too.. TQ.

Chick - Check out D'sire. The other time when I just KPO check them out, 1 staff said they selling some WG for $400. Like wht Rany said, threaten Z'Wed first. Call up CASE an find out if u report cn u retrieve all your money back.
Regarding the bangles.. my mum said it has to be glass.. Anyway mi allergic to the metals ones. So will be sure to stick with glass ones.

 

[angelic8]

Hi gals,

Any one knows of any decoraters for my ROM at bayview hotel. I only know of vanan from pandora. Anyone else??

Who has used vanan before? Any pics?

Thanks!

 

[theaprilwedding]

Sphire - Glad to hear Sunday was good!! No wonder havent seen you here in a while. Might check out Jothi Music. Is it the same place as the flower shop?? Oh, and does Mr Don have a portfolio for us to look at when we meet him? Want to see portfolio before deciding. His charges sound reasonable.

Chick - My $1.2k pkg does not incl photography, bouquets, MUA, etc. Just gown (and accessories) and suit rental. We are getting our AD PG to do our photoshoot. And we'll get the AD MUA to help with make up and tying the saree (if I decide to wear one for the photoshoot). Was your $1.8k quoted for photography as well? I know they usually have an OTR pkg that includes gown + suit + photography + MUA + corsage + bouquet for about $1988 or $1888 or smthg like that.

Hey, good question re. the bangles. No, not stupid at all. I want to know too. Hee!

Thanks for clarifying the dates. So if bangle ceremony is 3 days before wedding, when's the henna thingy?

Lisa - When's your ROM? Good luck with your trial. If you can send a pic, that'd be great. Do you know if Shanti usually provides the bangles and the costume jewellery choker for the AD ceremony? Or is it just the tikka, arm bands and the 'belt'?

Nec & Kayla - Thks guys!

Kayla - I know what you mean about Little India. I'm beginning to know the little alleys like the back of my hand! Did you get your bangles from the Selegie stretch? Is it that shop next to Jinders? Where are you ordering your garlands from? Can tailor-make the design?? Oooh, sounds good!! Cld you send me ur checklist pleeeese? I'd like to check it against mine (which currently is like um.... bare as bones!)

Angelic - It was about $350. Jewel Palace had a variety of blue sarees and purple ones. But the blues and purples I saw tend to be one colour sarees (like the one I bought) as opposed to 2-tone types where you have the body as one colour and the pallu as another colour. The other 2 sarees are from Stylemart.

 

[kayla21]

Hi rany,
I wrote the checklist on paper dear...din want to type it cos i know that i will add some things in future...and i would have the satisfaction of cancelling some of the items off the list...hehehe. Will see whether i can type and email u ok. Yes i did get my bangles from the shop next to Jinders...not sure of the name. Must check the receipts but they did a wonderful job of getting matching bangles and they have beautiful costume jewellery sets. Plus their footware and handbags are of reasonable prices...As for the garlands, i went to flower shop in front of jewel palace as the owner is my uncle's fren. i just drew out a design and showed it to him...so my garlands and rakodi would be of the same pattern and would be made outta red and white(Jasmine) flowers.however, i still don fancy the bouquets...but no choice i guess.

Hi Sphire,
Glad to know that your sis's engagement went well...Hopefully, Mr Don continues to do his job well.

I was at little india again yest and got some toe-rings and anklets...got some CDs too. One was a MP3 CD with songs from the latest movies. The 2nd one was the Kunnakkudi Vaidyanathan Melodies and the last one was with the Nathaswaram and Melam...This is going to be played during the bangles ceremony. Got these CDs from the CD shop besides Haniffa.

 

[smaghy]

Hi gals.... how've you been keeping...i'm stressing......time just passin too quick.

SK ur shopping sounds amazing..Kismet i'm sure u'll hv lots more amazing shopping stories to share. Looking forward.

I'm imagining SK's rose pink lengah oredi...You'll definitely be stunning.

Joelle u're too good...lost for words. You're an inspirations for me to get off my butt and start getting serious. It just isnt sinking in that my wedding is couple of weeks away not even 1month.

Kismet i went to shop in Amritsar...you check out Manchanda printers in Katra Jamal Singh Rd (i think) but it's really close to Golden temple. As for shopping i went to Satguru, Singh Sarees, and do go to lawrence road. Cant really remember wic shop cos i just tagged along with my bf's fren who lives there. We went to a designer to get his sherwani done and this guy was located somewhere in Ranjit Ave or rd. It's a boutique among huge homes. I will try to gte his contact but no promises k. You can speak to ppl in SIngh sarees, they customised sherwani's too. We got my bf's dad a sherwani made with them. Even the stole can be dyed to ur perfection. As for turban we got from couple of shops from Singh sarees ask them. It's a tiny pagri shop but u'll get every shade.

