Long Time Absence

Assalamualaikum dear readers!

Sorry for the extremely long absence in updating this blog. There's no intentions of me to neglect this blog all along but being stuck in a lot of task to be done during the phase of planning my wedding day and at the same time helping few best friends wedding.

But i'm all good now and I wanted to share all the wedding experience to all you bride to be. Some tips InsyAllah where to find stuff and all. I know wedding is getting expensive every year and extravagant.

Without forgetting.

CONGRATULATIONS to those who got hitched recently, last year or days after my last post. A huge congratulations.

Alhamdulillah, I'm now a Married women. Selamat di Ijab Kabul kan berwalikan my father with my other half on the 21st October 2011.

So..

InsyAllah, I will try my best to update on the next post. Maybe on Invitations. Designs, places to find cheap invitation and how to manage guest list.

To the brides to be.. Good luck with the wedding preparation. Patience is always the key. Never panic! ;)

hugs and kisses,
Mrs Inaza

Doorgifts.

Hello all brides to be!

I’ve been absence for quiet sometime.. As always *rolls eye* work overload and feeling exhausted every time I come home late afternoon. I don’t even have the mood to flip open my laptop and check for updates. It was a big mistake to go to work the next day after you came back from a vacation!

Beautiful Bandung. View from the top of Pasar Baru.

Kedai D'Fashion, Pasar Baru, Bandung
Baru satu kadai ne.. atu panuh lace tu kedalam dalam lagi!

My 2^nd trip to Jakarta – Bandung this time is very much fruitful. Alhamdulillah I managed to buy materials for my solemization ceremony, malam ambilan, bought ready-made gorgeous Indonesian kebaya for I don’t know what ceremony yet! I HAD to buy because it’s so beautiful! I might just put it up for rent too. Bought a lot of laces too for upcoming bestfriends wedding function. Seriously, if you go to BANDUNG! It’s a MUST to go to Pasar Baru (for the ladies). We went there twice, our 2^nd trip to Pasar baru were without the guys. We dump them to the factory outlet stores whilst we enjoy the no nagging and all girls shopping spree. 

We just HAD to go there again because I just knew that there’s this lace selling for BND$9.00 for 2.5 meter! Cheap kan.. mana nda boleh jadi gila d sana.. I bought my very much bling crown there for less than BND$100! Sini kalau sewa nyacah $100.00 kan.. bought layah is what you called them? The one that settles on your tudong metal bling flower for about BND$60.00! Mana nda siuk tu kan!? 

I even have thoughts of opening up a mini bridal boutique after I get married.. reasons? Almost ALL my attire are custom made, I bought crowns and layah, I bought this so gorgeous Indonesian kebaya, I have hantaran trays for 24 dulangs, I have bling bling shoes to match with each of the attire and I have good potential to be a wedding planner!

Laces! Name your requirements! They have it!

Anyway, I’ve sorted out the shipment for my wedding door gifts and Alhamdulillah; it has arrived safely yesterday to my home. I was considered lucky to get cheap shipment to Pontianak, Indonesia because the shipping company situated just at the back of Mangga Dua, Jakarta only ships around Indonesia so I had to seek help from family friend to use their address in Pontianak for shipping. So from Pontianak I had to pay someone to bring the doorgifts to Miri,Sarawak then my parents collected from there. 

HAPPY & SORTED! So kirakan bebaloi lah my doorgifts nda semahal I expected it would total up to be. I was dead worried that I had regrets making the doorgifts jauh-jauh kirakan nda balik modal.. but Alhamdulillah syukur balik modal banar.. ehehe

I've also managed to strike off one from the list of hantaran leaving me ONLY one left! 

So for the doorgifts update..

Doorgifts:

Majlis Akad Nikah & Hantar Berian – 3 months before wedding barutah start production.

Majlis Berbedak

(a)Individual Female & Male gifts – DONE! Bought everything in Jakarta, Tanah Abang. Cheap cheap!

(b)Guest Female & Male gifts – DONE! It was all in one go in the shipment.

Majlis Sanding – Alhamdulillah DONE! =) There were 3 defects but Insyallah cukup.

Majlis Berbedak Mandi – Not decided yet, proly kuih kering or cakes?

Majlis Ambil-Ambilan – Not decided yet, proly makanan jua kali..

Ok, enough said.  Till next post soon InsyAllah.

p/s: my chatbox is flooded with spam so I decide to put it down. 

Jakarta Again!

VaavaaVoom! Alhamdulillah... just today I received an official approval on my leave and going overseas. Tickets confirmed, Hotel in Jakarta and Bandung is also confirmed. Appointments with boutiques, vendors confirmed. Transportation also confirmed. Money? *kurik-kurik bank* 


I so can't wait because again i'll be going with my bridesmaid. =) Unfortunately one of my bridesmaid who followed me to Jakarta last december couldn't make it the other join instead. We plan on celebrating one of my bridesmaid hen night too! We'll see how it goes once we arrive there. 


1 Week & 5 Days left until WE ALL GO KAPIH! but luckily we came back right in time on payday... *big grin* 


Ohhh laces... Ohhh laces... Ohh Laces.... Here we come!! 
Ohhh Bakso... Ohhh Bakso... Ohh Bakso... Here we come!!
Ohhh Teh Botol.. Teh Botol... Teh Botol... We crave for you!!


So can't wait to get that indonesian dialect back and utilize it in Indonesia! 


*wide smiles*

Smoothly progressing..

Hello dear readers,

Bare with my super duper long post.. update jua banar bah ahh on progress..

Time passes so quickly without even realizing we’re nearly on the middle of March! Less than 7 months! I’ve been busy helping out my best friend wedding preps so I set aside my preps. I’m pretty much confident now that I have few items out of the list leaving me some bits and pieces.

Venue: Alhamdulillah, I’ve made a deposit to block the date. The manager offered me a new set of pricing i.e. $3 extra for each person i.e. $3.00x 1000 = $3,000! Freaking $3,000 is a lot! But I had to query back since I made the booking last year. Initial plan was to pay the deposit early but the manager went off for a long break so it’s not my fault right? Anyway, VENUE IS CONFIRMED!

Wedding Dais: So far I only liked two vendors out of the five recommended ones. I went for a consult at the vendor sometime last year or sometime in January. Received the quotation too and reasonable since the caterer & venue covered $600 of the pelamin cost. I just have to add few hundreds to get the dream pelamin and few more hundreds for pelamin at home. I did go to other vendors but I don’t have that “click” relationship with them so I settled with this particular vendor. The other half pelamin is also under the same vendor for easy transaction and communication. I feel it’s more convenient that way. What I love about this vendor? This person is so good and friendly; they have nice fake flowers and original design. Gave me good discounts too and packages! Eheee =) WEDDING DAIS CONFIRMED!

Sanding & Berbedak Door gifts: Done and ready for collection. Contacted the vendors in Jakarta and everything is complete that includes the door gifts for the Majlis Malam Berbedak. Its confirm that I’ll be going to Jakarta in 2 weeks time to collect them and sort our the shipment from there. I contacted my friend to check and probably sort out the shipment soon but he told me not to worry since my wedding will be in October! Long time lagi~ hehe

Photographer: This is such a relief~ Paid my photographer full and noting left.  I just love staggering payment or do the month-to-month thing. Didn’t realize that you finished everything months before you’re wedding.

Videographer: Deposit half the amount leaving me to pay half upon completion of the video.

Make up Artist: Done too. Though I need to reconfirm with them just in case they lost the bookings and everything. Scares the hell out of me when I met one of the MUA at my friend wedding who will be doing my Nikah asking me “Eh adakan?” So yea, need to double triple confirm with all of them!

Majlis Muleh 3 Hari Attire: I received some recommendation by few friends that Aaliyah Asmara Boutique in KB makes the best Indonesia kebaya. So I went there, made an appointment to seek for consultation on the fully beaded lace I bought in Jakarta last December. Deborah; the manager emailed me recommend design sketches with quiet reasonable price too. Well I did some research beforehand contacting few Indonesian designers I know asking for a quote. But rethinking that I need to spend few hundreds to buy a ticket there to collect and the hassle to book hotel set a new budget for another Jakarta trip just balances out the cost making one in Aaliyah Asmara. Traveling to Kuala Belait isn’t as far compared to traveling to Jakarta; to go for frequent fittings will also be easier. I’m still thinking of making my solemnization attire at AA but I need to get the perfect fabric or lace in Jakarta soon!

