Brunei Weddings Blog

Ben and Nina - Engagement and Solemnisation

2009-10-03T12:08:00.005+08:00

Congratulations are in order for Ben and Nina who held their Engagement and Nikah - solemnization ceremony on 2nd October 2009. Here are some shots from the auspicious ceremony! Looking forward to the bersanding!!!!

Engagement ceremony in session. Wow! So much food! The Bride must be a good cook! LOL!

shy...

Love the decor of the bride's room.. very alami!

Mr. Liverpool ready for the Nikah

On the dias...observing the Nikah ceremony

Kissing the hubby's hand.

Hooray!!

Dr Tina & Yadi's Wedding Ceremonies Part 2

2009-08-15T08:00:00.009+08:00

More pictures taken by the David Cheok for Dr Tina & Yadi's wedding ceremonies. Rozi Yunos explains the nature of the ceremonies very well in her accounts of her own recent wedding here.

I'm uploading the more 'formal' pictures here, but soon will put up some informal ones which David so clearly captures the joy, fun, laughter and love of the day.

Thursday, 6th August 2009 - The Nikah

Friday, 7th August 2009 - The Berbedak

Sunday, 9th August 2009 - The Bersanding

Sunday, 9th August 2009 - The Ambil-Ambilan

Congratulations to the happy couple!

All photos by: David Cheok Photography

Dr Tina & Yadi's Bersanding Ceremony

2009-08-09T17:16:00.010+08:00

This afternoon saw the Bersanding Ceremony of

Dr Hajah Martina Melati binti Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Kifrawi

Awang Ismayadi Sugara bin Awang Asrul Hayati

at the Dewan Utama (Royal Berkshire Hall) of the Royal Brunei Polo & Riding Club.

I wanted to share some pictures of the radiant bride, resplendent in a heavily beaded handmade turquoise and gold wedding gown, diamonds and a delicate tiara.

Dr Tina's magnificent designer gown comprises a hand embroidered lace dress with thousands of beads and sequins over a bustier and a long gold skirt made from a shimmering piece of jong sarat. The unique stand up collar enhanced her beautiful features and baby soft glowy skin.

The arrival of the bride into the hall,

followed shortly by the groom.

Sharifah Filya and Pg Shaherol - wedding

2009-06-24T20:40:00.002+08:00

Congratulations on the big day!

Makeup : Shahdon Icon
Bridal attire : designed by Khazanah
Venue: Berkshire Hall, Jerudong Polo and Country Club

Here comes the bride.... and the groom!

On the dias!

Families - people managing the wedding. They deserved a round of applause!

Sharifah Filya - Majlis Berbedak

2009-06-24T20:25:00.002+08:00

My cousin - Sharifah Filya got married last week. Here are some photos from her berbedak ceremony. Make- up by Shahdon Icon!

Bedroom

Brother carrying the bride!

What is a wedding without the attendance of families - happy faces.

The father of the bride transformed the home garden into a Marquee with lights and air-condition. Fantastic job!

For Hire.

2009-06-24T20:09:00.005+08:00

If you are looking for something different for your wedding? An Arabic music ensemble? A music group to go with the Middle Eastern theme for your wedding: here is the group for you to engage.

An Indonesian Arab musician group that plays real authentic Middle Eastern tunes can come and play at your wedding.

AS MAHADIER

Sayyid A. Adeni Assegaf
email: adeni_asgf@yahoo.com
Pushcart 8, Ground Floor
Bangunan Athirah Plaza
Jln Babu Raja
Bandar Seri Begawan
Tel: 8835626

Singapore Wedding: Sadeq and Sara

2009-04-20T05:00:00.000+08:00

The Best Is Yet To Be On your joyful wedding day,
You begin a brand new life.
Friends and family give their gifts
To joyful husband, blissful wife. But the greatest gift you'll ever get,
A gift from heaven above,
Is love forever, ending never,
Everlasting love. You'll share life's joy and pleasure;
You'll have plenty of that, it's true.
But love is the real treasure
For your new spouse and you. And if life hands you challenges,
As it does to one and all,
Your love will hold you steady
And never let you fall. Your wedding day is full of joy;
Tomorrow you cannot see.
But one thing's sure for the two of you:
The best is yet to be. By Joanna Fuchs

Poem Source

Heartiest congratulations to Sadeq and Sara on their joyous wedding occasion.

