HOLIDAY INN PARKVIEW HOTEL

Went to holiday inn park view hotel last Saturday to sign up the package with Krystal. Finally, we had settled on the location of our banquet dinner. One thing down… Wohoo..The hotel was having the bridal show on that day and we manage to take some pictures of their bridal suite. They had just renovated their bridal suite… Here comes the picture. Picture means more than words..:)

Holiday Inn Park View Hotel

Bridal Suite

Room.. Cosy...

Posing outside the Bridal Suite

Cheezee...... :)

HAPPY..........

SKIN CARE REGIME

With all the stress and the late nights preparing tests, exams, wedding and etc, my dark circles seem getting darker and darker. Oh gosh, I can see some lines too... Oh no this is worrying. I need to get rid of the eye circles/lines fast... Who wants to be a bride with the dark circles around the eyes? Of course, skin care is very important for me now.. All brides want to be in their tip top condition for their day… I must start maintaining now…

Had bought the below items from faceshop yesterday.

Flebeaute Collagenic Eye Contour Serum from Face Shop

Based on my second day of usage: It’s not oily and the serum will seep through the eye area easily. Lines are less defined (the eye area seem not too dry now after apply face powder) now but still the dark circles are there. Most probably will monitor the results…Will update after 2 weeks.

Hopefully its work

More information could be found here: http://thefaceshopen.com/

Flebeaute White Crystal Pure Vita Program Face shop

Aims: To lighten the pigmentation or spots.

Pure Vitamic C Kit

The sales person even told us that it could be apply around the eye areas and lighten the dark circles. The kit last for 1 month and she claim that the spots/ pigmentation will be lighter than before. She assured us that it will be effective. There are a total of 4 ampoule. 2 tubes of 3% vitamin C ampoule and 2 tubes of 5% vitamin C ampoule. She mentioned that we need to apply the 3% first as our skin need to adapt to this concentration before proceeding to the 5%.

Tips: Continuous usage of the kit for 1 month and you will see the effect.
Store the ampoluse in the box to prevent direct contact with sunlight. Based on my second day of usage: Can’t really see much effect now but the face feel more moisturize after applying the ampoule. Will update after 2 weeks

THE SELECTED ROM DRESS

As promise, I had uploaded the pictures of my selected dress for my ROM. I had asked Sally if I could take pictures of the gown that I had tried. However she do not allow probably due to some reasons which are quite obvious. Sally was very nice to allow me to take pictures of the dress that I had chosen for my ROM. Below are the pictures of the dress that I had chosen.

Front View

Back View

Although it is a simple dress, i really love the design (pattern) at the bottom of the dress. Erm i do not know how to describe that in designer term.Sally mentioned that with the right accessories, earrings, make up and hairdo, I will look beautiful on my ROM day. I had not chosen the accessories and earring yet and we will make a trip down on the 18th May to select when the time is nearer to our ROM day. Really looking forward to that day. :)

****Bridal Concept will be having their wedding fashion show on the 17th May 2009. Time and Venue to be confirmed again. Stay Tune!****

ROM DRESS

Will be going to bridal concept tomorrow to try out the ROM dress. Excited... Stay tune as I will updates picture on the dresses tml. Hopefully they do allow us to take pictures of the dresses that I had tried on. Keep fit and lean… :)

Another New Song!!!

Finally found this song that I always wanted.....first heard this from the movie, Runaway Bride. Yes, that's how long I have planned on my future wedding songs then.

Well, here's I Love You by Martina McBride.

Enjoy!! :)

Yeah

The sun is shining everyday

The clouds never get in the way for you and me

I've known you just a week or two

But baby I'm so into you

I can hardly breathe

And I'm in love so totally

Wrapped up emotionally

Attracted so physically

Acting so recklessly

I need you so desperately

Sure as the sky is blue

Baby I love you

I love you

I never knew that I could feel like this

Can hardly wait till our next kiss

Your so cool

If I'm dreaming please don't wake me up

'Cause baby I can't get enough of what you do

And I'm in love so electrically

Charged up kinetically

Acting erractically

Need you fanatically

You get to me magically

Sure as the sky is blue

Baby I love you

I can't believe

That this is real

The way I feel

Baby I gone head over heels

And I'm in love so totally

Wrapped up emotionally

Attracted so physically

Acting so recklessly

I need you so desperately

Sure as the sky is blue

Yeah

And I'm in so electrically

Charged up kinetically

Acting erractically

Need you fanatically

You get to me magically

Sure as the sky is blue

Baby I love you

Baby I love you

Do you love me too

Baby I love you

Tips for Choosing the Wedding Banquet

Prepare your Guest List so that you had a rough guide on the numbers of tables that you are going to invite.

