Shangri-la Hotel

Hi gals,
I'm back from HongKong! Fabulous food and shopping! Very very tired with this trip, did so much walking! I bought the famous Wing Wah love letters and lau po bing after hearing so much rave from you gals
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Su Yin
I've doublechecked with our signed contract and if u look at p2 (i tink) under "corkage", it states tt no corkage is charged for hard liquor tt is duty paid and fr external sources. So u can bring in hard liquor
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Btw, what dishes did u try at ur fren's wedding tt u liked and did not like so much?

Eileen
How was ur visit to Shang over the wkend to check out the floral deco? Have yet to see Island done up cos we've always checked out the deco at Tower since we're using Tower


Georgia
Wow! Have u tried the egg rolls and lau po bing already? Are they nice? U're making me drool! Despite all the eating, i'm sure u must have lost weight cos u did lots of walking as well! What other things did u buy fr HK?
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Hey all
Looking fwd to meeting Mel soon to decide on invites. FH's parents gave us a shock yesterday when they suddenly insisted tt they needed more than 45 tables! Worst thing was they previously assured us tt they only needed x no of tables but now said tt they didn't remember saying tt! Argh! Seems like they want to invite more relatives, children and biz associates. BLergh. Somemore, they want the invites to have both English and CHinese wordings
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Anyone knows if we can get 2 batches of cards fr Shang, one with only English and another tt is bilingual? Is there extra charge?

Any tips for managing the guest list and ensuring tt it doesn't exceed the ballroom capacity? If this goes on, i and FH will prob be reduced to having no frens at dinner, and only at church...
 
Hey count,

You starting on the guests list so soon? Maybe you can call Mel up to check if there are additional charges. As for the guests list..maybe you can draw up a rough one first then sit down with your ILs to go through? Perhaps explain your difficulties then? Don't worry so much, i'm sure everything will be fine.
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Cheer up k?
 
Hi Count!

The invites come in both mandarin and english (top and bottom, or left and right, depending on which style you're talking about). But you want to have 2 different types, then you'll have to either call Melanie or Lil'art.

One suggestion : Use the mandarin/english version and the EXACT english version only. This may not be chargeable since the same template is used, less the mandarin text.

Took some photos of the ballroom, flowers, etc... Showed them to some flowers and they agreed that the flowers at the guest tables are quite pathetic. However, they also warned against too much topping up since no one bothered about the flowers there! Instead, some suggested topping up for VIPs tables, stage, reception and the aisle.

I haven't drawn up any guest lists at all. Both sides claim to be ready, but nothing from them yet.
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Hi Count,

The two things that i'm against topping up are flower arrangements for guests and invitation cards.

Reason: To be used 1 time only. Most of my guests didn't bother to look at the flower arrangement back then and most of the cards are being sent for recycle after the wedding day.

Thus i do not see the need to top-up for it. You might as well use the $$ to top up on menu or suite or shopping.
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Hey girls
Thanks for the advice. Will prob do what Eileen suggested and have the English/Chinese version by dividing into 2 batches

Not very upset abt the guest list, tho Kyrie babe, thanks for the concern. Just tt i feel obliged not to comment when FH's parents speak cos it's not in my place to speak out lest i damage the r/s es since i'm staying with them until our flat is ready. Also cos FH's parents have been generally nice and accommodating in our wedding preps. But on the other hand don't want to feel indebted to them and agree with what they say cos it may mean excluding our frens fr the dinner entirely...

Re flowers, Pro does make some sense in saying tt the $ can be spent elsewhere. But Eileen if u're a flower person then perhaps topping up may be viable for u. Or we could try asking the florists what options they have to save costs e.g. tea lights, glass bowls etc to make the lack of flowers less noticeable
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Eileen
What colour theme was used over the weekend when u went? How was the ambience for Island?

Hey all
How far in advance do u all send out invites?
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Hi Count,
Yah, I've tried their love letters and lau po bing, and they are so yummy! Love letters is so crunchy and crispy, lau po bing is very soft and not so sweet, just nice! Bought a lot of boxes and gave them as gifts.

If your wedding is at the year-end (considering if a lot of your guest might be planning to travel overseas), it will be safe if you send out 6 weeks before your wedding date. I sent out mine 5 weeks before wedding, still ok too.
 
Eileen,count,kyrie n any other flower gals....
Sounds like u plannin a trip this tues.. sad to say i cant join in, thou wld love to.. let me know whats Sebs or any other florist u visit say? Or u plannin any other outing later this mth?

Count, yay, wld love to have real cake, havent visited anyone yet, will do so when i return frm US. Now in LA, not planning to move ard much outside LA. U been to Shang to view set up many times? Wow, we havent got round to viewing any other setups as yet. I also went to the bridal fair at bugis earlier this mth, didnt see anything exciting. Seeing my weight, Mary Chia tried to "sell" me packages.. hehee..
Re: invites - FH n I were thinking of doing so, just after lunar calendar 7th mth, which I'm not wrong abt less than 4wks to AD. Its kinda rush, but we're informing most guests abt it now, so they dun jump upon receiving it so late. Or wat u think? Anyone care to comment?