Love in your eyes

with parents from both sides

Singapore Wedding: Fahmi and Ain

2009-04-19T22:45:00.005+08:00

Congratulations to Fahmi and Ain on their recent wedding.
Best wishes for a life long togetherness..

The Finest Thing Among the finest things in life,
a good marriage
is the most satisfying and rewarding,
the deepest and best of pleasures.
That blessed relationship
uplifts, enriches, encourages
and strengthens both husband and wife.
A loving marriage
overcomes any obstacles
the world may put in its way,
strengthening the special marital bond
with every challenge conquered.
Your wedding
is the start of something better
than you can imagine.
May your marriage
be all that you dream of and more. By Joanna Fuchs

Poem Source

Special Edition: Singapore Wedding

2009-04-19T22:31:00.007+08:00

Brunei Weddings has recently gone to Singapore to witness a double wedding. We hope you will get some inspiration and ideas for wedding back home. The pelamin is awesome with a real chandelier in the middle.

Talking to the host, I found interesting information how wedding planners and caterers handle weddings. There are many one-stop shop where you can get everything provided for, from wedding gowns, food, wedding cake, pelamin, mak andam, to gifts and decor. Basically, you pay for one price. Cool eh! It saved time in sourcing all the items that you wanted. I really like the simple but yet elegant affair.

The wedding cake made up of many cupcakes!

Gift Suggestion

2008-11-28T16:39:00.002+08:00

Need some ideas about wedding gifts? Or maybe items for your Hantaran? Well why not try these handmade soaps, they are made from vegetable oils and 100% pure essential oils. Herbs and spices are also added. Garden of Suds handmade soaps make use of Brunei Darussalam's local ingredients such as lemon grass and wild ginger.

'Lulut Brunei' is their top seller, Minty Mama, Baby and Carrotie are some of the favourites along with many other popular types from our soap lines.

Find out more here.

Ida Yuliana and Wan - Bersanding

2008-11-16T17:16:00.002+08:00

Head to toe..

Getting ready

Together

Ida Yuliana - Majlis berbedak

2008-11-14T21:49:00.005+08:00

Rahimin and Maria - Bersanding Ceremony

2008-11-11T22:27:00.001+08:00

Rahimin - Majlis berbedak

2008-11-07T23:45:00.001+08:00

Rahimin and Maria - Engagement and Solemnisation Ceremony

2008-11-05T21:50:00.004+08:00

Congratulations to Rahimin and Maria on their engagement and solemnisation ceremony that took place on Friday, 31st October 2008.

Groom's Groomer

2008-07-23T22:04:00.008+08:00

It is a convention that the bride normally gets all the attention when comes to being made up for the wedding. The groom is normally left to the device of 'Pengangun Laki". They are normally consist of old ladies or men who have years of experience in preparing the Groom for the big wedding day. However, the role of the 'Pengangun Laki' could either be helping the Groom feeling more composed and less anxious through the bath rituals while the groomers will assist in the Groom to get ready, costume wise.

Today, there exists a new generation of young groomers who picked up the old traditions in assisting the Groom in putting on the wedding costume and possible slight make-up. Putting the wedding costume may be tricky in terms of using the 'sinjang' and 'dastar'. Therefore, the role of Groomers may prove useful and handy in assisting the Groom to look really like 'Raja Sehari' or King for the day! Make-up is used sparingly to prevent the Groom from looking pale or dull compared to the dolled-up bride.

Most of the existing Groomers do not have existing business establishments but mere recommendations from families and friends. If you know any Groomers to recommend, we would appreciate if you could email us at bruneiweddings@gmail.com so that we can feature them in the directory and would be a useful guide for Groom- to- be.

