Happy New Year!

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Our new year wishes to you...

Happiness deep down within
Serenity with each sunrise
Success in your life
Family beside you
Close and caring friends
Health, inside you
Love that never ends
Special memories of all the yesterdays
A bright today with much to be thankful for
A path that leads to beautiful tomorrows
Dreams that do their best to come true
Appreciation of all the wonderful things about you.

~Author Unknown to us

Coming Soon: Princely Wedding Fair

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Make this your first wedding fair for the year. Check out Prince Hotel & Residence, Kuala Lumpur Wedding Fair on 9 & 10 January 2010, 11:00am onwards. There will be 20 participants with a fashion show by Carven Ong Couture on 9 January at Grand Lobby. There are also a lot of prizes to be won, be there or be square!

(Click to enlarge)



Photo credit: Prince Hotel & Residence, KL

Winter Wedding in the Tropics

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mosaic winter wed
:-) Yes it's possible in Malaysia. Now is the time for you to gather materials for a dream winter theme wedding. Winter weddings are absolutely gorgeous. There's just something about the glistening icicles and sparkling snowflakes that can take your breath away, well guests included.

Here are some ideas for a winter theme wedding...

Colour Schemes

Well, the most suitable colours are generally white, silver, light blue or even dark blue. Try to fill the reception area with white and use the other colours as accents or features.


Decors

You can bring the look of winter indoors. Try to think of as many details as you can to add on to a winter theme such as:

Snow - You can find artificial snow spray in stores these days to make the room chilly by frosting the windows. Styrofoam bean bag fillings make great artificial snow but good luck to those who is going to do the cleaning up :p

Icicles - Since Christmas is around the corner, you can find plastic icicles at stores selling tree decors. You can also use inexpensive white hanging Christmas lights which gives off a nice glow.

Snow Balls - Have fake snowballs incorporated into your table settings, centerpieces or scattered around the room. You can use fake snowball decorations or snowball candles which can double up as wedding favours!

Snow Flakes - Hang snowflake cutouts from the ceiling, made of white construction paper. Spray them with a clear glue and sprinkle with silver glitters to give them a sparkle. You can use snowflake confetti on your tables.

Dry Ice - This effect really set the stage for a winter wedding. Check out the venue if they could get hold of the machine. Walking into the room admist clouds of mist would really set the mood. You could also use it during the cake cutting ceremony ;-)

Ice Sculptures - These make beautiful features. Most hotels here can provide them.

Fabric - You can hang white fabric to the walls and ceilings and have white lights dangling behind them. The lights will shine through and sparkle. Ohh so pretty!

Trees - Find long branches with many offshoot branches on them. Spray them with white paint and make them stand in a pot. Hang lights on them. Absolutely stunning!

Flowers - Classic flowers for winter weddings include white amaryllis and calla lilies. Add texture to your wedding flowers with ribbon, feathers, or seasonal berries.

Candles - Candles are perfect as they can create a cosy and romantic ambiance for a winter wedding. You can use silver or white sprayed branches and hand crystal or silver ornaments on them. Cluster candles on the table around it and the candle light will be reflected by the ornaments.


Wedding Favours

There are plenty of ideas where you can create and make favours for your winter wedding. Keeping them to your theme by relating the favours with the same colours. An easier way out is to pick up some decorative Christmas tree ornaments and attach hand made personalised tags with ribbons which can doubled up as place cards. Another fun idea is to tie tags with ribbons to candy canes!


Picture credit: All over via Google images

Coming Soon: 9th MBA Wedding Expo 2009

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9th MBA Wedding Expo 2009 will be held at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (MVEC) Hall 3 from 19 - 20 December 2009, 11:00am - 9:00pm.

There will be a host of bridal houses participating in this event with a winter wedding theme. For your dream winter wedding, head on to MVEC!

Coming Soon: Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa Wedding Fair

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Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa Wedding Fair is back on 13 December 2009, 11:00am - 5:00pm at Garden and Cindai Ballroom.

For the detailed participants, click here. Also check The Weddings Page's visit to the Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa Wedding Fair 2008 last December.


Persiaran Multimedia
63000 Cyberjaya
Selangor,Malaysia
Tel: +603 8312 7000
Fax: +603 8312 7001
Click here for MAP.


Coming Soon: Holiday Inn KL Glenmarie Wedding Workshop

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Holiday Inn KL Glenmarie Wedding Workshop 2009 is happening on 13 December 2009 at St Andrew Room from 12:30pm - 4:30pm.

