Fresh Prince of Gasing Indah

Dear all,

May I introduce to you the latest addition to the family:

PRINCE !!!

One year old Miniature Schnauzer, given away by his previous owner because the management in her condo evicted him. The original name given to him was Magic. Er... which explains why we changed it to Prince. He knows nifty tricks such as sit, down, bang-die!, crawl, roll, and hand shakes.

Such a darling, isn't he?


Love;
The Bride-To-Be

Bridesmaid Dresses

So you know that I have appointed my coolies chosen ones for my wedding day and now the time has come for me to choose their dresses! How exciting! In Stephie's words of wisdom, it would be better if I suggest the necklines for the girls - of course they have to see it and agree with it. Reason is simple; first is to make sure that the wedding party has some kind of a coordination, secondly so that it fits my budget.

Of course, all the colors of the dresses will follow my theme color - i.e. green and pink! The dresses are short, A-Line cutting with a ribbon across the waist. All dresses will be bare-backed. The material will be Duchess Satin. Exactly like below:

Let's start with Florence first. Since she will be the Chief Bridesmaid who won't be able to make it for the banquet dinner, she will have the privilege to be different from the other two girls. She will be the one walking in front just before me. She will have to be the alert one to pass me tissue when I cry or sweat. To make sure there is no lipstick stain on my teeth. To make sure that the train of my gown is always aligned and I won't trip on my own gown. Now, that is tough work ya, hence I have to bribe reward her by differentiating her dress right?? Anyway, it would be easier to spot her should the need arise.

For her, I have decided a sweetheart neckline. Her dress will be in pastel pink instead of pastel green. I intend to use pastel green ribbons, but somehow I find that the color doesn't match. It looks odd! Erm ... I think we may either use a darker shade of pink or white for the ribbon. The reason why I chose sweetheart neckline was because the other two girls will have straps, and I think she actually looks sexy good in that cutting! And Flo, enough of being so covered up ok!!


Secondly, for Mun Yee I gave a choice of either halter-neck or V-neck. She chose V-neck. The reason being, she is very tall and has big bone structures, especially her broad shoulders. I think that these cuttings will accentuate her features more as she has the height (jealous!!!) to pull off the look for the dress. It will look so elegant on her!


Thirdly, for Angie it was pretty simple. I roughly know what kind of a style she liked and proceeded to choose a strap one for her. Thank God she loved it! Apparently she feels that it makes her boobs bigger (-__-") and will tone down her broad shoulders/arms (?!). Since when is it broad by the way? Are you over-reacting babe?? Her only concern is that if the dress is low at the back, it will reveal her scars. Well, I told her no problem if she is not comfortable then we can always ask the tailor to adjust the back. If you ask me, I like her design because it looks flirty and sweet!



Well, there you go. The girls with their chosen necklines. Do you think it will clash?? I certainly hope not!! I will be bringing them to Neoromantic Bridal end of March to take their measurements. The dresses should be ready in 2 months' time and I hope the outcome will not be disappointing, or I will be pissed. The last time round when I did my dress, the final product was really not up to expectation despite it being MTM and I was utterly unhappy.

The reason why I am doing their dresses so early is because Neoromantic had increased their pricing since my inquiry last year, and they intend to increase their prices again middle of this year!!! :( I HAVE A BUDGET TO ADHERE TO WAN LEH!!!!!

Yup, that's it. The latest development in the planning process. :)


Love;
The-Bride-To-Be

10 Months Before the Wedding ...

Alright ... and we are 10 months to the wedding date! My goodness time flies! Here is my checklist:

1) Cofirm and book your venues if you haven't done so.

Done!

2) Select your wedding party and inform them of their duties.

Done! Except for flower girls, best man, and ring bearer. I think the bridesmaids will know their duties kua *hint* *hint*

3) Plan your CD music selection or ask for quotes for entertainment bands.

This is Bear's section. So I will leave it for him to organise. By the way, I have asked for quotes from the bands, still pending if we want to hire one for the dinner banquet or not.

4) Select bridal bouquet, followed by bridal gown and suits.

All these will be done when I select my wedding gown for AD in August. Provided by the bridal house. Not sure if Bear wants to tailor make a suit or not. Talk about being vain! :p

5) Search for reputable MUA.

