Wedding Has Been Called Off???

It has been a while didn't manage to log in to write any article. New job, new environment (relocate from Singapore to USA for 9 months), new colleagues, so much new things to adapt. Finally, all set and time to sit down, watch tv and write post.

Turning on some tv program, coincidently, it was on some marriage reality show. The show showed couples from preparation to the wedding. One of the couple was very stressed during the process of preparation. They started to arguing, especially the future bride-to-be. At the day before the actual wedding, things got worse. Sadly, the wedding was called off.

What are the reasons could lead to the Wedding to be called off? There are a lot of reason can lead to this:
-Unable to commit to marriage by bride/groom-to-be,
-Unable to compromise on things during wedding preparation
-Insufficient finance
-Uncertainty of bride/groom-to-be
The list can be very long...............

In my opinion, the most common is either bride-to-be or groom-to-be got too stress-up by wedding planning and wanted to quit. Another common reason is either bride-to-be got into depression as stressors overwhelmed her or groom-to-be got into anxiety as he can't cope the changing of roles from boyfriend to husband. These are mainly because of our inner self emotion. To deal with emotion problem, the most important thing couple should know is to be understanding, to be patient and always be there for each other. If both of you love and care for each other, both of you can make it through together.

If anyone out there has the same emotion problem before wedding, and would like to share how you deal with it, do drop your tips in the comment.

Wedding Photography Oversea

If you intend to take your wedding photography oversea, is it possible to do it now? There are a lot of Bridal Studio do offering this service now. However, the price for such a service from the local Bridal studio is more expensive. It is because you need to pay to fly the whole team (the photographer, the makeup airtist, with another one or two staff) and pay for the accomodation. Sometimes, it is advisable to go in with other couples, the expenses will probably will be shared out. However, it is still not cheap.

The other option is you look for some Bridal Studio that has branches in oversea. They will be able to arrange the photographer and makeup artist from the branch. Then probably will be cheaper. Another alternative is after you decide the location of your wedding photograph, you can find some local wedding photographer through internet. This probably is the cheapest way if you want to have an oversea wedding photograph.

There are several hot spots where couple choose to have their wedding photograph:

1) Bali

2) Tioman Island

3) Taiwan

4) Korean

5) Prague

You have any others interesting place suitable for oversea wedding photography to share?

Bridal Studio for the Wedding Package

Start your searching for Bridal Studio for the Wedding Package at least 9 months ahead your wedding day. There are so many Bridal Studio in town, which one to choose?
This really depends on your budget. Bridal Studio with designer brand will be more expensive, however it will be unique.

One of the famous Bridal Studio area in Singapore located in Tanjong Pagar Road. There are huge number of Bridal Studio including those famous designer shop like Yvonne Creative, Santiago, Sattine, Milan, Flamigo, etc. Some others bridal studio located in Shopping Mall, and others neighbour district. I have gathered most of the Bridal Studio in a list, click here to download. (If you have any would like to add on, you are welcome to send an email to me.)

If you have budget constraint, you can probably look into Johor Bahru's Bridal Studios in Malaysia, as you will be paying Malaysia Ringgit instead of Singapore Dollar. However, bear in mind, you need spend more time on traveling to the Bridal Studio. I also gathered the Bridal Studios in Malaysia, click here to download.

What to look for when you visit to a Bridal Studio? You can request to view their sample photography albums, you can have an ideal the style of the photographer, the standard of the makeup artist. You can request the quotation of packages to have an idea of how much they charged and what are included in specific package. Bear in mind, some sales staff are very persuasive and pushy, you might want to say that your wedding is not that soon, probably 2 years later or date not set yet.

Window shop is important in search of wedding bridal photography package. Do not rush into any decision. Read some bridal magazines or attend wedding workshops will also help in choosing your suitable package.

Good Luck in search of your dream wedding photography!

Far Away from Love

It's has been a while that I not able to write as I was busy preparing my departure to USA. It is because of my current job, I have to be based in USA for 6-9 months. This is my first time to be away so long and so far away from my loved ones (my husband, A; my parent and my friends).