You'll need to RSVP by 7 December 2009 to Hannah Lim (603 7800 4098) or Cammie Lam (603 7800 4995).


Holiday Inn Kuala Lumpur Glenmarie
1 Jalan Usahawan U1/8, Seksyen U1
Shah Alam
Malaysia
Hotel Front Desk: 603 7803 1000

Flower-Themed Cakes

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Spied in Martha Stewart Weddings are some beautiful floral inspired wedding cakes. Take a look and see how it fits into your theme wedding.


This Calico Cake have hand-sculpted flowers, leaves, and fruits. Looks very festive, seems perfect for a Christmas season wedding.


If you're having a pink themed wedding, this Garden of Sweet Delights really suits your wedding to the T!


For a fuss free wedding, this Pink and Poppy with bright sugar poppies topper on a cake iced in blush-colored buttercream really takes the cake.


This classically shaped Dahlia Cake is so perfect for an outdoor garden wedding reception. The smooth white layers is circled with bold colors that are anything but conventional.


This fondant-covered cake decorated with hydrangeas is made of three graduated square tiers. A spring like theme white weddings came to our mind when we first saw this cake.


We know this Sweet Little Daisies will have people going googoogaagaa over it. The choice of daisies, a decidedly old-fashioned flower, gives the simple, modern design a retro appeal against the buttercup yellow cake.


Photo credit: Martha Stewart Weddings

Must-Take Wedding Photo Checklist

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We discovered Real Simple recently and found it's a really helpful site in making our life stress free. It has a lot of fantastic ideas and tips. Real Simple has a section on Weddings and we discovered this wonderful photography checklist which will help you and your wedding photographer tremendously to capture your preferred beautiful and memorable moments.

There is also an article on What to Ask Your Wedding Photographer so that you and the photographer can manage the expectations perfectly.


Source & photo credit: Real Simple

Get Your Hands Sticky

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Sticky

LOL Sticky, the hand-made candy store from Australia has landed in Kuala Lumpur. We chanced upon them on their opening day on 7 November. We stopped and managed to get some wonderful information, and of course some sampling. We find these beautiful and yummy rock candies will be the new rage for wedding favours be it packed in pouches or glass jars.

Sticky can personalise and customise rock style lollies with your names, heart shape, candy flower etc on top of colours and flavours. You can buy them in kilograms and pack them on your own if you do not fancy their glass jars. From here, you can print your own labels and tie the jars with ribbons of your choice. They do come in small plastic pouches as well where you can slot them into satin or organza pouches.

Sticky

So do hit the store now and order them as your favour, well before they become a norm :p


Sticky Malaysia
LG 213 Lower Ground Floor,
1 Utama Shopping Centre,
1,Lebuh Bandar Utama ,
Bandar Utama , 47800 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 603-77277688
Fax: 603-77257688


Photo Credits: Sticky

A Bridal Weekend with Kid Chan & Friends 2

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If you are free this weekend 7 (11:00am - 5:00pm) - 8 (1:00pm - 5:00pm) November 2009, perhaps drop by KidChan Studio for a personalised and customised wedding products and services at an event at the studio.



A Bridal Weekend with Kid Chan and Friends

Coffee,Cupcakes and Crazy Deals!

Putting together the perfect wedding is an important and sometimes daunting task for many marrying couples. After all, there’s so much to look into and so much to consider during the wedding planning process and finding the right specialist service providers can be tricky.

Taking this into consideration, celebrated wedding photographer Kid Chan teamed up with key wedding industry professionals to provide an extensive offering of personalised and customised wedding products and services at a bridal event earlier this year.

Due to popular demand, KIDCHANSTUDIO is holding another such session. Couples are invited to attend the next session of A Weekend with Kid Chan and Friends, which will be held on November 7 and 8, 2009 at KIDCHANSTUDIO in Petaling Jaya.


Coming Soon: Hilton Petaling Jaya's Bridal Fair

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Hilton Petaling Jaya will be having a Bridal Fair on 5 & 6 December 2009; 11:00am - 7:00pm at Caffe Cino, Lobby. There will be door gifts for the first 50 visitors daily. Fantastic deals like 0% interest installment pay plan and complimentary wedding photography by KidChan Studio if you so decided to book your wedding during the fair. There are attractive prizes for lucky draw as well. So head on to Hilton Petaling Jaya.

