First Wedding Purchase!

We met up with Fairy's Inc after work today and..... made the very first wedding purchase - our wedding bands!

Both of us were so excited to have made that purchase and we couldn't believe that we were so prompt and decisive with the decision, especially me! This is the one and only place we go to in search of our wedding bands.

Henry said it was rare to see me in making such a fast decision because I will always contemplate for a long time among various choices, not knowing which one is better.

Well, I guess I have to be clear what I'm really looking for to make this our dream wedding..

I was so thrilled with our purchase that I sms-ed Joo immediately cos I think she is the only one who can related to the euphoric moment! Haha!

Back at Fiary's Inc earlier, we finalised the design of my ring before moving on to Henry's. He wanted his to complement my wavy design and hence he got a 6mm-thick ring with the wavy design in the centre, without any diamond.

Finally, we went on to talk about the price and it turned out that Henry's ring cost $1,570, which is $290 more than mine even though I have added 2 diamonds! Evelyn explained that my design may appear to be more complex but it was the material used for Henry's ring that cost more - white gold, rose gold and black gold. Mine ring is only made of rose gold.

Depending on the final outcome of my ring, I may add 2 or 4 smaller diamonds (at $30 each)to it. As for Henry's, he will have complimentary engraving on the inside of his ring.

So, our total bill came up to $2,850, an amount which is still within our budget of $3,000. I tried to negotiate for $2,800 but Evelyn said she was unable to do it as the craftmanship would cost her a lot. She made a concessioin of $20 but we didn't take it in the end cos Henry was pretty satisfied with what she quoted us initially.




Our next appointment will be in mid Nov and that will also be the time when Evelyn has to keep my engagement ring with her for a month.

There is still ample of time to our ROM so the targeted date for our wedding bands to be completed will be in Feb/ Mar 2010.

Bridal Studios

We contacted 2 more venues for our ROM - The Loof (Odeon Tower) and Amara Sanctuary (Sentosa).

The Loof has yet to get back.

Amara Sanctuary was too expensive! Rental of venue cost $2,288 with $60++ each pax! Guess we have to strike this off as well.

My colleagues exchanged some bridal studio tips with me this afternoon. She warned me not to pay full deposit for the bridal package yet cos you might not know what will happen next. For hers, that bridal studio closed down and she had to top up $1,200 on top of the $2,800 she had paid, to the new owner.

A few good comments for My Dream Wedding and Precious Moments. Will check these 2 out.. but I have shortlisted the following which interest me:

- La Belle Couture
- Di Gio
- Michelle Huimin Bridal Veil
- J&C Bridal Collections
- La Vie

Fairy's Inc (Part 2)

We went down to Fairy's Inc for our very first appointment with them! We were supposed to meet up with Sandra, the lady whom Joo recommended but she was so busy that we didn't even get a chance to say hi.

In the end, it was Evelyn who attended to us. She asked if we have any concept or requirements for our wedding bands and I told Evelyn that I want mine to integrate with my current engagement ring to become one. Immediately, she showed me a design of theirs and was able to suggest a couple of ways for mine.

It can be done in 2 ways - firstly, I can have the 2 rings stacked together. This design enables me to wear it in 2 ways. As my engagement ring is in a wavy design, my wedding band can complement it with a wave on one side and a straight on the other. So, I can either wear it with the 2 waves side by side or I could wear both rings inverted with the straight designs side by side. Ok, I don't know if I'm making any sense here without any illustrations. But never mind, because this is not what I want.

Secondly, I could have my wedding band in a 3/4 circle and it would be made complete by the diamond on my engagement ring. Both rings will criss cross at the bottom after the engagement ring is being slotted into the wedding band. I know it can be hard to visualise. All of you will get to see the final product eventually. :)

Evelyn suggested some possible designs I could have on my wedding band and I also contributed my ideas for it. Haha, somehow I feel that this is the first time I knew so clearly of what I want.

We didn't go into the design of Henry's ring because time was running out. We had no choice but to make another appointment on 15 Oct, Thursday where they will not be so busy.

After leaving Fairy's Inc, we realised we didn't ask for a quote of the wedding bands! The discussion earlier on will be in vain if the prices are too high. It will be the million-dollar question to ask on our next appointment. Meantime, we will think of the design for the groom!

Before we made our way home, we stopped by Popular bookstore to buy a ring file for all the research done. We printed and filed away all information we found on rings, bridal studios, hotels, ROM venues,guests list and HDB flat application. It will be our marriage manual for keeping and it can be used as reference for our friends in the future or even show it to our kids how much planning we went through to have them! Haha!

Truly Harmony

Another event company which specialises in yacht wedding for consideration - Truly Harmony. This is the one I came across in the magazine that sparked my interest in yacht weddings!

We contacted them and was finally granted an appointment after several attempts as they were pretty caught up with events.

Their office is located in one of the shophouses at Emerald Hill. The place is like a one-stop venue for the necessary wedding preparations that range from wedding shoes, gowns, decor to invitation cards.

Esta, the wedding planner, talked us through the packages that they offer and showed us a few videos and photos of the yacht weddings they have planned.

I would say they are quite impressive! They have 2 yachts for customers' consideration - a 80-feet yacht and a 120-feet yacht.