Done!

6) Start shopping for wedding party's attire.

We will be heading to Neoromantic Bridal for measurements of the bridesmaids dress end of this March. They have chosen their necklines. So excited! Hopefully everything will turn out perfect!

7) Shop for bridal accessories.

Provided by the bridal house and my MUA.

8) Help mother of the bride and groom choose their dresses.

Er ... help (?!) *clueless*

9) Plan your program, check out printers, and get quotations for order of service for church ceremony.

I think we will do this at a later date. I have the tentative itinerary for the church ceremony. We know where to get the order of service template. Maybe printing can ask church to help?

10) Research and book your photographer / videographer.

Done!

Not bad eh?

It seems like we have completed most tasks. So excited !!!!

Love;

The Bride-To-Be

Resolution

Now, I don't usually never do this but here it goes:

Work:
(1) Tolerate my working colleagues (as much as I could)
(2) Do not procastinate!!
(3) Plan ahead / Time management
(4) Try to achieve beyond what my KPI targets are
(5) Be more proactive / outgoing (stop being timid!!!)
(6) Have a spririt of excellence in the things I do

Relationship:
(1) Learn to appreciate those closest to me
(2) Adjust to being a Mrs. Lee :)
(3) Learn to trust Bear as the head of the family
(4) Try as much as I can to blend in with Bear's side of the family

Others:
(1) Be a good and efficient wedding planner
(2) Learn to cook
(3) Be wise in spending

Erm.. that should be all for now.

Love;
The-Bride-To-Be

Things You Should Know ...

Yes, I duly apologize for my lack of updates. Firstly, I had been extremely busy with work (despite the year-end festive season and holidays). Secondly, there was nothing much to update about as the bulk of my wedding preparations has already been done or prepared in advance. Next year (i.e. next week) is when we will go into finalizing and detailing of our wedding plans. Oddly, despite planning almost 2 years ahead, it seems like there are still so much of nitty-gritty stuff to be done or if not still pending !!! I am getting quite 'kan cheong' AND excited! We have not even put in a date for our ROM (tentative date would be on 1st February 2010 and we don't plan to do it on a large scale - just gonna go to the JPN in PJ State, sign the contract with our parents and immediate relatives as witness and possibly some really close friends, picture taking with the ugly backdrop behind us using a point-and-shoot Olympus camera, followed by a simple lunch, and voila we are legally married!).

On Christmas, I decided that it was time to visit Red Bliss, Bear our chosen bridal boutique. We didn't go back to iron out all of our queries since the last time when we paid our deposit in Mid Valley Exhibition Hall back in January of this year. For those who don't know, for each new customer, the bridal house will assign one Sales Assistant ("SA") who will walk you through the entire process from day one until after the actual wedding day ("AD") when you return your gown. My SA is Jojo. So far, she seemed pretty nice and accommodating.

Now, it is very important to have a good SA because she will be your point of reference and negotiations. She is to follow-up on all of your requests and queries and to make sure that everything follows in accordance to the dateline. She will be the one suggesting which gown best suits you. She will be the one helping you dressed when you go for gown fitting. She will be the one throwing in ideas and suggestions on the bridal bouquets and car decorations and selection of photos.

I have personally categorized SAs into these few segments:

The $--$ type:

These are the ones who will catch you as the 'sui yu' (aka water fish). She will ask you to top-up this and that, add poses etc etc just to earn more from your existing package. Say if you are only entitled to choose 55 poses (out of 500+ poses - yes usually the photographer will take that much of shots), she will pester you to add another 10 more poses for a sum of RM1,100 (or something like that). Tip: State your budget upfront and when you go for photo selections, do not carry any credit cards or extra cash! YOU DO NOT NEED EXTRA PHOTOS EVEN IF THE PHOTOS ARE DARN NICE OK!! (repeat the sentence 58x and it will sink it eventually).

The Don't Give a Damn type:

These are the ones whom you expect them to return call or to follow-up on a certain issue and it is not done - until the very last minute. Tip: Don't rely on anyone but yourself! Be proactive and follow-up yourself whenever necessary.

The Dr. Jekyll type:

These are the ones who will promise you everything under the moon and when the full payment is made. Bam! Everything-also-can will suddenly become everything also cannot - unless if you top-up extra money. Tip: Whatever that was promised to you, please please MAKE SURE that it is written in black & white on your invoice to avoid any disputes.

The Rude type:

This is the one I paling 'beh tahan'. First of all, we paid close to RM5K for your services. Hence, I would expect at least some respect or courtesy from your end. After all, we are paying customers!! Tip: Do not let them bully you! You have the right to vent out your frustrations (and create a scene if you must) as you have already paid for their services, which by the way don't come cheap ok! If all else fails, bring them to the Tribunal Court.

The Genuine type:

Consider yourself lucky blessed if your SA is this type. Then your wedding will be smooth-sailing with no hiccups. I hope mine will fall into this category - or else my pre-wedding photos will end up with me looking like a sour prune. *fingers cross*

Back to our meeting with Jojo. It was really fruitful and I was soooo tempted to take our pre-wedding photos in Malacca. It looks so vintage, classic, and authentic. We would have to top-up RM500 if we opt to do the shoot in Malacca. Alas, I think we will give that up la. No point also. *shrug*. I think we will mostly stick to FRIM because we wanted loads of greenery and water and be surrounded by nature. (FYI, we would need to pay RM80 for the entrance fee to FRIM for photoshoot)

So, we I bombarded Jojo with questions on certain things which we weren't sure off. She was honest enough to advise me not to choose my gown for my AD yet as it was still far off and they may be bringing in new gowns. Remember to go for gown fitting during off-peak seasons such as end of March, April, June, July & August because there won't be many people getting married on those months and the full range of gowns will be in.

Due to shortage of time (we had to rush down to Seremban for Christmas dinner with my Grandpa), we quickly finalize the time and date for the photoshoot. My second gown fitting will be scheduled in August (Hungry Ghost Month). Date to be decided later as Jojo wants to check the Chinese calender to make sure that we don't clash with any auspicious dates in case if all the gowns are taken out.

23 March 2010 = First Gown Fitting for photoshoot

9 April 2010 = Photoshoot in FRIM

17 April 2010 = Photo Selection

August 2010 = Second Gown Fitting for AD

Ok girls ... here are some information which I hope will be useful for your future reference:

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW :-

The simplified process works like this :-
(1) gown fitting for photoshoot
(2) photoshoot
(3) select photos/poses
(4) view demo (e-design)
(5) view MTV video (if it is in your package)
(6) gown fitting AD/accessories
(7) choose bridal bouquet/groom corsage and car decor

Things you must remember to bring for your photoshoot :-
(1) Nu-Bra
(2) Heels (2-inch heels for outdoor / 3-inch heels for indoor)
(3) Money
(4) Sun block
(5) Groom shirt/slacks/shoes/ties etc
(6) Lots of water!!
(7) Umbrella
(8) Props
(9) Wedding bands
(10) Slippers
(11) Towels/Tissues
(12) Magazine/Book in case if the groom gets bored
*The process starts at 6:30am until 3:00pm

• Payment is paid first as a deposit to secure the package that you have negotiated. Second payment will be when you go for your first gown fitting. And the final payment is on the photo shoot day. All is to be paid by cash or cheque. Hence, I advise to retain RM200 until you see the final product of the album.

• You can't choose your preferential photographer/MUA/videographer for the pre-wedding photoshoot. It will be assigned to you and is entirely up to the discretion of your SA. You can however state your preference but what you want need not be given to you.

• You have the right to tell your MUA what style you want.

• You are to drive the team to the outdoor destination. There won't be time for lunch so please pack something light to eat.

• Always follow-up with your SA when a certain dateline is approaching. Don't assume that everything will be in order.

• Please wear a nu-bra when you go for gown-fitting so that the measurement that is taken for you is accurate. Wear a nu-bra also for the photoshoot so you won't 'chau kong' i.e. show the whole world your assets (ahem!) as the outdoor ("OD") photoshoot will have lots of movements.

• Always remember what pose you choose and COUNT them! Don't be surprise that they will 'miss out' some poses in the album. If that happens, you have the right to ask them to insert in back again.

• Check that your package includes albums with e-design or else your album will be very plain. Addition of e-design will mean additional costs.

