"I Do..."

Shanthini and Praveen are now happily married :)



They danced the whole night through... :)

View our twitter bars at the side for a more detailed scoop of the wedding day festivities.

Photographs of the Afternoon preperations before the Wedding Dinner

Photographs of the Day Ceremonial Rites

Big Day

12pm: The traditional engagement ceremony was really something. Shan looked exquisite, albeit she was a little nervous and giggly throughout. There’s something about a traditional ceremony that suddenly hails any event proper and solemn. The thing is, I wish I could have some sort of solemn ceremony with my partner. Sure, we have been together for eight years and I think that the both of us are quite ‘settled’ with each other and we know our commitments. It would still be nice if both of us can validate our relationship and our vows to family and friends, a celebration of our love. Oh well, still it’s nice to be able to share in someone else’s joyous occasion.

Our Vows

WEDDING VOWS (Prav to Shan)

I don’t believe in love at first sight
I don’t believe in candle-lit dinners
I don’t believe in romance

But
I do believe our first meeting at Tamil class was a head-turner
I do believe that our first meeting was the start of something good
I do believe in this special bond that we share

That night, in my candle-lit room and I went down on my knees, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you; getting to know you; loving you.

I cannot promise the world to you but I do promise never to let you go. Love you.

(Shan to Prav)

Prav always spoils market! Erm…well I just wanna say I am…no I’m gonna sing… (like she means every single word)

Madi meethu saayum inneram, mazhai kaala aasai thondrum (x2)
Uyirukkul erikira neruppu
Athai anaipathu ini unthan poruppu

Hen night :)

had a fun time wif the girls!!!! It was awesome!! Talked more than we partied but it was goood!!! Sharon;s idea of getting facials done was super therapeutic!! And the hot tea and curry puffs that were served was just divine!!

Hahahaha!!! And den geri sashayed in wif my salmon!!! Love it!! Together with the champagne it was heaven on earth… J den wif mild drinks, we jus HAD to get more hard-core….so out came the shot glasses!!

Geri’s iPod application Truth or Dare was hilarious!!! Sharon was so drunk that she was convinced that the beer glass shouted at her!!! Trust Sharon to do stuff like tat…OMG!! Tomolo is creeping up!! Need to get some black coffee to undo the hangover….

Hen night

Haha! Omg I just got up from a mini-hangover from Shan's hen party last night :) You won't believe what sort of things we came up with...

The girls got a little crazy, and when Shan suggested that we feed Cheer Bear some of our Champagne during the 'Truth or Dare', Sharon actually went ahead to do it! LoL.


Shan LOVED the Salmon tapas that we prepared (it took us 2 and a half hours to prepare lah!) but it's worth it. :) Hooray!
They look gorgeous don't they?


After we were satiated with the Champagne and curry puffs, we then started playing around with the balloons, as if we were kids again :) And came up with weird balloon animals like this balloon sheep. LoL.


By the way, don't you just love how the platter of roses and tealights look? ;) My idea!

We'll always treasure the memories Shan... Hope you like the gerrberra :) And also the whole lot of balloons. :)


Would like to blog more...but wedding day stuff calls :P Maybe we can put a proper scrapbook together after the wedding Shan.

Bachelor’s night

Bachelor’s night
I can’t believe they dragged me to the stupid party despite me not drinking! Indians can really drink huh! Loud and Raaaaad! I still have so many things to settle and the big day is Tomorrow! Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t have to sleep.
Thank goodness no one puked in my car!
I really hope everything goes well tomorrow. I’ve double checked everything despite it being a Sunday! *pats self on back*
I’m so excited for Shanthini!!

Last night...

Stag night, last night. Got up with a bloody hangover. Lost count 7 shots. Pravin drank most of us under the table. And then, there were some of us his who left half their stomach contents at the Zouk. What a night. Hmm… we started at Prav’s place. Drinks and finger food to start us going on and then WHAM! A surprise for Prav for his last jaunt as a single man. VA-Va VOOM it was. I did say in a previous video that Brian and I wanted to get Ms Ris Low for the party but of course cannot lah. Havign said that, I don't think we did too badly for the party. Prav seemed pretty chuffed with the night when we left… actually, to be fair, Prav just had a silly grin on his face at the end. Maybe he was too off his face to feel anything. Poor Caleb, though, he was one of the designated drivers for the night. Ok, so we will have to make it up to him and he gets stupid drunk at the dinner…

Oh help am really ill. Luckily the wines and alcohol have been arranged to be delivered to The Pod tomorrow. Just have to make sure we have enough of it.

Now, back to nursing my hangover. Black coffee… or maybe Bloody Mary as chaser…?

Stag/Hen Night

Bring out the leopard prints everyone! It’s time to get Shan and Prav drunk on their stag and hen night!

Something borrowed, something blue?

So today I reminded Shan that we should get her
Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Something Old and Something New,
for good luck in her marriage. :)
It's an old tradition that brides should always wear one of each item. So...
we went shopping, and got her something blue ;)

It's a blue garter. Heehee! For her to wear on her wedding day/night ;) and for Praveen to take off.

Something Borrowed, she says she'd like to borrow my dark blue sapphire earrings. And ofcourse I can't refuse my best friend :) It's an honour to be asked by the bride.
Here they are... they'll look stunning on her when she wears her black gown :)


Something New:
will be her gown lah. haha.

Something Old:
Shan wants to wear old lingerie :P because they're more comfortable... right Shan?

Performing out wedding vows?

So anyway today I was having tea with Shan, trying to relax from the hustle and bustle of planning for the wedding, when I decided to tell her about this really sweet video of Lea Salonga singing her wedding vows out to her husband. Yup, the video made me cry. :P I showed Shan the video and Shan was very taken to the idea of personalized vows, and decided that YES she WOULD perform out her unique wedding vows! I suggested she do what she does best, Bharatanatyam dance out her vows! :P but we realized it would be impractical because of her gown. So... she's just going to write a very sweet version of her vows, and Praveen will write a set of vows to her too; Afterall personalized vows come from the heart, and that is special regardless of whether they are "performed" or not :).
Anyway here's the video that made us both cry! :)



In a while, in a word,
Every moment now returns.
For a while, seen or heard,
How each memory softly burns.
Facing you who brings me new tomorrows,
I thank God for yesterdays,
How they led me to this very hour,
How they led me to this place...

Every touch, every smile,
You have given me in care.
Keep in heart, always I'll,
Now be treasuring everywhere.
And if life should come to just one question,
Do I hold this moment true?
No trace of sadness,
Always with gladness...
'I DO...'

(instrumental)

Now a song that speaks of now and ever,
Beckons me to someone new,
Unexpected, unexplored, unseen,
Filled with promise coming through.
In a while, in a word,
You and I forever change,
Love so clear, never blurred,
Has me feeling wondrous, strange,
And if life should come to just one question,
Do I face each moment true?
No trace of sadness, always with gladness,
'I DO...'

Never with sadness...
Always with gladness...
'I...DO....'

door gifts!

forgot about door gifts!!!!! Cannot believe it at all…was close to tears!! Next few days I cannot even go out properly cos need to rush ISM….lucky brian has an extension! Phew….he said he will help me settle it….caleb promised to look around as well….geri and I spent most of today getting the ring bears, ang pow boxes and flute glasses going….geri is soooo patient!!! Bead by bead…red red black red black…so meticulous….but def an art of labour!!!


Our very unique bear-y pretty box :P

ROM stuff

Omg guys!!!! This is awesome!!! Lalalalalala….prav and I finally collected the official marriage document from ROM office!!!! Woooooohoooooot!!! Hahahaha….love is in e air!!! Count down has started!! Need to make sure I sleep well…if not with the traditional marriage in the morning and then the dinner at night, I must make sure I don’t look too tired for the camera…. Need to get eye drops….

Appa and Velu Uncle will be our witnesses and the Registrar will be.....drums roll......

THATHA!!! hurray!!

feeling so happy that my grandpa will be the one who is going to solemnize our marriage...how many people have the luxury of such an option?? :P love it a lot!! it’s gonna be a really special day for us, for our familiesa and for our dearest friends... better buzz geri first!!!

Geraldine the bridesmaid describes a bit of what the Hen Night might be like...

How Ngean describes the raunchy plans laid bare for Stag Night

Happy Halloween

I tried to get Praveen to dress up as a pumpkin to give Shan a laugh, but it failed miserably. I became the pumpkin and gave everyone a laugh instead.

table arrangements

Today Shan and I were discussing the seating arrangments for the wedding...aiyo what a headache! As usual people did not RSVP in advance (or maybe they're planning to only RSVP at the last minute) and what is more troubling is how difficult it is to seat people who MIGHT have er..."issues" with one another. Is it ok to sit a couple who broke up a year ago at the same table? But if we don't then who should be entitled to sit at our theatre studies class table? We can't choose one friend over another, that's just not right...
Shan spent 4 hours just calling everyone who didn't RSVP to check if they're coming, and even then, half of them said they'll only confirm with us again next week. :(
And then there were people who said that they'd come and then changed their minds again due to other appointments and stuff. sigh.
Also, we were toying with the idea of sitting Praveen's single colleagues at the same table as Shan's unmarried cousins... but we're not sure if it's a good idea. Would it be better for the cousins to sit with family? But they might not enjoy themselves as much anyway because they're mostly in their 20s and the other distant aunts and uncles coming from India to attend the wedding aren't very close to them...
And there are more than 12 main family members when you combine Shan and Praveen's families together, so who sits at the main table?! (there are only 10 spaces, at most can squeeze 12 only) Looks like Praveen's great-grandmother might need to shift to the next table! It's either that or Shan's aunt (who stays with them in the same house, moves to the next table)... aiyo, very political lah...

buffet bombshell

We had a grand meeting and Shan just dropped the biggest bomb on us ever! Instead of a sit-down dinner, it’s going to be a buffet! That meant we had to call up caterers and look through their proposals. I spent the entire day just waiting on the phone for the people at the other end of the answering line to pick up. What’s with service these days? And Geri, How Ngean and Caleb haven’t been doing anything but eating cake. Cake with Madagascar – bourbon Vanilla and Valrhona chocolate ganache no less! They had better leave me a slice! GRRRRR!!!!
After hours on the phone, we finally settled the menu:
Deluxe open faced canapés and finger sandwiches (pre-cocktail) :-creamy egg mayonnaise, tuna mousse with bell pepper, cherry tomato salsa
Cold Appetisers:-iceberg lettuce with shallots and vinaigrette dressing, asparagus wrapped with turkey breast, prawn coulis with mango salsa
Stall:-chicken kebabs
Hot Favourites:-grilled dory fillet with parsley cream sauce, ebi prawn with mayo dip, mussel au gratin with parmesan cheese, steamed broccoli with almond butter sauce, lyonnaise potatoes, golden seafood croquette, spaghetti aglio olio with mushrooms, pillaf rice with seafood
Sweet Temptations:-deluxe fresh fruit in glass, tiramisu in glass (yay, we are still keeping the tiramisu), mini chocolate fondue with fresh strawberries, kiwi cubes, snowy cream puffs and marshmallows and assorted deluxe French pastries - mini apple crumble, assorted tartlets, chocolate éclairs
Beverage:-fruit punch and pink guava
Menu B wasn’t chosen because Shan and Praveen didn’t like the Japanese corner, and the carving station for not many people would eat lamb and beef and everything else seemed the same.

I like black !!!

hmmm…..was quite annoyed…seriously I like black so WTH!! Grrrrr……so not happy wif the boys….sumore karaoke party!! Had to remind everyone it is MY wedding…dont care about them….geri and I had fun shopping and both of us think we look nice so THERE!!!! I look boomz!!!

Feel much better now that ive vented it out…..So anyway, told them about the buffet dinner…tats settled…specified to caleb that it HAS to be blood red rose petals…and candles….love candles in red holders….hahaha…special memory for prav and me….need to remind everyone of the dress code…wait some aunty come in saree and lots of jewellery I will just stare at her wif my big round eyes!! Grrrr…..know a few who will make things difficult…oki shan pls calm down…breathe…

update again

Shantini revealed her grand design plan to us, from flowers to cake to colour scheme. Very nice, indeed. Black table tops, blood red roses centrepieces, very drama, very passionate. Trust the theatre studies girl.

Then, Shan told us about her dress for the evening. Black halter neck! Aiyo-yo! What is this? Blum & Co??? It should be BLAH & Co… It’s not a karaoke party, you know? Oh well, it’s her wedding. Poor Geraldine she helped to pick out the dress and was a little upset nobody liked her taste too.

And, she dropped the bomb on us. The dinner is now buffet but there will still be an open bar and also full service for alcohol/drinks. As for timing, Caleb bitched that it would upset his schedule. Shan also announced that the MCs for the night would be her brother, Kuna, and Pravin’s friend Sathia. So, they would have to be briefed by Shan about us.

It’s been a while since I blogged.

It’s been a while since I blogged. Been so busy with all the coordinating !
Oh my gosh! I am so intimidated after today’s meeting! So many problems and things to settlel!! ARGGHH! Shanthini finally gave me some directions for her ‘dream wedding’. I don’t have time to settle so many things. And How Ngean kept going on and on about wine and booze. My God! Enough already! Its Shan’s wedding! Not a wine tasting ceremony! Who cares about the bloody wine!
Everything is in a mess and sooooo last minute! Buffet for a wedding dinner?!! I don’t mean to bitch but she can NEVER make up her mind! (and seriously…who serves buffet?) I have to tell Brian to make the necessary changes if not they are going to charge us. Urk…extra work for me! I have to make changes to my schedule. Hello…I’ve made 10 drafts already!
Why did Shan choose a black halter dress? Yes the wedding is a performance but it is not your dance recital! Who cares if its Blum and Co. Tsk tsk….Shan Shan…It’s your big day! I don’t want you to look like an ugly duckling!
I hope Brian will not screw up the cake.

