Selecting the Banquet: Lunch or Dinner and Where?

It's been a long time since I've posted anything about the wedding. In fact, it's been a long time I even did much for the wedding due to the amount of work Uncle Chen and I have been doing. Nonetheless, we've been faithfully searching for a banquet location for the wedding.

In Singapore, it seems like a tradition to have your wedding banquet hosted at a hotel, preferably a chinese 8 to 9-course dinner and some programmes. At least that's the typical way to go for. However, we didn't really want to go for that way because we like things casual and simple, where everyone can just have some fun and enjoyable time. After all, it is a time for celebration.

At a very early stage of our planning, we were fairly certain of the location we wanted and had placed a soft booking for it. It was a casual simple homely place that's close to our hearts. We wanted somewhere significant to our relationship and this place has been one on top of our list.

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1. Food for Thought @ Singapore Botanical Gardens

Photo credits: Food for Thought

This place has always been our first choice because Food for Thought was the place where Uncle Chen and I had our first date years back. Not in this exact FFT (It's the one in Bugis that has closed down), but since FFT played a major role in our relationship. 

We were all for the idea of a rugged style food, or buffet menu where we can walk down from outside and it'll be just like a party. We had many ideas in our head for this place.

There was a playground outside that's completely suitable for the 4 little kiddos in the family to run about. I was able to imagine the place with screams and laughters. It felt perfect.

Ultimately, due to reasons, we did not choose this place. It was quite devastating for us though, but it was something we had to do. Still, who knows, we might have our own little party there one day! It's been a big wish of mine to have something at Food for Thought. 

And so, we moved on with the search.

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2. 1-Altitutde @ Stellar

Photo Credit: the4moose.blogspot.com

Located at Level 62 (seriously, that's more than enough to buy me over), overlooking the Central Business District, with amazing 360 degree view of the Singapore Skyline. Is there anything else need I say? 

A simple 4-course menu of amazing food and a beautiful location. I have to admit though - the cherry on top of the treat was that the wedding reception would be held at 1-Altitude (Level 63), an open air area. 

Decorations wouldn't be too hard as it wasn't like Food for Thought, where I felt like I had to decorate the whole place. This place was already beautifully designed and the cost was below our expectations. For a place like this, you would think that it'll be priced crazily, but nope!

However, the downside was that many things had to be done our own. Such as gifts, hotel bookings, what if it rains? Thus, with many other additional reasons, we went on with the search again.

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3. Fullerton Hotel

This place need not much explanation or introduction. The rich historical background had set Uncle Chen's heart fluttering and it was breath-taking inside and out. 

In the end, we decided to check out some hotel and this was definitely on top of the list. Initially, we were interested in holding our wedding at one of the new hotels but it was taking too long to be built so we had to start searching for others. 

There are some things I really don't like about holding the wedding in the hotel, but there are some that's really attractive. Such as having a pretty-much fuss free wedding because everything would be kind of settled for you. 

Also, instead of having a wedding dinner, Uncle Chen and I have decided that we would much prefer a lunch on the next day, so that we wouldn't have to rush all over the place. 

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Just like that (and many other reasons of course), we decided to have it at the Fullerton Hotel. I'm excited. Very very excited in fact. I can't wait for more things to be done so that I don't turn crazy. :)

Selecting the PhotoBooth : One Eye Click Live

Another thing off the list - Check!

Uncle Chen and I decided to make a trip down to Food For Thought @SBG for our very first wedding show. Yes. It was our first! The kind people of FFT@SBG had a mini wedding event a while back, and the companies at this event were particularly interesting! Ok. I was extremely excited about the Photo Booth stop since I've been searching for them and knew that they were going to have a booth there!

So, knowing my craze about Photostrips, he decided to let me be and after trying out Suzy, I was utterly and completely in love.

So what's Suzy?
Suzy is a self-taking Photo Booth machine from One Eye Click Live. You are allowed to take 4 shots to make a photo strip and each photo strip takes about just 10 seconds to be printed. Two will be printed at a go. So, psst psst, the truth is that if you have 10 people, you can just actually (be really mean and..) hog the machine for 5 rounds to get 10 photo strips.

You'll be provided with quite a few props but more is welcomed. You can even bring your own, if you want to make some more personalised ones.

I can't wait to use it myself actually. :P Can I hog the machine myself please?

M.