Check out Hilton Petaling Jaya for details and the terms and conditions of the offers.


Hilton Petaling Jaya Hotel
No 2 Jalan Barat,
46200 Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia
Tel: +603 7955 9122
Click here for MAP.


Source and photo credit:
Zest PJ

Coming Soon: Park Royal KL's Bridal Fair

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Park Royal KL's Bridal Fair will be held from 21 - 22 November 2009; 11:00am - 7:00pm at Level 2 Foyer. The hotel's wedding planners will be there to entertain all enquiries on top of the various booth by participants.

Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur's Bridal Fair

You are engaged! Congratulations!

Start your wedding plans at the Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur’s Bridal Fair, a fairyland of wonderful wedding ideas and advice. Have a chat with our wedding planner and find out how we can personalize your wedding just the way you envision it to be. We know and understand that no two couples are the same; therefore no two weddings should be either.

Learn more about Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur’s 2010 wedding packages and get inspired by a wide array of wedding essentials and options from favours and flowers to photography. Mock wedding set-ups and a fully-dressed ballroom will also be available for viewing during the Bridal Fair. Relive the magical moments when you fell in love with each other as you gear up for the most important event in your life.

A wedding is the first day of your marriage and this is where it begins!

Date: 21 & 22 November 2009
Time: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Venue: Level 2 Foyer (FREE Admission)

Featuring:

  • Wedding favors: Favors Essence, Wicked Wax, Simply Cakes Health & Beauty: Lancôme, St. Gregory Spa, Serene Nails Studio
  • Gowns: Carven Ong Couture - Bridal gown consultation with Carven Ong on picking the perfect wedding gown at 3pm on both days
  • Traditional Indian Bridal Wear: Danial Creation
  • Jewellery: Tomei Gold & Jewellery
  • Floral: Wishing Tree
  • Décor: Aspra Events
  • Beverage: Asiaeuro Wine & Spirits
  • Photography: Catchlight Photography
  • Wedding stationery: The WeddingCard Shop
  • Magazine: Marry Me!
  • Wedding portal: Weddingsbyeternal.com

Here at Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur, we know how much your wedding or that special get together means to you and those close to you. We also understand you’re probably working within a budget and don’t want any unexpected expenses creeping in to spoil the fun.

Perks & Packages for 2010 Wedding Day Bookings include:

  • Current year pricing for weddings held between 1 January 2010 until 31 December 2010
  • Design your own Chinese, Malay or Indian set menu
  • Complimentary 60-minute massage for two at St. Gregory Spa
  • A special choice of a pearl necklace from Rafflesia Pearl Centre OR a perfect pair of his and hers 18K white gold diamond wedding bands from Tomei *
  • A special choice of a raised dais (pelamin), a pearl necklace from Rafflesia Pearl Centre OR a perfect pair of his and hers 18K white gold diamond wedding bands from Tomei for Mutiara Kasih package
  • Chinese Wedding packages from RM998++, Malay Wedding Packages from RM750++ and Indian Wedding Packages from RM750++

* Available for selected packages only

Special “Bridal Fair” On-Day Bonus

  • 70% OFF on Carven ready-to-wear off the rack collections and20% OFF retail price on Carven Made-to-Measure bridal and evening gowns.

And if you’re a UOB cardmember, additional perks include:

  • UOB Instalment Payment Plan (IPP) with 6 or 12 month tenure
  • Complimentary pre-wedding reception canapés and refreshments for 100 persons (based on a minimum of 30 tables)

The wedding package prices are valid until 31 December 2010 and carried a 10% service charge and 5% government tax. * * All rates quoted are for a table of 10 persons * Other terms and conditions apply.

For enquiries, please call Amy Wong (Wedding Planner) at (603) 2782 8385 or email wong.amy@kul.parkroyalhotels.com


Information from: Park Royal KL

Ivanka Trump's Wedding Dress

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Ivanka Trump's wedding dress is a real classic, designed by Vera Wang. We can imagine brides all over the world would love to have a wedding dress like Ivanka's!


Ivanka Trump went for total glitz and glamour for her Sunday wedding to New York Observer publisher Jared Kushner. And to do so, she called on one of fashion's top designers, Vera Wang, to create her gown.

Donning a dress inspired by Grace Kelly, Trump, 27, walked down the aisle with Kushner in front of 500 guests on the grounds of New Jersey's Trump International Golf Club.