Baker Brian explains what's cooking in the wedding dinner kitchen

Super super loooooooong day…

Super super loooooooong day…

brian, prav and i did our food tasting at Gustos… it was good!! No joke!! Good choice brian…. hahaha...i had to eat the aglio olio but it tasted pretty good...better than normal la...and then we have the kebabs and the chocolate fondue and the cake brian is gonna make and all e alcohol!!! loving it all over again!!! and then prav and i settled the deco stuff with christine...brian had a thing going with her man!!! Hahaha…we got discount sumore!!! keeping fingers crossed...hopefully all the tables can go black...and then prav;s proposal will come alive for all to see!!! :P my romantic bf....

then came the second part of the day....getting ready for a mini photo-shoot ....had a few ties from pa n boi....wasnt sure which one thou...luckily geri and her makeup person came early!! But tat lady was soooo weird!! KUNG FU HAIRSTYLE!!!! hahahhaha....scary mary...

den she started tearing my 4strands of hair and making it look lovely...geri just clicked and clicked as I was getting my eyes done….prav got his face done and we were late....hmmm....but sharon n kenneth were having super fun too!!! hahaha....such cool stuff!!!

and in all this mess, i forgot to call kavitha.....my best fren from primary 1!!!! when i called her jus now, she screamed at me....well i did deserve it.... :(

Possible hairstyles

So tomorrow the make up artist cum hairstylist is going to work on Shan's hair, as a demo/try out before the actual thing. Shan said that I should suggest some possible designs for her as well as for myself. So I took a look at some magazines to get some inspiration. Here are some options that I found:


Thought this would be really nice for Shan! The flowers can be fresh baby's-breath, weaved into curls in her hair. It's good for medium length hair like Shan's.

This could be another nice option for Shan. She says she doesn't mind if her hair is bunned up in a French chignon kinda style.
I could lend her some accessories to create this look, or we could just use the tiara that she bought already, on a hairstyle like this one.


As for me I think I'll probably just go for a long mess of waves at the back :) and a flower at the side. I think the hairstylist SHOULD be able to manage that:

saree shopping

we did shopping for my saree!!! It was such a looooooooooong daysumore day after deepavalli… sleep deprived…aunty insisted I buy a red saree….my mom, well she din say it, but we all usually use yellow…..haiya…was the first moment when I HAD to make up my mind….hmmm…well I wanted something a bit different….plus thankfully prav already bought a blue jibba suit, I didn’t need to take sides!!! Lalalala!!! so I jus insisted on blue to match his suit!! :P was really glad I didn’t have to pick sides…I personally like yellow but if I went wid tat, it is as though I’m not listening to his mom…hmmm…the delicate in-law balance…one wrong move and you are out-lawed….

stag night

I have personally volunteered Pravin’s stag night! I have roped Brian into help! My first stag party, indeed. Brian and I decided to hire a stripper for him, much to Shantini’s dismay but Brian really had good idea: since Ris Low no longer representing Singapore for Miss World, we wonder if she is free for us to engage her in for the party? It will be BOOMZ if we can… and it must be leopard prinze bigini – to start with. Maybe get her to jump out of a cake and yell SUR-PLISE! BOOMZ!

Obviously there will be plenty of alcohol… hmm who’s flying these days? Must get duty free!

The coordinating is really driving me crazy!

The coordinating is really driving me crazy! The venue is gorgeous! But looking at what they are providing or rather not providing, we have to rent/outsource EVRYTHING!
I think I am really going to burst her budget! I need to start sourcing for cheaper alternatives without compromising the quality of the production, performance wedding! What’s wrong with me? Its Shanthini’s wedding! I don’t want to use any performance theory to analyze her wedding! What has Theatre Studies done to me! Anyway, yes… think Caleb think! Where to get cheaper alternatives!
I’m just glad How Ngean and Brian are taking care of some of the logistics. Thank god! Flowers check! Alcohol/Booze Check! What’s an Indian wedding without alcohol rite? (internal joke) I really hope everything turns out well.
Need to sort out everything at our next meeting.
What am I going to wear?

Choosing the march-in song

So Shan needed my advice on which songs are best for the wedding march-in. Caleb already managed to form a very nice list of all the songs that could be played on loop in the background as the lounge music for the guests etc. :P Now for the *jang jang* songs that will introduce the happy couple!
We thought about using a couple of popular bollywood tunes that Praveen and Shan love, but that has the possibility of excluding some of the other guests like their colleagues who might not be the sort who watches bollywood movies; besides, Shan intended her dinner to be "posh" and "black-tie", so perhaps something like big band music or jazz?
Nat King Cole's L-O-V-E is always a possibility. I told Shan that if she likes, my a cappella group can even sing it Live for her as she walks in :) she seems to like the idea, and told me that she'll consider.
Alternatively, we could even get a couple of friends to form a mini string quartet to play a song. Emma one of my friends' is a professional pianist and Jocelyn can play the cello pretty well, I have the music score for John Schmidt's rearrangement of blending Taylor Swift's 'Love Story' and Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida". Shan was very excited at that possible song choice. So I guess these are the two shortlisted songs :)

Here's a version of the wonderful 'Love Story + Viva la vida' arrangement:

we found a place we found THE place!!!!!

we found a place we found THE place!!!!! My dad’s recommendation!!! prav loved it!! 1. aircon, 2. facination with city skyline 3. would be dark at night and 4. shan loved it... :) since it was prav and my first ever official function we were throwing for our family and close friends, we made all decisions...hahaha...i dare say venue was my decision strongly supported by praveen! :P

made couple of phone calls and TEAM WEDDING arrived!!! Love how excted my frens are for me…. J Kenneth said no prob with the lighting for photography and the skyline would be oki to take!!! Geri said my black gown wud look fantabulous and the red/black theme would be a hit!! Caleb as always only interested in how many powerpoint socket there were…..sigh….brian being brian insisted tat I get Christine to view also!! Hahahaha…something is DEF going on….how ngean’s Indian-influened showed itself when he went “there is a bar!!!!” hahahhahaa….love my pals!!! Wooohoooot!!! Just on cloud 9 already!!!

update

Haha. Shantini’s having a tough time writing her vows! She was the one who wanted to personalise wedding vows. “I am not romantic at all! How am I going to write mushy things??? Pravin will have no problem ‘cuz he is more romantic than I am,” rolling her eyes. But the girl loves Pravin. Awwww…

Moving on to serious logistics: Shan has OK’ed the choice of wines and also champagne. And we found out that Brian has suggested an orange cake with Grand Marnier… YUM!

Venue recce: we all went to see The Pod. It’s really spacious and for just 12 tables, we can perform a dance there! Ok, as if one production, re: Shantini’s wedding, is not enough. Oh hell, how did I get into this??? It’s no joke struggling three courses in uni, being research assistant, and, doing this wedding. But it will be fun. And, I must say that Shan and Co. really did welcome me into the fold with open arms.

