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. =) 

1 Year Being His Fiancé

9 Ogos 2009 M bersamaan dengan 18 Sya’aban 1430 H

The Dulang for The Engagement Ring

Today marks our 1st year as an engaged couple and with that, I decide to share my story on how we came up with the decision to get engaged. I was still in the UK and was rather surprise when he mentions to take another step forward over the phone. He did give me links on engagement rings choices and diamond sizes to white gold or platinum. But I was silly enough not to get the hint! I guess because the other half loves to talk about evergreen stuff ranging from fashion attire, handbags to jewelry so when he gave those links, I just give him my opinions what I find beautiful not getting the hint! Would you believe that I don’t know anything about diamonds until the other half explains to me the sparkle, the carat and all the details! Anyhow, winter last year; he came to UK and there the parents called the both of us and talked. That it’s best for us to take a step forward in the mist of preparing a wedding as our relationship is almost 5 years that time. I guess he knew that the discussions coming hence, the internet links and ring choices! Simple right? No engagement proposal what so ever, just a discussion made from the parents.


So whilst I was still in UK, the other half visited my parents and told his intentions of his next step forward; engagement. He mentions it over dinner with my parents and my mom thought he was joking and my dad was shocked! Hehe tediam bah my dad and te-stop from makan.. The other half is a spontaneous type of person and just gets direct to the point so that shocked my dad. Both my parents agreed and let I decide the final decision to agree on the engagement. Then over skype, I talked to my mom and she mentions about the other half on his intentions, I just kept quiet and give me sometime to think. Yes, most of the ladies out there would be so excited when it comes to getting engaged but surprisingly, I didn’t get that feeling just maybe because my mind was occupied with dissertation in mind and exams.

My Engagement Ring & Pembuka Mulut Ring

After dissertation and exams, he came to UK again to find the “perfect” engagement ring for me. We did browse through a whole lot of selection around London and I’m torn between choices. Ranging from high end jewelry boutiques from De’Beers to Tiffany & Co. to the regular jewelry shops when I found the perfect one at H.Samuel! The other half insisted on the tiffany princess cut ring but when I tried on it, it doesn’t really suite me that well. Noting Wow & Aww, although the thought of having the blue box with white ribbons do feel tempting but the shoe just doesn’t fit so we search elsewhere. De’Beers engagement rings~ I’ve got to love their designs! The other half loves it too but the price is over the top so we just keep that as one of our wish. We settled on the “Forever Diamonds” it just perfect. I love it because the diamond is lifted by 4 prongs and inside the ring is engraved with the word “forever” with a diamond in its “o”. When the ring got adjusted to my size, paid and collected, from that moment; the feeling is more assure that I’ll be someone’s fiancé soon.


The engagement ceremony was very simple. I had my attire tailored last minute and bought the material at Shimco, luckily my long time tailor Winnie of NIE boutique is being very sweet and kind to complete the attire in less than 1 week with highlights & embroidered. I had my girlfriends helping me out with the make-up and just simple! Mum wanted Ally MUA to do make up but I told her that it’s just an engagement and I don’t want to waste money because I’m not working yet!


The function is fully arranged by the parents, from the tents to the food and beverages and door gifts. The food and beverages came from in-house, my mom has a catering business so that saves cost. The door gifts! I forgot what it was but I think it was this traditional snacks (?) sapit and other kueh kering. The engagement ceremony, Alhamdulillah, everything went well. Noting grand to share about the ceremony, just a ceremony where the elderly discussing on the future wedding plans. I had my best friend and my brother being unpaid photographers for me. I will just share photos of my rings for Pembuka Mulut & Tanda Tunang, as I prefer to stay anonymous for the time being. =)

My Forever Diamonds Engagement Ring

My personal view on bertunangan is it’s a phase for you and your other half to do the wedding preparations; it will certainly test both you and your partner patience. Kata orang-orang tua, “jangan batah-batah mun udah tunang, kawin tah capat-capat” I guess ada benarnya with pesanan dorang pasal... Pertunangan ialah hanya satu komitmen yang belum pasti.. could be a happy ending or the other way round *Nazubillah Minzalik* Protect your pertunangan phase because it is true that telalu banyak dugaan dihadapi, kerana hasad manusia yang dengki, sakit hati dan sebagainya boleh melakukan perkara tidak baik bagi meruntuhkan mahligai yang akan dibina.





GOOD LUCK & STAY STRONG to the engaged couples out there who’s in the mist of preparing your wedding just like me. Sabar-sabar saja cia danger request dari parents, saudara-mara and friends. Patience.

The Pembuka Mulut Ring bought by the fiancé's mother.

Dear fiancé,
Little that we know we’re on our 1st anniversary being engaged. We’ve been through a lot of hurdles throughout our 5 years of relationship but I’m glad that we came to realize that we needed each other. To our happy endings.


With lots of love,
You’re other half.