The new bride knew just what she wanted in terms of her big-day look.

"She definitely had a feeling for a dignified gown without sacrificing youth or charm," designer Wang told Brides.com of Trump's vision for the gown, which included layers of handmade lace to add dimension.

How did Trump's final look rate with wedding guests?

"She was the most stunning bride," a rep for Trump tells Usmagazine.com.
Source: US Magazine.com


Read what Vera Wang got to say about the dress...

How Vera Wang Is Designing Ivanka's Dream Dress

The celebrity wedding gown designer shares details on the dress

Ivanka Trump selected celebrity wedding gown designer Vera Wang to create her fantasy wedding dress. After Ivanka shared her vision for her wedding dress with us—a Grace Kelly-inspired design—we asked Vera to share what it was like working with the bride-to-be and some details about the dress. Here's what she had to say:

Brides.com: Did Ivanka have a strong idea of the dress style she wanted from the beginning?

Vera Wang: She definitely had a feeling for a dignified gown without sacrificing youth or charm.

Ivanka's tall, were there certain styles you recommended for her figure?

She has a wonderful body and great carriage so we could have gone many different ways.

What was the process like working with her? Was the process different since she only had a three month engagement?

The process was made easier as Ivanka had a clear vision of her dress, however, it was difficult to get the lace work done.

Ivanka told us she was inspired by the classic Grace Kelly look as a starting point—what elements of Princess Grace's style was Ivanka drawn to? How did you update her vintage style for a modern bride?

The coverage at the neck, the graceful silhouette but with a new sheerness for which we are known, and multiple layers of hand made lace for dimension.

Source: brides.com

Photo credit: US Magazine.com

Shopping Tips for Bridal Shoes

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While a bride's wedding dress may take centerstage, it is the bridal shoes which will be the most important aspect of the wedding outfit. As the bride will be wearing the shoes most of the day - walking around, standing for long periods and dancing, if any, hence it is utmost important to pick the right pair of shoes.

Many brides will purchase two pairs of bridal shoes - one for the ceremony and another to match the dress wore during the reception, well unless the colour scheme for both dresses are similar that you can just get one pair for both occassions.

Here are some tips to consider when it comes to choosing the right pair of bridal shoes:

Comfort

The perfect shoes must be comfortable! Imagine the bride walks down the aisle, posing for photos, performing tea ceremonies, greeting guests, cutting cake, and possibly dancing thru the night! This means the bride could be on her feet on hours end. So be sure to pick a pair of shoes that are comfortable to the feet.

There are many of variety of products you can find at the pharmacies to make your shoes more comfortable. There are gel insoles and heel patches (just in case your shoes rub against your skin, these certainly looked better than plaster!).

If possible season your shoes by wearing them around the house as often as you can.


Heels of the Bridal Shoes

The height of the shoes is important too as the wedding dress is fitted according to the height of the shoes and you don’t want to be towering over your groom. Remember to bring along the shoes for the dress fitting. With regards to the height of the bridal shoes, choose the height that you're most comfortable with. Your wedding is not the right time to attempt high heels if you're not used to wearing them at that height.

Should you feel like adding a bit of height and can't stand stilettos, try platform or kitten heels. If you prefer flats, try satin ballet like slippers.


Shoes Fit The Bride's Style

Whilst your bridal shoes should match the dress and setting of the wedding, the shoes should reflect the bride's personal style. If you're fun and trendy, the shoes can go a little on the wild side; whilst those romantic types might consider strappy heels with diamantes, beadings, crystals and ribbons.


Materials of Bridal Shoes

The most popular materials with brides are either silk or satin. However, the wedding dress and your personal taste should dictate the type of shoes you pick.


Trying on the Bridal Shoes

Remember to shop for shoes towards the end of the day when your feet tend to swell over. It's the best time to try on shoes as your feet will be the largest at this time.


Photo credit: bride.net

Having A Small and Intimate Wedding

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It seems to be a hot trend now to have a small and intimate wedding rather than a big do that involves the whole village but of course you'll need to seek consent from both sides of the parents. Otherwise, it's all hell break loose LOL

So here are some of the reasons to have a small wedding:

1. You get to celebrate one of the biggest days of your life surrounded by people who love you where you can feel more relaxed. Your wedding will be an intimate celebration with close-knit friends and family, rather than a big production and you'll get to spend time with your guests.