Eileen, how was the setup at shang over the wkend?

Georgia, wow! HK, tts like shopping paradise...
 
Hi brides to be!

I think I would be with the no top-up flower camp for this, since the more tables you have, the more costly topping up would be. Perhaps the easy way out would be to go for the dish in the middle serving format, then there would be no space for flowers anyway.
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On guest list, my fiance and I were quite careful. We drew up a tentative list before searching for hotels. Both sides parents put in actual guest names on excel sheet and narrowed down to a likely number of tables that we are holding them to.
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Cannot keep increasing otherwise got to shift from Tower ballroom to Island ballroom!

Actually, I think most of my friends would not mind if I didn't invite them to wedding. Personally, I don't really enjoy wedding banquets too. But sometimes it's just necessary to invite colleagues and the like. So currently the proportion is 32 tables for both sides parents' relatives and friends, and 18 tables for our friends and colleagues. Crossing our fingers that it won't fluctuate either way too much after the invites get sent out. But not likely that we can't hit the minimum of 35 tables lah.

Btw, for those using the Tower ballroom, did you go for a guaranteed minimum of 35 tables only? Cos was thinking that it has repercussions on the deposit paid and our available cashflow running up to the wedding....
 
Georgia
U make it sound like HK was a really great place for food! Did u keep any of the HK snacks for urself? How did u manage to bring so many boxes back?

Yes, think i may send out my invites earlier cos my AD is in mid-Nov and it may clash with holidays and exam period. Btw, was RSVP a huge problem? How did u ensure tt the guest list was updated and remind guests of ur AD?

Whiteangelz
Hope u're having fun in LA! Are u gg to visit the theme parks there? We really enjoyed Disneyland and it was a pity tt we couldn't go to California Adventure Park cos of time constraints. Yes, there wasn't much at the bridal fair, perhaps cos i went at night

Re invites, i think for me i'll invite those close frens who already know my AD and who are genuinely happy to come. As for relatives and our parents' guests, fingers crossed tt they will chase guests to RSVP. Any ideas how to prompt parents to do so cos they keep saying tt it'd be paiseh to ask pple to RSVP?

Eileen
How many tables of guests do u think u'll have? Is our flower outing still on?

U're having a church wedding too right? So when's ur marriage prep? Cos mine starts this wk every Thu, sigh another wkday that is busy again

Twinkle
Are u having a church wedding? Cos one option may be to get the younger guests to attend a church reception, which i personally find more enjoyable than a dinner as well. When we signed the contract, Mel advised us to go for the guaranteed min of 35 tables and to only increase closer to AD when we had a more definite headcount. So i would advise u to commit to 35 only to reduce cashflow probs
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whiteangelz n count,
ya, HK is a good place to shop! they have very nice shoes and clothes at very affordable prices! its so true that HK is a place you shop till you drop, and savour delicate cuisines like tim sum etc..

yes, i bgt the love letters for myself, and have got no choice but to hand-carry those boxes on plane lo. Luckily hubby's with me, he did all the carrying.. wahahaha!

Twinkle,
We did exactly the same as Count, paid Shang a deposit for guaranteed 35 tables. Initially we have about 42 tables of unconfirmed attendance (our very first headcount). And after doing the calling/informing, we are left with around 40 tables. And as our wedding date draw closer and the invites sent out and ppl RSVP-g, we are finally left with 36 tables. And bcos our parents couldn't confirm some headcounts from certain group of relatives, we forsee having even less than 360 guests. Mel is good enough to suggest we confirmed 35 tables, with 1 table on reserved. So that even when guests turned out lesser than 36 tables, we are only paying for 35 tables. And true enough, on our wedding nite, we filled up 35 tables of guests and paid just nice!

Count,
This RSVP problem seems inevitable in Sg, and not surprising that some guests dun even know what RSVP means, and poor us! We have to call personally call our guests to check their attendance. Our parents even had a bigger headache with RSVP-g relatives, to confirm the actual no. of ppl turning up. Its rather chaotic especially to the last week of our wedding, I'm like staring on my spreadsheet every night re-adjusting the seating plans! Well well, but what I did is so worthwhile, bcos I dun feel the stress anymore on my wedding day bcos of my helpers, I just mind myself, and be one lovely princess!
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Do your best on the preparations and leave the rest to your helpers on your big day. Let them run the show for you
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Florist's outing is set on 25 April (Tuesday) 7.15pm at Dolly's office (Joan Road).
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Do confirm with me who's going by Monday evening. Thanks!

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Count & Whiteangelz

The flowers on friday were very simple. The color theme's white - white roses, lilies and some exotic flowers I can't identify.

Guest Tables and Cocktails Tables - 3 white roses, some greens and a tea-light in a square vase.

Reception Table - Longish arrangement with lilies, roses and exotic blooms. Quite nice.

VIP Tables - exotic blooms attached to each organza covered chair. Bigger arrangement with said flowers and a large candle (3 wicks I think)

Stage - Fairy Lights and some arches with said flowers

Aisle - 5 arches with said flowers and hanging tea-lights. Quite pretty.