Selecting the Photography Studio: Actual Day

I've come to realise that 2015 is quickly approaching and thus the preparation should be moving, but it is not!

Someone once told me that whenever you sign up for a package in the particular year, even if it is 2 years before your actual day, the price you agreed on at the point of time still stands. So for example, if I bought the wedding package in 2013 at, let's say, $2000. At 2015, the prices spikes to $2500. You're still only going to pay for only the $2000 because that's the price you've agreed on. So, hopefully, I'll get that part settled as soon as I can.

My sister was recommending a few photography studio to me recently and I've decided to take a lot at their portfolios. I mean, why not right? So here are some of my possible choices.

1. Tinydot Photography

Tinydot Photography

Tinydot has been around for the longest time - as in, I have heard of their name since the time of my sister's wedding (2009). I've always thought their photos were relatively good. However, one concern I have for tinydot is the high price. Its cost starts from $3500 for actual day and $2500 for pre-wedding. I better start saving if that's all the going rates.

2. Lightedpixels Pixies

Lightedpixel Pixies (by Dazza)

Lightedpixels Pixies are (technically) trained by lightedpixels photography thus you may see the resemblances in the photo styles. For theirs, I felt that you must also look into the "pixies" too, aka the different photographers, they have. Cost-wise, I have no idea yet.

3. One Eye Click

One Eye Click Photography by Yi Ting

One Eye Click came a long way since 2002, started by couple Terry and Ginosko. I have yet to research much about their photography style and all, but I think their not that bad. I particularly like this photo tagged in this post. Cost-wise, I have no idea also.

Hopefully, I can decide soon. :\  eeeps!!!

Selecting the House: Dream House III (b)

Our search for the house has come to an end as of 4th March 2014. Just the search! It's been a long and struggling journey just to find the right fit. In fact, this time was not any easier as well.

The journey started from the time we actually started looking at websites such as www.propertyguru.com.sg just to see if there's anything we might like and the style we are going for. That's when I found out that property prices in Singapore was kind of crazy. It really doesn't help that both of us want a location that happens to be far too expensive for our pockets. Since it was resale, there's already the Cash-Over Value (COV) that you have to pay the house owner for taking over their house and it can really range from $0-$10k or more. That's how wide the range can actually be.

We fell for a house in Kim Keat but since it was 2 years before the wedding, we cannot purchase it. (We have to present the Certificate of Marriage upon collection of keys, it was pretty strict.) So at least we knew what kind of place we want and roughly which location.

Then around May 2013, we attempted for Sales of Balance flats because we didn't want to wait for a few years after getting married to get our keys. We (bravely and crazily) attempted to ballot for Pinnacle@Duxton and pray that by some miracle we will get the place. Obviously it didn't happen, duh!

We waited here and there, looked at resale again, and it was the time of the year again for Sales of Balance Flats! :D Looking at all the properties, my area and his area, none really tickled our fancy. However, the Bukit Merah area really Wow-ed us. Particularly Boon Tiong Road and Kim Tian Road.

Long story short, we balloted, we got our number. NINETEEN. I mind you, it wasn't 190, nor 90 or 100, it was TWO-DIGIT 19! OUT OF 996 applicants! PTL! But here's the problem, Boon Tiong Road + Kim Tian Road = 5 flats. Minus Chinese Quota, we only had 4 units. So, 19 really wasn't that great after a while.

27th February 2014 came and the selection process started. Make a guess which ones disappeared first. No prize for guessing! -.- and T.T all gone in a flash! So, we had to change our plans and started eyeing Telok Blangah Ridgeview.

3rd March - ok fine. The first choice for that area was still there. Breathe....Breathe...

4th March - The day has come, the first choice is STILL there... good...good... and BAM! 10:45am appointment. *Checks phone at 10am* FIRST CHOICE GONE! WHAT!?!?!?!?@!$$^&$#$!@# We were dumbfounded, blindsided and in shock! CHANGE OF PLANS AGAIN! We were next and we had a tie for Choice number 2.

All in all, we decided against the view of greens and go for something higher, and a somewhat view of greens. PTL!

Now, all we have to do is wait. It's gonna be a long process but I think it's gonna be a fun time! (:
Yipppeeeee!

In fact, we went a whole round and still ended up with somewhere we totally didn't expect. Indeed, God works in his wondrous ways.

Selecting the House: Dream House III(a)

Our house search comes to an end this Tuesday. 