2. You can save money!

3. Having a smaller guest list does not mean the budget is small. You can have a lavish wedding with fewer guests where you can splurge on the things you would love to have on your wedding. It might be a destination wedding, out of this world venue, or a designer wedding gown.

4. This is the best way to have a DIY wedding where you can make and personalised your invites, favours, table numbers, thank you cards etc. You can get your family members to help you out too!

5. You won't need to spend so much time and headache organising the wedding!

6. With so many lovely venues available in Malaysia other than Chinese restaurants or hotels, you'll have greater options to pick a venue of your choice to hold your reception. Hence, you'll have more options to arrange your wedding according to your own tastes rather than follow the flow

7. Your guests will feel more comfortable and would be able to enjoy themselves more as chances are the guests will know each other since the guest list is small.

8. Your wedding will be remembered for a long time to come since your wedding is unique different from the typical ones that they frequent.


Clipart from: WeddingDNA.com

Wedding Templates and Clip Arts

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For a minimal fee, you can subcribe to WeddingDNA.com to download accents and clip arts to complete wedding templates ranging from pre-designed invitations, programs, slideshows, scrapbooking and other wedding design elements.

WeddingDNA.com is an easy to use resource to design and create your own and personalised and sophisticated look for all wedding materials, from invitations to thank you's, and from photo albums to business cards.


Check out some of the samples of these beautiful templates that comes in sets as shown below:

Design Your Own Wedding Dress Online

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Wedding Dress Creator is a fun site to play with dressing up. You can select necklines, silhouette, skin tone, jewelries and so forth. Once done, you can even print it out! It's very easy to use and you can view the changes instantaneous, so have fun!

Coming Soon: Hotel Nikko's Bridal Fair Extravaganza

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Mark your calendar to visit Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur on 3 - 4 October 2009, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. Book your wedding during the event can win you air tickets, hotel stays, dinner vouchers and etc. Check the details here.


Photo credit: Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur

Wedding Food

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We were browsing around the web and so happened to stumbled upon Jamie Oliver's latest hot discussion topic - Wedding Food! Well even though the discussions are mostly ala western style, it's quite an interesting read.

Budget With A Style

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A little bird informed us there is a new place in town where you could get all lovely and elegant stuff without burning a hole in your pocket. We scoured Budget Brides website and we loved what we saw already. Contacted the shop to enquire about the place and prices. We were quite excited that they could cater to a rather errmmm budget prices without compromising on elegance and style.

We were told that come this 23rd August, they're having an opening promotion with rather good discounts thrown in for various items like dresses, suits, photography, Chinese tea sets and so forth plus a free 1 hour casual shot for the first 10 couples who visit them on this date. Check the details here.


Photo credits: Budget Brides

DIY Templates

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There are many items that you can actually Do-It-Yourself rather than paying an arm and leg for them. With the help of your own PC, printers and the easy availability of different types of paper, you can weave up some magic with these templates which you can download from Martha Stewarts Weddings. Here are a few of the samples spotted:

To make these pretty and simple program covers, type in your wedding date, print on A4-size paper or card, fold in half, and bind with rayon cords. Click here for the template.





Download this editable template to create your own menu and just fill it in with the courses you are serving at your reception.






Make your own table numbers using these elegant borders. There were two border styles to choose from and each of them have a template that is without any number for you to add your own numbering. Get the template here.






Ideas, templates and photo credit:
Martha Stewarts Weddings

Article from The Star: Keeping Traditional Wedding Alive

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Saw this article today whilst reading The Star and we find them rather informative.



The Star, Tuesday July 28, 2009

Keeping traditional wedding alive

Modern one-stop wedding shops serve to keep old Chinese customs alive.

RED is regarded an auspicious colour for weddings but you’d be hardpressed to find Chinese couples dressed in the traditional red kwa (Chinese wedding attire) these days.

Many young Chinese couples have done away with old customs such as distributing pre-wedding gifts like ka lui pang (wedding biscuits) and the roasted suckling pig. At the wedding reception, many of the guests may be dressed in elegant little black dresses. The venue will more likely be a five-star hotel or even a garden party rather than a crowded and noisy Chinese restaurant.

At most, just to please the old folks, a tea ceremony would be held. In fact, much of the wedding paraphernalia and practices are passed down the generations, and along the way, much of the significance of why they exist in the first place, are forgotten.

Old custom: A traditional Chinese wedding requires a lot of effort and planning.