There were over 60 tables. Atmosphere depends on the lighting, but I think it'll be quite nice when the tealights are lit.

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Pro & Twinkle
My fiance's the same camp as you too. Would rather upgrade the food or something more tangible. As for me, I'm in 2 minds.

Will see what kind of alternatives are available. Thought it would be great to talk to the florist to discuss the options available and such, so that I can also determine what color theme, etc to use.

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Count,

We're looking at between 55 to 65 tables. We're a bit unwilling to go beyond that. Both sets of parents are confident that they can trim their lists (from their old lists).

We'll be having the church ceremony and reception for close friends and relatives the day before on the Saturday.

We did our MPC early last year and it took 6 weekends. Quite fun though and I'm glad we took it.
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Georgia
Wah! So sweet of ur hubby to cart all the food home for u *grin*

RSVP seems like a real big headache. Sure hope mine is worked out soon. But will definitely delegate to helpers on AD to ensure tt we're not stressed. I love the way u describe it - being a "lovely princess" on ur AD! Awww... Did u have a lot of helpers? How did u thank them? I tot of giving them a treat at The Line but don't know if there are any perks since we're holding our banquet at Shang

Eileen
Count me in for the outing on Tues. Thanks for arranging. Perhaps we could compile a list of HP nos thru email so easier to contact each other then?

Wow! U actually remembered all the floral deco in detail! The fairy lights and tea lights are usually used cos i remember seeing them a no of times when we went, and Mel also said so. And my frens have commented tt the fairy lights are a must have cos the effect is so pretty when the lights are dimmed. Perhaps Georgia, Pro and other ex-BTBs could attest to tt
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Where did u do ur PMC? Was it EE? Ours starts tonight and it will take 6 sessions too. Hopefully will learn more stuff and it'll not be a repetition cos we attended a PMC by Touch just in March-April this yr

Whiteangelz, Kyrie, Eileen
Have u all decided on the colour scheme yet? What colour are u EGs? Cos it seems that the colour of the EG usually matches the flowers?

Hopefully Whiteangelz will be back for the outing in time, think she's still on holiday the lucky girl!
 
Count,

Yes we are having a church wedding as well.
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And filled to max capacity - 450 tentatively, cos channelling most church friends and parents' church friends to church... so not much leeway to expand on that to reduce dinner invite list.

Thanks all BTBs for advice on reducing it to 35 tables guaranteed. Was wondering whether they'll throw in another barrel of beer. Cos 90 glasses for 50 tables will definitely not be enough. And find it a little strange that their policy is 1 barrel, regardless of whether you have 35 tables or 70 tables...
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Count,

Maybe for a start you can email me your HP number? Send to [email protected]. Thanks! And if the rest of the girls going for the florist excusion don't mind, you can send me yours as well, and I'll compile into a small list
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Re MPC, we attended the one organised by the Catholic Church. It's a requirement to attend either MPC or EE to get married in the church. I found it rather interesting and even though we had covered some of the topics ourselves, it was still fun knowing people and their experience. I quite enjoyed the host couple's hospitality and the group too.

I had the photos of the flowers in my camera, that's how I remembered. It's actually 6 arches, not 5.

Jesmineang,

Welcome back!

Pro,

I think it's a good idea to celebrate x0th anniversary like a wedding. One couple did, and I thought it was really really sweet... renewal of vows in church, followed by reception. I hope to do that on a small scale for my parents in future.

Georgia,

I heard from Mel that people hardly RSVP. We wanted to do some self-return RSVP card, but was told to use the money for something else. One question, how do you determine who's vegetarian or "muslim"? Would they tell you in advance or do you have to ask.

Lastly, a tip for those who haven't got their shoes. Do check if the shoes have "claws". "Claws "are used to hold the diamontes and may scratch certain materials. So run the glitzy stuff against your hand to check. I was advised to either apply wax or file the edges.
 
hi Eileen,

You are absolutely rite!! I remember my BS did told me when I was abt to get my shoes. Be it diamontes or swarovski crystals/studs that you have as strappy sandals,be sure to check if they are claw or stitch-on/glue type. Esp. chiffon or tulle material will get hooked to claw-diamontes, & can tear the hem...
So when I customised my shoes, I had those swarovski crystals glue onto a strap & stitched 'em onto the shoe strap,this prevent the mishap..I am not too sure abt applying wax on the claws,as how much it does help.
Oh you really give everyone a pretty gd reminder...*applause*

For muslim/veg meal, its gd to have 'em sit at separate table.If you have 10muslims/10 veg. Else if you chuck the loose number into chinese table,well you got to pay that 1-chinese table cost+ individual pax for muslim/veg.that you placed. Btw, I guess if you are asking if they(referring to guest who RSVP) will let u know if they take halal or veg. dish..non chinese,it best to ask...


Hi Jesmine,
Wow..hope u enjoyed ur trip..yes..time flies...

Georgia(pita),
long time no chit chat ya....how's things?


