Wedding Services FAQ Part I

This post is dedicated to all who emailed me, left me private messages on forums or dropped me comments/tags with regards to services engaged for my wedding.

I know I've been saying since last year that I might be doing a one stop post for all to refer to. I recently discovered that my wedding tag link which could be clicked from the side bar doesn't display all the posts which were tagged under "wedding" and hence rather difficult to navigate. So here's part 1 of the post as promised and I hope you would find it useful in your wedding preparation.

If you like what you see on the snippets, click on the hyperlinks to lead you to my past entries. Posts will open in a new window.

Lots of FAQ have already been answered in the comments section but if you have further queries, you can still drop me a comment and I'll try my best to answer them.


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~*Bridal Studio -- Whitelink*~

Coordinator: Jimmy
Gowns: Doris
Make Up Artist (MUA): Sammi
Photogapher (PG): Vincent

My reviews of Whitelink spans across a few posts and I'll cosolidate all the posts here.

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*Trial make up
You can view more pictures of my trial make up.
You can read write ups on my trial make up and reviews on my MUA Sammi.

Snippets:




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*Photoshoot Day... behind the scenes
You can view more pictures of my make up and details on my self-designed evening gown.
You can read write ups on how not to overspend on topping up for photos as well as write ups on the make up and styling.

Snippets:




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*Photos for the Whitelink album
You can view pictures of the photos sans layout editing.
You can read write ups on the locations we chose for our ps.

Snippets:


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*Whitelink album
You can view all the photos from our wedding album.

Snippets:












The most frequently asked questions would be the locations of the outdoor shoots.

The long tree branch and lallang-like grass is somewhere near Punggol beach which had a forest fire sometime in February 2009. The razed trees and grass gave an autumn feel. But of couse the photo with kh and me on the far ends on the lallang field had been edited for the grass to be orange.

We were fortunate that there was lallang-like grass growing abundantly too for our photographer said they weren’t there when he recced the place a few days before. I know of a few people who feedback saying the lallang weren't there anymore when they went there.

The lallang grass may not always be there but the tree branch definitely will. =)

The dilapidated house is located in Jalan Kayu and that area had since been closed down.

All the jumping and twirling shots were indeed us in action. Nothing's been superimposed.


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~*Wedding Bands -- Ling Jewellery*~



*When we first set our eyes on that beautiful pair
You can read write ups on the description of the band and excellent service by Ling.

*Rings
You can view pictures of the rings.

The roman inspired design goes very well with my tiffany's engagement ring worn on the same finger.



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~*Shoes -- Anna Nucci*~



Anna Nucci carries lots of designs with bling bling and it's really affordable. Highest priced shoes there are $100+. All crystals are hand-sewn. I got my pair from the outlet at Far East Paza.

I'm not a heels person at all and most of my shoes can't be more than 2.5 inches or I would suffer from all kinds of feet and back problems.

My pair from Anna Nucci are really comfortable. Even though the heels are quite high (5 inches I think), I managed to walk in them quite comfortably for the whole photoshoot and actual day.

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~*Nails-- Nailz Niche/ Nailz Korea*~

My bridal nails are those made-to-order resusable stick ons. Very strong double-sided adhsive is used instead of glue (which would harm the nail bed). The toe nails were painted with nail art included to match the fingernails.





The shop used to be located at:
Blk 744, #01-189,
Yishun Street 72

However, I recently received an sms informing of their relocation to Square 2 (above Novena MRT).

The service there is excellent. They are not pushy in badgering you to sign packages like what most nail salons do. However, I signed anyway coz I liked their service and didn't mind doing my nails there every now and then. A pity they moved. It's no good for me but good for those who don't stay in the north as it's more centralised now.


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~*Solemnizer/ Justice of Peace (JP)
-- Dr Phua Tan Tee*~



Dr Phua Tan Tee
National Environment Agency (NEA)
DID: +65 6731-9575
Fax: +65 6731-9585
email: PHUA_Tan_Tee@nea.gov.sg

We had Dr Phua Tan Tee to grace our solemnization. He's by far the best solemnizer ever! I'm saying this not just because he was our JP. At such an age, I've attended quite a number of solemnization and I could tell how wonderful he is in comparison to the rest. While all the other popular JP have got at least a bad review on forums, Dr Phua has got none except maybe for being a little long-winded. However, most of the couples on the forum had no issue with that. Likewise, our family and friends had no problem with that and were deeply entertained by his speech.


Our experience:

Dr Phua was slightly late due to a jam. Kh was frantic at that time as Dr Phua does not give his hp number out and there was no way we could contact him. Reading from the forum about how Dr Phua would never forget to grace an event, I told kh not to worry too much.

When he arrived, he apologised and promptly went through with us certain procedure.



Still nervous even as we were seated, he asked us softly how we were feeling. He calmed us down by telling us not to worry and that he would guide us along the way. He also asked which language we would prefer to conduct the ceremony in.