If you want to follow the old ways, a traditional Chinese wedding begins weeks before the actual day, from the meeting of the in-laws to the exchange of customary gifts, as well as the rituals to be followed leading up to the eve and on the wedding day, along with all the accessories that must be bought in preparation for the wedding.

It takes a lot of effort and planning, which may explain why some couples choose to do away with old customs. For those who want to adhere to tradition, there are shops like those along Petaling Street or Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur, for example, which stock up on Chinese wedding products. Unfortunately, not many of the shop operators are able to explain why such items are necessary.

It can also be an exhausting affair, traipsing from shop to shop to find the appropriate items. Some shops, however, have evolved with the times, becoming one-stop centres that provide wedding planning services, along with all the colourful red paraphernalia, in comfortable air-conditioned settings.

Winnie Wong showing life-size wooden red clogs and miniature clogs which are symbolic gifts during a Chinese wedding.

One such outlet is Cadeau Souvenirs located at The Atria Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Opened last December, the shop offers knick-knacks such as red paper cuttings, ang pows, keychain clogs, pillows and bedsheets, ceramic wedding dolls, gift baskets, and even incense paper and jossticks for ancestral worship.

What’s more encouraging is that proprietor Winnie Wong, an ex-wedding planner, is thoroughly familiar with Chinese customs and can explain the significance of the individual items. This way, you can decide for yourself what’s necessary and what should be relegated to the backwaters of history.

On the day of this interview, a Chinese woman walked in, desperate for Wong’s advice.

“My son is getting married to a Malay girl tomorrow and I need to buy prayer items to thank the house gods,” she confided in Wong. She left a satisfied customer as she got what she wanted, relieved that her last minute shopping was done.

A blushing bride arriving in a sedan chair. Such wedding dolls are favoured as a decorative item for the bridal chamber.

Two hours later, two women arrived with a little boy in tow.

“I’m accompanying my prospective daughter-in-law who is making early wedding plans because her parents are in Sarikei (Sarawak),” explained housewife Chan Yoke Pau, 57.

Music teacher Annie Wong, 28, had planned to get married during the school holidays but Chinese restaurants are fully booked up to this October. Hence, she set a date for next January.

The women enquired about tea sets and other necessary items including the red doorway cloth.

Chan admitted that she had forgotten what was required for a wedding. She wanted to keep the rites simple but was keen about observing certain rites.

A pair of ‘symbolic’ poultry to replace the live chicken usually given in a Chinese wedding.

“My mother-in-law broke a tea cup from a new tea set without my knowledge. To avoid any inauspicious implications, she replaced it with an entirely new tea set before the wedding. Later, I found parts of a broken tea cup under my bed,” recalled an amused Chan.

Wong explained that most wedding items should be provided by the bride since she gets a dowry. The tea set (char kwai) is a wedding must-have.

“It signifies that the bride is bringing luck into the groom’s household. Customarily, the tea ceremony is held to pay respects to the elders and has a connotation of water or sui which the Chinese take to mean luck,” she says.

Next comes a pair of bowls (yee sik woon in Cantonese) complete with spoons and chopsticks. This symbolises “a good livelihood” for the groom. Bowls with peony flowers, mandarin ducks or dragon and phoenix are popular choices. Annie also asked about gifts for the groom and was told to buy the red doorway banner, dragon-phoenix candles and 36 fruits.

“As your in-laws are outstation, it would be better to get the fruits in Sarawak closer to the day. Buy any seasonal fruits except the pear as the Chinese homonyn for pear, lei, is associated with divorce (lei fun),” advises Wong.

“For the roast pig and a pair of live chickens, you can substitute these with ang pow packets for the bride’s family so that they can buy these gifts themselves rather than lug them on the plane.”

Wong sells special ang pow packets with Chinese characters to denote what the token money is for, such as roast pig, poultry, wine and other gifts.

Wherever possible, she tries to convince young couples to uphold traditions.

During traditional Chinese weddings, the table lamp for the bridal chamber is also deemed compulsory. In the past, a kerosene lamp was used and it had to be kept continuously lit for three days and three nights. The flame is kept alive in the wish that this year is the wedding feast (hei chow) and next year, would be the full moon celebration (moon yit chow). The household is also kept brightly lit to activate the flow of qi (energy) for auspiciousness.

These days, however, modern couples can buy electrical table lamps for the bridal room to avoid possibly causing a fire.

