Shangri-la Hotel

[pishako]

count, twinkle..

thanks for sharing. Hmm.. cos I won't be having a church wedding.. so in actual fact, I don't really have bridesmaids.. but I have 7 good gfs helping me out as jiemeis.. of which, 2 of them are my main coordinators... so not sure if i should give them special treatment or wad..

 

[chendol]

count,
I would also like to get a first hand flat, but don't want to wait till 2010 lah.... Was very taken by the Eunos SERS (the one that looks like a condo and 3 mins away from MRT sparkling new) but No more booohooohooo. Tampines is quite crowded, like Bedok, so would prefer not to live there...

Budget for 4-5 room about 250-300k... quite realistic IMHO... but those that are near MRT stations command a higher cash portion. that will be more expensive than all our wedding expenses combined!

Meow,
congrats on getting a place. I'm sure it's a huge load off your mind. Can't wait to get this load off my mind!

 

[pishako]

twinkle, why dun u use meow's agent? heh

 

[chendol]

morning gals!

Hope you had a good weekend. I had quite a wedding un-related weekend. Meant to go and see some flats but last min the agent had a crisis, so postponed. We are still not very worried though.... think we lack sense of urgency.

pishako,
I'm trying not to use a buyer's agent, so unless meow's agent is selling for someone in the east...

 

[meow_chloe]

morning

twinkle,
hmm... i wont really rec my agent. advice to be careful abt agent fees is a result of wat i went through, though both parties did come to a compromise at the end. and the fees isn't fixed at 1% anymore... its negioable. think the seller engaged the agent to help with paperwork and the fees were abt 600-1000, so maybe you can try to use this as a guide if you source for your own place and use the agent only for paperwork. However if the agent starts to bring you to view other flats, then he starts to act for you and is entitled to your commission. so ask him right at the beginning!
twinkle, its really a load off my mind... and it also means that i can start reno and interior deco planning

excited!!!

count... i'm having 2 bridesmaid who'l walk down the aisle before me so i'll be getting them their dresses from kim...as for the jiemeis.. there will be quite a few of them so i dun think i can afford to get them dresses .

my new place is at tampines..its a old re-sale flat.

i bought my mattress yesterday. it was our first try at mattress shopping so it seemed like quite an impulse buy. count..same as yours.. its a sealy

 

[pishako]

meow, who's kim? does she specialize in making dresses? n congrats at getting the mattress.. when is your renov gg to start?

 

[chendol]

meow
yah i heard from the housing forum that agent fees are negotiable too. So figured i either use seller's agent (and sellers usually die die must pay agent cos they advertise in classifieds and bring ppl to view, in addition to paperwork) and pay a little (below 800) or nego with my 'buyer's' agent to pay commission if they help me lower the price. guess it makes sense that they would expect some commission from me if they are bringing me around and my final choice is not a flat that they are seller's agent. Oh how complicated! And i thot the hardest part was booking a hotel banquet haha!

pishako
Kim is a seamstress based in Tampines who is recommended by quite a few ppl in SingaporeBrides forum. You can do a search under "Kim" and "tailor" or "seamstress" and you'll have lots of reviews to read. I think some in the archives of this thread too. Her hp contact number is somewhere searchable too -- I had it but left it at home.

 

[count]

Meow,
Cool! U bought a Sealy too! Very comfy right? Can't wait for AD then can get to sleep on the bed!

Pishako,
Yes Kim is a seamstress whom quite a few of us go too. I'm getting her to make CS and gowns for my mum and bridesmaid

Twinkle,
Have faith! I'm sure u can find a suitable flat soon! Btw, the book i bought which i mentioned in the Christian thread is v useful. We spent the wkend reading the first few chapters

 

[teddyboyboy]

Pishako,

And to add on, Kim is very busy, so if you are interested, do make an appointment with her early. Her contact number is 96478146. Her place is quite near Tampines Central. I'm trying to get my cousin's dress done with her, but she's still undecided about the material. We have 2 more weeks to meet Kim's deadline. Haha...

 

[pishako]

count, which thread can i find out more abt kim?

eileen, thanks for the num. will call her.. does she show her portfolio when u go to her house?

 

[kyrieleison]

<font color="aa00aa">Hi girls!

Been pretty quiet these days cos my comp's giving me probs again. Sigh.. Anyway hee i bought my bed from Sealy too! =)

Count, i've decided not to be so evil and have the bed delivered a week before our AD. Hee..at least it gives us time to do up the room nicely.