Since I graduated from my Bachelor Degree to before I met A, I always dream to come to US to further studies and to experience a different environment other than Asia. Now I got a chance, although not for further studies, I got a chance to experience living in USA. However, after I came to USA, I don't feel so excited as I thought. Maybe this is because my loves ones are not with me. They are far far away.

My friends, Lian and Hoong, always said that I am an amazing woman, always brave and tough. I also thought I am. Well, the truth is I also got my weakness - I still remember at the airport, Alvin, my parent and my mum-in-law were waving to me when I entering the immigration. I tried to smile and waved back, I told myself I need to be strong. However, when I walked along to the boarding departure hall, I feel sad and my tears start to flow from my eyes. Alvin called me when I was waiting to board the flight, listening to his voice, I know I will be strong with his love and his support and also love from my parent.


Love from your family/your love one is a very powerful feelings. Although I am alone here in USA, and might feel lonely sometimes but I don't feel sad as I got POWER of LOVE. Thanks to the advanced technology - internet, people far away still connected. I can always chat with them and see them through webcam.

To Get the Best Deal for your Wedding in Town?

After getting few quotes for the wedding venue, which one I should choose? Before making any decision to sign the contract, you are advised to read the contract in details and make an appointment with the coordinator to view the venue which both of you like (at this time, you probably already screened down to 2-3 options). If it is possible, request to view the venue in the wedding settings. Meeting with the coordinator also is very important because the coordinator is the one will help you with your wedding settings, update you about your wedding planning. You need to know and interact with the coordinator whether you are comfortable with him/her.

A and I have a very nice coordinator, Ms Sandy Lim (from The Oriental Singapore). She kept us inform and remind us on our wedding planning, such as when we couldn't decide the theme, she would inform us when there is wedding on specific theme on which date for us to drop by in order to view the specific settings. She sent us email to remind us to print our insert for our wedding dinner invitation card at 6 months before our wedding.

After deciding the venue which both of you like most, then you can now proceed to negotiating the contract with the service provider. Normally in the wedding dinner contract by hotel/resort, things usually included in the contract at free of charge (FOC) are as below:
- one night stay at Bridal Suite
- VIP carpark for bridal car and helper cars (usually 1-2 only; you can try to get complimentary carpark tickets on the actual day from the front desk)
- Wedding favors (usually decided by the theme)
- Wedding guest book
- Certain percentage of wedding invitation cards and envelopes (not the inserts)
- Deco of the reception and venue
- Champagnes for the toast

You can negotiate with the service provider either at FOC/lower charges on:
1) soft drink/beer
2) wedding cake (usually FOC)
3) white screen and projector (some with extra changes, try to negotiate to be FOC)
4) wine/hard liquor corkage fees (try to get wavier)
5) extra night stay (usually FOC for big banquet)
6) GST (try to get the service provider to absorb)

Hope these give you some idea how to find the best deal for your wedding. Good Luck!

PS: Information provided above is based on Tradisional Chinese Wedding Dinner Package
in Singapore. If service providers in your region offer package which are different from the above, you are welcome to share with us.

Meet The Parents Session - When, Where, What?

I was browsing some forums and found that there are a lot of doubt for "Meet The Parents Session". Questions asked:
1) When should be arranged for "Meet The Parents Session"?
2) Where to meet?
3) What to discuss?

For Alvin and I, after we decide to get married. Alvin make the first move, to ask permission to marry me from my parent. This is because to show respect for his future parent-in-laws. Of course before he did that, I did mention to my parent or hint to my parent. This is to avoid anything unpleasant.

After that, we choose an auspicious date to ROM (register of marriage). It was 18 July, 2006 (Hooray, 1st anniversary is nearby). Alvin and I decided not to do ROM and Traditional Wedding on the same day. There are few reasons:
1)As we live in Singapore, only legally married couple can own a flat. We decided to ROM and got the flat ready before the Traditional Wedding.
2)ROM together with Traditional Wedding will be very rush and tiring. So, we decided just a simple ROM and dinner with our parent and close friends. We had our dinner buffet at St. Gregory's Brasserie, Grand Plaza Park Hotel (Previously named Grand Plaza Parkroyal Hotel Coleman Street).