Wedding Attire: Technically had the appointment end of January but we delayed it to maybe after the Jakarta trip. We decided on the colors already so no more color searching and arguing. Deal with this next month of sometime in June.

Invitation: I am yet to visit another company that I heard made cheap invitations but I have one flagged already since they gave me a very good package deal. Will deal with all this like 3-5 months before the wedding. Now is still early.

Tents: I haven’t follow up with this one and only company yet. They promised to visit my house last time but maybe she’s extremely busy and forgot all about it. Need to get the new pricing with them soon.

DIY Projects: Corsage? Not yet. Haven’t think about it. Guest book? Not yet. Bought the materials, paper but no initiative to start yet. My one and only flowergirl flower? Half way done and still hanging unfinished.  

The Hantaran: This is so exciting because we’re almost there! Alhamdulillah!

It is agreed that we’re going for the 15-15 dulang. I wish we could go 7-7 but that’s just impossible.

For him:

1.     Al-Quran, Tasbih & Sejadah: Checked!

2.     Workwear : Checked! Bought last year.

3.     Shoes & Sock : Check for shoes but not for socks.

4.     Watch: Fuhhh such a relief that we finally receive what we ordered! This is the most anticipating item we have been waiting for! Just received them last week!

5.     Grooming Kit: Checked for the perfumes, aftershaves but not the grooming kit yet.

6.     Towel & Toiletries: Checked! =) Good deals at Dubai.

7.     Wallet & Belt: NOT YET! =( Still thinking what to select.

8.     Stationary Set: Checked! =) Bought last year.

9.   Cara Melayu + Tenunan + Sinjang = NOT YET! Relax-relax dulu.

10Chocolates: NOT YET! Relax-relax dulu karang expired!

11Food: Obviously uh-uh!

For Me:

1.     Al-Quran: Not yet. Very picky I am.

2.     Sejadah: Checked!

3.     Telekong: Checked! Bought in Indonesia very cheap!

4.     Jongsarat: NOT YET =( Been planning to go arah kedai tenunan but haven’t had the time.

5.     Watch: Again the most anticipating item. CHECKED! Bought is last year knowing the price of the watch will increase yearly. I can’t wait to wear the precious!

6.     Toiletries & Towel: Checked!

7.     Perfume: Bought only one because it was on clearance Christmas sale in London. More to come..

8.     Make up: NOT YET. Torn between few brands. I might rethink on this. Probably few of the face products that I’m using and less make up.

9.     Shoe: Checked! This is the first thing that we bought for hantaran!

10. Handbag: NOT YET. Waiting for summer sale.

11. Kain: NOT YET. Waiting for new arrivals and new designs.

12. Tudong: NOT YET. Waiting for new arrivals.

Wedding Band: Grrr this will take ages! The other half doesn’t like wearing a ring. So to get the platinum would be such a waste. He recommends silver, I’m cool with that but I am yet to search for my wedding ring and definetly mine will not be silver *LOL* We set a budget but haven’t start searching. Still early don’t you think?

We’re almost there insyALLAH..

Take care all bride to be. =) 

"International" Wedding Fair

The International Mini Wedding Expo

The so called "International" wedding fair is overrated by the media's. Remember years ago there's this wedding exhibition held at the mall where vendors from Malaysia, Singapore and all over came to promote their business with photographers, bridal boutiques and all. It was the boom because I still remember up till now about it. This? Sadly there's only few.. Only two photographer participants from Taiwan/ Singapore "Blue Bay Wedding" and "The Feline Bridal" from Singapore. Forever blooms is handcrafted clay floral flowers also from Singapore. Weirdly; carpets from Iran (?) and bridal arch, some vendors promoting their door gifts. 