Red wooden clogs were also very much a part of Chinese wedding paraphernalia as they were accompanied with the phrase poh poh koh sing (Cantonese, which translates loosely as “may every step be accompanied by prosperity”). Nowadays, these are represented in the form of keychain clogs or even fridge magnets, which are no more than clever marketing ploys to implore the young to observe old customs. Some miniature clogs even come with zodiac signs of the newlyweds. Some traditional Chinese parents insist on giving the Offspring Bucket (chee sin toong in Cantonese which comprises basin, mug, spitoon, tea tray and baby’s bathtub) as it symbolises blessing the couple with children.

“My sister refused the Offspring Bucket during her marriage. Now in her 40s, she is still childless,” related a housewife in her 50s.

Other practices include sprinkling dried fruits and nuts on the bridal bed to bless the happy couple with many children and grandchildren.

The modern variation offers small pouches of prepacked fruits and nuts for this purpose, saving you the trouble of going to the dried foodstuff or sundry shop. Even live chickens (tai loh kai) can be substituted with a pair of fake ones!

In the past, a pair of chickens would be placed under the bridal bed. Then, every effort is being made to scare the chickens out. If the rooster comes out from under the bed, then a male offspring is predicted for the married couple. So far, no one can verify the accuracy of this prediction and plastic chickens won’t be much help in this department!

Traditionalists may insist on a “hairdressing ceremony” (seong tao), regarded as “a rite of passage” prior to the nuptial. This is usually carried out at midnight on the eve of the wedding by a woman (who has a living spouse) who has a happy family to denote auspiciousness.

Items for the ceremony include a ruler, a bunch of red threads and a mirror (plus a handkerchief for the bride’s side). The woman who combs the bride or bridegroom’s hair can also be his or her own mother (or any elder), if she fits the bill.

If the groom-to-be observes a hairdressing ceremony on the wedding day (after midnight), the bride-to-be must also perform this rite. If he chooses not to have this ceremony, the couple will drop this ceremony entirely.

The ritual marks the passing of a child into adulthood and is regarded as a must as it is symbolic of “offering prayers to Heaven, Earth and Mankind to ask for blessings for a lasting marriage.” Even so, such prayers are no guarantee that the marriage will last.

Many age old customs are no longer em-ployed in today’s modern Chinese weddings and Wong’s enterprise is one way to keep these practices alive. Even though many of the products offered in one-stop shops like hers seem like marketing gimmicks more than anything else, at least it’s one avenue where the next generation can incorporate old world customs into modern weddings.

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/7/28/lifeliving/4149004&sec=lifeliving




The Star, Tuesday July 28, 2009

Wedding taboos
By MAJORIE CHIEW


IN Western society, June weddings are popular. The practice was believed to be influenced by the Romans who favoured weddings on that month. Apparently, the month of June was dedicated to the observance of Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage.

Traditional Chinese on the other hand, don’t like holding weddings on the sixth lunar month because they believe that such weddings will not last. An old Chinese adage says that such marriage equates to “a half-year marriage” (poon nin chai in Cantonese).

Two other taboo months are the seventh lunar month (the Ghost Month) and the fourth lunar month (Qing Ming). Weddings are avoided during these inauspicious months owing to the belief of spirits roaming the earth.

During a wedding, the Chinese also have many superstitions and taboo practices.

According to Winnie Wong, proprietor of Cadeau Souvenirs, guests are not allowed to use hand fans on a hot day. It is taboo because it signifies the separation of the couple.

After the wedding banquet, it is taboo to say the words “see you again” to the newly-weds, as this would imply a second marriage.

On the wedding day, the bride is prohibited from wearing a dress with pockets as some Chinese deem it as “siphoning out the wealth luck from the bride’s home”.

When a wedding car passes another wedding car, it is said that both the new couple’s bliss can be eliminated. To save the situation, the tai kum chea (bridal chaperone) must promptly announce: “Nothing is taboo.”

When the bride enters the bridegroom’s house, she must not step on the threshold but walk across it. The bride should not to step on the bridegroom’s shoe as it signifies humiliating him.

Within the first four months after the wedding, the newly-weds are not allowed to attend any weddings and funerals. These days, the wedding couple is not supposed to attending such functions one month before and one month after their nuptial to avoid courting bad luck.