As we only planned to do the Traditional Wedding much later, so didn't arrange the Meet the Parents Session till this year. When come to this part, couple usually will worry unpleasant discussion between both parties. Well, things can be done smoothly with good planning. Here are some tips:
1)Couple need to understand this session need a lot of compromise. Discuss about what kind of things need to have discuss during the Meet the Parents Session (dates, dowry, groom offering how many tables, ....etc)
2)Couple then discuss with their own parents to get some opinion on those listed things. Usually parents (either bride or groom) will say, "You decide," but try to talk them to give you some rough idea what they think as the appropriate amount or things.(In Canton tradition, groom family must offer a roasted pig to the bride family; In Tao chew tradition, bride family must offer a pair of pants and wallet for the groom for prosperity; as the dates, if both agreed to get auspicious dates from the fortune-teller or feng shui expert and on which months for the year, then groom family can ask for the expert the dates using the Chinese calendar, the date best suited for the couple is based on their birth dates and Chinese zodiac signs. )
NOTE: In Chinese culture, the period from the middle to the end of the seventh lunar month is considered inauspicious. Traditionally, that is the time of the Ghost Festival, when the gates of the underworld are opened and the lost spirits are allowed to wander the earth, making it a less desirable time for a wedding.
3)Couple will discuss again using the information gather from both side of your parent and try to compromise.
4)Only until you can finalize those items and most likely agreed by both side of your parent, then only you arrange the "Meet the Parents Session".
("Meet the parent session" can be done after couple deciding to get married, try to do that at least 9-12 months before your planned wedding period; such as it is time to do this if you are planning your wedding around end of 2008 or beginning of 2009, as you need to book venue for wedding at least 9 months ahead of your wedding.)

As for where is the suitable place for "Meet the Parents Session", it really depends your preferences. Few options are as below:
1)Meet at the bride's home to discuss and then go for dinner later.
2)Meet a private room at restaurant

Things to discuss during the "Meet the Parents Session" - as for this part, at this time, most likely all the things already being mentioned to both parties, so it is just likely just to confirm again the details.

Hope this helps those who are planning for the "Meet the Parents Session".

Hunting Venue for Wedding

Have you got your wedding planning list ready? If not, you might want to do that (click here) before reading on.

Looking at your long wedding planning list (date, budget, number of guest, etc.....finalized after discussion), where to start now? First thing you need to look into is Venue for Your Wedding.

Church Ceremony
If you are doing a church ceremony (Christian or Catholic), you need to start checking with the church to make sure the date is available for your wedding. This usually quick easy as people usually choose to have the ceremony at the church they usually visit for prayers.

Wedding Ceremony &/ Dinner
If you are planning a wedding dinner at hotel or restaurant, you need to call up the hotels or restaurants. This is the difficult part. Which one I should choose? Which one I should call? How many I should call to get the quote for the dinner?

By now, you should have a rough idea how many numbers of guest attending your wedding, your preferences of having indoor or outdoor wedding, a 8-10 course set dinner or buffet, your wedding dinner budget, etc..... Using these information, you can screen which hotels/restaurants are suitable for your wedding dinner. With modern infrastructure today, you can find the official website of the hotel/restaurant and sending them an email or calling them with the phone number provided on the website to ask them to give a quote for your wedding dinner. In your email or call, please indicate clearly:
1) Your wedding date and day (weekday/weekend)
2) number of guest estimated
3) 8/9/10-course set dinner or buffet (request for menu if available)

As A and I will be having our wedding dinner in Singapore. I managed to summarize a list of wedding venue in Singapore. Those are planning a wedding dinner in Singapore may find it useful. Click here to download.

Sometimes you need to wait for few days before you get any replies from the catering department or you might need to follow up again with them if you didn't hear from them after a week (probably lost your email or missed your call).

Don't rush to sign up with any package with hotel or restaurant if you want to have the best deal for your wedding dinner. Be patient to get all the replies from those you called, unless you are very keen on just particular venue without worrying any budget.

As for others who are planning a wedding in others' places, if you would like to share your list of location, please do email me or post a link in the comment.

Good Luck in hunting a place for your coming wedding!