Friday, February 25, 2011

Going Once! Going Twice! Sold!

I am off the market. No, I have not been sold off. In fact, I have been asked for my hand in marriage. So this would probably mark the end of my wild unrestrained ways and endless pursuits of love and settling down.

So, what on earth happened?

Well, nothing that would shake the earth to its core, just that I received a request to ask for my hand in marriage. And being a true Malay girl, it had to be done in the real traditional way. The guy's family came over to our home, formally asks for father for my hand in marriage. Ain't that sweet?

And these are the photos from our Majlis Bertekul (the traditional Sarawakian term for this ceremony). The term basically means that the guy is putting his claim on the lady *wink*.


The guy's entourage; consisting of his parents, aunties and uncle.

My uncle; appointed to speak on our behalf during the ceremony.

Gifts from the guy; consisting of a piece of thread (symbolic to tie the two of us), duit buka mulut (am unsure what this symbolizes, I'll ask my Grandma for more info), duit tanda bertunang (money symbolizing our engagement) and gold ring (a ring symbolizing that I'm taken); all wrapped in a yellow cloth (a tradition of the guys family bearing their family name).

That's me. The family has to ask for my agreement that binds me to the relationship.

Our elders, my mum, my aunts, the guy's entourage.

This is a relatively small ceremony, as you can see there are not so many attendees. This is usually a private ceremony, signifying the preclude to a bigger ceremony, the wedding itself.

Well, I'll certainly post a few more pics on the Majlis Bertekul in my later post as I haven't transfered all my photos from Nikki to my laptop =)

Cheerio!


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The 10K Affair

It is simply atrocious. Seriously, the prices that people are charging are simply out of this world. Can you imagine a wedding dais costing 10K? You can't?

Let me explain and I'll let you be the judge.

A wedding dais is one of the most important features in a wedding. Why you simply can't have a wedding without having a wedding dais. It is akin to a throne on which sits the bride and the groom. It's their big day and given the theatrical nature that we Malays are blessed with, the wedded couple are to sit on a throne and be king for a day; and dressed like a king and queen, complete with our bridesmaid and best man whose main task is to fan us (lest that telltale sweat spots appear somewhere in the vicinity of our armpits).

This is kinda how a wedding dais looks like:

Photo courtesy of nas-great-ideas; taken from Signature Weddings Asia http://my.signatureweddings.asia/.

Imagine my surprise when I casually asked a certain wedding dais supplier in Kuching and he (just as casually) said that a standard wedding dais would cost 3 - 4K (this is referring to a wedding dais placed in the home of either the bride or groom). The standard wedding dais (from my untrained eyes) consisted of a pair of chairs (which is to be the throne) a few pillars, some swathes of cloth (in various colors) thrown behind the pillars and a few vases of flowers at the side of the chairs. That, in all equals to 3 - 4K.

And for those who aspire to host a larger wedding, (hint: at any hotels or large wedding halls) he informed that a standard wedding dais would cost about 8K and a custom-made wedding dais would cost at minimum, 10K. Can you imagine? 10K? Oh, I forgot to say that the reason for it being so expensive is simply because of the fact that the stage would be larger and larger stages need larger wedding dais (or at the very least the stage needs something to fill it up).

Remember my previous post on upping the wedding budget at a minimum of 20K? Well, with a wedding dais costing 10K can we fit the wedding dress, catering, hall rental, make up, photographer, mc, videographer and any other costs related to the wedding to just 10K? Really, it seems like 20K is simply not enough. Or you might be hosting a wedding without a dais *shucks*. Lets up the ante to 30K this time. But then again, 30K and a lil' bit more would enable you to buying a small-sized car (with cash might I add). Don't you think it's a little outrageous? You know, your once-in-a-lifetime event costing the price of a mid-size car or even a house?

It is an overpriced industry complete with swarming sharks. Why overpriced? Let me illustrate. Should I wish to get married, I need two wedding dais (at least). One for the solemnization ceremony at home due to a tepung tawar (in which the parents, aunts and uncles give their blessing) session by our close relatives. Another wedding dais for the wedding reception (most probably will be held at a wedding hall). So that accounts for two wedding dais, one small and another larger one. Should I opt to the price that the guy mentioned, my cost would be a minimum of 13K. What if I decide to host a smaller wedding celebration for my closest friends and family. That would mean another wedding dais. Does that mean that my wedding dais would cost me 16K (at the very least?).

Brides-to-be be very, very careful on whom you appoint for your big day. You might end up with a huge bill and a miserable time paying for it.

Till next time, Cheerio!


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Friday, February 18, 2011

Fashionista's Movie Review: No Strings Attached


Ashton Kutcher is so delicately charming. And wonderful. And an absolute great boyfriend he'd make. No, make it the perfect boyfriend. On screen, that is.

I really loved the movie. Nope, I didn't mind that Natalie Portman was such a selfish b*tch in the movie. And that I did cry a little when they kinda broke up. Kinda, since there was no relationship to begin with.

This is seriously a chick flick. With lots of fun and laughter and not to mention s*x. But that is to be expected. Since the two of them (Portman and Kutcher) are sex friends. Like, friends who occasionally have sex with each other. Which it seemed to me to be rather often. And anyways, this is how the troubles began.

Well, to be frank, it seems to me that in this movie, Ashton Kutcher seems like the dream boyfriend. Except for the minor fact that he wanted to f*ng*r Portman when he was 15 (well in the movie that was how they met) he seems like a very decent guy, who is so charming and adorable that it's wouldn't be hard to fall for him (besides already falling for his good looks and ribbed torso that is).