Know your Budget

Know your Prioritization in choosing the wedding banquet.
Examples: Location, Food, Ambience, Hotel or Restaurant, Price, Themes, etc….

Shortlist a few hotels/restaurants that both you and your hubby likes.

Email or call them for the quotations.

Make an appointment with the coordinators in charge and go for site visit. This is to have a visual on the ballroom and the places there.

Discuss the thoughts with your partner on which is the best restaurant /hotels that suit both of you.

Although wedding is a once a life time event, spend within your means as you do not want to feel stress on the payments right? Wedding is supposed to be a happy event. For us, the most important thing is to have a cosy , simple and yet an unforgettable wedding. Cheers... :)

WEDDING BANQUETS

We had finally finalized on our actual customary date. 23rd May 2010. It falls on a Sunday. Our next mission is to source for the wedding banquet. We must admit that it is not an easy job as you need to select a list of your favorite’s hotels/restaurant, get quotations from them and finally go for the site visit. Tiring…Tiring… tiring….Frog and I had shortlisted a few hotels and comparing through the packages of the individual hotels (inclusive of site visit), we had finally decide which hotel to hold our wedding.

Shortlisted Hotels

Hotel Rendezvous
Meritus Mandarin
Holiday Inn Park View
Grand Mercure Hotel

The Chosen Hotel: Holiday Inn Park View
Pros: Better Perks, Central Location, Cosy Feel
Cons: Not as high ceiling as hotel rendezvous and the march in is not that long for orchid ballroom.
Co ordinator: Krystal

As we are inviting less than 25 tables, we are not able to use the crystal ballroom (min 25 tables) in HIPV. The crystal ballroom is even nicer, spacious than the orchid ballroom. It even has very nice chandeliers. Orchid ballroom is cosy and nice too and the only con is that the ceiling is not as high as the other ballrooms that we had visited. However, we cant possible have the best of both worlds as we had less than 20 tables only. Thus we opt for the hotel with the better perks and good deals… I and frog are both relived and happy that we had finally decided on the location for our wedding banquet. Phew…..

I can now finally concentrate on my design project and upcoming tests and exams. Jia You…Jia You….

Below are some pictures of Holiday Inn Park View (outside Crystal Ballroom). Will take more pictures outside the orchid ballroom when we go to sign the contract next week. Stay tune.

As usual, any one interested in the quotation of the wedding banquets can leave your email in C box.

Outside Crystal Ballroom (Level 2)

Picture 2

Bring Out the A-Team In Both Of You

Every couple who plans to get married, be it from the ROM stage onwards or just the customary wedding or any wedding and ceremony, needs to embark on their own "PhD" journey.

"PhD" in Bridal Administration.

Of course there is no such doctorate but what I am trying to say here is, every couple will have conduct their own research of finding themselves a good bridal studio, hotel/restaurant, photographer, videographer, mani-pedicurist, bridal car and blah blah blah and the list goes on.

Cat has done a lot on this research and basically we have worked together closely on this so far so good. She does the research mostly wheareas I will breakdown and analyse each options that Cat presented. Of course, for each analysis, I will have to explain in detail to Cat. The final decision will be made after thorough discussion among ourselves. Sometimes, these decisions were made at special places such as makan places, quiet places, drinking places and......think of it like your company retreat. (No overseas trip. We are not so extreme.)

The "experiments" of our "doctorate programme", are the numerous appointments we made with hotels, restaurants and BS. Not easy here and it is a very tiring process. These appointments were made once our analysis and decisions (earlier reserach stages) were made to give these places a visit to see see and look look and to compare perks.

Now, at this stage, whether a couple "can make it or not", depends on the line-ups the couple wishes to adopt......with or without planning initially. Consciously or unconsciously.

For our case, I came up with a plan based on our individual strengths and weaknesses.

In short, Cat chiongs the frontline, the striker of a football match. Rifle company.

Me, the backend. The defender of a football match. The ball sweeper. Support company.

For those who knows us as a couple, you will know why. I don't have to elaborate here. As I thought and planned, we worked very well.