Twinkle, all the best in your house hunting!

It's gonna be exciting but tiring too. Hee</font>

 

[count]

Kyrie ah,
Which mattress did u get? Queen sized?

Eileen,
When must ur cousin's dress be done? How come got deadline one?

Pishako,
Kim doesn't have a portfolio cos the dresses are taken by clients after they are completed. But she will usually have some works in progress there

Hi girls,
Are ur caterers providing u with service staff for the church recep? Any of u girls know if it is necessary for service staff or is it ok to do w/o?

 

[kyrieleison]

<font color="0077aa">Count,
I bought my Queen sized San Marino from Robinsons. Went around Simmons and the rest and found one at Simmons that was really good! My FH love that one but the price was really way out of budget hence we settled for San Marino.

Was kinda surprised my FH liked it, cos he's always one to prefer firmer beds. However, after I laid on it, I love the plush yet firm support it gave.

He felt it was comfortable too.

Is yours Queen too?</font>

 

[pishako]

count, thanks.. i am meeting her this sat.

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Gals,

I'm new here. Will be holding my wedding at Shangri-La too My AD is on 29 Sep 2007. It happens to be my sis b'day too and she was lamenting that i won't be celebrating her b'day with her anymore cos i most prob will be celebrating my wedding anniversary.

 

[chendol]

Welcome, faith!

always happy to have more shang brides join us and make the thread more lively!

You're very early in the preps, so suppose you haven't gotten much else settled apart from the hotel?

 

[pishako]

hi faith.. welcome!

29 Sep is a nice date!! Hehe.. i met my hubby on 29 Sep 2004!

 

[faithz1528]

Hi gals,

I think I'm a typical kiasu S'porean so plan way in advance.

Am in the last stages of my renovation, will be shifting this mth b4 the 7th lunar mth. Guess will have more time to source for the bridal package, AD photography &amp; videography, etc.

By the way, any feedback on the food at Shang on teh actual day? My hubby and I went to Shang Palace thrice to taste the food. The first time was quite ordinary, 2nd time was bad. The third time I got Mel (wedding coordinator) to geth teh chef to prepare a few dishes from the banquet menu and it was good. My hubby is concern with the standard of the food as he thinks it's not consistent. And perhaps they know we are here to try the food b4 we decide on the banquet, they paid special attention. Am afraid it may not turn out as nice on the actual day. I still chose the Shang cos I really like the ambience. Went to a few other hotels to look at the ballroom and tried the food too. Best food was Conrad though but I don't like the ballroom. Best overall wa sFour Season but it can only accomodate max 30 tables and I need approx. 35 tables. What a headache.

 

[pishako]

ladies, anyone not using the Shang styrofoam buying a real cake ? if so, where are you guys getting from and can share price/picture or design of it?

And what did you manage to exchange the complimentary shang wedding cake for?

 

[pishako]

faith, woah.. u went down personally to taste the food by yourselves??

where's your new place? which reno company did u use? i m looking for interior designer too.. getting keys soon.. but wun be moving in till after AD..

why don't u ref the table further up this thread and give your details?

someone will update u into the list!

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Pishako,

Yup, I'm vey kiasu so went to taste the food with my hubby and family. But I didn't try the whole 9 course, only a few dishes, just to get a feel of the standard. My designer is Cynthia from The Living Edition. It's located at Balestier. She did my ex-colleague's place and I think it quite nicely done-up and the price's pretty reasonable. My colleague did her whole house's flooring in parquet and plus kitchen cabinet and walk-in wardrobe for slightly below $30k. The workmanship is good too.

Hi Eileen,

I'm new here. Can trouble you to include my details in the table.

ROM: 12 March 2005
AD: 29 Sept 2007
Venue: Tower Ballroom
Lovenest: Thomson
The rest: TBA

Thank you.

 

[pishako]

i see.. is her shop by the main road?

what are the works tt u engage her for? I've been getting quotes abt 20++ K.. all non-wet works..

 

[cactus_79]

hi faith, my FH and I were negotiating with Shang for 29 Sept 07 - what a coincidence. But we weren't prepared to place a deposit cos FH was busy with exams and couldn't find time to bring our parents down to Shang for their approval. May I ask when you placed the deposit?

 

[teddyboyboy]

Pishako,

You'll be spolit for choices regarding wedding cakes... like Pine Gardens, The Patissierie, Canele, Sheryl Chuen, the Line, Cake Avenue, etc... I'm getting mine from Pine Gardens, but it'll be for the church wedding. Yet to think of the design though.

Before you start drooling on the cakes, double-check with your co-ordinator whether you'll be able to bring an external wedding cake in. The last time I asked, there's a charge of $3 per person for plating service (i.e. Shang to cut and serve guest) if I get a cake outside Shang. No harm asking again to see if you can get a better deal. The complimentary shang cake is only a small cake, don't think can exchange for anything.

Count,

The deadline is given as I needed the dress to be ready by end Sept. You know how busy Kim can be, so...

I'll be getting a few service staff for the church reception. Basically to assist with the clearing, etc and the cake too.

faith,

Welcome... I'll append your name to the list once I'm on the other computer.

 

[pishako]

cactus.. mabbe it's a different ballroom.. since there are 2. Usually Shang will inform the other party if someone is enquiring for the same date.

like my date was actually softbooked by someone else but the pax released the date after Shang checked w them.

eileen, thanks for the advice.. will call up and ask! Btw, how much are u spending on your cake? I saw the Pine website.. very nice! i was thinkin of using an 1 tier cake and wedding cupcakes

 

[cactus_79]

Hi Pishako.. actually, we were looking at Tower also.. We had a tentative booking for 29 Sept 07 for some time, then a coordinator told her a couple waiting to pay deposit on urgent basis ... . After one month later, we were prepared to pay deposit so re-checked with Shang if the couple already paid. 2 coordinators at Shang gave us conflicting information about the availability so we were confused - one said paid already; another said only tentative. I guess it was cos they were waiting for Faith to put the deposit.

Anyway, I'm glad Faith secured the ballroom of her dreams. We still hope to get Shang for May/June 07 ... since Sept 07 not available now.

 

[teddyboyboy]

Hi Cactus,

Sorry to hear about the mix-up. I was given the impression that preference would be given to the first couple that made the tentative booking. If someone else expressed an interest, the co-ordinator would inform the first couple if they are ready to put deposit or change to another date.

If you're looking at June, you may wish to double-check with your co-ordinator on the dates available. The Shangri-la dialogue is usually held in June. As such, certain dates are already blocked. Even if the Tower is available, I'm not sure whether you'll want your guests to be subjected to security checks.

Pishako,

Price for the cake not known yet since we haven't confirmed on the size, etc. It's probably a 3 tier cake. Will let you know more when I get more details. Anyway, your wedding is quite some time away. Don't worry... cakes can be confirmed at a later date.

My parents' anniversary cum birthday cake. Didn't want to be too floral, so only the top with flowers. This is considered a normal cake. I just had to top up for the flowers.

 

[teddyboyboy]

Had some issues with the size of the file.

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Pishako,

Yup the shop is by the roadside. They are sharing with Living Phenomenal which is a shop selling bathroom stuff like tap, sink, etc. I did a pretty major renovation for my place. The place i bought is a resale so i practically hack and redo everything. My parents think it's a pity cos the previous owner just renovated 6 years ago and it was well maintained. But i can't stand using stuff, esp. toilets and cabinets that's not new. Do be careful abt the quotation though, it usually comes up to be much more. The initial quotation doesn't include lighting points and are based on estimates. If you choose different material from what was quoted, it'll affect the cost.Usually, the designer will quote based on standard materials unless you specify what material you want to use right at the beginning. My final amt was way above the quotation. For instance, I did my wardrobe and was given a quotation but the actual amount was way above cos the designer said the previous quote was based on an estimate but the actual foot run is longer. It happens to my kitchen cabinets too. On top of material cost, there's also labour cost. Eg, homogenous tiles cost approx. $4.80 per sq ft and labour is approx. $3.5 per sq ft. Hence if you are changing flooring and you got a big area, it'll cost alot. More if you are using parquet or marble.

Hi Eileen,

Thanks for your help to update the table.

Hi Cactus,

We went to view the ballroom abt 1 mth plus ago. We were told there was a tentative booking then but Mel said she'll contact the other couple to check. She came back to me and said that the bride was away and hence the groom needed 3 more days before he can revert if he wants to proceed with the confirmation. We waited for a few days and Mel said the couple can't decide hence we got it. Are you the one that Mel was referring to you? What a coincidence! I hope you can find another date you like.

