{Inspired Me} : Creative Wedding at Ease

We love whimsical wedding theme! Recently we have been busy working with many creative couples who loves to do D-I-Y and to be involved in their wedding theme. Wedding preparation can be exhausting , especially when you desire to go down the daunting path of D-I-Y. It is fun to do few handmade paper pompoms but to setup and make it into a theme is another story altogether.

That’s why we come with our expertise in creative direction and planning to gel your D-I-Y idea and the event together. Giving you the freedom to focus on your handicraft, without having to deal with the hustle and bustle of wedding planning. Design & decor is wonderfully important, but it’s not all there is. Be sure you still have energy and peace of mind when you march-in to the altar.

We share some of the creative direction project that we are currently working on :

Handmade Paper Flower Design

Romantic Royal treatment for A&N

Winter Elegance

Isn’t lovelies  ^_^

{Dear Diary}: Day of Coordinator ‘DOC’

After the dance floor closes and the last tips are paid to the vendors, I finally get a chance to breathe and think about all the things that happened throughout the day. A LOT of thoughts, emotions, and feelings flood my mind on my way back to hotel. Starring outside the side glass window, feelings of relief while feeling exhausted from a day of running around and yet a complete sense of satisfaction.

We are at Batam this weekend for Wedding of Yeni & Jack, the event takes place at Pacific Palace Hotel, Batam – Indonesia. I would like to share on how important to have DOC (Day of Coordinator). Yeni & Jack approached us 10 days before their wedding day as they are disappointed by their Wedding Planner, which withdrawn 2 weeks before the BIG day. It’s indeed BIG day for them with 1,700 guests and 9 VIP tables (invited Batam Governor and Indonesia Parliaments – DPR). During our first meeting they really desperate and lost, lots of family members offer their hands on their wedding which causing a mess and confusion. Good to have helpful family but not too many parties involved.

Yeni is Indonesian Chinese and Jack is American Born Chinese, this reception is mainly for Bride’s side only (family, friends, and relatives) and they have another separate reception in New York for Jack’s relatives/friends.

I did consider a lot in the beginning, most of my clients hire me 5-6 months before their wedding and I do prefer working closely with them to insure quality service & to plan out all the details. (I actually love giving my opinions on choosing linens, flowers, lighting & decor details and not to mention going with them to food & cake tasting! keke). Not only do I enjoy the process of planning a wedding together with the couple, but I also really appreciate and love getting to know them throughout the process.

Having a coordinator can be the best investment you’ll make during your planning and I always mention this to my clients before they sign the contract:

1. Hire your DOC at least one or two months prior to your event. You need to understand that although you’re practically hiring them for the day of, it requires extensive work & communication in order to create a flawless event.
2. Your DOC will not be held responsible for any lack of professionalism or service by the vendors, especially if the bride & groom have chosen their own vendors outside of the recommendations.

There are so many components of a wedding – from the ceremony, to the cocktail hour, to all the activities that take place during the reception. A professional coordinator makes sure that you keep on schedule, maintain a great flow, handle any crises that may arise and make sure the day is worry and stress free for you. However, you cannot expect your DOC to do it alone, it’s a team work between all the vendors & on site banquet manager.

There also needs to be a complete trust between the coordinator and the bride, to be sure that the coordinator will take care of any sticky issue that may arise during the planning process. This will also mean that she will have to be quick, discerning, frank, and somewhat courageous to step up, even when her reputation is on the line. However, she also needs to be wise as to what to say and how to say when they hear all sorts of complaints about their in-laws, future husband to-be, parents, friends, MOH, and not to mention, some of their vendors. For this reason, you want to find someone not only resourceful but someone who knows how to deal with real life issues. As you can see, being a coordinator is more than making things pretty or being organized; she needs to handle real life crisis with poise and professionalism
Bottom line is, whoever you choose as your coordinator, ask yourself, “Does she know my taste? Is she on the same page or ahead of me to guide me through the process?”

Stay tunned for Yeni & Jack detailed images. Wishing them a blessed marriage and happily ever after! (:

 

P.S. To have and to hold, to love and to cherish from this day forward. . .

Joanne & Kenneth Tie The Knot!!

It was another beautiful yet touching wedding ceremony that we had last week. The guests from around the world and they really had a great and FUNtastic time! The ceremony took place at Amara Sanctuary, Sentosa with after party at Filter Club @Gallery

A brief background about the couple, Kenneth & Joanne lives in Hongkong and both of them are a lawyer. What I can say about the couple is “SPEECHLESS” . . . they are really a happy and fun couple which had a clear vision on what they want and both are sharing the same passions loves wine, music & dance and enjoy good food!  It’s indeed heaven made by destiny.

Their lives cross path when both working in London couple years ago, had mutual friends who dragged both of them to the dinner party and went out for drinks after that. The wedding is held in Singapore because Kenneth’s relatives (especially elderly/Grandma) based in Malaysia & Singapore

Thought of loud colours such as yellow and fuschia to go with the Summer Theme in Singapore (as their wedding falls on the last day of Chinese New Year – 15^th in Chinese calendar), they want to have an elegance feel, everything classy, clean, and sophisticated with a bit of glam but no white and gold as it sounds boring to them. Also to collaborate with their style and personality which fun loving, great sense of humor, confident, loves flower, cheerful, well-organized and competent. No detail was left behind.

Hence, we proposed Summer Garden Theme which to transform the ballroom into a beautiful stunning sunflower garden. We brought in the Gold Tiffany chairs to complete the whole feels with hanging garden on top of the Dance Floor, build in mini Garden as the stage and dance floor for them to have their first dance and great time.

The event was wonderfully wrapped up with a surprise performance by the Groom to his lovely wife. He sang “Annie’s Song by John Denver”. His voice is SUPERB!! It melts Joanne’s heart.

We all felt the love that the couple shared and were honoured to witness their ceremony. . .

 

Here’s the dessert bar pictures; we really had fun decorating them as is too pretty to be passed on. It was a hit for both young and old.

 

 

 

 

P.S. We are looking forward to creating a lifetime of memories this year with our gorgeous brides & dashing grooms . . . (:

{Dear Diary}: All about L.O.V.E

There is no such thing as a perfect family, but that is what makes life more challenging, unique and beautiful.
Life/Family is not always as we dreamed it would be. Just because you are getting married and starting a new family does not necessarily mean you are starting on a clean slate. Yes it is a new chapter, but when two families come together, oftentimes it comes with baggage and family issues that need to be dealt with.
One thing is becoming clearer to me, life is complex, but LOVE seems to simplify all things.

Valentine’s Day is the sweetest day for those who are young & young-at-heart. Today’s colorful inspiration is inspired by young love, the giddiness it brings and the eagerness you feel to shout it from the rooftops. It is playful, whimsical, flirtatious & delightful – all wrapped up into one!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Another year passed by, another new year has begun. Happy Chinese New Year, folks!

Hope you all enjoy every moment spent with your loved ones this New Year season.

 

{Dear Diary}: William & Joy’ Choosing of Wedding Gown

Headed to bridal shop with one of my couple {William & Joy } this afternoon, chose wedding gowns for their pre-wedding photo shoot and Actual Day. I don’t have tough time in finding her perfect gown as Joy loves simple and elegant style for her gowns and furthermore she knows what is her dream gown! After trying couple of gowns with different colors, texture and silhouettes (to find a color that suit her skin tone) we decided to go for MTM for her wedding gown and getting off-the-rack gowns for photo shoot.

Joy looked absolutely stunning in all of her 3 gowns (she has two short dress and one evening gown). We had such a great time, filled with laugh and laughter; they are truly fun and loving couple! Getting to know this couple has been a blessing and such joy!

Joy’s dream gown

TIPS: When choosing your wedding dress, you might be surprised to learn that white doesn’t suit everyone and that the ‘white wedding dress’ you always dreamed of might not actually suit your skin tone.

In fact, white can be hugely unflattering for many women. That’s why off-white, champagne, ivory, gold, silver or subtle pinks also make popular wedding dress colours for many brides-to-be.

With this in mind, it’s best to try on as many wedding dresses as possible until you find a colour to suit your skin tone, decide on the silhouettes and found your perfect wedding dress.

**My current obsession over all things lace, ruffles, sparkles and light chiffon fabric. Find these dresses quite inspiring! (:

“Elie Saab Runway – Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture”

Andrew & Cindy Tie The Knot!

No matter what the trend is lately, wedding is about you and your husband-to-be and it should be a reflection of who you are and what you love.

I had a wonderful wedding back in November’10 with Andrew & Cindy. They are one of the most easy going, fun & lovable couples. Cindy’s love for anything gold and cream in classic look, simple yet elegant was apparent in her love for the calla lilies for her hand bouquet with English Classic wedding theme

They engaged us for Chapter One: Design & Coordination and their beautiful wedding took place at The Tower Ballroom, Shangri-la.

Such a classy and elegant affair!

{Dear Diary}: Good-Bye to 2010

I have to admit that it has been a year filled with joy, love and gratitude with many rewards but it has had its fair share of challenges. If I am to describe 2010 in one word it would be “being stretched”. Max out with activities, events, biz trip, weddings… but truly enjoying every track and love every beats! (:

‘How to reduce stress from planning’ and I thought I would also pitch in my two cents. As a wedding planner, it’s a blessing & a curse that I have an opinion about everything. I spend countless hours making my clients’ weddings oh-so beautiful within the budget that I often loose sight of telling my brides to ‘enjoy’ & make it about just the two of you, not about the details or what will be captured on camera. Sure, this is the reason why brides hire me in the first place to tell them honestly which direction they’re headed, where they should go & what will look better and fitting nevertheless sometimes I need to be a good listener & respect their decision.

The fact of the matter is, unless there’s something out of the ordinary and spectacular in the wedding that I haven’t already seen in the blog world, I don’t get impressed too easily. With all these ‘inspiration to reality’ photoshoots with great inspirational wedding blogs by planners and wedding professionals, it’s hard not to look at the details and define a great wedding by just looking at the photos. It’s so wrong for us to judge/define a great wedding based on who their photographer is, which venue they decide to go with & what kind of rentals & florists they use when weddings are all about celebrating their first chapter of husband & wife to be. 

I’ve seen brides make a choice and then get confused and doubt their decisions when they see something prettier & better on a blog. They’re not able to fully embrace what they have and envy after all the pretty things around the blog world. Too much of prettiness is not always good. They can either make you doubt your own decisions and not fully embrace and appreciate your own wedding & your budget. Do keep in mind that your decision is the right one for you and not everything out there fits every wedding. And also note that there will always be something more beautiful & better in years to come. The vintage trend right now will soon go away & who knows when chocolate brown as a complimentary color will come back?

Lisa of Anderson Green Events wrote a great post and I couldn’t agree more!

“If you keep changing your mind about choices or decisions – you’ve lost the confidence in that idea. You’ve lost the confidence to believe that that idea is appropriate for your wedding…. Use the important ideas / thoughts / feelings to guide you in your decision making process. Then, use your budget as a guide so that you don’t overspend, lose your confidence and then panic. Then stick to your guns.”

My piece of advice for soon-to-be brides who are spending countless hours online for inspirations: Limit what you see online & don’t listen to everybody. There’s no way you can please everyone-not even your planner.

Who cares if your wedding photos are not published in a magazine? Who cares if your photos don’t float around in the blog world? Our main goal for having a wedding is not about that. What it means to have a perfect wedding by focusing on our couples & their sincere love for each other which is the main reason why they’re getting married.

as usual… Happy Planning! (:

{Dear Diary}: Tips for Planning an Outdoor Wedding

Photo Credit: Jessica Claire

Outdoor weddings are romantic and beautiful. And not to mention that they come out so natural in pictures. However, they aren’t as easy as they may look. Outdoor weddings come with additional caveats and pitfalls. So be sure to read these tips before you plan an outdoor wedding.

1. Think of your guests first. Think about what the weather will likely be at the time of day and month of the year of your outdoor wedding. Check the weather for conditions that could be expected. If it’s hot, don’t leave your guests melting in the sun. Rent a tent to shade your event.
2. Have a backup plan. While it may not be your ideal plan, make arrangements for ‘plan B’ in the event of rain or other hindering weather. Select an outdoor wedding venue that also has an indoor location waiting just in case. A tent is another option to shelter guests from light or scattered rain showers. Be prepared for the chance of rain the night before your wedding. Heavy rains will soak the ground underneath, leaving guests on soggy soil and muddy shoes.
3. Plan for wind. If your wedding may encounter windy conditions, avoid lighter fabrics like chiffons and silks in dresses that will take of with a gust of wind. Plan ahead with your hairstylist, so your wedding day hair will be all set for the elements of an outdoor ceremony. And of course, make sure your tent will stand up to gusting winds or find an indoor backup plan.
4. Can everybody hear? When you picture your dream wedding at the beach, you’re probably not hearing the roaring of the waves, the rushing wind, or the local kids running and screaming around you. Look into renting a sound system with clip mikes for the bride, groom and officiant. Your DJ or band may be able to easily arrange this for you.
5. Decorations. One of the bonuses of an outdoor wedding is the natural beauty around you, lessening your need to decorate. Visit the site a week before your wedding to make sure the landscaping on site is in good shape. Accent the natural decor that’s already present.
6. Make things tasty outside. Make sure your caterer knows you’re having an outdoor wedding, so that things won’t melt and that food and beverages keep while in the outdoor temperatures for an extended period of time.
7. Don’t leave your guests parched. Since alcohol is dehydrating, consider serving a variety of lemonades, teas and punches. Be sure to have plenty of ice and water around as well. For a fancy cocktail, why not serve a classic mint julep or a mojito? The mint will refresh and cool your guests.
8. Share details. Don’t be afraid to share information and assistance to your out-of-town guests about travel plans, hotel accommodations, and seasonal weather. Offer your guests a courteous mention about appropriate dress on your invitations. This means your wedding party, too. Let your crew know what to wear to the rehearsal dinner and any other wedding weekend events. Well-informed guests are happy guests.
9. Here comes the sun. Consider timing your outdoor wedding for sunset where your guests will see you take your vows surrounded by the warm glow of the sun. Those having a daytime outdoor wedding should orient the ceremony so that the sun will be on guests’ backs rather than in their eyes.
10. Give all sorts of outdoor favors. Have custom printed ice-cold bottled water available to guests too keep cool and hydrated. Print your wedding program on a paper fan, and place one on each seat. Place a bundle of complimentary sunscreen bottles in the restrooms or elsewhere for the taking. If your ceremony takes place on the shore of a beach, give your guests flip flops to walk in the sand