For RSVP, i think its a norm for local guests not to follow the trend. Hey..many only informed us at the 11th hr whether they will turn up. I felt that it is such a hassle to chase after invitees over that. To 'em, we seemed like very cheapo..keep asking for their attendance but they dun get our point.
Worst for elders,they feel ashame or embarrassed when we urge them to RSVP their list..hmm...
Ya,so no point even to get a self-return card of such as ppl dun even bothered.
I recalled telling my guests 3 months ahead abt our intention of inviting them to our dinner & card will follow when nearer. Well, ppl do casually accepted your invitation,howver when they gotten the card,you'll realised that they either gone for their tour or cannot make it.
So, I will advise not to take too hard or even try utmost to work it out early ahead. Many will finalised & fall into place as your wedding gets near...NO NEED TO FRET..now i believed this.hahaha..all my past worries are insignificant & redundant...;p

Hey count,
My gal friend had treat her helpers to The Line for luncheon the next day,but I heard she pay the normal bill...hmm...
 
Hi Biba,

No worries.. I guess this forum is to help all
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And I'm so glad that all of you are still staying around to offer advice.

To all:

I have an issue now... regarding the wordings for the invitation cards... You know how things seemed so simple in the mind (just fill up the form - how difficult can that be?), but actually very mind-boggling when it comes to doing it? This is one of them.

About 15 blanks and I have like 9 questions.

1. Name of bride and groom - do we need to put the full name, or just the christian name + surname? Teddy Koh Boy Boy or just Teddy Koh

2. Sibling position - I'm lost. If I have just an elder brother, is it the youngest child, or should it be the only daughter?

3. What's the difference between a wedding date and wedding day? Is it supposed to be 1 October 2006 (wedding date) and Sunday (wedding day)?

4. What if the groom's mum doesn't have a chinese name? Unless we do a direct translation of her name.

5. What's the ideal time for cocktails if it's held on a sunday? Would 6.30pm be too late? It's a rest day for all, so I don't foresee people rushing from work. Or 7pm would be better?

6. What time should the banquet start? 30 mins after the cocktails or 1 hour or 45 mins?

7. When should the RSVP date be? 2 weeks before the wedding date? When do we need to give Mel the confirmed number of tables?

8. Usually who's the contact person for RSVP? Would it be better to have a centralised email address and number (either bride or groom) or to have different people (like both sets of parents). It's so much easier in the old days whereby there's only ONE housenumber. I can still recall a card requesting RSVP to the Lee Residence or Yee Residence.

9. If dress code is formal, how would all of you dress? We're not expecting all in suits and gowns, but we're definitely ruling out any in jeans/T-shirts.

OK.. that's all the questions I have... Thanks for all advice!
 
Hi Eileen,
The following are just my opinion. Other brides, please feel free to correct me:
1. The name put down should be how the bride/groom are best known to their friends. If eg. nobody knows you by your dialect names, then I see no point in putting it down.
2. I would put it as only daughter.
3. Wouldn't both appear on the card? ie. Sunday, 1 October 2006?
4. Sorry, don't know abt that one.
5. I think 7pm is quite a fair time. 6.30 seems a bit early. Unless the parents and groom are prepared to be there by then to entertain early-comers.
6. I think mine was 7pm cocktails, 7.30 dinner.
7. Yes, RSVP shld be approximately 2 weeks before. Or even 3, if you anticipate having to do second round of invitations. Think we only give Mel confirmed number a few days before the event.
8. We had different sets. So parents' friends RSVPed to them, our own friends RSVPed to ourselves. We also put in a centralised email address, but really, that wasn't used much.
9. If it were me, it would be minimum of shirt and tie for guys and something dressy for females. No jeans for sure. But then, there will always be those who don't really understand the meaning of formal. But should be only a few at most.

Hope this helps!
 
Hi Jesmine,
Welcome back! Did u enjoy ur honeymoon? Where did u go and for how long?
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Hi Twinkle,
Wow! Ur church invite list is quite huge already, too bad cannot increase further. Looks like u have to work on ensuring tt both guest lists can fit within the capacity of the church and ballroom. Btw, i don't think we can ask for an extra barrel of beer. Somehow once u sign the contract, i think it'll be diff to get more perks. Tho there's no harm in asking them again...

Hi Pro and Eileen,
Talking abt renewal of vows, yes i think tt would be really sweet. I would take tt chance to do a wedding tt we both really wanted but nv got - a wedding in Bali and honeymoon thereafter! Always my dream to do so there cos it's so romantic *swoon* Not to mention another occasion to get an extra diamond fr hubbY! ;)

Hi Eileen and Biba,
Thanks for the tip on shoes! Will check before i buy them. Now hunting for EG shoes, will prob go for silver cos i can't find any nice shoes with the exact shade of turquoise

Yes, RSVP seems like a real headache! My parents actually said tt there is no need to ask for RSVP, just issue the invite and wait for them to come. Shouldn't even remind them cos it'd seem v cheapo *gasp* What if they all don't come? For me, it's all abt opportunity cost - cos we're cutting frens fr the invite list to accommodate relatives, if they can't come and inform us, at least we could invite more of our frens... Hopefully our parents will see the light on this matter

1) I would put Christian name and surname, simply cos i hate my dialect name!
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2) Tot the sibling position is only relevant if the invite has Chinese words, cos they mention the sibling position. English wordings simply mention "daughter" or "son" right?