Good grief, Caleb (our DJ), why don’t you kill us with sugar. He showed us the list of love songs he compiled. Hmm.. am not sure how the unromantic Shantini will take to the song list but I guess weddings are not just for the couple. It’s a performance. A public performance to validate the coming together of two people. We have family members and friends who become the audience and spectators of the ceremony and the act of coming together. Oh help. I am expounding performance theory here. Shut up already.

Recce Day.

Recce Day. The place is lovely. Shan and Praveen are having the wedding at The Pod, the swanky place where the National Library is. It is rather appropriate I must say – cosy, lovely view of the city and the city lights. Caleb was hitting on the bartender… oooh love is in the air! The flowers have also been decided on. The Pod is going to be filled with the fragrance of a thousand roses and many sprigs of forget-me-nots. We ought to do an American Beauty-esque type of poster with Shan and Praveen decked head to toe with rose petals and blow it up to A40 size J Time to get working on the cake… I feel hungry just thinking about it!
Just to make sure I can see the instructions properly on 1 page, I’ve decided to put down our email correspondence:

-----Original Message-----From: BrianTo: Shanthini Subject:
RE: wedding cake
oki sure!! will leave it to u!! jus as long as its big, classy and shan-ism...hahahahhhaa....

.-----Original Message-----
From: BrianTo: Shanthini S
ubject: RE: wedding cake no lah... you cut the bottom tier... actually really depends.the thing is if having the cake on top of the styrpfoam, it'll be top heavy. not too good an idea.B

-----Original Message-----From: Shanthini To: BrianSubject:
RE: wedding cake yes ur rite! the one with the monogram and scattered rose petals with red dots right. squareish one thats white.We like it wif the plate tat sticks out and the seperate tiers. ie jus like the picture la...so tat it will look tall and classy. Plus we like e gold finishes of the plate also. wud go well with the overall deco.Our choice is Orange/Citrus with Grand Marnier. sounds yummy!!!! Plus it will be different from our dessert spread whcih wud be primarily chocolate/vanilla.I am not sure how the dummy thingy works but yes sure! I'll jus leave it to u... jus as long as it looks elegant and classy can already!Jus to check, is it possible to make the top tier real instaed of the bottom one? since we will be cutting the top rite?thanks for the cupcakes deal brian!!! but really i dowan you to be baking all saturday....its a party for all of us to enjoy u noe!! anyway indian kids (only my 3 nephews and niece) SHUD be introduced to alcohol sooner or later!! hahahahaha!!!! so no need to burn out with tat dude...thanks again though!!!if u got sample of this cake prav n i wud love to try la...cos it sounds interesting n funky but we dunno how it wud tatste...k go get ur suit ready!!!!!! woooohoooot!!!!!

-----Original Message-----From: BrianTo: Shanthini
Subject: RE: wedding cake
Just to confirm, it's the one with the monogram and scattered rose petals with dots right?It's a design I could work with. If we are looking at fifty people, that should be about 4 - 5kg of cake. What I could do, is that I make the first tier out of real cake and then instead of getting the dummy from the cake supplies supplier which is quite unworth-it for you and myself, I could purchase Styrofoam myself from artfriend and the top 2 tiers will be fake. This will cut the cost substantially for you. Would you prefer separate tiers like the picture or would you prefer the tiers joined together like in Row 2 third picture from left?As for cheesecake, if you want icing, than cheesecake and icing cannot go together. 1.The moisture from the cheesecake will cause the fondant to melt so it'll look like globs, ie disaster. 2.icing plus cheesecake = very bad tasting cake. If you want to stick to the cheesecake, then it can only be cheesecake alone without icing. Probably can decorate with fresh flowers.Some flavours that you can consider are:Orange/Citrus with Grand MarnierMadagascar Vanilla with Baileys ganacheCoffee with kahluaChocolate-Cherry with kirschVanilla with rum-soaked raisinsChocolate with hazelnut liquerBecause you are my friend, I could do a non-alcoholic version of the wedding cake for kids, in the form of cupcakes, say 20 cupcakes for free.-Brian

-----Original Message-----From: Shanthini To: Brian
Subject: wedding cake
hey brian!!!this one we tot looks simple and elegant.http://galleries.frugalbride.com/html_ver/gallery.php?curr_page=12nd row first picture.Can make it for just 50 people to eat? I will be very sad if it goes to waste.Also, if it is simple like this, possible to make it in cheesecake flavour? Cos i not sure..hehe...if cannot den we just stick to orange.thanks!!!!cheersshan

Menu?

White: Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Red: Nederburg Pinotage

Bubbly: Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Rose

It’s the perfect mix for the appetisers, actually. Even the chicken kebabs will be nicely washed down with any of the three.

I must say Shan and Pravin did a fine job with the menu. It’s got good stuff in it. Won’t give too much away since it’s still early days. Kudos to caterer Gustos too; have actually heard great things about them. Can’t wait.

Caleb stresses about the Wedding Day Programme

1st draft of Weding Run Down

1st draft of Weding Run Down
3pm:Arrive at Venue (The POD)
3-4pm:Setting up of tables (Flowers to arrive at 3.15pm)
4-5pm: Setting up of stage and logistics
5-6pm:Setting up of bar and reception
6-6.30pm:Buffer Time for touch up
7pm:Guests to arrive
7.15-7.50pm: Pre Dinner Reception
8pm: Arrival of Bride and Groom
8.15pm: Dinner to commence
9.30pm: Speeches from Bride and Groom
9.45pm: Champagne Toast
10.30pm: Dinner to end

Well..nothing always go according to plan anyway. So what’s the point of having s

I hope Shan like the songs I’ve chosen!

I hope Shan like the songs I’ve chosen!
1. Nothing Compares To You. Sinead O’Connor
2. Close To You. The Carpenters
3. Power of Love. Jennifer Rush
4. Love Me Tender. Elvis Presley
5. I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You. Elvis Presley
6. Just the Way You Are. Billy Joel
7. When You Say Nothing At All. Ronan Keating
8. From This Moment On. Shania Twain
9. You Made Me Love You. Al Jolson
10. How Deep Is Your Love. Bee Gees

*lovessssssssss*

Cake

We managed to shortlist a number of designs for the cake! I was pushing for a topsy-turvy cake, but eventually we settled for a pristine and traditional cake done in white icing and adorned with gold and red roses. Some of the design possibilities include:

So Geraldine, Caleb and How Ngean, my wedding planners in cahoots what do you think? Maybe we should hire a stripper to jump out of the cake :)

It’s been an amazing journey

It’s been an amazing journey the last two months. First, registering into National University of Singapore (NUS) end of July, diving fully into Phd, followed by decisions over which modules to take – which was governed by the fact that they had to be continuous assessment, I will fail exams – and then getting to know new course mates.

Yes, that’s the point of this blog. New course mates who became friends, who in turn became co-organisers for a wedding! Shantini’s wedding to be exact. Well, I’m just helping out with the wedding dinner. Rewind: TS5101. Shantini Manokaran, Geraldine Yeoh, Caleb Lee and Brian Tan. Masters students in the theatre studies department. Oh boy, what a bunch. Intelligent and garrulous, they welcomed me into the department. You know, for someone who didn’t even know what the heck was the ‘IVLE’ (that’s another blog, eh?) on the NUS website, the guys sorted me out.