Images from Martha Stewart

{Dear Diary} Common Mistakes Brides & Grooms Make While Planning Their Wedding

Okay, I need to confess. I love this job but it has one side-effect. And that is I cannot help but to critique when I attend weddings as a guest. Here I’m seating at the pew thinking to myself, ‘Lily! Don’t look at the centerpieces figuring out which vendor they chose, just enjoy and bless their marriage! But here I am, looking at all the details and critiquing every aspect of the wedding and I’m making a mental note on my head what was good and what was bad. OMG~!! Yeah.. I know but I just can’t help it.

Anyways, as I have been to many weddings, here are some mistakes you can avoid while planning yours.

1) Don’t think that your work is done once you’ve chosen your vendors and have signed the contracts with them. You’re only half way done. I don’t want you to be too discouraged as if your many months of searching for the vendors was for nothing! Good job! I just want you to make sure you have everything in paper, even the small changes here and there, you need to confirm with the vendors at least twice! Even if you need to bother them… Do so. I’ve seen some vendors totally ignore the bride’s wish on floral arrangements and went with whatever was convenient for them.

2) When you assign your friends to help out with the wedding, (for example, slideshow, or video presentation) make sure you review the work at least 2 weeks before the wedding. That way, they’ll have time to revise it. You simply can’t expect them to know what you’re thinking and expect a quality work! It’s always good to have a list of job descriptions for the helpers and what time they need to arrive in prior to your wedding.

3) Don’t let your money go down the drain. Sure, there are a lot of costs associated with a wedding, but overspending can be avoided if you have a budget and stick to it. Don’t let people who are looking to make a profit off of you talk you into spending more than you’re comfortable with.

4) Don’t get too caught up with planning the wedding that you miss what’s most important to you! Keep in mind that you are getting married and starting a life together, not just planning a wedding. Some tension between the two of you is inevitable, but don’t ever let things get out of control. I know how sensitive you can get when the days are approaching, but make sure both of you have fully discussed your future plans and resolve any issue that might come up again during marriage. (I would definitely recommend taking pre-marital counseling to seek a professional advice)

5) Don’t expect everything will flow just as you’ve imagined. There will be unexpected trouble shoots and miscommunication, so you ABSOLUTELY need to designate one person to oversee your wedding. If you cannot afford a wedding coordinator, then make sure the person you’re designating knows every detail of your wedding schedule! (this person should attend rehearsal)

6) Don’t try to DO too much! what I mean by that is, keep the ceremony short and sweet! the reception, fun and entertaining! Yes… the wedding is about You! But you need to also ask yourself, ‘who are my guests?’ If you have way too many adults, keep the reception short and have a 2nd reception with your friends afterwards. Don’t make the ceremony/reception hour way too long and make your guests wait.

7) Just because you get a good deal doesn’t mean you will receive a quality work. For example, a lot of  photographers these days offer Casual, Formal & ‘The Day Of’ photography for less than $2,000 but this never means that they’re good at taking candid, detailed,& creative shots. You need a photographer who can take good shots on the day of the wedding! Don’t be deceived by their free offers such as parents album with unlimited proofs and what not.

8 ) If you’re having a reception at church, don’t even bother to do RSVP! It’s just a waste of postage and time. Guest will seat wherever they want to if the wedding is at church with buffet-style. It’s just a reality! If the wedding is at a hotel, then make sure you have one usher per 30 guests to guide their seating.

9) Make sure to thank the guests and all the helpers! The earlier the better! I’ve been helping out with weddings since my college years (back then, I wasn’t getting paid or anything) but I couldn’t help but to feel this sense of being used when the bride and groom didn’t appreciate me for what I did. Not that I was expecting a lot, but a simple appreciation word/gift will be nice.

10) And last but not least, don’t pick a bad time of day/month for weather- Of course, you can still have a good time if it’s raining or windy…but one of the worst mistakes brides can make is to plan a wedding outdoors in the heat of the day (1pm-4pm), in April/May/June. I’ve seen many weddings made insufferable by outdoor heat…. Obviously, if it’s indoors, make sure there will be sufficient air conditioning. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding and that date there is a slight possibility of rain, research getting a tent beforehand, so you won’t be a frazzled if it happens.  

(as usual) Stay tuned for more updates. . .