Our common goal: to combine power and overpower the coordinators we will be facing [at that time].

The important point I want to convey here to those who are currently planning for their weddings is that, know each of your other half's strengths and weaknesses. Put them at the right place for the right use. If you still do not know them, you can get to know them better as you go along, by "testing" out with whatever knowledge you think you have about each other. (This may be true to those who just known each other for a year or so.)

Through our own process, I finally knew the true meaning of "it takes two hands to clap". To compensate for one another's cons. To support what the other half is lacking.

Just like a camera and a tripod.

If this kind of planning is done and implemented (or tested), it will be very fun and enjoyable for every trip to appointments together...getting down there and "dirty" together. Sharing every moments of joy and worry. You'll be happy.

Why am I recommending this strategy?

Cos' I enjoyed mine with Cat. Truly. :)

Fly Me To The Moon

Fly me to the moon

And let me play among the stars,

Let me see what spring is like

On Jupiter and Mars;

In another words, hold my hand;

In other words, darling, kiss me.

Fill my heart with song,

And let me sing for ever more;

You are all I long for,

All I worship and adore.

In other words, please be true;

In other words, I love you.

In other words, hold my hand;

In other words, darling, kiss me.

Fill my heart with song,

And let me sing for ever more;

You are all I long for,

All I worship and adore.

In other words, please be true;

In other words, I love you.

This will be one of the songs I will be picking to play throughout the wedding dinner. I will be updating songs that I will choose to play now and then. After all, there's still time (even though I already have them in mind long ago). Haha! :)

Are You Fit For Marriage?

Well, usually it will be the ladies who are interested to losing that unwanted excess weight to fit into that dress they desire. As for the guys, they too will want to lose weight but usually they don’t work out as hard as their opposite gender.

Cos’ the guys will always think that “it is their nature to be big” and even they “expand”, there will still be shirt and pants sizes for them.

Not for me. That’s not my thought process. That’s not what I want my photo shoot to be. Not even for my ROM shoot.

My goal: to be ripped and lean or at least if something goes “wrong”, becoming muscular and bulky can also be my alternative goal.

Just look at Men’s Health and Muscle & Fitness models. You’ll know what I’m talking about.

Please, whichever it is, it still beats being fat and soft for your once-in-your-lifetime photo shoot. At least you can have an additional “costume” option of taking your clothes off or unbuttoned with the shirt still on, smiling, standing next to your pretty bride and getting snapped by the photographer. Even in your nicely-pressed shirt, a good cut figure (don’t have to be so ripped until the muscle fibers can be seen) can still look equally good.

Or carrying the bride in your arms with that entire nice biceps showing the branchial veins to the camera.

Losing weight and at the same time gaining muscles is not easy. The title “Lose fat, Gain muscles” is all around in health magazines and they all claiming it to be easy and fast.

I agree on that. It is true the moves these magazines showed us are easy and effective.

But the difficult part is the amount of will-power you have. I always have mine and so I am currently using it now.

I just signed a membership with a gym that is within a stone’s throw away from my office. It is the Dover Fitness Club. I tell you, they have plenty of free weights there. Two racks of dumbbells and LOTS of barbells and benches to play with. There are no machines there and ALL equipments are really based on your own true strength to lift them. Good thing about having so many weights and barbells is that it will cut down your waiting time to use them. I fell in love with the place when I first learned it on the forums.

Best thing is, all who goes there, are truly motivated and in the IFBB mood. Unlike the one I went before, were mainly made up of posers and Narcissuses. Hence, the motivation is there, even at times you feel like giving up. Uncle Jalil really opened up my eyes to my own ability on my first day there. I always thought “I could make it”. Yah right, I was so wrong. I felt like a pussy there.

My own views is that you don’t have to go all out to spend so much money in “high class” fitness clubs/centres cos’ seriously, expensive clubs doesn’t mean guaranteed results. Most importantly is will-power to get ripped and lean and knowing exactly what you want. My will-power comes from what I know in NLP.

Release that kid within you. Think about what makes you motivated to get ripped. Think about what gives you the drive to perform that 80+kg deadlift. Think ahead about how you will feel when you finally lost some significant weight and gain some muscles. Think about the past, present and future.

I have my own way of motivating myself. People says it is childish but thing is, as long it works on me, I don’t give a damn for their thoughts. Know what you want and go out there and get what you’re worthed.