So, next thing you know, I am helping out this crazy bunch of people with Shantini’s wedding dinner on 9 November 2009. At the National Library in The Pod. It’s actually quite a romantic venue even though Shan has sworn she is no romantic. A nice panoramic view of the city skyline, and what more in the evening the view would be quite spectacular.

So, I contributed what I knew best: alcohol! So, the good about this wedding dinner is that Shantini is having a full-service bar. So, Shantini’s brief to me was to make sure that there was copious of white wine. Good white wine. So, of course the first thing that came to my mind was Osyter Bay Sauvignon Blanc! AND, Shan said, “Don’t worry about the cost.” WOO HOO.

Possible venues

Shanthini is really quite last minute in planning alot of things lah... Today I found out that she STILL hasn't decided where to host the wedding! How can this be? It's like only a month away, doesn't she know that people pre-book venues a year or more in advance?... worried for her. We hashed out possibilities...There's always her father's house (but that means the wedding party will have to be really small), and we joked about having it in the void deck... :P There are other possibilities... we could try booking Botanic Gardens (that will be quite romantic), or the NUS Guildhouse (not so romantic)... hotel dinners are out because it's not really Shan's kinda thing. Sentosa maybe? A beach wedding is highly possible, especially since Shan told me before that her first real date with Praveen was at the beach :) Shan's father also suggested the National Library, apparently there's a private function room there... interesting... wonder what she'll decide on.

I’m exhausted! Today was so tiring!!

I’m exhausted! Today was so tiring!!
Being a wedding coordinator is really not an easy task! I didn’t know it would be this hard. Plus it’s my 1st time. But what to do? Shanthini is my Indian BFF and I really want to do my best for her. Oh gosh I can’t believe she is getting married. It seems like only yesterday that I’ve known her. I’m super super happy for her. Suddenly everyone seems to be getting married. SK, Shan….SHARON SAB WHEN IS IT YOUR TURN?
The POD is is a good choice! I’m sure it’ll look fabulous at night!! Twinkle twinkle! So romantic (I can’t believe I’m gushing). I can’t wait to go check the site out!
Oh Gosh! Exactly 1 month to the big day! Better get started tomorrow!
*excited excited*

menu

I was discussing the menu with Shan and Praveen, and after a long and tedious board meeting, we are glad to announce that it would be a sit down Western-styled dinner with the following items:
A choice of Lobster Bisque or Cream of Escargot flavoured with Saffron for the soup;
Oven Baked Large Scallops with Black Truffle and Smoked Norwegian Salmon Salad with Asparagus and Dill Mustard Dressing for the appetisers;
Capellini with Baby Octopus and Mussels in Basil Pesto for the pasta dish;
Choice of Pan-seared Tuna with Baby Potatoes or Grilled King Prawns for the mains;
And finally, with a sweet and happy ending of a Dessert Platter containing Tiramisu, Italian Gelato, Hazelnut Praline and Strawberry Mascarpone Trifle.

Wonderful food tasting!

Mmmm... Shan is one of the best friends ever in the world, I love her! Haha, but I think I'm saying that only because she brought me for the wedding dinner food tasting! LoL. Yeah, Brian has now being promoted from being just Baker Brian to Food Caterer Brian. He apparently is confident of supervising in the kitchen! Guess all those culinary classes he invested in really paid off. Never knew he had THAT much hidden talent. But honestly, the food was damn good. At first Shan was supposed to bring her mother for the food tasting, but auntie had to run off for a business appointment and so Shan called me down at the last minute ;) I was glad to be of service! Haha.
Brian fed us THREE different types of soup before we settled on the Lobster bisque; there was also a pumpkin based soup and a FRESH mushroom concoction. I voted for the mushroom...but Praveen said that his Princess Shan only deserves the BEST so he would rather pay more for the lobster bisque. So sweet right? :)
I can't quite remember what the appetizers Brian concocted were... some mandarin sorbet thingey with prawn cocktail and then some other seafood scallops.
Halfway through the food tasting I couldn't stomach anymore :P Was afraid that if I ate too much I wouldn't be able to fit into my bridesmaid's dress! The main dish was some fish thing... tuna? Salmon? I'm confused, didn't really eat much of that because I don't eat fish. Brian took note of that and decided there should be another option for the guests who might not like fish then.
What I DO remember though was the dessert! It was like a whole range of mini cakes in the shape of cupcakes! Some ice-cream cake, tiramisu, nutty ganache like creamy mousy textured cake etc... amazing lah. Wish Brian would share his recipes with me one day...