*photos courtesy of Senor Pablo

Entertainment at weddings

2008-07-18T19:33:00.003+08:00

Entertainment at Weddings makes a good debate as many may not agree with the kind of entertainment being provided for at weddings. It is customary for weddings to have some form of entertainment as part of “Malam Berjaga-jaga” ( night watch) to keep the feelings of festivity prior to the wedding day at the bride or the groom’s residence.

In the past, live bands have been procured to provide for the entertainment. Others opted for karaoke machines and singers with good voice to provide the entertainment. During the wedding day, more subdued entertainment or musical ensemble in the form of gulingtangan or hadrah groups echo in the background of the wedding hall.

Some wedding couple opted for a post wedding reception at a hotel or hall whereby some form of entertainment had been choreographed to suit the budget and likes of the wedding couple. One Chinese wedding reception that I have attended found the groom and bride entertained their guests by singing and playing the instruments themselves. It was a pride of joy watching them performing together as I found out they have been taking guitar, piano and singing lessons together. Another Malay wedding reception that I had attended, had many of the senior guests walked out of the wedding hall when the entertainment provided that night came in the form of drag queen cabaret whereby some felt it was not their cup of tea and was too risqué having young kids around watching those performances.

What ever your opinion on entertainment being provided at weddings, I personally feel that the guests should respect the authority of the bride and groom in terms of selection. I haven’t come across a situation whereby it is compulsory to inform the guests on the kind of entertainment that will be provided, written in the wedding invitation.

At a recent wedding, I was able to witness an Arabic ensemble of musicians that hail from Pontianak, Indonesia named, Orkes Gambus Anujum that is renowned for their Middle Eastern music repertoires and Zapin performances. According to Hussin Al Hadad, one of the group members, the ensemble has been performing for the past forty years in Indonesia and Malaysia at weddings and corporate functions attended by state dignitaries. For those interested to engage the group to perform at their weddings, at an agreed price, they will travel from Indonesia to Brunei Darusslaam. They can be contacted at +6281522573448
Jln K.H.W. Hasyim, No 61 A, Pontianak, Indonesia.

Wan Hefnie and DK Noruldiana - Wedding

2008-07-14T20:45:00.004+08:00

Congratulations to Wan Hefnie and Dk Nuroldiana on their wedding day on 13th July 2008. I promised my nephew, Wan Hefnie that I will deliver his wedding project. Here are two slides of Wan Hefnie's Majlis Berbedak and the wedding ceremony that took place at UBD.

Wan Hefnie and DK Noruldiana - Engagement and Solemnisation Ceremony

2008-07-07T22:17:00.006+08:00

Congratulations to Wan Hefnie and Dk Noruldiana on their engagement and solemnisation ceremony that took place on Sunday, 6th July 2008. May both of you continuously be blessed with happiness and harmony always.

Zunaidi & Noorizah (Akad Nikah)

2008-02-23T14:58:00.002+08:00

Photography by Hamdillah.

An Introduction

2008-01-09T10:28:00.000+08:00

Wedding Photography by CPS.Brunei.
For contact details please check The Brunei Wedding Blog Directory.

Adina & Fakhrul (Ambil-Ambilan)

2008-01-03T11:22:00.001+08:00

Photography by Hamdillah.

Adina & Fakhrul (Bersanding)

2008-01-02T17:05:00.000+08:00

Photography by Hamdillah

Adina & Fakhrul (Berbedak)

2008-01-01T17:01:00.000+08:00

Photography by Hamdillah

Adina and Fakhrul (Berpacar)

2007-12-31T16:48:00.000+08:00

Photography by Hamdillah

3 months later

2007-12-11T06:43:00.001+08:00

A final post...3 months later...the aftermath in a sense. It's taken us this long to settle down and reflect on everything.

The wedding day itself was a whirlwind. It was over before we knew it! I was up at the crack of dawn for hair and makeup before my beautiful bridesmaid and the flower girls arrived for their primping.

At the appointed hour we heard car horns blaring outside the house heralding the arrival of the groom and his boys. Thankfully we didn't have to go through the whole (literally) torturous process of making the boys prove themselves to gain entry to the house so the boys proceeded to breakfast before Bryan was sent upstairs to "coax" me down.

We gathered everyone round for some photos before the tea ceremony. The kids seemed to really enjoy smiling for the camera and are still asking when we're going to do it again.

The tea ceremony is basically the bride's family handing her to the groom and sending her off to her new life. After a quick and dirty tea ceremony the boys ran off to the church taking the ring bearer and flower girls with them. Most of the family left for church at this stage leaving the house strangely quiet for the first time that day. I followed suit with my bridesmaid and official driver for the day a bit later.

Arriving at church right on the dot of 10am we find stragglers dashing into the church after spotting our car. Shame on you being later than the Bride! My bridesmaid and I carefully negotiated our way across the red carpet laid down over the grass in our heels and dresses. On hindsight, trains may not have been the best idea for the both of us considering the terrain leading up to the church.

There was a little wait outside the hall before the bridal procession could proceed in as more seating had to be set up for the guests. The flower girls were having a field day with their little headpieces and baskets and flouncing around in what they call their princess dresses while the ring bearer was more interested in finding out how everything was attached to the ring cushion.

Walking down the aisle towards the altar I noticed how packed the church was and all I could see (hazily through the veil) was a sea of smiling faces. My brother deposited me at the altar with Bryan and the ceremony proceeded smoothly. We pledged to honour each other mind, body and soul, promised to be faithful for richer or poorer, exchanged rings, kissed and were united in holy matrimony. The moment they announce "the new Mr. & Mrs. BJK" all I could think about was lunch! I was absolutely starving!

During the recessional we were pelted with flower petals and by the time we got outside we were actually shielding ourselves from the onslaught as the friends got a little overzealous and were throwing those petals at high velocity! I was told the boys were aiming for my cleavage hmph! I managed to grab a handful that had actually collected in my cleavage and retaliate at one point. We then proceeded to take more photos with the guests before being allowed to leave the church.

Next stop was the groom's parents' home for lunch before launching into another round of serving tea in return for ang pows and bling after which it was back to our new marital home for a well deserved siesta.

Siesta time was interrupted by the alarm clock sounding to tell us it was time to rise and shine. It was time for my second hair and makeup session of the day to make me fabulous for the dinner.

Dinner passed in a flash and before we knew it it was the end of the night, the oldies were leaving and the party was starting.

All the months of planning, preparation and stress was over in the blink of an eye. Enjoy every moment because it all passes in a flash and you wake up the next morning married and hungover.

As a belated postscript to the wedding, Mr. & Mrs. BJK would like to thank the everyone who helped out:

Our parents, family and friends who all pitched in to help out.
The emcee's at the church ceremony and wedding dinner - Dex & Lady G.
My brother's - for walking me down the aisle and doing the reading during the ceremony.
Those who manned the reception tables and ushered guests at church and the dinner.
The cake wrapping team who so efficiently helped to package the cake for all 700 dinner guests in one evening.
The designers, tailors, beaders and seamstresses at Josche Nelan and Weng Foo Tailor for the wonderful job on the dresses and suits.
The handsome best man (below) who proved he was really the best man for the job and spent so many hours running around with Mr. BJK.

My beautiful bridesmaid (below) who did a fantastic job waking up on time and keeping my train out of the way while I was moving around throughout the day.

The wonderful Shadon and his assistant Adik (below) who made us all look fabulous the whole day.

Princess at Shabby Chic for helping at the 11th hour with our giant layout for the dinner venue.
Our handsome photographer who tirelessly ran around the whole day and kept telling us to smile, smile and smile some more.

My personal net-Guru and cheerleader who helped out with the AV at the dinner without whom the guests would not have been entertained by photos from our pre-wedding shoot.And last but not least, to everyone who joined us on our special day and made it all the more festive.