The first one could accomodate up to max. 50 pax but it comes with a min. of 30 pax for the ROM. The latter could hold up to 100 pax! Our jaws nearly dropped when we heard the prices... They charged around $8,000 plus for the sailing package of the smaller yacht and a whooping $34,000 (this is simply crazy!!!) for the sailing package of the 120-feet yacht! That is equivalent to a wedding banquet at a 5-star hotel!

Pros:
1. No issues with weather. The yachts are big enough to shelter everyone from the sun or the rain. And if the weather threatens to rain, the captain would actually sail against the direction of the grey clouds.
2. We trust that everything will be in good hands since they are already seasoned in handling ROMs on yachts.
3. Their food look sumputous and presentable (of course right, for the amount they charge!)But Esta was right about one thing - she said we will get what we paid for.

Cons:
1. The prices for both packages are way out of budget
2. The dock for the smaller yacht is located at Changi which I think is rather inaccessible
3. Guests have to be really on-the-dot for the event cos even if one person is late, we can't set sail. The captain is not going to come back for late comers.
4. All guests will have to stay throughout the 4 or 5-hour sailing. Same thing here, the captain will not unanchor the yacht just to bring a few people back on the dock.
5. Decor costs are included in the package but it will only be at a certain area of the yacht cos it is too big to decorate the whole yacht. But if we really want, we will need to top up. Those wedding arch which the couple will walk through would already cost us $500!

Verdict: OUT! Period. Prices are too exorbitant and they are too rigid with all the can-dos and can't-dos!

Application for a HDB flat

We spent almost 2 hours this evening to put our procrasination to a stop. After looking through HDB website under the Sale of Balance Flats, we have FINALLY put up an application for a flat!

How exciting is that!

Both of us came to a compromise to have a flat in the central. Those which are under our consideration are areas like Queenstown, Redhill, Commonwealth, Bukit Merah and Tiong Bahru.

We have applied for a 4-room flat in Jalan Membina (opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza) with the size of 90sqm for $470,000.

Our parents thought we have lost our minds...

Yacht Wedding

Just came back from our second recce trip at Sentosa Cove.

This time round, it's a venue that is high on the uniqueness and romantic scale - a yacht wedding!

I have been browsing through wedding magazines for ROM venue inspirations and I came across a yacht wedding in the Female Bridal magazine.

I told Henry about it and how wonderful it is going to be to have a yacht wedding. Initially, I did have my doubts that he was going to oppose to this idea due to the high costs involved but he surprised me. He asked around for possible lobangs and his colleague passed him a contact.

Excited as I was to see the venue, I called this afternoon and was immediately granted an appointment with them after work! Excellent and prompt service, CHECKED!

We got the opportunity to get on board the yacht at Sentosa Cove, which is at close proximity to One degree 15.

Here are some photos for viewing pleasure:


This is the 52 feet yacht on which the ROM will take place


All guests will get on board up here


The aisle which will lead to the deck


The deck


This is where the guests can chill out too


The suggested area for the solemnisation, on the left side from where the guests get on board


Another angle of it. I find the area pretty cramped and if we were to invite app. 40 guests, they would need to crowd around the area in order to witness it.


One of the 4 rooms in the yacht, beside the solemnisation area


The interior of it


The single-bed room in the yacht


Its interior. The owner said we can use this room to dress up and doll up prior to the ROM.


A separate toilet near the room.

The interiors of the yacht...







This is where the captain will take charge


Guests are able to sit and relax here too

There are a few packages available for this yacht wedding:

1. 5-hour sailing package (weekday) - $3,350
2. 5-hour sailing package (weekend) - $4,350
3. 5-hour dockside package (weekday) - $2,800
4. 5-hour dockside package (weekend) - $3,050

We are looking at Package 1 as we thought it's only sensible that we sail if we were to hold a yacht wedding.

Pros:
1. Owner is flexible enough to accomodate to our requests. Everything can be negotiated including trading off unwanted items in the package for a couple more hours on the yacht.
2. We can reach the venue a couple of hours earlier to dress up and get ready.
3. We can set another date prior the ROM to have our photo shoot taken at the yacht with no additional cost.
4. Package is inclusive of food and decor
5. Customisation of flowers and decor at no additional cost
6. The packages are reasonably priced and still workable within our budget

Cons:
1. No wet weather programme
2. The venue is going to be scorching hot if it's a sunny day
3. Sailing yacht can only take up to 18 guests which means guests will have to take turns if they want to go sailing on the yacht after the solemnisation
4. The lack of experience (it's a new set up, family owned event company)might attribute to possible hiccups
5. There might not be enough space for tables and chairs at the dock for the buffet
6. Have to take into consideration that some relatives (especially the elderly) and friends might get seasick
7. Unable to take pictures on the dock for that might lead to the owner getting fined by Sentosa for unauthorised usage of dock and that cost will be in turn, passed down to us. Owner's advice was, if we want to do it, just don't get caught.

Verdict:
This will stay as the few top choices in our list. However, the weather element is something which is important and yet out of our control. I just dislike the feeling of having to worry about something which I have no control over. It could just spoil everything that we have painstakingly planned for over a few months and made a supposedly beautiful and romantic affair so unmemorable. This is the last thing I want. Henry suggested that we could source for those huge beach umbrellas that come with tables and chairs to be put on the dock which are suitable regardless of rain or shine but it would imply that we need to have deeper pockets.