He really did calm our nerves down with his humorous antics and wit. He's effectively "trilingual" and translated some parts of his speech in teochew and hokkien for our elders. That was really thoughtful of him.

We were actually very nervous as we kept forgetting our vows. Dr Phua had reminded us over email to memorise them.

Upon hearing that we might forget our lines, he assured us not to worry. With that, he took out 2 slips of paper with the vows printed and advised us to read from there should we forget the lines.



Peals of laughter filled the whole function room throughout the process and many came up to us to tell us how wonderful he is.











After the event, Dr Phua told me, "If kh bullies you, remember to call me. I will help you to scold him coz he already promise to take care of you."

That invited more laughter to those around us.

We as well as both sets of parents really like him a lot. I strongly recommend Dr Phua for any interested soon-to-wed couple.

You can read more reviews on Dr Phua on sgbrides forum at these 2 threads:
JP - Dr Phua Tan Tee
Wonderful & 'Bagus' Solemniser


Points to note when looking for a JP:

Everyone of us have our own criteria to look for in a JP and what I seek for may not be what you have in mind.

Gender of JP, looks, language proficiency, religion, solemn or humorous etc are what you should consider while searching. After all, you would want your solemnization to be memorable in the way that you want.

I actually listed down a few which matched what I was looking for and jotted down notes in my little wedding notebook. Putting stars or striking some off along the way.

For me, looks is the most important factor. I was trawling the forum for fatherly or grandfatherly-looking JPs. Reading threads after threads of the various JPs and calling three who matched the fatherly and grandfatherly looked. Alas all of them were occupied.

Dejected, I continued my search when I stumbled onto a photo of Dr Phua with a member asking, "Anyone knows who this JP is?"

When I saw the photo, I knew I wanted this JP.

From there, I read up about Dr Phua, was pleased with what I had read so far and dropped him an email.

The common advice is to contact the JP 3 months prior to your ROM. I was a little late, contacting my JP exactly a month before our wedding as we met up with many glitches during our wedding prep. Hence, I was really not expecting that such a popular JP like Dr Phua would be free to grace our ceremony.

Imagine my joy when I received a positive reply on the very same day I emailed. My hazard guess would be coz our wedding was in July, not a very popular month and on a Friday. He was actually fully booked from October to December weekends at that time I called so you can imagine how many kiasu couples actually call way in advance.

So remember, do your homework early and call or email your JP 3 months in advance.

For Dr Phua, all instructions were given clearly over the email. We need not meet up with him. I know that for some JP, they would arrange to meet the couple prior to the wedding.

A few days prior to the event, remember to remind your JP again. I've heard horrible stories of JP forgetting about the event so you've got to be doubly sure.

On the day itself, remember to give your JP an ang pow after the event and invite him to stay for dinner for formality sake. Most likely, JPs would not stay as they may have other solemnization to conduct especially during the weekends.

[Photos in solemnization section taken by Gideon]

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Part 2 coming up... I'll be writing on our banquet hotel, photography, videography... hmm what else? I can't think of any at the moment, if you have any requests, drop me a note.

DISCLAIMER: All Whitelink photos and actual day photos taken by my wedding photographer, Gideon, have not been edited by me in any way (no collages, no watermarking, no borders) except for resizing. Please do not use my photos. THANK YOU! =)

"Don't be a parasite to your classmates."

I would utter the above sentence each time my students borrow stuff like foolscap paper, pens, correction tape and the likes from their classmates.

Whenever it is composition week, the kids who borrow foolscap paper are the same.

The kids who lend/give their foolscap paper would be the same too.

So you can see it's pretty unfair to those who always bring their stuff to class.

I would tell my kids to draw a picture of a parasite at the top right hand corner of the foolscap paper whenever they borrow/take a piece from their friends. Those kids who have been with me long enough would know what a parasite is and would automatically draw mushrooms, toadstools, bedbugs, leeches etc.



I'm beginning to suspect they relish the idea of drawing parasites on their paper.

Today I had a new boy in my P5 class. He is cute; good-looking for his age. He looks really prim and proper, definitely an agreeable young man with proper upbringing. He wasn't shy for a new boy and participated well in class. I had very favourable impression of him and more so after I found out that he's from a prestigious primary school that begins with "R".

When it came to compo writing, he informed me that he didn't have foolscap pad with him. Of course, I forgave him as he's new and told him to borrow from a classmate. The kid next to him immediately drew out his foolscap pad with great enthusiasm and went in his usual pixie voice,

"Nah lend you but you have to draw a parasite at the corner."

-_-|||

It was hilarious to see the baffled look on my prim and proper new boy but very soon he took delight in drawing a parasite.

We are so accustomed to disguising ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves

[Picture cedit: weheartit]

I came across this quote by François Duc de La Rochefoucauld on my nokia mobile quotes and I love it a lot. It made me ponder.

Don't we all disguise ourselves at one time or another?

Donning a mask, we mask ourselves from others.

Putting a face upon our face, we assume another identity, conceal our true emotions and overcome our insecurities.

Sometimes the mask we put on contrasts with our inner state, our character, our true identity. It does not fit and at the end of the day, we remove them and our true self emerges once again.


[Picture cedit: klopp via weheartit]

At other times, the mask grows into us and we grow into our mask, becoming all but one entity. We struggle to peel off that mask but it has become a part of our identity. This time, are we still masking ourselves from others or have we truly masked ourselves from ourselves? The mask becomes us as we become our mask.

Disguising ourselves, we slowly become our own disguise.


[Picture cedit: elle, flickr]

Stripped of all our masks, does one true mask remain? Or is the one true mask the multiplicity of masks that we put on?

We wear layers of masks so often that if one is removed, the true self is not found directly beneath. It is just another mask. Yet it is necessary to wear masks and disguise ourselves every day.

I change and form myself around different groups of people. I believe many of us do that too. People always tell me how genuine I am, how certain behaviours, acts and mannerism are just so me but the truth is I'm never 100% myself. Nevertheless, I always keep a little of my base personality involved -- the true face beneath the many masks.


[Picture credit: Audrey Kawasaki]

On the other hand, does being different with different groups of people necessarily equate to putting on different masks just because I open up different aspects of my personality among different people? I could probably be masking certain characteristics to tune in to the situation accordingly.

I find that I've been changing a lot, acting the charade and being the chameleon. Yet friends who haven't seen me for a long time would always exclaim that I'm still the same old Jolene. On the other side of the plane, friends who are always in contact with me could out of the blue tell me that I've changed whether for the better or the worse and that I don't used to be like that.

There are times when I don't really know myself. As a true Gemini, I encompass so many opposing traits.

The melancholic sanguine.

The uninspired artist.

The wordless writer.

The reserved extrovert.

The smiley grouch.

The plucky wimp.

The frugal spendthrift.

Two counters of contradictory extremes displayed on a single bar. The single bar representing myself. I try to bring the two counters closer to each other, slide them towards the middle. However, there is no way of integrating this duality. I seek to search for my identity but I found myself lost in my SELF.

Most people search to be found. I searched only to be lost. Is the confused self who I really am?


[Picture cedit: ohbabyitsnatalie via weheartit]

And then I read Carl E. Pickhardt which helped me shed some light.

Whatever outward mask I choose to wear only affirms some inward part of me.

I don't have to bother about which part is masking which and which side I shoud trust.

I don't have to be bothered about being dsguised to myself.

Because a mask worn on the outside can actually encourage my inner self to come out.

People change over time and who we are is not something that can be cast in stone. We are the sum of our experiences -- the multiplicity of masks that we put on.

Colouring my health

It's the throat infection again. I thought I would be able to cross the one year all-clear mark. I hate myself for succumbing to throat infection so often.

Think healthy! Think healthy! Think healthy!

Breathing through my mouth now as both nostrils are blocked. Fortunately the sore throat is gone or every breath I take through the mouth would feel like sandpaper scraping my throat.

After two days of sleeping, I went back to teach today since I had my voice back. Save for the fact that I nearly died teaching my kids, everything went smoothly.

I suspect I'm becoming hyper after overcoming 3 cycles of drowsy medicines without sleeping for the day.

If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done.

Procrastination: The assassin that creeps up on my every opportunity and murders them with precise strokes. In short, my biggest enemy.

I have a bad habit of leaving things till the end. I always tell myself what matters most is getting the job done eventually.

Recently I've been occupying myself with lots of activities which I had not the chance to do before. Activities which I told myself a long time ago that I wanna do but have since been put off due to all sorts of excuses.

If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done at all.



Hence, I am determined to "find that picture" before it's too late.

Keeping to my resolution, I am determined to complete all these tasks before it gets too late, before a little one comes along the way, before I hit the age of 30. Afterall, I won't have all the leisure and opportunty in the world to put my thoughts into action at the very last minute. I'm also more health-conscious and am determined to be as fit as OAC days. Therefore, I'm taking some time to execise as well.

In the course of it all I haven't been keeping to my word.

There are question marks on some of my readers' minds to be erased. I mentioned before that I may be doing a write up on certain services used for my wedding since the email questions and comments more or less asked the same stuff.

I also realised that many of my friends are waiting to see photos from my NYC trip and other photos taken this year. I'm still editing and putting 28745903612 photos into collages whenever I've got the energy to do so. "Just upload on Facebook if you got no time to blog about it. At least let us see the pictures first." But I can't coz being me, I like to add words to the pictures and do a photostory update. I like recording and reading my memories like a book.

So these would definitely be added to my list of to-dos as well.

In the meantime, I'm gonna grab a bite and ponder if I should go see a doc for my bad throat and erupting cough. I was glad that for almost a year, I've not been plagued with "老师病" (aka teacher illness aka upper respiratory infection aka full blown throat infection, cold and cough). Now I undstand what it means by never jinx yourself.

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I completely jinxed myself. Spent half the day rolling in bed in discomfort and the other half sleeping away.

I hate to be sick!