3) Not sure abt this...

4) Ditto with 3

5) I would put cocktails at 6.30pm, tho i think most pple start cocktails at 7pm. Cos we would like to start punctually and end early so tt guests can go home to rest

6) Usually it's abt 30mins in theory. But in practice, it depends on how punctual ur guests are. One of my frens started at 7.30pm sharp when cocktails were at 7pm, but another started at 8.45pm cos of a huge traffic jam along orchard. We were so very hungry by then!
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7) Not sure...

8) We're planning to have 3 contact persons for RSVPs to accommodate 3 groups of guests
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a) FH's parents (b) my parents (c) FH and I. Figured splitting the load would be easier on us all, and also diff gps of guests may feel more comfy liaising with those who invited them rather than the bridal couple. Splitting it also indirectly means tt the burden of calling guests to ask for RSVPs is split out so it's less tiring

9) I would wear a dress, prob an evening gown but nothing too formal. Unless i know it's a truly black tie event. Certainly not jeans!

As u can see, i'm still quite a novice when it comes to wedding stuff. Lots of things i'm unsure abt. Hopefully the "graduates" like Biba and Pro can advise! TIA!
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hi eileen,

wow..that's a long list hehehe...
well,juz browsing it thru' as at now, i can give a more precise advise for #9. I am puzzle over whether to indicate casual/formal when I did my printings?!!! Well, being advise by a pro hahaha..,she mentioned that definitely DO NOT indicate casual,coz ppl will come in tee/jeans...TO play safe, INDICATE FORMAL...ppl will dress in decent attire although not necessarily in very formal dress like oscar..but at least a full-length/presentable dress,shirt,pants etc..will rule out jeans. For formal, guests won't come in bow tie,tuxedo,grand gowns etc..they will only if invitation says it is a 'BLACK-TIE' event...ya.;p

w/rgds to the rest, I shall answer 'em as soon..hehehe..now alittle sleepy & i thot I have some points to let u know...let me gather my pointers while i sleep hehehee...

Pop by on mon again...

Gd wkend gals.
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming..

Re point 9 on dress code. Our only intention is for people not to turn up in jeans (even if they're super-branded ones I don't care!) and T-shirts. If we leave it blank or "smart casual", I think it's too risky. Formal seemed ok, but I'm just curious how different we view the word formal. Nope, no black tie or white tie for me... would probably have to up the menu to private collection if that's the case! Heehee...
 
Hi Eileen,

Thanks for your PM - very much appreciated.

On 2) if you (and both sets of parents) don't mind, then I think just son/daughter should be simple and good. Otherwise "second daughter" may sound strange, and "only daughter" might make people think you're the only child...

For 5) and 6), I'd go for cocktails at 7pm and dinner to start at 7:30pm. I have resigned myself to the fact that it'll prob start only at 8pm earliest. Another friend went through great pains to emphasise that his wedding was going to start on time at 7:30 SHARP. It did, at around 7:45pm which I thot was v good already. But that was mainly due to some miscomm with the kitchen. The guests were almost all there by 7:30 - I was there at 7:35 and the poor stressed chap said 'you're late'!
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On 7), 2 weeks before is sufficient if you give out invites a month before. Jean said to let them know a week before the actual day what the confirmed number of tables are. I guess by 5 days before should be a good gauge. If there are ppl who suddenly say they cannot make it by then, also hard to invite others. I always know when I'm the "second tier" invite list when ppl invite me v last minute!
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On 9) I think it's terrible how people don't bother to dress properly for wedding dinners these days. Hopefully, they will dress according to venue as well. My cousin's wedding at the former Beaufort at Sentosa had a really drastic range of evening wear pop up (some wore jeans, some in gowns). When people see that it's Shang, and dress code is explicitly formal, then they should come in something more classy I hope! I think the 'saddest' is when people have wedding dinners on weekdays, then you can almost confirm that the bulk of your guests will come in office attire...

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I should probably do this in another thread, but did any of you go for the style weddings bash yesterday? How did you find it (gowns etc)?
 
Hi Eileen,

Below is wat I did:

1. Name of bride and groom - christian name + surname! ie.Teddy Koh
I think this is quite common,unless you do not have a christian name. Since parent's name are included in the invitation card,well, I guess parent side shd have no problem in identifying who's the bride/groom....

2. Sibling position - If u have just an elder brother, then i suppose shd address u as the youngest child. hahaha..my case is more simplier than this..so the answer is juz wat I think logical..anyone to correct?

3. What's the difference between a wedding date and wedding day? yes, you are rite! It is supposed to be 1 October 2006 (wedding date) and Sunday (wedding day)!

4. What if the groom's mum doesn't have a chinese name? - sorry, I really have no idea..I wish I could help...

5. What's the ideal time for cocktails if it's held on a sunday?-I think guests won;t turn up too early for banquet. It is afterall Singapore's norm. My aunty who never turn up late to a dinner, oso feel dat she will turn up in the mid of cocktail session. But be it saturday or sunday or wkdays, there is no diff in cocktail timing. The usual is 7pm & dinner will commence on 7.30pm. So I really think your 6.30pm is not late at all! Its kinda early,if u asked me..hehehe..but its your preference.