 

[count]

Kyrie,
Yep we bought a queen sized San Marino. Don't tell me u bought the brown headboard too! If so, then it's exactly the same as ours

Faith,
Welcome! *waves*

Cactus,
Have u decided on Shang yet? Yes, the mixup is regrettable but no worries, i'm sure u can find a gd date in 2007 cos it is still fairly early to book. Ur FH is still studying?

Eileen,
Oh yes, cos the dress has to be ready by ur AD! Have u bought the fabric already? Supposed to get my CS from Kim this wkend, hope it's ready for PS which is less than a fortnight. Kind of stressed cos we still haven't found suitable shirts for FH. My BS ran out of wingtip shirts in his size so we have to look ard soon or get them MTM asap!

Have u cfmed details of ur PS yet? Urs shd be ard the same time as me?

 

[meow_chloe]

hi...
count,
which is the san marino.. mine's the madrid. my headboard's the puffy ones.. the ones on offer. agree that sealy's are very comfy

) still quite shocked tat FH and i decided on a mattress in 30 min! but so far no regrets

i may be goin to kim this weekend too.. my PS is next friday and i jsut gave her the material on tues! have to check with her when i need to go for fitting..and she mentioned something abt trimmings? Does yours come with the frog buttons?

cactus,
hope you'll be able to find another suitable date at Shang

count... i'm also rushing to MTM a suit for FH...1 week to PS!!!... stress... duno if i can find a tailor willing to commit. my BS is too busy so they asked us to try oxford tailor at uob/oub ? heard they are big and have many tailors so there is still a chance they may have enough manpower. u might wanna check with them.

faithz,
i bought a resale too! but coz we paid quite a bit more for the move-in condition...so cant bear to hack the flooring and cabinets .. good thing is that though the kitchen cabinets are not the ultra modern , frosted glass type.. but its neutral so still not too bad

 

[pishako]

can someone help to update my details too? I have settled on my AD P &amp; V.. they are lightedpixels by kelvin koh and the wedding paparazzi.

eileen, the cake looks FAB!!!!! how much more to top up for the roses?

cactus, hope u find a good date that you like too. Heh.. can go for 070707...

meow, what time u gg to kim? i m mtg her on sat too.. at 12pm. and how come u so late then do suit for FH?

 

[pishako]

meow, can share pics of your gown? is it OTR or MTM w ted? my email is [email protected]

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Gals,

I noticed from the table that quite a few brides are using Ray Ong. Has anyone seen his works other than those posted on his website? Is it good? I only know Chris Ling, Fabien Lim, Andrew Choi, Yew Kwang and Wan Sheng. My hubby and I are thinking of taking our photos in Taipei.We will be going there next month to take a look at the bridal studio.

Hi Meow,

I also paid a premium for the reno the previous owner did but after much deliberation, I decide to hack and change. My hubby told me if I want to change after reno is done, it'll be very troublesome and messy so i went ahead in case i really can't tolerate. My reno took me 1 year cos I keep changing my mind. My designer was really very patient with me. I'm very fussy that I need to decide and ponder over every single nitty gritty detail.

By the way, if anyone needs info on where to get home &amp; deco stuff, eg. doors, cabinets knobs, etc, let me know. I went ard sourcing so perhaps can help.

 

[cactus_79]

Hi Pishako - Thanks for the info about June 07. We'll see how it goes.

Hi Faith, yup! We were the other couple. What a coincidence! I was away on a biz trip &amp; my FH was struggling to cope with his exam prep. We had initially wanted to bring our parents down to view the place before putting the deposit, but we couldn't arrange for this in time. FH was hard pressed for time cos you were on waiting list, so we gave up the date.

Hi count, yup, FH was preparing for exams. He's trying to specialise in medicine. He's been working for a couple of years now.

Will keep you gals updated if we manage to secure a confirmed booking at Shang!

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Cactus,

So sorry to take the date you want. Really hope you can find an alternative date soon. How about 17 November, that's supposed to be a good date too. If we can't get 29 Sep then, we wld have chose 17 Nov.

It's good to have a doctor hubby, you don't have to see a doc when you fall sick.

 

[pishako]

Hi Faith, you can go down to Ray's office to check out his works.. his shots are mostly very candid and colorful..

somemore when you go down, you see their albums - how they bind etc..

