Eat, drink and be married!

With that many days leading up to the big day and having picked our photos for the album, portraits and photobook...it's time to share some of our favourite shots..on hindsight, hiring a pre-wed photographer may have been a better option for us.Studio shots are bound to be posey, and it's not as if both of us didn't have experience doing shoots...#bridezillamoment

I shall credit Mydreamweddings for their approach towards photography - in general, suits the population of couples who adore the "korean-idoldrama" approach. We expressed our interest in high fashion but these turned out still very dreamy and act-happy.

Let the pictures talk!

I caved in 19 days to the wedding and got ourselves a wedding cake, technically not a cake cake per se since it isn't in tiers nor lathered in buttercream and flowers. #bridezillamoment, again.

Hands up those who think that weddings are complete with their own wedding cake!

For those fretting whether or not you should get it - the multimillion dollar answer is - just get it. Yes yes, the "once in the lifetime" line gets thrown around alot and it's one of those occasions that applies. What is once in a lifetime photoshoot at $XK when the cake costs a fraction? 

I toyed with the idea at the start of the planning and finally succumbed to temptation eventually. This was what I had in mind originally.


There are plenty of bakers to choose from locally who would do a fondant covered or buttercreamed cake with posies and what nots..and then the question comes who eats the cake?

In my case, the original intention was for us to have a tiered cake and we could keep a tier each. Missus bonbon, rive gauche and pine garden were on that list and we even went for cake tasting - an experience that was rather detached.

So then, we made an appointment with a particular baker to sample their cakes with flavours informed ahead of time.

3 flavours to the tune of $20 which could be deducted from the order if we decide to purchase from them. These get brought out of the refrigerator and placed infront of us - blocks of cake with frosting.

Lemon - The frosting was a tad artificial but this was definitely better than the red velvet.
Strawberry - Probably the best strawberry shortcake around with the fluffy layers sandwiched with fresh strawberries and cream
Red Velvet - Too sweet and red for comfort.

And we left wondering if we should even get a tiered cake, afterall. For sure the designs were nice and I get different flavours but...our families were not that keen.


The date to confirm came and went and the purchase just happened. We opted for a croquembouche instead - mini cream puffs with a whimiscal design - suits my theme anyway - what's a whimsical wedding with a proper cake?

Full payment paid. Design finalised. Let me just twiddle my thumbs and wait to be surprised.

xx

We decided to write our own vows, to be unique and different or we just had too much time on our hands.And when it was written, I now fret about remembering every single word. I doubt gingko at this point in time is going to do me any good but the pastor did mention it is better to memorize than hold a placard.

18 days and I better get down to memorizing!?! 

Anyone else who decided to write your own?? 

Riding on a high of a bride to be and once in a lifetime, I found THE manicurist. Until I fell into the deep abyss of preetifying my nails, it has been a road of no return.

I scoured high and low for one that would be suitable...I somehow do not want french manicure with flowers plastered all over my fingers - going down the ultimate bridal way. 

Clara is now based in Melbourne and I have been her follower on instagram for a while. Amongst her faithful following include Serena Williams. At the start I marvelled at her works and wondered if I had the guts to take her audacious creations on - and why not? The opportunity arose when she had slots for her brief holiday back to Singapore and tadah - nailed my appointment for the big day albeit a week earlier. 








Definitely not something so outrageous like those above but something more avant garde with a bit of spunk...hehe...Cannot wait for the magic to happen!!

22 awesome days left! xx

So then, my jc chums decided to take things into their own hands and date me for my bachelorette's night. Simple one - just dinner and a drink, they promised. We have had too many wild party days...I could have celebrated a wild night out one time too many with them to even want another for a hen's night.

What is a bachelorette's night then? I always thought of it as a night to have immense fun - to almost forget the fiance temporarily and whatever happens goes down in time unspoken. That already sounds iffy but that's how even movies portray them - pissed drunk and in someone else's bed.

I wish I knew what I was getting myself into the day I decided to DIY stuff - wedding stuff, specifically. The parameters were too wide to control and it kind of spiraled beyond comprehension - almost everything could be DIYed. For a start, I cannot draw to save myself, I guess I already sound like a broken recorder. And then, my fingers were definitely not meant for creating anything at all. Yet sometimes, when life throws you lemons, you create a dress with it and that's when surprises happen.

Felt, glue gun, green tape, satay sticks, crepe paper, discarded cardboard boxes were just a few of the items that I used for this DIY project. To maintain the surprise element, I will not be posting the completed projects till after the wedding.

Loving my completed pieces to bits. :)

p.s. Running out of ribbon is not my idea of fun. Rah. It always annoys me why I cannot gauge enough to get everything at one go.
p.p.s. Neither is finding out that daiso sells the completed product for a fraction of what I bought and I neednt have spent all the time trying to put it together. BUT - it was still fun making them.

We began 2014 on a high, literally. Popping champagne in a bar and confetti streaming as we welcomed 2014 has been one of those things I did years back. When I thought it was a chapter begone, we decided to repeat the same euphoria high last year to commemorate us having a happening countdown before we both start a new chapter and maybe not have the chance to do so till some time later.