I shopped in other parts of punjab too but i understand u r only goign to Amritsar so hope tis helps.

 

[singbride]

hi ladies,

The shade of my rose pink lehenga turned out darker than expected because of the lining they used and i was a little scared that its become too dark but according to my mom its good the way it turned out as it looks very bridal. As i have to wear real gold jewellery with my wedding lehenga, will be going to Little India this Thursday to shop. M very excited!!

I'm having my full make-up and hair trial done this Sunday with a lady called Yasmin. She does henna too so if i like her work, my MUA problem will be solved. It will be a full trial where i get full make-up done, wear my outfits and accessories as i would on the actual day, right to the dots across my forehead. Kind of like a full dress rehersal . So am looking forward to see how everything comes together and then can decide if anything needs improvement. Will let u ladies know how things go.

Also going for my photoshoot gown selection this saturday. Photoshoot is in 2 weeks...Gosh time flies!!!

 

[angelic8]

Hi SK,
Do show pics of yr MUA trial if possible. Give us yr comments as well. Good luck gal!

 

[necrosis]

sk,
wow, thursdays coming up pretty fast..
be sure to take a camera to snap some shots of your make up trial...

the darker tone of the lengha will offset the gold brilliantly, don't worry...i'm sure you'll be stunning

got a lengha from stylemart...gosh SO EX!! but the beading is so gorgeous...but still very heart pain..
light peach...
they made me 2 blouses, one is a normal top, quite long (past belly button), another one is a bustier, quite short!
need to drop a few kilos else too much flesh squeezing out everywhere...
next time, i'll just go to india to shop man...
especially after hearing all the wonderful finds from everyone... sigh...

 

[theaprilwedding]

SK - Good luck with your trial. Yeah, a full-trial is probably heaps better than what some MUAs offer as a trial. At least you know what you'll look like on the actual day. I'm a bit of a control freak so I don't quite like it if an MUA tells me to imagine the make-up to be heavier, imagine it with the dots on, imagine the hair all done up, etc, on the actual day. I cannot imagine! I want to see!

Your mom brought up a good point. The gold jewellery needs to stand out. Hmmm... my wedding saree is purple/gold. Wondering how my jewellery will stand out. Argh!

Kayla - Hey girl, don't worry about the checklist, seriously. I thought you had it in soft copy so I asked. So please don't spend your time typing it out, ok? Esp so when you're just 3 weeks from your wedding.

Can I ask how much you spent on the bangles, Kayla? Did you have to get costume jewellery too? Thought costume jewellery is usually provided by MUA?

Re. the traditional bouquets, MUST the bride and groom carry them?? I just intend to carry the modern bouquet and my hubs nothing. Is that OK?

Nec - Yah, really wish I could go to India for my trousseau shopping too. But stuck in Singapore and don't want to pay airfare and accom just for shopping in India. Hee! Hey, how much did Stylemart charge for your blouses? Does it include the design fee? After my hubs sherwani episode, I'm intending to get my saree blouses designed and made elsewhere.

Angelic - Re. decor, someone posted about Mayura once. http://www.mayuracatering.com/gallery.htm I think you can also try Mangalam Wedding Services. Sphire has also used Mr Don. His number is in the prev posts.

 

[angelic8]

Hi Rany,
Mayura catering deco is done by Vanan of pandora tomorrow right? Will Mr Don do modern deco too for ROM function?

 

[singbride]

hi ladies,

I'll try to take pictures. The trial got shifted to Saturday. Hopefully my digicam works.

nec - your lehenga sounds beautiful too. And the fact that you have 2 blouses means you can wear them in different ways

Rany - Your purple and gold saree sounds very interesting too...I'm looking to get jewellery with a matt finish..Not the typical stark gold kind...

India is definitely better for shopping in terms of variety. However, it may not be all that much cheaper if you have to spend on hotel accomodation. Hotels rates are crazy in that country. Because of the time spent in India, hotels bills, food, air fares etc can add up..It is more worth it to go to India if you are shopping for the whole family..I am lucky that my work takes me there so accomodation and airfare is paid for...All i have to do is squeeze in sometime to visit shops

 

[sphire80]

Rany - Jothi Music is opp the flower shop.
When u speak to Don, u hv to request pics from him. He showed mi his daughter's donno what function.