I wish that they will think about something BIG.. you know how wedding in Brunei happens like every sunday or saturday night. It will be great that ALL bridal boutiques in Brunei participate. In that way people know the bridal boutique exist. Promote their business! That goes the same to photographers, not only the professional ones but also those newly established business. All the pelamin vendors, gather all the make up artist in Brunei, the designers (?), Florist, Catering, Tents... I'm sure it'll turn to something big and helpful for all the bride to be too. 

Anyhow, despite that small international exhibition.. I got hooked up by one photographer with the packages they offered. It's from the feline bridal in Singapore. They have this tempting package that offers a pre-wedding shoot for $1888! The usual price is $2988. The package includes an outdoor transport, make up and hair do for bride and groom, hand bouquet, free usage of wedding accessories, up to three changes of attire for both, 20 pages of 15'R storyboard album, 20 pages mini album, 1 choice of bed top canvas, and 1 table top like 8R size and dvd copy of the photos taken. The package also include a 3D2N hotel! Tempting right? So we discuss with the lady in charge on the deposit and all, they asked for a minimum $50 deposit to lock the package price. The great thing about it was.. we have like 5 years to do that wedding photo shoot. So even after our wedding we can go to singapore and get photographed with the package we deposited. Without thinking any further, we (me and my girls who's getting married soon too) sealed the deal on the spot because we were tempted with the idea of taking photographs around singapore. Raffles Place, Marina Bay Sands etc. 

Came home... I did some google research about this Feline Bridal... and... I'm left now worried. Read some bad reviews about Feline Bridal and the service they will give when we came there and many more reviews. Sigh. I think we rushed into things but I'm trying now to stay calm and positive. Told the fiance on the package I just sealed with and he suggested we do the photo shoot after the wedding when money is no longer tight and no restriction in photo taking ehee. Good idea! So it'll be sometime in December i guess..  *fingers cross*

So far updates on my wedding preparation is currently nil. I haven't even complete the pomander ball yet because Hokko ran out of that particular flower *pfft* I haven't even start DIY-ing my proposed guest book yet, I also planned on DIY-ing family corsages but I'm slacking.. I contacted my door gift vendors in Jakarta and it'll be completed sometime around 25th February in time for me to arranged the shipment on my march trip to Jakarta. 

HAPPY 27th NATIONAL DAY BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

"Negara Ku Brunei Darussalam"

Semoga Negara Brunei akan sentiasa dalam lindungan Allah dan sentiasa di rahmati.. Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin... 

23rd February 2011

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is something totally random and just for share apart from wedding preparations and sorts. This post is ALL about EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL.

Photo Courtesy of Beauty for Chocolate
The kind that i bought from Supa Save =)

YES! The kind used for cooking pasta and the oil that you dip crusty bread.

So I stumble across a blogger I forgot whom about extra virgin olive oil as A MAKEUP REMOVER! 

Me being so curious and loving the fact that using something pure for the face, I tried it few times already with heavy make up and light make up. The results? Marvelous! I must say it is one the best natural makeup remover I found. I’m not the type that use makeup removers excessively, unless I padded on heavy make up and foundation but I usually use Estee Lauder make up remover or Stage after party make up remover. I’m not very picky and particular as long as it can wipe out the entire make up leaving my skin healthy is fine.

I bought a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive oil, the ones that you can get in supermarkets. Dapped the cotton pad with the oil and I used it directly to my face, it quickly removed all my make up though, it took a little longer to remove the waterproof eyeliner, but it came off eventually. Yes, my face got oily and sticky but it didn’t bother me much. Then I tried to use the Estee lauder makes up remover just to spot check if the oil is doing justice, and YES! It did. No make up residue left in the cotton pad. Then I washed my face with the face wash I’m using, left my skin softer compared too usual and moisturized.

Anyhow, with the power of google, I search for the nutrients, searched for reviews about extra virgin olive oil. Magnificent! This Extra Virgin Olive Oil do wonders to absolutely everything. Well we all know that olive oil is the best oil and most healthy but what it did to the skin? Got to love it.

Photo Courtesy of Google
Stage Make up Remover.
Very good and worth the buy! 

Photo Courtesy of Google
Estee Lauder Make Up Remover is also Good!
Been using it for almost 2 years before i moved to trying Stage.