Hmmm…. I wonder which flowers Shan will choose for her wedding

ACACIA: Concealed love, chaste love.
AGAPANTHUS: Love letters, love.
ALIUM: Strength.
ALMOND, FLOWERING: Hope.
ALLSPICE: Compassion.
ALSTROMERIA: Wealth, prosperity, fortune.
ALYSSUM: Worth beyond beauty.
AMARYLLIS: Pride, beauty.
AMBROSIA: Love is reciprocated.
AMERICAN ELM: Patriotism.
ANEMONE: Forsaken, expectation.
ANTHURIUM: Lover.
APPLE BLOSSOMS: Good fortune.
ARBUTUS: Thee only do I love.
ASH TREE: Grandeur.
ASPARAGUS FERN: Fascination.
ASTER: Variety, elegance, daintiness. This purple wildflower was once burned by the ancients because they believed the resulting smoke would drive away evil. It was named for the Latin word for "star." Also known as the birthflower for September.
ASTILBE: I'll still be waiting.
AZALEA: Love, romance, first love, fragile passion, temperance. It is also the Chinese symbol of womanhood.
BABY'S BREATH: Innocence.
BACHELOR'S BUTTON: Single blessedness, felicity, celibacy.
BALSAM: Ardent love.
BAMBOO: Strength, loyalty, steadfastness.
BASIL: Best wishes.
BAY WREATH: Merit reward.
BEECH TREE: Prosperity.
BEGONIA: Be cordial, fanciful nature, beware.
BELLS OF IRELAND: Good luck, gratitude, whimsy.
BIRCH: Meekness.
BIRD OF PARADISE: Magnificence.
BITTERSWEET: Truth.
BLACK POPLAR: Courage.
BLUEBELL: Humility, constancy, grief.
BLUEBERRY: Prayer.
BOUVARDIA: Enthusiasm.
BROOM: Humility, neatness.
BUGLE: Lovable, cheers the heart.
BUTTERCUP: Childishness, riches, ingratitude.
BUTTERFLY WEED: Let me go.
CACTUS: Endurance, warmth.
CALENDULA: Grace, grief, jealousy. Also the birthflower for October.
CALLA LILY: Magnificent beauty. Associated with the sixth wedding anniversary.
CAMELLIA: Gratitude, loveliness.
CAMELLIA, PINK: Longing for you.
CAMELLIA, RED: You're a flame in my heart.
CAMELLIA, WHITE: You're adorable.
CARNATION: Fascination, distinction, divine love, woman, yes. Also the birthflower for January.
CARNATION, PINK: A woman's love, I'll never forget you, mother's love.
CARNATION, PURPLE: Capriciousness.
CARNATION, RED: Alas for my poor heart, admiration, my heart aches for you, friendship, pride, fascination.
CARNATION, STRIPED: Refusal, No, sorry I can't be with you.
CARNATION, WHITE: Innocence, faithfulness, sweet and lovely, pure love, ardent love, good luck. These lovely flowers have lasting qualities, and are often handed out on Mother's Day to symbolize the purity and strength of motherhood. They were handed out at the first Mother's Day service in 1908.
CARNATION, YELLOW: Disdain, rejection, you have disappointed me.
CATTAIL: Peace, prosperity.
CEDAR: Strength.
CHESTNUT TREE: Justice, luxury.
CHRISTMAS/LENTEN ROSE (HELLEBORE): Beautiful year ahead.
CHRYSANTHEMUM: Cheerfulness, optimism, rest, truth, long life, joy. Considered to be a noble flower in Asian culture, mums are used as an object of meditation per a suggestion by Confucius. Also the birthflower for November.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, RED: I love.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, WHITE: Truth, loyal love.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, YELLOW: Slighted love.
CLEMATIS: Clever, intellectual. Associated with the eighth wedding anniversary.
CLOVER, FOUR-LEAF: Good luck, be mine. Faith, hope, love, and luck are represented by the four leaves. If you give your lover a four-leaf clover that you found, you belong to each other.
CLOVES: Dignity.
COLUMBINE: Salvation, strength, wisdom.
COREOPSIS: Cheerful.
CORN: Riches.
CORNFLOWER: Delicacy.
COSMOS: Modesty. Associated with the 2nd wedding anniversary.
COWSLIP: Grace, beauty.
CRANBERRY: Heartache cure.
CROCUS: Cheerfulness, gladness, abuse not.
CYCLAMEN: Resignation, good-bye.
CYPRESS: Mourning, death.
DAFFODIL: Regard, rebirth, new beginnings, unrequited love, you're the only one, chivalry, eternal life. Associated with the tenth wedding anniversary. Also the birthflower for March.
DAFFODIL, SINGLE: Misfortune.
DAFFODIL, SEVERAL: Joy, happiness.
DAHLIA: Instability, dignity, forever, good taste. Associated with the fourteenth wedding anniversary.
DAISY: Innocence, loyal love, I'll never tell, purity, love that conquers all. Associated with the fifth wedding anniversary.
DANDELION: Faithfulness, happiness, love's oracle.
DAY LILY: Coquetry, Chinese emblem for mother. Associated with the twentieth wedding anniversary.
DELPHINIUM: Big-hearted, fun.
DOGWOOD: Durability.
ELDER: Zealousness.
ELDERBERRY: Zeal, kindness.
ELM: Dignity.
EREMURUS: Endurance.
EUPHORBIA: Persistence.
FENNEL: Strength, praise.
FERN: Sincerity, magic, fascination, confidence, shelter.
FEVERFEW: Good health.
FILBERT: Reconciliation.
FIR: Time.
FLAX: Domestic symbol, fate, kindness.
FLEUR-DE-LIS: Flame.
FLYTRAP: Deceit.
FORGET-ME-NOT: True love, hope, remembrance, memories.
FORSYTHIA: Anticipation.
FOXGLOVE: Insincerity.
FREESIA: Innocence, thoughtfulness.
FUSCHIA: Taste. Associated with the third wedding anniversary.
GARDENIA: You're lovely, secret love, joy, sweet love, good luck.
GARLIC CHIVES: Protection, courage, strength.
GERANIUM: Stupidity, folly, comfort, gentility. Associated with the fourth wedding anniversary.
GINGER: Strength, safe, pleasant, warming, comforting.
GLADIOLUS: Strength of character, remembrance, infatuation, splendid beauty, give me a break, I'm really sincere, flower of the Gladiators, admiration, tells recipients that they pierce the heart like a sword. Because the gladiolus has blade-shaped leaves, the name comes from the Latin word gladius which means sword. Also the birthflower for August.
GLOXINA: Love at first sight.
GOLDENROD: Encouragement.
HAZEL: Reconciliation.
HEATHER, LAVENDER: Admiration, solitude, beauty.
HEATHER, WHITE: Protection, wishes will come true.
HEN-AND-CHICKENS: Welcome home husband however drunk you are.
HIBISCUS: Delicate beauty.
HOLLY: Foresight, defense, domestic happiness, enchantment.
HOLLY BERRIES: Christmas joy.
HOLLYHOCK: Ambition, fruitfulness. Associated with the thirteenth wedding anniversary.
HONEYSUCKLE: Bonds of love, generous, devoted affection.
HOPS: Mirth.
HOSTA: Devotion.
HUCKLEBERRY: Simple pleasure.
HYACINTH: Sport, play, games, rashness, flower dedicated to Apollo.
HYACINTH, BLUE: Constancy.
HYACINTH, PURPLE: I am sorry, sorrow, please forgive me.
HYACINTH, RED OR PINK: Play.
HYACINTH, WHITE: Loveliness, I'll pray for you.
HYACINTH, YELLOW: Jealousy.
HYDRANGEA: Thank you for understanding, frigidity, heartlessness, heartless.
IRIS: Wisdom, Fleur-de-lis, emblem of France, valued friendship, faith, hope, valor, my compliments, passion. Associated with the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
IRIS, BLUE: Faith, hope.
IRIS, PURPLE: Wisdom, compliments.
IRIS, YELLOW: Passion.
IRIS, WHITE: Purity.
IVY: Fidelity, wedded love, friendship, affection, marriage.
IXIA: Happiness.
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT: Associated with the seventh wedding anniversary.
JACOB'S LADDER: Come down.
JASMINE, WHITE or INDIAN: Amiability , I attach myself to you, sensuality, attachment.
JASMINE, SPANISH: Sensuality.
JASMINE, YELLOW: Grace, elegance.
JONQUIL: Sympathy , love me, affection returned, desire.
JUNIPER: Protection.
LADY'S SLIPPER: Capricious beauty, win me.
LAMB'S-EARS: Support.
LANTANA: Rigour.
LARKSPUR: Fickleness, ardent attachment, levity, lightness. Also the birthflower for July.
LARKSPUR, PINK: Fickleness.
LARKSPUR, PURPLE: First love.
LAUREL: Glory, success.
LAVENDER: Devotion, happiness, success, luck, distrust.
LEATHERLEAF FERN: Fascination.
LEMON BLOSSOMS: Faithful love.
LILAC: Youthful, humility, confidence.
LILY: Majesty, wealth, pride, innocence, purity.
LILY, WHITE: Purity, modesty, virginity, majesty, it's heavenly to be with you. The white lily is linked to Juno, the queen of the gods in Roman mythology, by the story that while nursing her son Hercules, some excess milk fell from the sky creating the group of stars we call the Milky Way, and lilies were created from what milk fell to the earth. The Easter lily is also known as the symbol of the Virgin Mary.
LILY, ORANGE: flame, I burn for you.
LILY, YELLOW: I'm walking on air, false, gay.