• You can provide them your own songs if you want for the pre-wedding slideshow / MTV video. Please do so earlier so that they are able to incorporate it.

• Plan early so that you can make any changes to the demo if you are not satisfied.

• Make sure the poses that is given to you is enough to fill up the albums that is provided for you in the package. Additional poses will mean additional costs.

• Check whether if the softcopies are returned to you. Some bridal shop charge for the return of softcopies.
  

• You would need to pay a refundable deposit of RM800 when you have chosen the AD gowns and will be returned to you when the gowns are returned in good condition. So please do ensure that there are no non-removable stains on the gown or they may retain your deposit.

• Check that the final albums are of good quality. Do your own QC.
  

So far that is all that I know. When the time comes and I have more queries, I will definitely raise it up to my SA.

Yup.. that's it from the bridal house. And I am getting darn excited ok!!

Love;
The Bride-To-Be

12 Months Before the Wedding ...

Cannot believe it!! We are EXACTLY 12 months away from our wedding! *excited* I strongly recommend for those bride-to-be to plan well ahead and prepare a checklist. I will be doing a countdown of check list every 3 months until our actual wedding date.

1) Set your wedding date.

Done!

2) Discuss with parents/future in-laws on the style & size of wedding ceremony.
Done!

3) Set a budget.
Done! A rough one.

4) Book a wedding consultant or wedding planner.
Not planning to have one. I have enquired around and the cheapest one is charging at RM3,000 onwards. And mind you, ONLY for the actual day coordination. To hire them for the entire planning process will run into RM10,000 and above. Of course, I would love to hire one to coordinate the actual day (especially the dinner banquet) so we won't have to stress ourselves making sure everything is in order. But, it is just too ridiculously expensive!

5) Book a date with the ROM and the ceremony venue.
ROM date not set yet. Ceremony venue will be in church and the date has been booked. Hopefully no glitches or we will be forced to do it elsewhere at the last minute. *ahem*

6) Begin your guest list.

Done! A rough one.

7) Source for reception venues that suit your taste and budget.

Done! Paid the deposit at Putrajaya Marriott. The first thing on our to-do list.

8) Organize and file all important documents in a systematic order.

Done! All my receipts and wedding related documentations are filed.

9) Begin shopping for your bridal gowns, headpiece and bridal accessories.

Covered by the bridal shop. Don't intend to spend on these items anyway.

Love;

The Bride-To-Be

Project PWES (Part 2) - The Predicaments

I so heart this series todate ok! Really didn't expect everything to turn out so well despite the last minute planning, the rushing, the unprofessionalism of the subject matter (read: me), the squints, the DIY makeup, the unpredictable weather etc etc.

Amongst all that Angie previewed, I love this photo the most because I look oh-so-gorgeous because it looks so serene. And the veil adds to a very surreal effect. Yes, this was where yours truly me had a bad bad sunburn. It is still burning by the way, and am diligently applying aloe vera gel everyday. We tried a few shots and George was putting in a lot of effort trying to catch the wind and get the veil up and flowing (it was very long and heavy!). And yes, I squint. I think in almost every shot! It was glaring ok!! So, ended up Angie asked me to look at the flowers instead. Aren't those flowers beautiful?? Told ya! *wink*

This is my second favourite one - I believe all would agree with me that the color composition is simply fantastic. It was not planned, it just happened. How amazing is that? This was taken at the lakeside pier.

The silhouette pose was rather tedious, I would say. Me and Bear had to be interlocked in the same pose for some time in order for Angie to capture the correct angle and lighting. At the end of the shoot, my back was aching.

We were contemplating on whether to proceed with the shoot after dinner at Putrajaya Marriott. All of us were so tired shooting around Putrajaya - we started at around 11:00 pm, I woke up at 7:15 am. By the time dinner was over, it was almost 10:45 pm! Nevertheless, we proceeded with the last shoot anyway. Here is the vintage 'China-Town' look that I was mentioning about. We sneaked up into the Executive Suite. Hehehehhe

Yup.. as you can see, in total we have 3 very different concepts all wrapped into one day. Not too bad isn't it? There are nicer pictures, that I am very sure. But Angie wants to surprise us all (me included) and broadcast them during the engagement party. I can't wait to see all of them!

Love;

The-Bride-To-Be