All the techniques needed to get there, are all available in magazines and books. Spend some time to research on them and find out which plan suits you best. I knew mine cos’ I read and understand what each single technique does and I experimented them until I finalized which weight lifting plan matches my “style” and the figure I want. Oh, not to compromise strength as well.

I do not have an exact list of where you should go but just some of the cheap gyms available out there. Then again, for whichever gym it is, it is best to go down there to see the environment and have a feel of how it is working out there. Question yourself as you work out there. Invest in some per-entry fees to try it out. At least it is better to spending more money signing up a gym that you eventually do not like. Below are just some of the affordable gyms:

• Community clubs
• Sports Councils

For me, I have found my “perfect” gym…those I usually saw IFBB pros like Dexter Jackson, Brandon Curry and Ronnie Coleman…like an iron prison. That’s what a gym should be.

Nuff’ said, I’ve only two months plus plus to go so let’s get started!!

OUR BRIDAL STUDIO

After my discussion with frog, we had finally decided on signing up the bridal package with the bridal studio that incorporated ROM package with it. This is to save money and of course time in sourcing the rom dress, makeup artist and hair stylist. Most of the bridal packages now do have the rom package with it. Why not make full use of it? :)

Bridal Studio: Bridal Concept
http://www.bridalconcept.com.sg/

Coordinator: Sally

We had actually scouted around for a few BS before signing up with bridal concept. Shopping for BS is a very tiring job. We had spend 3 hrs plus @ Bridal Concept with Sally patiently explaining the packages to us and she even allow us to try out the ROM gown and wedding gown. Not only these, she had show us the photos taken by her in house photographers and gowns for the wedding shows/fair. If I am not wrong, BC had three in house photographers and their own photography studio too. There is a wide selection of gowns in her shop and Sally will choose the gown based on the bride preference and suitability. You can choose the wedding gown from storey 1 to 3. The shop is located at 16A and 16B Liang Seah (opposite Mos burger Parco Bugis Junction).

Sally is a very patient and experience coordinator as we feel that she knows what the customers want and she will try to understand her customer first before sharing the package with them. After explaining so much to us on that day, we do not sign up immediately with her. We were so afraid that Sally will not let us off so easily as we heard a lot of people complaining that some BS will try to hard sell and ‘psycho’ the couples in signing up the packages immediately. However Sally is different from them, she do hopes that we will sign up with her but she will let us think about it first before signing up with Bridal Concept. Thumbs up for her service. :)

I do like the gown at Bridal Concept and their photography skill. Not only this, the package is within our budget too and we do really feel comfortable with Sally. :)

Our bridal package cost $3288 net. If you are interested in knowing more of my package, please leave your name and email at the Cbox.

Will update photos of the rom dress soon as we are going down to BC on Good Friday to choose the dress for my ROM. Stay Tune…..

What is next now??? Erm…To Find a date for our customary wedding…. :)

Lists of things to look out for in choosing the right bridal studio

Which bridal studio should we choose? Confused as there are so many choices available in the market. What should we look out for in choosing the right bridal studio for us? Lucky I have very nice friends (Merlin and Agnes) that provide me with lots of advice as they are getting married soon too.

Below are the lists of things to look out for in choosing the right bridal studio.

Discuss the budget with your hubby.

(Know your budget and find one bridal studio that is within your budget range)

Prices of the BS for this year 2009 starts from 3k onwards.

Do your homework first before heading down to the bridal studio.

http://www.singaporebrides.com/ is a very useful website as you can find lots of information regarding wedding bridal studio, banquets, photography, videographer, and etc.. The forum is a useful place as people will share their experiences and reviews on the particular BS and you can easily receive information on that particular BS that you are interested in.

Link to the forum:
http://www.singaporebrides.com/forumboard/messages/1/1.html?1238035196

Get your friends to share their bridal packages with you.

Know their bridal packages and get tips from them on how to bargain and what to bargain for with the BS. Bargain for more photos as topping up of additional photos really cost a bomb. Remember the wedding package does not include the prices of the additional photos. Ask them for the price of each top up photos and the additional charges that you need to pay. Ask if the package includes GST. My gfs do say that bargain for Made to measure gown (MTM) if possible. (Just in case you can’t find an Off the Rack Gown that suits like.) However, for MTM gown do ask them for the additional charges for adding studs, embroidery, sequins, laces etc… Ask the meaning of each term so that you can design a gown that is within your budget.