LILY OF THE VALLEY: Return of happiness, purity of heart, sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary, you've made my life complete, humility, happiness, love's good fortune. The legend of the lily of the valley is that it sprang from Eve's tears when she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It is also believed that this flower protects gardens from evil spirits. Also known as the flower of May.
LIVE OAK: Liberty.
LOTUS BLOSSOM: Estranged love.
MAGNOLIA: Dignity, love of nature, nobility.
MAPLE: Reserve.
MARIGOLD: Affection, cruelty, grief, jealousy. The marigold was called Mary's Gold by early Christians who placed garlands of marigolds by statues of the Virgin Mary.
MARIGOLD, POT: Grief, despair.
MARJORAM: Blushes.
MIMOSA: Sensitivity.
MINT: Virtue, warmth, protection.
MISTLETOE: Kiss me, affection, to surmount difficulties, sacred plant of India.
MONKSHOOD: Beware, a deadly foe is near, danger.
MORNING GLORY: Loves you, affection. Associated with the eleventh wedding anniversary.
MOSS: Maternal love, charity.
MULBERRY TREE: Wisdom.
MUSHROOM: Suspicion.
MYRRH: Gladness.
MYRTLE: Love, Hebrew emblem of marriage.
NARCISSUS: Egotism, conceit, self love, self admiration, formality, stay as sweet as you are. Also known as the birthflower for December.
NASTURTIUM: Conquest, victory in battle, patriotism. Associated with the fortieth wedding anniversary.
NIGHTSHADE: Truth.
OAK LEAVES: Bravery.
OAK TREE: Hospitality.
OLEANDER: Caution.
OLIVE BRANCH: Peace.
ORANGE BLOSSOMS/FLOWERS: Purity, innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness, fertility, pure loveliness, chastity.
ORANGE, MOCK: Deceit.
ORANGE TREE: Generosity.
ORCHID: Rare beauty, love, refinement, beautiful lady, Chinese symbol for many children, mature charm, beauty, long life. Associated with twenty-eighth wedding anniversary.
PALM LEAVES: Victory, success.
PANSY: Receipient is being thought about, loyalty. The flower's name comes from the French word pensée which means thought or remembrance. Because pansies often have three colors in one blossom, they have been symbolic of the Trinity. Associated with the first wedding anniversary. Engaged couples placed garlands of pansies around their portraits.
PAPERWHITE: Aphrodisiac due to its intoxicating scent. It is also the national flower of Wales because it often blooms on March 1st which is St. David's feast day, Wales' patron saint.
PARSLEY: Festivity, thanks, gratitude.
PEACH BLOSSOMS: Captive, unequalled qualities, longevity.
PEAR BLOSSOMS: Affection.
PEAR TREE: Comfort.
PEONY: Bashfulness, shame, happy life, happy marriage, good health, prosperity. Associated with the twelfth wedding anniversary.
PEPPERMINT: Cordiality, warmth.
PERIWINKLE: Friendship.
PETUNIA: Resentment, anger, don't despair, your presence soothes me.
PHLOX: Unanimity, united hearts, united souls.
PINE: Pity, warm friendship, vigorous life, spiritual energy.
PINE CONE: Conviviality, life.
PINEAPPLE: Perfection.
PINKS: Boldness.
PLUM TREE: Fidelity, longevity.
POMEGRANATE: Foolishness, elegance.
POPLAR: Courage, time.
POPPY: Eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination. Associated with ninth wedding anniversary.
POPPY, RED: Pleasure, consolation.
POPPY, WHITE: Consolation, sleep, rest.
POPPY, YELLOW: Wealth, success.
PRIMROSE: Happiness, satisfaction, I can't live without you.
PRIMROSE, EVENING: Happy love.
PUSSY WILLOW: Illness recovery.
QUEEN ANNE'S LACE: Haven.
QUINCE: Temptation.
RANUNCULUS: You are radiant with charm, radiant charm, attractive.
RHODODENDRON: Danger, caution.
RHUBARB: Advice.
ROSE: Love, passion, perfection. The rose was named for the Latin word rosa which means red. It has been a symbol of love since ancient times. Associated with the fifthteenth wedding anniversary. It is also known as the birthflower of June.
ROSE, BURGUNDY: Beauty within.
ROSE, CORAL: Desire.
ROSE, DARK CRIMSON: Mourning.
ROSE, HIBISCUS: Delicate beauty.
ROSE, LAVENDER: Love at first sight, enchantment.
ROSE, LEAF: You may hope.
ROSE, MOSS: Confessions of love.
ROSE, ORANGE: Fascination, display feeling of enthusiasm.
ROSE, PEACH: Desire, gratitude, appreciation, admiration, sympathy, modesty.
ROSE, PINK: Happiness, appreciation, admiration, friendship, sympathy.
ROSE, DARK PINK: Thankfulness.
ROSE, LIGHT PINK: Grace, gladness, joy, perfect happiness, please believe me, gratitude, admiration, gentility.
ROSE, RED: Love, passion, respect, courage, I love you, beauty, pure and lovely, prosperity.
ROSE, DEEP RED: Un-self-conscious beauty.
ROSE, SINGLE, FULL BLOOM: I love you, I still love you, new love.
ROSE, BUD, SMALL: Pure and lovely, beauty and youth, a heart innocent of love, confession of love.
ROSE, THORNLESS: Love at first sight.
ROSE, WHITE: Innocence, purity, secrecy, I am worthy of you, silence, friendship, truth, virtue, girlhood, humility spiritual love, but of the soul, reverence, charm, happy love.
ROSE, WHITE, DRIED: Death is preferable to loss of virtue.
ROSE, YELLOW: Joy, friendship, true love, decrease of love, jealousy, try to care, freedom, slighted love, shows "I care", gladness.
ROSES, BOUQUET, MATURE: Gratitude.
ROSES, RED & WHITE TOGETHER: Unity, flower emblem of England.
ROSES, YELLOW & RED TOGETHER: Happiness, congratulations.
ROSES, YELLOW & ORANGE TOGETHER: Passionate thoughts.
ROSEMARY: Remembrance, devotion, purity, rebirth.
SAGE: Virtue.
SALAL: Zest.
SCABIOUS: Unfortunate love, widowhood.
SHAMROCK: Light heartedness.
SMILAX: Loveliness.
SNAPDRAGON: Deception, dazzling, gracious lady, presumption.
SNOWBALL: Bound.
SNOWDROP: Hope.
SORREL: Wit, affection.
SPEARMINT: Warm sentiment.
SPIDER FLOWER: Elope with me.
STAR OF BETHLEHEM: Purity.
STATICE: Sympathy, remembrance, success.
STEPHANOTIS: Happiness in marriage, desire to travel.
STOCK: Lasting beauty, bonds of affection, promptness, you'll always be beautiful to me, happy life.
STRAW, BROKEN: Broken contract.
STRAW, WHOLE: Union.
STRAWBERRY: Esteem, love.
SUNFLOWER: Follows the sun as it grows, adoration, haughtiness, devotion. "I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower. For me that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life." - Chris's (Helen Mirren) comment in the movie, "Calendar Girls."
SWEET BASIL: Good wishes.
SWEET PEA: Lasting pleasure, good-bye, departure, blissful pleasure, thank you for a lovely time, I think of you. Supposedly this delicate flower was named by the poet John Keats. Associated with the thirtieth wedding anniversary. Also known as the birthflower of April.
SWEET WILLIAM: Gallantry, smile, finesse.
SYCAMORE: Curiosity.
THISTLE: Retaliation, austerity.
THYME: Activity.
TREE OF LIFE: Old age.
TRUFFLE: Surprise.
TRUMPET FLOWER: Fame.
TUBEROSE: Dangerous pleasure.
TULIP: Perfect lover, frame, flower emblem of Holland.
TULIP, RED: Believe me, declaration of love, fame.
TULIP, VARIEGATED: Beautiful eyes.
TULIP, YELLOW: Hopeless love, there's sunshine in your smile.
TURNIP: Charity.
VALERIAN: Accommodating disposition.
VERONICA: Fidelity.
VINE: Intoxication.
VIOLET: Modesty, faithfulness, innocence, understated beauty, you're in my thoughts. Worn by the ancient Greeks to induce sleep and to calm tempers. Associated with the fifieth wedding anniversary. Also known as the birthflower of February.
VIOLET, BLUE: Watchfulness, faithfulness, I'll always be true.
VIOLET, PURPLE: Thoughts of you, blue love.
VIOLET, WHITE: Let's take a chance, youthful innocence.
VIOLET, YELLOW: Love of country.
WALNUT: Intellect.
WATER LILY: Purity of heart.
WHEAT: Friendliness, riches.
WILLOW, WEEPING: Mourning.
WISTERIA: Welcome.
WITCH HAZEL: A spell.
WOODBINE: Fraternal love.
WORMWOOD: Absence.
XERANTHEMUM: Cheerfulness under adverse conditions.
YARROW: Healing, sorrow.
YEW: Sorrow.
ZEPHYR: Expectation.
ZINNIA: Thoughts of absent friends, in memory of an absent friend.
ZINNIA, SCARLET: Constancy.
ZINNIA, WHITE: Goodness.
ZINNIA, YELLOW: Daily remembrance.
Sources:Crowell, Robert L. The Lore & Legends of Flowers, 1982.Greenaway, Kate. Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers, 1978.Laufer, Geraldine Adamich. Tussie-Mussies: The Victorian Art of Expressing Yourself in the Language of Flowers, 1993.Loewer, Peter. Loves Me, Loves Me Not: The Hidden Language of Flowers, 2006.