 

[cactus_79]

Hi Faith, No worries about the date. It was our choice to bring our parents down to see Tower Ballroom before placing the deposit, and we couldn't do it in time. 3 days is quite reasonable for a couple to make up their mind. We just couldn't arrange the logistics in time.

My future in-laws chose 29 Sept 07 through calculation. May I ask if your date was also a calculated one? Cos my FILs said it is a very auspicious date... I dun know whether to believe it or not.. I think ultimately, we might just proceed with tea ceremony on 29 Sept 07 and have wedding dinner within a week after tea ceremony cos FILs feel that dates are very important.

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Cactus,

The dates were given by a geomancer. 17 Nov 2007 is apparently a very auspicious date as well. In fact, some hotels I checked with have tentative/confirmed bookings for that day too. You might want to consult your FILs if that day is suitable.

 

[cactus_79]

Hi faith, thanks for the info. We can't have tea ceremony on 17 Nov 07 cos our solemnization will be on 7 Oct 06.Our parents have already agreed that customary should be within 1 year from solemnization. Actually, we're okay with having tea ceremony on 29 Sept and dinner within a week. FH's sis also did the same thing cos she booked hotel late. She actually recommended us splitting both events cos less tiring right from the start.

Perhaps we'd need to pay more for photographer and makeup artist to come down for both days, but think it's less stressful and less tiring to do it on separate days. FH and I growing old already. Don't think we can handle one full day of activity.. hee hee.

 

[kyrieleison]

Hi girls!

Welcome faith and cactus! =)

Hey count,
Yup i bought the brown bedframe too. Hahaha..we found it quite nice so we decided on it. My mum and dad bought a king-sized manchester the same day too and they got the same bedframe too.

Hee seems like meow also has the same bedframe!

 

[count]

Faith,
Quite a few of my frens have used Ray and are very happy with his works. We picked him cos his shots are very cheerful and have vibrant colours which are great for AD shots. But heard tt his AD prices for this yr increased so u may want to check with him...

We got his package with collages. Think it is the mid-priced one. U shd go down and look at his works to get a better idea. And also to speak with him to get a feel of whether u can "click" - quite impt for u to get along with ur PG i feel

Cactus,
Wow! Yes it's great to have a doctor hubby cos he can attend to u and provided his hrs are all right

Yes perhaps u can split the events into 2 days. But this may be slightly more tiring for ur helpers and guests unless u have diff sets of helpers and guest lists. Gd in the sense tt u have accommodate most guests if ur invite list is v long

Btw my date was picked by a geomancer too. FMIL insisted on it and would not let us book the hotel without doing so. Long story..

I'm sure u're not tt old right? U make it sound like u're so old! How old are u? I'm turning 24 so does tt qualify as old?

Kyrie and Meow,
I think our headboards are the same - the puffy ones! The San Marino is the softer and plusher version...

Btw, trimmings refer to the sleeves and edges of the CS where Kim will sew in an extra "band" of coloured fabric which usually matches the fabric itself. Dont' know how to describe. Getting the normal buttons whihc i think are frog buttons?

U making a CS is it? When will it be completed?

 

[cactus_79]

Hi count, I've turned 27 this year. Perhaps it's not so much the age that's older than the average Singaporean bride, but the pre-wedding activities is tiring us out tremendously. We both feel very very old.

Hubby doctor is okay I guess. What matters more is the heart of the guy I'm marrying, not the profession. But given a choice between hubby doctor and hubby lawyer, definately would be hubby doctor. Will prob get into arguments with hubby lawyer.

FH and I had to accomodate FILs on wedding date too. We wanted same day as solemnization on 7 Oct, or one day after solemnization, but FH's brother getting married in Dec this year, and FILs don't want to issue invitation cards in "quick succession".... so mid to late 2007 would be our customary/dinner. Then FILs wanted to choose auspicious date. So we ended up with 29 Sept 07 cos they wanted to drag it as long as possible, yet within the 1 year from solemnization as agreed by both families.

 

[faithz1528]

Hi Gals,
Month end today so super busy. But can heave a sign of relief after today. Sorry to sound ignorant, what's a bed frame? Is it a bed w/o the mattress? Is Sealy good?

Hi Pishako &amp; Count,
I'll arrange with Ray to see his works probable after mt Taiwan trip. How much did he charge you for AD photography? So far, I've got quotes from Wan Sheng &amp; Yew Kwang, they are around the range of $1400 for 12hrs. But need to top up extra for special albums. FH wants to decide after we visit the Taipei BS. If we aren't taking PS there, we'll most prob get the same photographer for AD and PS. By the way, is it cheaper if they do both or nthere's no diff?