Olive Oil…

• Has natural vitamin A & E providing strong antioxidants that help repair and renew skin that has been damaged from overexposure to sun, air pollution and other modern day environmental.

• hazards like smoking of fastfood.

• Claims that has anti-aging effects

• Very good natural moisturizer for dry skin

• Reduces the pore size in our skin

• Smooth out wrinkles is the eye and around the face

• Great conditioner for hair, eyelashes helping them grow and stay soft despite daily use of mascara.

• As an exfoliate; by mixing olive oil and sea salt in a rub and massaging it into the dry and scaly skin can remove the dead skin and enrich the healthy skin beneath.

* For even better results. It is best to use cold pressed extra virgin olive fresh oil.

Then I moved on goggling about the health benefits when consumed.

• Key to weight loss! Yes, by using those regular oils in frying, cooking is fatty right? Bad fat. Olive oil? Good fat i.e. weight loss healthily.

• Protection against heart disease due to its high content of antioxidants nutrients it helped control the cholesterol level.  So consuming about tablespoon daily for a week can help reduces that cholesterol level and prevent from heart disease.

• Protection against colon cancer

• Lower blood pressure

• Prevent and reduce Alzheimer’s because this disease is associated with the clogging of arteries caused by cholesterol and saturated fat so replacing fats with olive oil will do wonders.

• Lower the risk of gallstones because olive oil promotes the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones naturally.

No reasons to hate olive oil readers…

I love it to bits! 

Thanks google you made my day.. =)

Cut Some Slack

The DIY Pomander rose turned out lovely i.e the colors but failed to complete. I bought the styrofoam to big and the roses were insufficient to cover half of it. 

I'm too lazy to go to hokko with due to payday and many reckless crazy drivers on the road so I will go there sometime next week to commence back where I left of. 

If I'm not mistaken it was last two weeks that me and my girls went to visit two wedding boutiques to search for the perfect color to wear on our sanding day. We all went with our fiance to get their opinions and what color suits them best and we girls went together to prevent any color clashes. The first boutique we went was in Kiulap. Load of varieties of songket to choose from and what i like about it this boutique, it's arranged accordingly to colors. However, we had a small argument there with the person in charge and cancelled out that boutique. We're now down to two choices. Then we went to the well known boutique in Mabohai, all of us came out happy and content. =) I found the perfect color for our morning reception ceremony and booked the songket for further discussion with the personals. 

Then the wedding preparation just stop there. Last week I did not even flick through my wedding book, did not go to google and search for inspiration. Noting. Just blog hopping on brides to be blogs. 

Eh wait, well I did a little. I went to Miri, Sarawak on Sunday and bought flowers for the decoration on my guest book corner. I hope the "guest book" corner will be utilize efficiently because you know our culture don't really get the "write down a note for the bride and groom" bit. Well, that's not the point, i went to Miri in search for the Foam flower roses. Cinta, situated at Mega Hotel do sell foam rose flower but it's not what i expect, noting near to what i bought in Hokko nor what Wedding Tiara bought in Sabah. Set aside those foam flowers, they do sell very nice artificial flowers too, lilies look great and real. Trays? saw this new arrival trays which i assume is the "in" thing now selling for RM$65.30 each. I will update on the picture soon after I sync my phone. But damn, that's expensive for a tray. At Miri, me and the other half went and browse for bedroom sets, mattress and lighting. Love some, hate few so we will decide along this few months either to execute the plan or continue searching. 

I'm cutting some slack with this wedding preparation simply because it has caused a lot of stress to me. I'm not the only one feeling it but my girls too. Thinking about the planning process, the financial issues.. yea talk about how expensive wedding nowadays are got into us madly! To a point where I told the other half, "Can we not talk about wedding?" and Alhamdulillah, I feel better and at ease. 9 more months to go and out of that 9 months I don't wish to talk about wedding everyday right.. there will be at least a week or two that sums up to around 1 month you've got to cut some slack. I'm not sure if other brides to be is feeling the same way like I do. I'm as excited as all the brides to be too. We all want our wedding to be near perfect right? 

I'll stop my ranting. 

Wishing all the chinese our there Gong Xi Fa Chai! Happy Wabbit New Year  =) and have a lovely holiday.