Hmmm…. I wonder which flowers Shan will choose for her wedding… possibly the Rose, a symbol of love and passion… and Forget-Me-Nots are nice and meaningful too.

Bridesmaid dress shopping

Oh my goodness, I never thought that finding the perfect bridesmaid's dress was going to be THAT difficult.
Shanthini suggested that I get a lavender purple dress, and I immediately agreed because I love that colour and especially that shade of purple, but apparently it is REALLY DIFFICULT to find LIGHT LILAC LAVENDER purple dresses! I found a dozen or so dark purple or maroon ones, in Isetan (Shaw), Takashimaya, and a couple in Far East Plaza, but nobody seemed to be carrying pretty lavender coloured ones! Daniel Yan was hopeless, their designs usually cater more for taller and slimmer women, and the only purple dress they had was a short one with a bubble skirt that just wasn't very flattering...anyway it was a dark purple :(
So far the best options I could find were:

Cost: $89.90
This one was found on one of the second floor shops in Far East Plaza, it's a light purple but...not exactly the right sheen or style for a bridesmaid's dress, it looks more like a workdress! Too plain!

Next one I found was:

Also from one of the Far East shops (but tucked in a corner on the third floor). I actually really like this one. Don't you Shan? The ribbon is really unique. Problem is...it's damn expensive...
Cost: $280.
Hmm... I think I can find something better at a lower price.

Third one I found was:

Cost: $70
From a shop in Bugis Junction (got the namecard somewhere...)
The material is a soft chiffon that I kinda like, but I don't fancy the design around the neckline... think the belt also doesn't accentuate the figure enough... hmm.. how Shan? Which do you prefer? I think I'll continue scouting and only make a decision at the end of next week...

You know you are getting old when you start receiving wedding invitations

You know you are getting old when you start receiving wedding invitations from the friends from your batch and of course when you receive them in the mail, your own parents start to question you, no, make that grill, you about your own wedding and when you are going to tie the knot. No, I don’t intend to get married, well, not yet anyhow. If I do, I’ll have the wedding in the winter depths of ice-cold Russia. Imagine getting married in Singapore and having to do the wedding photographs in your tuxedo and wedding gown under the flaming hot sun with bead after endless bead of perspiration trickling down your face and chin and nose… That’s not something I would want.
Well, 2009 is a year when I’ll need bigger wallets and bigger pockets. Everyone I know is either getting their hdb applications or getting married. I have five weddings in December alone to attend! Of course, there’s the wedding of the year in November to look forward to - the beautiful Shanthini is getting married to the suave Praveen (finally!). There is almost a month left to their wedding and I am barely through getting the preparations done. As things would have it, I’ve been tasked with the flower arrangements, the wedding cake and to liaise with the caterer with regard to the food menu for the day. I am really excited about this – there are so many possibilities. I’m actually getting hungry thinking about the cake.

a home for the bride and groom

My heart literally skipped a beat when I first heard the good news that Shan and Praveen are FINALLY going to get married. :) And then my heart leaped again when I heard that Shan wanted me to be her bridesmaid! It's a real honour. At first I was afraid that I wouldn't be a good bridesmaid because of the cultural difference, was worried that I might make a fool of myself in front of all her relatives and friends during the traditional ceremonies! But luckily Shan comforted me and told me that I only need to be a guest at the traditional wedding (phew!) and I can just help her with the western wedding dinner plans, and hen night and shopping for her gown etc. :) So exciting! We're planning to call our ex-classmates to help out with the wedding! Sharon's bf is a really good photographer (good to let him earn some money in his new photography business (twenty4frames) too ;)) And Brian can bake so well that I'm sure he'll be willing to help bake the cakes...
Anyway, this blog as a whole will help document Shan's wedding planning, so she might have a little keepsake of the wedding for her, from me and our friends, the wedding planners. :) I know a blog is free, and not the most expensive wedding present in the world, but some of us are still starving university students...hahaha...so this is a present from us to you Shan. *hugs*!!! (ok don't worry lah... I'll get you something else for your wedding too ;) maybe some naughty gift for you and Praveen to play with during your honeymoon. lol. )