Hi Count,
You are so young. Your FH must be really good to you else you won't be marrying him at such a young age.

How long did you date before deciding to tie the knot? I knew my hubby for 4 yrs before our ROM. By the time we go thru customary, it'll be 6 yrs. Come to think of it, it's so long. Time really flies. Think I'm the oldest bride.

Hi Cactus,

I guessed you are 27 from your username _79. You aren't old lah base on your age. I think holding it on seperate days is a pretty good idea if you can't hold it in the same day. Or perhaps you can get your FILs to give a grace period of another month so you can hold it on the same day. Else gotta fork out extra for the photographer &amp; MUA.

 

[cactus_79]

Hi Faith, we're still in the midst of getting quotations from the photographer and MUA.. hopefully the additional cost won't be too high. We're not keen to delay customary cos solemnization already this year.... some older relatives only see customary as the "real" wedding... and we don't like being referred to as "gf" and "bf" even after solemnization.. so we figured 1 year is the limit.

 

[chendol]

Hi everyone,

TGIF!!

Had a number of things to rush out this morning (even though dept boss and CEO on leave today! usually it's busier with them around) so I'm glad that's more or less done with.

After reading the posts above, sometimes I think Singapore brides have so much to think about! Maybe it's just cos I'm in the thick of it myself. It's such a lot of work that goes into a wedding, be it one day or a few days (a friend of mine who married an indian had a week long of banqueting etc). I mean it's supposed to be worth all the work cos it's your BIG day, but however big it is it's still Just One Day right?!

I look wistfully at a former JC fren getting married overseas. His entire wedding costs less than US$1,000. I guess they don't have a hotel dinner for one, and my friend's bride (non-chinese) is getting a simple dress for her garden lawn ceremony, not tied up with any bridal studio at all! And they love gourmet cooking, so they might be baking their own wedding cake! Then after they get married, they'll just be sharing rent for an apartment.

no loans, no large credit card bills, no 500 guests, no extensive minute by minute timetable to follow on AD. everything just very simple, very sweet.

haiz!

 

[pishako]

faith - Ray is my PS photographer. Kelvin Koh from lightedpixels is doing my AD. 1.5k for 12hrs of svc. And coincidentally, I am the same age as Count too. Hehe...

I would think that the trend nowadays is to marry young..

twinkle - hmm.. i do find all this preps enjoyable. My parents did not nag me for a banquet or wad.. but I liked the idea of it.. and in SG, it's pretty hard to have an outdoor garden party - too humid and hot for my liking! And I wld love to don an exquisite wedding gown too..

 

[pishako]

to add on, a simple wedding can also be done in Singapore. Like the WG can be simple and purchased at $350, can also home-baked wedding cakes, ask your friends to take pictures for you..

a lot of times, it is when you choose to go for expensive stuffs that you chalk out large credit card bills.

it's just like you can choose to buy a $10 handbag or spend 1-2K on a LV bag.

Just my 2 cents' worth..

nonetheless, i always feel that you should enjoy spending money, esp if u r spending lots of it.

 

[cactus_79]

personally, I feel alot of pressure from both sets of parents to have a nice wedding.To be able to afford a roof above our heads,and a nice wedding,we're cutting corners here and there in our daily routine...the only joy comes from the fact that our cash in the bank is growing and our parents don't nag at us so much. I would love to have an intimate wedding with the closest friends and relatives, and not feel obliged to invite relatives' in-laws, parents' friends whom I've never met, parent's school teachers...etc...

 

[pishako]

cactus, for me, the only pressure I had from my mom (quite a picky pax) was that she kept wanting me to upgrade my menu.. like she wanted Yusheng, abalone etc.. then I checked the prices and told her that it would be very expensive.. like 2-3K more.. initially she kept saying how like this and like that would be nicer.. but when i calculated dollars n cents for her, she gave in n stop pushing me to upgrade dishes. (haha.. so i won!) somemore she's not even gg to keep angpow money.. *happy*

it boils down to how you communicate in e end.. parents wont want to bankrupt their children one..

anyway, your hubby will be a doc.. so ermm.. now cut corners but nt time will be smoother.. agree? be optimistic!! *hugs*