Know the types/design of the wedding gown that you like and make sure the bridal studio show you the types of gowns that are available in the shop. Try out their gowns first before committing yourself in signing up a package with them. Do not feel obliged in signing up with them as we had the right to choose. :)

Sign the Bridal Package on the shop itself.

Try not to sign up the bridal package in the road show as I heard from friends is most of the workers there are partimers and they will really hard sell their ‘products’. After which when you get back to the shop to find that person, you don’t get to see him/her anymore. Not only that, at the road show you cant try their gown and thus you won’t know if their gown suits you.

Maintain Good Relationship with the Coordinator.

Make sure that you and your hubby feels comfortable with the coordinator of the bridal studio. She is the person choosing the right gown for you, giving advice on the types of gown that you should wear, planning the dates for gowns try out and photo taking session etc...etc… Basically she is the one overseeing your everything for the bridal stuffs and making you the most beautiful bride for your wedding day. You can’t imagine if you and your hubby can’t get along with her…..It will be dreadful….

Good Photography Skill

Look at their skills in taking photos and make sure it suits your taste. Normally, they will let you had a look of their photographer works. You can ask them on the numbers of photographer they have in their studio and the experiences they had. Don’t be shy in asking questions. The coordinator will be most willingly to answer your queries.

Know the market rate for the bridal packages and try to bargain, bargain and bargain…

Choosing the right BS for you and your hubby can be a tiring and stressful thing to do.. But the most important thing is to enjoy the hunting process with your hubby and learn things from there. ‘Experience’ …fun.. Fun. Fun

At the next post, we will update on the BS that we had chosen and share with you all with our package. Stay tuned...

Last but not least, I will like to thanks Agnes and Merlin for their contribution and advices on choosing the right bridal studio. Muacks!!!!! Appreciated!

Our ROM Venue

1st thing that we need to do is to select our venue for our ROM... We had shortlisted a few places. My first choice is Peony Jade Restaurant at Clarke Quay. We did send over an email to them asking the availability of the places on 6th June 2009. However, the person told me that since I had only 3 tables, they cant confirm with me on the availability yet as they priorities wedding banquet. The person in charge told me that I can only book 2 month before hand. That is risky for us.

Firstly we need to file for ROM three month before the date that we had selected and they need us to provide them the venue of the ROM.

Secondly, the JP that we have invited for our solemnization needs us to provide him with the venue too and the date, time of the ROM.

Thus, Peony Jade is out.
We continue with our searching and finally we decided on

..........................

Venue for Our ROM: Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

Websiteforthehotel:

http://www.millenniumhotels.com.sg/grandcopthornewaterfront/index.html

Wedding Solemnization Package

Based on a minimum of 30 persons

Buffet Lunch : S$1388.00++ (additional person at S$45.00++ per person)
Buffet Dinner : S$1988.00++ (additional person at S$60.00++ per person)

We will start our rom at 12.30pm sharp.

Our Coordinator is Mr Eddie and he is a nice and helpful person. He did allow us to change one of the foods in the menu as our family does not take mutton. He even adds in two more dishes to compensate for differences in the value of the food. We will meet up with Eddie soon in May to discuss on the decoration of the function room and choosing the color of the tablecloth. Will definitely upload pictures on this and the function room as well….Looking forward….

For those that are interested in the wedding solemnization package, you can leave your email at the Cbox and we will send over the package to you soon. :)

What is next??? Erm..... .Oh ya, need to contact the JP now to inform him on the venue and time of our ROM. Byez................................

Our ROM Date

After much discussion, frog and I had decided our ROM date to be 6th June 2009. Of Cos, frog did propose to me before we discuss on our ROM date. Hee... We had decided to solemnize our marriage outside the ROM. If you are going to host your rom outside the ROM, you need to source for your own solemnizer. And if you guys do not know, you need to file for your solemnization date 3 months before your ROM.

Go to http://app.rom.gov.sg/internet/index.asp for more information.

Now we need to think and discuss on the venue for our ROM and if to sign up bridal package first to get the free rental of the rom gown or to buy just the gown alone.

Preparation, preparation and more preparation….

Welcome to Cat Cat and Frog Frog

Welcome to our wedding blog.

In this blog we are going to share our wedding preparations and things to look out for the wedding. Will also post up nice wedding gowns, accessories and even latest makeup trends for all the brides out there. Stay tune for our next post and be a happy happy bride… Cheers... :)