But there the movie goes deeper into Portman's peculiarities and her aversion to relationships and getting close to anyone for fear of getting her heart broken.

Well, well. Let me not spoil the movie for you. For lay-dies out there, this is a must see with your girlfriends. You will, and I really mean it, laugh your heart out (*_*)

See you at the movies!!


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Snap! Click!

And there goes your wedding photo.

Seriously there is nothing more disappointing than an overpriced photographer with a set of not-so-flattering photos. It's not like you can host the wedding for a second time just for the sake of photo-taking sessions. To find out that your wedding photos suck two months after the wedding is simply not tolerable. Especially to the brides. Imagine picking out the perfect gown, with the perfect amount of satin and lace and only to find out that you look frumpy in your wedding photos? Gosh, I don't want to pay an exorbitant fee only to get photos that make me look like bridezilla *yikes*.

So, fear not brides-to-be. Here I'm going to share some of my favorite photographers. Some are available in Kuching and some in Semenanjung. With a fee, I'm sure they'll be able to hop on the next plane and fly to your wedding venue =).

First up: Nazar Ibrahim Photography, a dear friend of mine. Had the opportunity to look at his photos first hand and also to be on the other side of his camera.

I really love love the contrast between the object and the background in his photos =). Like his photos? Visit his website at www.nazaribrahim.com for more info.

One photographer's style that has taken my fancy is Piccherita. I do love the theatrics he includes in almost all his photo and not to mention the bizarre locations =P.

I do love love his creativity. If you like him, he has a facebook page. Click here.

Another photographer is Ise Razak from Mahligai Anggun. I also adore the vividness of his photos =)

Photos courtesy of http://iserazak.blogspot.com/. If you're interested in making him your photographer, then head on to his site =)

Another one of the more well-known (and not to mention well-established) photographer is Alvin Leong. He has his own academy for aspiring photographers (like me!) and these are this photos:

Here's Alvin =P

Check out his website at www.alvinleong.com

Finally: Manggis. The name is akin to a round purple fruit



But I assure you, their photos are as sweet as their namesake. And this is an example of their work:



and their photo:

Interested? Go to www.manggis.tv for more info.

Now that you've done salivating over the photos that I've posted, let's call it a day peeps!

Cheerio!


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Bells are Ringing...

And so are the cash registers' going Ka-$$hing!

Apparently it's expensive getting married. I know, I know! I am so totally the last person to realize this. But then again, the female sex have always been brought up to appreciate grand, one-of-a-kind, exquisite weddings. And no matter how small the wedding may be, the cost may very well be more than 10 grand (at the very least). And to tell you the truth, I would have to say that I truly don't think 10k weddings exist anymore. So, let's up our ante to 20k weddings, shall we?

So, what goes into Malay weddings?

Firstly, there are a minimum of two ceremonies that grooms and brides-to-be expect to host; the akad nikah (i.e. solemnization) and persandingan (i.e. wedding reception). I guess this part is similar to most religions. Prior to getting married, some couples may opt for an engagement (which consist of another separate ceremony involving close friends and family). FYI, the size of the engagement party depends on the number of invites that you send out, for some it may just be a small ceremony of 100 attendees and for some the number may go up to 1,000 attendees *gasp*.

The solemnization ceremony is usually just a small ceremony involving close friends and family, usually catering to a number of 200 attendees or less (depending on the number of close friends and family that you have though). For those with big budgets, the solemnization ceremony is usually held in the bride's home with a small-scale fanfare (i.e. hosting a celebratory feast for the 200 guests in conjunction with the ceremony). Optionally, those with smaller budgets can opt to have their akad at the nearest Majlis Islam office where you need not bother with the whole fanfare and instead bring your closest family and a handful of friends to accompany you to the wedding registrar's office and conduct the solemnization ceremony there for free. Definitely your expenses would be less than a quarter of the cost of hosting the ceremony at home. FYI, the solemnization ceremony itself may cost a minimum of 10k and more.

Next comes the wedding reception. As all is aware, the wedding reception will cut a big chunk in your wedding budget. Maybe about half of your expenses comes just from hosting your wedding reception *yikes*. Depending on your budget, you can opt to host the wedding reception either at the comforts of your own home, in a hall or at a hotel. Although some couples are opting for a slightly different venue to accommodate the different themes of your own choosing like a beach wedding, a garden wedding or maybe you may want to get married while diving under the blue sea (whatever it is, you will end up paying for it; or for some of the lucky ones, it may be their parents who will end up with a slimmer bank balance). FYI, depending on your budget, wedding receptions may cost the couple a minimum of 15k or more, depending on the size (i.e. number of attendees) and definitely how grand you want your wedding to be. I have attended a wedding reception that costs more than 100k and this was somewhat 8 years ago. Imagine what the cost would be now. I can't imagine spending more than 50k for my own wedding, though. Because to me, if you spend up to 100k just for a wedding, that is almost equivalent to almost half the price of a decent terrace house in Kuching *yikes*.

Whatever it is, prudent spending is a must. Designer gowns and heels, no matter how nice they may be, may cost you a fortune and could be spent on other things instead. Be careful of what you splurge and what to scrimp on.

My advice? A good photographer is a must cause the photos will be what you're looking at in a matter of 5, 10, 20 years down the road and I can't imagine on looking at yucky photos for the rest of my life. And since good photos is a must on my list, a decent wedding dress and wedding dais (pelamin) is also a must for me. I can't be shot by a good photographer while wearing a horrible dress. A BIG NO-NO in my book.

Till next time, here's to weddings and happy endings peeps!


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo