#40 - Good News!

It has been a relatively good last week cos me and the boy sat down listing our financial commitments and the things we are supposed to do for the wedding and the house.

We have finally came to a decision to do a Nikah + Sanding this October.

To be exact, 15th & 16th October 2011. I will let you know how we came up to that date later. lol
So, we have about 8 months to prepare for a wedding (albeit a really small one).

Like, seriously, 8 months?? Orang mengandung pun 9 bulan sey, aku ada 8 bulan je to get things together. Bearing in mind Ramadhan would be on end July and Hari Raya is on 30 August. (i know, cepat kan??? )

Ramadhan & Hari Raya would be a busy period for me, so that means i only have 6 months to prepare for a wedding. God bless the both of us.

Selamat aku jenis kancheong and the moment we decided and confirmed the date, dengan pantas bukak segala notebook, email and segala2 nya to take down all the quotations.

Anyway, why did we decide on this date?
HDB called me up last week to say that they can put up my appeal to defer my submission of Marriage Certificate up to 6 months from taking my keys. However, i would need to submit receipts of most of my bookings to HDB to support my appeal.

Ok part tu dah start kancheong pasal satu haram pun belom book.

So i sat the boy down and told him, die2 also we need to book the major ones to secure the receipts for the appeal.

Initially, we wanted to just do a Nikah remember, and then do a Reception one year later?

In the course of tengah tulis kita punya budget and also how much money we have to save chop2 before October, it made us realise that the Nikah Gantung will cost much more than having the normal reception at one shot.

Cos we will end up paying for 2 majlis. I don't know korang paham ke tak lah up to this point.
But when we think about it, we will end up spending more.

It also finally made us realise that after we are done with the Nikah, move in to the new house, we still need to save money for the Reception AND buy furnitures for the house. Now, saving money for a reception when you are already married and living in your own house would be even more dificult than trying to save money while you are still single and berkepit bawah ketiak mak.

So, we figured, just go ahead with the Reception in October, get it done and over with and once we are married, we can use the money to slowly buy furnitures for the house instead.

So, we decided on an October wedding. Mainly because October is a special month for us.

He proposed, and we got engaged on 5th October 2010. My birthday falls on 25th October each year. lol

Having October in mind, i still couldn't decide which date to take.

02.10.2011 - Tak boleh because the boy ada show at another wedding. lol. Mcm mana peh rockstar je. nak kahwin tak boleh pasal ada show.

09.10.2011 - Was one of the ideal date 09.10.11. But..dah lah wedding aku kena prepare in less than 8 mths, ada hati nak amik hot date. Kang aku kahwin pakai baju raya tahun lepas je nyah. Takde org nak makeup kan aku.

16.10.2011 - One of the dates we considered pasal dia kat tengah2 the 2 special dates in October. It is 10 days after our Engagement Anniversary and 10 days before my birthday. Cun-cun kan?

22.10.2011 - Tak nak pasal dekat sgt dengan birthday. Nanti the boy pandai combine kan Birthday Present + Anniversary present. Mana aci.

30.10.2011 - Also one of the considerations.

So, why did we finally decide on 15th & 16th October?

Because of this:

Jais Decor had an available date for 15th & 16th October 2011!!!!!

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Serious, aku tenyeh mata aku pasal tak percaya.

Apparently, that date has been available since last year. I was so excited, i left a comment on Multiply, i left him a message in FB and i sms-ed him to ask him: "Betul ke 15th & 16th masih kosong??"

Belom apa2 dah terserlah ke-Bridezilla-an aku.

Yes, it was still available and the date is now confirmed mine!!! Ehhhh sukanya!!!

Do you girls know how long i have admired his work and last time, i keep second-guessing myself whether i will be able to get him because we all know how much is he sought-after because of the price and the designs.

The best thing is, i am still entitle to the same price. $1580.00 for full deco. Cheap kan!

So one down, few more to go.

Today, i'm going to meet up with Kak Yatee from Lyanaz Bridal to view her portfolio and packages. I have a feeling we might just sign up with her.

I have been stalking her website for so long and i love that the makeup is natural but not too pale and the Traditional Costumes doesn't look too over nor do they look they were bought off from Joo Chiat during the Hari Raya Sales.

Will update you ladies about my bridal soon!

#7 - Doll me up.

I reckon this would be one of the top priority for all brides!

Mak Andam mana eh nak pakai?
Yang popular gedemak, hari2 masok TV tu tapi package dia peh lah mahal...
Atau yang tak popular sangat tapi yang tak lari dari budget?

Personally, i feel the Mak Andam (Makeup Artist) is the Most Important Person next to the Tok Kadi of course. (Tok Kadi takde, majlis grand2 pun tak guna worr)
Because she would be the person taking care of you throughout the whole ceremony.

She is also responsible of making you look good and pleasant for all your guest and the pictures!
(You sure do not want to cringe when you see your wedding pictures few years down the road)

Often, my friends would ask, what are the things that i look out for if i were to choose a Mak Andam?

1) Her Makeup style.
Personally i prefer something not too natural and not too dramatic.

I cannot take something too natural because i wear Makeup ALL the time.
So if i were to take a natural makeup, i probably look like i how i look every single day.

I also cannot take heavy dramatic makeup because my boy say i have a garang face.
So, those deep deep black eye sockets kind of style that some Mak Andam are so fond of is a no-no for me.

An Example of Natural Makeup would be by Versari Ade.
An Example of Heavy Makeup would be Ratu Weddings.

But then again, this is my personal opinion.
What i deem as thick may not be thick to you.

Oh.. i would say Chantique Bridal has the perfect makeup style for me!
I love most of the makeup style from Abg Zul except for the Pink eyeshadows.
Maybe because i just cannot have Pink eyeshadows. But i love pink though.
I just do not like Pink on my eyes. That's all. Heh.

Another one that i like would be The Fatimah Mohsin herself.
I know, i know, very over-rated already.
But you just got to agree her make up skills are very good.
She transforms how you look. But well, at least people can still recognise you lah
and not think they went to the wrong wedding!

2) The Baju-Bajus
It's not a wedding if you don't wear nice baju kan?
When i say nice baju, i really mean nice to wear..
Not those yang banyak sangat ruffles, kalau diri depan langsir, confirm tak leh bezakan.

Oh.. and people.. stop wearing matching baju and your deco.
It does not turn out good in pictures. Trust me.
When in doubt, stick with White or Cream. That is the safest colour for wedding.

Gone are the days where pengantin tukar baju 5, 7 kali. If it was me, confirm pengsan.

But i digress. Back to the nice baju-baju.

This is what i would love to have for my wedding.
1) A white simple kebaya with a selendang and baby pink roses.
No tiaras for me. Not a fan. Tak nak feeling princess2. haha

2) A Traditional Outfit for the Sanding Ceremony. Preferably midnight blue or red (roooooaaarrr)

3) White Lace Long-sleeved dress for my Cake-Cutting. So i can hide my fat arms.

I particularly like Maya Karin's Wedding Dress. Very Grace Kelly style.



3) Her Service & Conversational Skills.
I am very particular about service. I can be kancheong at times and i need someone to reassure me that things are going as planned. So good service is a must.

I don't want my Mak Andam to go MIA on me the day before the wedding.
I tell you, i confirm gelabah mcm mati laki.

As for conversational skills.. I am a talkative person and i get even more talkative when i'm nervous. So i must have a Mak Andam who can keep up with my incessant ramblings.
If i have someone who keeps quiet most of the time, i mati liao!

4) Reasonable Price.
Sekarang bukan nya susah sangat nak cari Mak Andam rumah.
Berlambak2 kat Multiply. Toleh kiri, nampak Mak Andam, toleh kanan, nampak mak andam lagik.

Of course, mak andam rumah and mak andam yang ada kedai sendiri tu beza lah harga dia.
Kita pun understand, dorang advertise mcm nak rak, bayar duit sewa kedai beribu2..

But i personally would draw a line at below $1.8k for my Mak Andam.
3 Baju, 2 hari makeup and hair-do and a fresh flower bouquet.
Boleh dapat kan?

Dah.. tu je my punya criteria. Tak lah berjela sangat.
Paling penting aku & Mak Andam boleh ngam.

Tak leh ngam, susah....
Nanti gambar kahwin aku, semua muka sedih

Macam ni.. :(