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/7/28/lifeliving/4149004&sec=lifeliving

Article and photo credit: The Star

1 Dress, 12 Looks

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Twobirds Bridesmaids

Ariane Goldman was frustrated to have one too many bridesmaid dresses that she never wore again. She then set out to find the perfect solution to have her bridesmaids look and feel good but yet maintain the elegance that can last forever. On her wedding day, her bridesmaids wore multifunctional dresses that captivated her guests and the bridesmaids loved their dresses so much, Ariane knew she had her objectives met.

Twobirds Bridesmaids

With that she started Twobirds Bridesmaids, specialising in multifunctional bridesmaids dresses that can be transformed into different styles by merely tying the dress in different ways for up to 12 styles from 1 single dress! Currently, there are 13 colours available where one could request for samples or a swatch of the cloth. The long dress is priced at USD290 and the short version goes for USD270.

Twobirds Bridesmaids dresses colours

There are diagrams and videos available in Twobirds Bridesmaids, showing one how to tie the dress into various styles with names such as Elizabeth, Rachel, Annie, Caroline and etc.

Twobirds Bridesmaids - how to tie

Ohhh how do we wish they could ship overseas! This wonderful dress is available by ordering via Twobirds Bridesmaids, selected Bella Bridesmaid store in USA or at the latest Twobirds Bridesmaids in Sydney, Australia.


Source and photo credits: Twobirds Bridesmaids

Coming Soon: Pameran Pengantin Malaysia 2009

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Pameran Pengantin Malaysia 2009 will be held from 7th (Friday) - 9th (Sunday) August 2009 at Level 3, Hall 2 & 3, MidValley Exhibition Centre (MVEC). This will be an exciting event for Malay couples to view the available services for Malay weddings in Kuala Lumpur.



Photo credit: Urban Vibe Event




Beautiful & Customisable Ribbons

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We were at Art Friend in The Gardens recently and chanced upon rows and rows of pretty ribbons on a display rack. On a closer look, they have specially printed ribbons for weddings, birthdays and special messages. These are really great for special occasions or you can use them to wrap gifts.



At printribbon, you can customise your ribbons to your theme, colour and likings which would be great if you need something special for your favours or wedding cake. They have traditional prints that came in red and pink with gold wordings or the modern ones in all sorts of colours that came in satin, organza or grosgrain.

You can also get customised ribbons from Ribbon Ideas.


Photo credit: printribbon and Ribbon Ideas

Weddings Malaysia's Virtual Treasure Hunt

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Weddings Malaysia had launched an online search for wedding goodies. Click on this link to embark on a virtual treasure hunt to solve riddles to win prizes totalled more then RM100,000. Hurry and be the first 16 couples to win this hunt!



Source and photo: Weddings Malaysia

Promosi Kerja Kahwin 2009 at Karyaneka

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Click to enlarge


Promosi Kerja Kahwin 2009 or Wedding Works Promotion 2009 is on now until July 13 2009. It is held at Karyaneka from 10.00am - 8.00pm. This is a craft and Malaysian weddings promotions with craft sales and wedding services from various wedding institutions on display; exhibitions on the weddings of various ethnics in Malaysia; contests and demonstrations; cultural performances and forums on weddings in Malaysia and so forth.

Check out the schedules of the various activities that will be held during this promotion:


Click to enlarge


Karyaneka
Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex,
Section 63, Jalan Conlay,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel :+603-2164 9907 / +603-2164 9908


Source and photo credits: Kraftangan Malaysia

Coming Soon: Weddings at the Hiltons

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The next upcoming wedding fair will be held at Hilton PJ on July 25th & 26th 2009 from 11.00 am to 7.00 pm at Caffe Cino, Hilton PJ Lobby.

There will be a lot of savings if you decided to confirm your wedding at Hilton PJ. For details check out Zest PJ.

There will be door gift for the first 50 visitors daily and of course attractive lucky draw plus a Picture Perfect Couple Contest will be held.

Hilton Petaling Jaya Hotel

No 2 Jalan Barat,
46200 Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia
Tel: +603 7955 9122
Click here for MAP.


Source and photo credit: Zest PJ

All About Veil

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Selecting a veil is as frustrating as selecting the perfect dress. The veil has to be every bit as gorgeous as the dress and The Knot has put together some guides to top off your wedding look.


First, you'll need to choose the right veil for your face. Then there's the tips & trends of the veil style. You'll also need to check out the Dos and Don'ts.

If you're not familiar with the styles, perhaps going thru the glossary first might help.

Also check out this Chic Veil Style video at The Knot on the latest veil style.


Source and pic credit: The Knot