6. What time should the banquet start?- yes, 30 mins after cocktail is the norm. Otherwise guests will be bored standing around & waiting too long b4 the dinner starts. Some dun have the patience to wait & will erase the mood. Probably this is the reason why many prefer to come late for dinner...

7. When should the RSVP date be?- 3weeks is gd. If you opt for 2 weeks before the wedding date,then it'll be very rushy by then to cfm the table seating!
You can to give Mel the confirmed number of tables even very near to AD. The day b4 shd you have any changes,she is happy to adjust & accomodate to your request,so dun worry abt this.

8. Usually who's the contact person for RSVP? We only indicate bride/groom email address and HP number. I am not sure abt the old days whereby there's only ONE housenumber. So far, I have not encounter wedding card requesting RSVP to the Lee Residence or Yee Residence! Oh,am I too mountain???hehehe...
As for parents, usually their invitees know that they shd get back to the elders & not couple,since they may not even be familiar with.
And most of the time, they hardly RSVP,they believe in 'impromptu' ;p

well,the above is jus my thots that I love to share from my experience. You may do it on your own way,gal. As long as you are happy,no one is to object you...
 
Hi Eileen,
guess most of your queries are answered by the gals. But still, these are my contributions. My card indicates only our christine name + surname, the time indicated was 7pm for cocktail, 7.30 dinner but we did not start till 8.30pm since it is a saturday. Dress code indicated as formal so most turned up in suits and gowns. As for RSVP, think singaporean are not very used to this esp the older generations.

Hi Biba and Count,
Yes, i am back. I just came back from Europe, a 15 days trip there. Fun and it was my first time seeing snow. Imagine now it should be spring and it is stil snowing in Germany and Switzerland.
 
Hi Eileen
Thanks for the lift yesterday. Had fun at Dolly's. Quite excited to see all the diff themes she had, only problem is tt i think i'll be in a dilemma when i have to decide on a theme!
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Twinkle
U went for style weddings? I didn't cos we went for the bash last yr and it was too crowded. In fact, FH was scared off by the masses there so we decided to give it a miss. How was the food and gowns?
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Jesmine
Wow! Ur honeymoon sounds really romantic! Germany and Switzerland are pretty places. Did u shop and eat lots there? Have u settled into ur new flat yet?

Biba, Georgia and Eileen
My fren just delivered a tin of Qi Wah egg rolls to me from HK! Just took a couple of them, delicious! To think tt i went to the gym this morning in an effort to burn off calories! Tsk tsk

Re dress code, i agree tt singaporeans can be quite tardy in dressing up. So it's safer to put "formal". Our fren got married at Beaufort and indicated "black tie" but guess what, while many of the younger guests turned up in suits tux and gowns, some of his relatives wore sport shoes and jeans! Kind of weird cos u could see the 2 extremes at the dinner
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Btw, do any of u know of nice private villas in Bali? Have u all started thinking of honeymoon or vacation venues?
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Hi count,

Besides Eileen & urself,who else went to meet Dolly? Wow..u gals must have a gd time seeing so many flowers etc..
anything caught your eye? The crystals or flowers theme..???Hmm..the last round, dolly did not have alot of portfolio, all similar.
So did she add on any new themes?

Hey the Kee Wah egg rolls nice?!!! wow..u made me drool again!!hehehe..how's gg,can bring back some & pass me hehehe...
No worries..gym workout definitely shed the calories...juz dun over-eat..

I have seen a few Bali villas the last time when I planned for HM but couldn't recall the name in specific. But it can be costly after I researched on.Hmm..well we end up no HM coz HB got project to follow thru' sob sob...gotta wait til yr end tho.
 
Jes,
What did u buy there? Lots of chocolates? Me down with wisdom tooth infection now, cannot eat snacks
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Biba and Eileen,
Cannot eat egg rolls now cos of my tooth sigh. The outing was quite small - only Eileen and her fiance, and me. Yes, Dolly's place has a wide variety of flowers and she has many themes. Which theme did u use the last time? U had white flowers if i remember correctly?

Yep, Bali is quite ex. But we're quite set on it already. Just need to firm up the details. Where are u gg for ur HM at the end of the yr? Have u started doing research and narrowing down venues?

Eileen,
Any idea on ur colour theme yet? I'm still trying to decide btw purple, pink and red... argh. Headache
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Hey girls,
Did u all ever feel very tired in the run up to the wedding? Was looking at my diary and somehow it seems tt every evening i have wedding related stuff to do, from marriage prep to church and meeting vendors.
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Any remedies for such problems?
 
Hi everyone....

About HM, I was wondering where to go... New Zealand sounds nice, but fiance not keen on self-drive. Bali is good too, esp for longer stays, can explore the interior of Ubud. A colleague is planning an Alaska trip! Super expensive and too far if you ask me. But definitely memorable. For relax by beach type honeymoons, I guess Hawaii, Maldives, Mauritius, Phuket, Hua Hin (high to low px range) is nice. The running joke between my fiance and me is that we'll be so poor after the wedding dinner that we'll just spend our HM at Sentosa... hahaha.
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I'm not so keen on Europe or North America since have visited most places there when studying -- cheaper then also.
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Count,

Don't feel so stressed. I think one good idea is to allocate at least one day (per fortnight or per week if you can afford it) to not think and not talk about and do not do wedding stuff. Personally, I find that gives me a break.
 
hi all...

I have not posted here for a long time... but I'm having my banquet at Tower ballroom... NEXT WEEK!

Would just like to compliment Dolly and Melanie for their excellent service, I think they are both very efficient and capable.

i totally agree with u ppl on the RSVP thingy. However, no choice... gotta live with it.

1 question that is rather pressing now that the wedding is near. What's the market rate for ang pow at Shang? Would make quite a loss if everyone gives $80...
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I started off planning with 35 tables... and it has now increased to 44. So we are like way off budget. Starting to get worried about $$$!
 
Hi Gothique,

Don't worry so much about the money. I'm sure things would be all right. Enjoy your wedding!

Count,

Cool down! Pace yourself and you'll be all right!

Haven't decided on the colors yet. Confirmed with church that we can't have external florists.
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Biba,

I recalled the Cinderalla theme as well as the vintage one with expensive feathers and pearls. Checked out the cold-room too and plenty of flowers. Basically I think we'll have a wide variety of flowers to choose from, and Dolly would cater to the budget.

Flowers we saw - tulips (10 for less than $15), alstroemerias, ginger, peonies, orchids, roses, protea, hydrangea, calla lilies, lilies, etc... If I stay near that area, I'll probably fill my house with the blooms every week!

Count/Twinkle,

I'm thinking of taking a short break to Hokkaido after the wedding and probably a longer trip to Europe early next year. Already planning to take 2 weeks leave (1 week prior and a week after), so can't have too long a vacation.

Hua Hin has a nice balance of comfort (luxurious hotels can be found there and the spas are heaven!), tranquility/beauty and accessibility. I wanted to go back again this year. Unfortunately, it's the peak season (?), and no discounted rates. Another area I want to venture is "Koh Chang"... I heard it's really beautiful there too.

Biba,

One thing I've learnt from the preparation of wedding - you can't please everyone. So as long as I'm happy, I don't care too much. Learning to let go makes thing so much easier. So the cards, I just filled in whatever I could. Melanie came up with the draft and I've passed them to both sets of parents. Some minor changes required, but generally ok.
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Oh, did I mention that we confirmed on getting a REAL wedding cake? Yes! We're getting one for the church reception. Dropped by Pine Garden earlier in the day and bought some for sampling. Think the best's probably triple layer chocolate cake, black forest and lychee martini.
 
Gothique dearie
*Hugs* Don't worry too much abt $. I used to panic abt it too but i figured, since we've already committed ourselves to holding a dinner banquet we shd not think too much abt $. As FH says, $ can always be earned back. Just have to save a bit after the wedding
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Do update us with pics after ur wedding k? Have a blissful marriage dearie!

Not too sure abt AP rates but for me, min would be $100 for Shang (more if closer fren). Perhaps the other girls could advise on this?

Eileen,
Too bad u can't use external florists.
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Yes, i agree if we stay near Dolly's i'd prob ask FH to buy lots of flowers for me! Cos the flowers are so pretty!

How much is Pine Garden charging u for the wedding cake and how big will it be? Are u getting sheet cakes? My fren got a 5-layer cake with diff flavours and it was wiped out! FH likes the triple choc cake too while i like the lychee martini!

Twinkle and Eileen,
Hua Hin is a nice place! I see u're thinking along the lines of a beach resort relaxing place too! Hee. I'm still hunting for a villa in Bali with infinity pool beside the sea. Managed to find one with views of the forest but those near the sea are out of budget, so must continue hunting

Btw Eileen, u may want to mention in ur inquiry tt it's ur honeymoon cos they may give discounted rates. At least they do for Bali
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Twinkle ah,
I did joke with FH also tt we'll be so broke after the wedding tt we have to stay with ILs before our flat comes! Somehow getting married costs a lot in spore, think the bulk of it comes fr the banquet
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Biba,
If u're in city hall area come by lah! Then can pass u egg rolls! The half-empty box is in my office now, and is gg to be empty soon!

Btw, any of u girls gg for the Purple Sage workshop on 13 may?
 
Hey Happy May Day!!!

Count,
U work ard cityhall,which line are u from? But my nearest will be NEL..sob sob..Hehe..
U r too kind to pass the egg rolls..nvm u enjoy the rest ya. Another time..;p

Eileen,
U have PM,check it out ok.
 
hi Eileen, Count and all..

thanks for your comments... yup agree that $$ can be earned back lah.. still sometimes when I add up the amount spent in total... CANNOT believe the excel spreadsheet... hahahha

4 more days to my wedding!! you know what, i still have people who play me out last minute AND relatives telling me that they can come after all. my guest list is still in a mess... I think it will only be final on Friday night, the night before the actual thing. Or maybe Sat afternoon!!!!
 
Biba babe
I work for the gah-men and city hall is where all the govt offices are! Where do u work? I stay along NEL. Heh. Yes, i just had more egg rolls today for a snack. And dessert too - apple crumble, tiramisu and brownie. At the rate i'm gg i will burst out of my gowns!
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Gothique
We also cannot believe the amt we are gg to spend for the wedding. Prob most of the costs will come fr the dinner. Hope tt all will go well for u in the final lap to ur wedding, and pray tt things will go smoothly (guests who are supposed to come do come, and no major hiccups). Must update us k, after u're back fr honeymoon!
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hello everyone,

I recently received an invitation from my friend who is also having her wedding dinner in Tower Ballroom in end-Jun! I shall recce the service and set up then and let you all know.

Then in Jan next year a former colleague will also be having her wedding in Shang... think the people who have to attend both her wedding and mine (Mar 07) might be feeling "huh? shang again?!" but bo pian lah, booked already.
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Count, your PM not enabled?

Gothique, hope you can do some speedy rearrangements and cut tables if necessary... better than having gaps.

Actually, I toyed with the idea of mixing up the singles and seating them together... haha...
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to do my matchmaking duties... but then I put myself in their shoes and figured i'd still be most comfortable with people I know. So not going to engineer anything lah. If it happens, it happens (i.e. two singles meet and sparks fly!).
 
Twinkle
Shouldn't you be looking forward to it? I'm always looking forward to wedding dinners at shang cuz im sure that quality is gurantee.
 
Hey Twinkle
Don't worry abt ur frens holding a dinner at Shang cos the bulk of ur guests would not have gone there before. And also, u can recce the service and give feedback to ur coordinator abt what was gd and bad and incorporate these into ur banquet. Perhaps what u could do is make sure tt the deco and dishes are slightly diff if u're still concerned? Cos i'm sure tt Tower can take on v diff looks depending on deco
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Speaking of mixing up the singles, i may have to do so cos i and FH have v few tables (mostly relatives). So we shall leave it to chance, or shd i say fate, to see if sparks fly! *grin*

Gothique
Hope the guest list is coming along and will only have minor changes. Remember to rest more and delegate on ur AD. Just focus on being the pretty bride!

Whiteangelz
Are u back fr ur trip yet? How was it?

Auds
Have u decided on whether u're getting a cake?

Biba,
Where did u get ur cake fr? How was it?

Eileen,
How many tiers are u getting for ur cake and where? Do u know what is the rough estimate? Can PM me if it's not conv to say here?

Wanna get a cake but not sure how big. Also, if i have cake for church, when is a good time to cut the cake? Or shd i go for a choc fountain instead?
 
hi count,

I gotten my cake from The Line, not too bad,its chocolate flavour but I guess alittle too sweet..hehehe...
Where do u intend to order it from? Are you looking for a real wedding cake for banquet or church wedding? Or as favors?

Hi Gothique,
Hope u have a great wedding!!! Happy for ya!!
Remember to be a happy & relax bride!! Update us on your wedding when you come back oki!!! Waiting to see ya photos soon...oh btw,any PS photos to share? PM me oki??Thks!!!
 
Twinkle,

At least the guests would be quite different for the dinners. Imagine the same set of relatives going to dinner 8 months later at the Shang again. Yup. My fiance's brother is also holding his wedding at Shang Island next year. And his other brother held it at the same place 7 years ago! Hopefully they wouldn't remember and compare too much ;)

Count,

The cake will be from Pine Gardens. I'm not too sure about the costs at the moment since we haven't met up or discuss. Would probably do so next week. Think it should be quite reasonable.

We've ordered a small cake for my parents this weekend though. A 2 tier 3 kg cake (Top - Black Forest; Bottom - Triple Layer Chocolate). Will take a pic if possible.
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Cutting the cake is a concern for us. Most of the caterers will not do it for us, or they'll charge like $50! Am thinking along line of asking PG to "assist" with the cake cutting. Will have to ask.
 
Biba and Eileen,
We're thinking of getting a cake for the church wedding rather than dinner cos it'd be less of a hassle. But still must look at budget and logistics

Eileen, will PG cut the cake and plate it for u? U're meeting up with Wei right? He's a nice and funny guy

Btw, how much is the cake for ur parents? Thinking of ordering a cake for my cousin's 21st birthday with similar dimensions
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Btw Eileen, u shd ask Melanie for a discount and more perks since u all are giving Shang such gd patronage by holding the family weddings there! Hee
 
Hi Zera
Sorry for the late reply. I think there are 2 florists - JM Weddings and Sebastian. The latter is more expensive and i think most brides go for JM. But it depends on what kind of look u want and ur budget
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Don't think Stefii's is tied up with Shang any more, right ladies?
 
Stefi's no longer in their list of florist.

Actually u girls can always get your prefered florist to do the decor.

Juz have to check how much shang going to backpay you.
 


Hi

Thanks for your reply. Got some question.

Any idea what the different between JM and Sebastian? Why is the latter more ex?

How much does it cost normally to decor the ballroom for about 35-40 table?
 

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