Nibblets: Wedding VS Marriage

Taken from: http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cake-topper-15#axzz2tiyAFZl3

I've come to realise the number of girls who confuse the difference between wedding and marriage.

In simple terms

Wedding: A day
Marriage: A lifetime

Sometimes we, girls, tend to mix them up too much due to the whole growing up and "homonal age", spending time thinking about our dream fairytale ending. All the storybooks and possible dream weddings have got us all tangled up in the mess. Let's set this straight together.

Wedding:

This entails a whole build-up to the day where marriage begins. So, in loose terms, a wedding entails a marriage. It consists of the banquet, reception, gowns, flowers and all the what nots that are supposedly fun for the bride to plan and to stress. The moment where all that can mess up will mess up.

I mean it is every girl's dream to have a dream wedding and all, but let's not focus too much on it. After all, it is what comes after that matter, doesn't it?

Marriage:

Here's the deal, it's the bills, payment, debt, money, giving-in, kids, family, life together and everything else. This is the tough part where things starts to get sticky. A marriage is so much more complicated than a wedding, and we thought that it couldn't get any worse than wedding preparations? Here comes reality.

That's why it is so much harder to work out a marriage rather than a wedding and there is so much more to strive for in having a happy marriage! (:

Selecting the Honeymoon: Location I

Selecting a place for the honeymoon is, in fact, almost as important as selecting the venue and details of a wedding. Thus, we've been tossing our heads, all around the moon and back, to think of a place to head to.

Sadly for us, since the wedding is held on 19 December and we have to be back in Singapore for meetings and what nots by possibly 27/28 December, that left almost no time to head to somewhere far. So, we are planning to postpone the actual official honeymoon to the following June holidays in 2016. That'll leave us some time to save up the money that has been spent during the wedding. Thus, from January to June 2016 would be the saving period for only the honeymoon.

I have to admit that I have been up to no good in terms of thinking of places to go because I have yet to find the time to even think about anything else apart from work. Workaholic much. However, we have finally sat down and decided to have a tiny trip after the wedding and an official one 6 months later.

Many brides (and grooms) are so focused on the wedding day itself that they often forget to plan the honeymoon. It isn't as easy as it looks because you really don't want to end up going to a foreign land only to realise nothing has been plan and you have no idea where to go, what transport to take to get you from place A to place B.

The mister and I are thinking of venturing into somewhere we both have yet to visited and since both of us are fortunate enough to be pretty well-travelled, it leaves us with places that are totally not thought of as typical honeymoon locations. United States is just far too expensive! *tossed out sadly*

In the meanwhile, we'll just have to focus on the future home first before worrying too much about the nitty gritty of the wedding.

Next up, I'll probably talk about the difference in wedding and marriage. (:

Selecting the Bridal Bouquet

For the longest time, I knew what I wanted my bouquet to be like. Dark blue Hydrangeas and scarlet red roses. For the former, it was because it's my favourite flower in my favourite colour of it. The latter, it was because red rose felt like the most well represents love, deep love. 

I have yet to get any packages about where I can get these bouquets but I'll have to shelf that aside first as it can be easily settled.

This photo is a more accurate look of how I want my bridesmaids to be like - Red dresses against blue and red flower

bouquet. Even with sweet rose design on the dress, it makes the design a lot more elegant and sophisticated.

M

Nibblets: Maintaining a Relationship

Recently, the web sparked out quite a number of relationship advice websites and articles. So, naturally I started reading a lot of it. Things like "10 signs this is Mr Right" or "15 things to show you are in a right relationship" et cetra. 

Whilst I agree with most of it, there are so I still have my qualms about its importance. However, me and mister Chen decided to follow a few.

1. Saying "Good Morning" and "Have a nice and awesome day ahead" each morning

2. Constantly remind each other why we are in love with each other 

3. Make it a point to share about everything. No secrets (at all).

4. We laugh at our mistakes; we discuss serious matters.

Well, who am I to talk about maintaining relationships? I should be listening to the older generations and learn how they do it. 

We had our fair share of up and down moments throughout the years we've shared. However, mister Chen often remind me how we should never sleep without resolving issues. At least that's his belief! For me, sometimes I just need to sleep on it to get over it. Compromise people!

However, never never change yourself for someone. Remember that you are so much better than what you think! Never let anyone else bring you down! :)

Lets always be weird together! Function the way no one else does! :)