As I write, there is a month to go, people have been randomly texting me about the progress and whatnots - sincerely appreciate the concern but the question is, are people freaking out more than me or I'm just not freaking out yet.

There were moments in this entire process that I wished for more time, more patience, more and more of everything else..and still succumbed to the bridezilla in me - just once!


























So this was the gown I picked first, vintage with splashes of colour and most importantly, it was light as a feather. There was the other that was hung in the new arrivals rack and I quickly shunned it when told there was a surcharge for it. I even set the mind on this without trying others and signed to secure the dress turning a deaf ear to the coordinator's reminder that any change would require a fee. Indecisiveness nagged and kicked in shortly after that a gown should be all white, princessy and well, that's what all photos paint the happy bride so.

And changed I did, most regretfully. While I blame the bridezilla at work or any other element that would have contributed to this decision, I am finally happy with the gown - there is afterall THE gown for all. Coincidentally or not, it was the gown I saw hanging on the new rack. As with THE bag and THE shoe and THE MUA. Anything that makes the bride happy.

Fingers and toes crossed that this will not repeat. Indecisive decisions like these definitely do not come cheap. Twiddle my thumbs I am not though but taking things one at a time and adding finishing touches. I could of course fuss about every single thing out there but really, Murphy will visit to screw things and this is probably the most important thing event management has taught me - take a chill pill and all things will work out.

Weddings bands are....the bands that tie a couple together, quite figuratively. Let's just say they are a physical reminder of one's fidelity to the spouse and these days have taken the road of frivolity. Gone are the days where my parents' yellow gold rings were in vogue - they still are in a more modern manner - sleeker and maybe sturdier than before.

Gold, being such a soft metal does not take to knocks too well - though these are what makes each ring uniquely theirs. My parents stopped wearing them for various reasons but I suppose they started off this journey like I did - anticipative.

The search for the ring was exciting - the options were endless and starting from scratch was indeed quite fun. Everything was permissible and possible - until the budget check comes in place.

We had basic requirements in mind - engraving required and basically anything that goes! We were that open as that. 

Customised rings

We were pretty sure designing was not up our alley - I cannot draw to save myself. Having our initials weaved into the rings are over done to death so then passe. Besides, with the proposal ring being an attention grabber on its own, getting a band to match it would mean it's either a wire thin ring or something that will not take up more than a third of my forth finger.

Local jewellers

I must say Love and Co was the first and only stop I made to view their designer bands and I found their rings too light and prices too heavy. Definitely comparable to the jewelry from luxury brands - or so I realised later.

So then we went to a couple of places to try on the rings and the following ones are those we considered.













Every girl loves a cartier at marriageable age, as she would love a tiffany's at 21. I found the love bands too light and service snotty. 



Loved the concave design - does resemble a cartier love band somewhat?



Source: adornlondon.com

These had us at hello but the mom had to step in with her theory of how rings should be complete circles and not truncated - and I thought we weren't even traditional. Else, these would be rocking awesome bands!


 











Source: luxuryinsider.com

If I could have things my way, it would have been this beauty from Piaget. Alas, these cost too much for even a bomb so I tossed the idea off. Maybe someday as an accessory ring than a wedding band? I have to say their service was by far top notch thusfar - when it was a simple enquiry, we were served beverages and chocolates with sincere service. You can say that's what brands offer but I beg to differ, after that scathing cold experience at a particular C brand.

Lofty dreams aside, we somehow or another ended up browsing rings in Damiani, an Italian brand not so well known in Singapore yet. Located at Scotts Square, it is the only jewelry store and we were served by a really warm newbie who literally blew our socks off with his sincerity. He took all questions and showed us all that we needed to see - shame on me for losing his card though! With the impending European holiday, it was just timely as well since we will be in the land where it originated from.

With two designs in mind, we checked out the store in Florence, very randomly. We were open to other Italian jewellers as well since they have a jewelry bridge for local designers. The first shop - i forgot what - specialised in jewelry and not weddings bands (they actually told us point blank) but I had issues with the petal design on the wedding band.

The second, third and possibly forth came up with a series of classic Italian designs - simple. The fifth store we stopped by had a lady hard selling her handmade rings, we were so close to just getting them, and then we didn't.

Damiani it was, so randomly and we were greeted by a bright smile and loud voice. She was all of gregarious, frank without being rude and we enjoyed just talking to her. She got her bands from Damiani too - a living testimony to how wearable their rings as she wriggled her fingers. Stories were told on their rings, the italian culture and of course, competitors but all in the name of jest. It wasn't too long before we made our choices - very simple and classic ironically when we both started out wanting the moons and stars...she went a step further to give a discount, get them resized and sent to our next port of call for free.

And I wonder if I caved into them because of the wonderful sales person. She made the experience really memorable. It was the first time I had such a good laugh in a jewelry shop - imagine one without the cold exteriors and austere sales people. Damiani in Florence it was. The case in Milan was different though - so I guess, it is salesperson and outlet specific.

"Your rings come insured so then feel free to bring them on your honeymoon!" - This, is what I call the Damiani experience.

Now, it's time to think of what to engrave on them! Yet another off the checklist. YAY!

If marriage began with a pair of bands, I say it starts with the sales person who sold the rings.