Azfa Malam Berbedak - PhotobyRed

2007-10-28T20:45:00.000+08:00

Salam Aidil Fitri

2007-10-12T23:32:00.000+08:00

To all our Muslim visitors, we wish you
a happy & blessed Aidil Firtri.

Congrats B.A.T.A

2007-09-08T10:16:00.000+08:00

It was such a joyous occasion. I'm not gonna say much, I'm sure the bride will post an entry in here as soon as she comes back from her honeymoon in Hawaii! For pictures, you can go here or keep watching this space of the official wedding photographer for the events.

Counting the days

2007-09-04T10:51:00.000+08:00

Less than a week left. A few final observations.

If it isn't done by now then it won't be done at all. Time to take a leap of faith and let the chips fall where they may.
There will always be people who try and take over. Tell them on no unconditional terms to back off.
It's your wedding so make sure you get what you want. Be sure about what you want and communicate that vision to your dressmaker, makeup artist, photographer, florist and all else involved. There's nothing worse than an indecisive bride.
Make sure your guests actually get their invitations. You'd be surprised how many people don't receive their invitation because the middleman forgets or just doesn't bother.
We made the mistake of asking people to RSVP their regrets only. I now know that this was too trusting. I just assumed people have manners. After being forced to call several guests to confirm their attendance because of inconsistent RSVP's, we found that most people who couldn't attend hadn't bothered to let us know thinking we'd find out on the night. How rude!
Wedding dinners aren't cheap affairs. It is crucial to get the headcount as close to exact as possible when confirming numbers with the venue. Empty tables are a waste of money and space. Most venues here allow you to use up some of the empty tables subsequent to your event but there is a limit on the number you can actually use later.
For the brides, make sure you have a pair of backup shoes in case the pair you break a heel. Also, make sure you love your dress and are totally comfortable with your photographer and makeup artist. It all boils down to trust.

As we get closer to the day, I can't count the number of times I've been asked if I'm nervous or anxious. The answer is no. I'm just looking forward to getting it all over and done with so life can go back to normal albeit as Mr. and Mrs.

The countdown begins

2007-08-31T10:13:00.000+08:00

This time next week I'll be pledging forever, through the good and the bad, for richer or poorer.

Time to make final mental adjustments to thinking as a unit instead of an individual. Time to get used to the fact that what's mine is his and what's his is mine - does this mean he has the right to wear my shoes as well!?!? Time to adjust to living with someone, getting up close and personal and in each other's space all the time. After a lifetime of doing what I want when I want this will be a change.

One week left and everything seems settled, although there are still boxes and boxes of my stuff in the house. That will just have to wait until after the wedding and honeymoon. Not enough hours in the day to get things done as it is, let alone time to sit down and sort through the junk I dumped into those boxes.

Time is short. Too many things to do. Looks like I'll subsist on a steady stream of caffeine for the next week until this is all over.

Time for many changes but isn't that what life is all about?

Looking to the future

2007-08-15T06:37:00.000+08:00

Things seem to be moving along albeit a little more slowly than I'd like but still they're moving.

The church started announcing our banns of marriage last weekend. To my knowledge, the Catholic church simply posts your intention to marry on their notice board but our Anglican church takes a more public approach. They will announce them in the Sunday service for the 3 consecutive weeks immediately preceding your wedding date and you're asked to stand up and identify yourself to the congregation. Now this is all and well if there are several couples intending to tie the knot but when you're the only one, it can get rather disconcerting to have all eyes on you.

The banns essentially give anyone the right to object to the marriage or bring to the attention of the church any reason why these 2 individuals should not be married. I'd like to think that we don't have any skeletons in our closets that are serious enough to prevent the union but one never knows.... It does however leave the couple open to attack by malicious individuals wanting to disrupt the marriage for whatever reason doesn't it?? Anyway, next week I think I should take full advantage of the public nature of the announcement; dress to the nines and do the Miss Universe wave :)

Moving from "ME" to "WE" is a rather daunting thought and requires some minor adjustments (on my part anyway). I'm so used to being my own person and doing as I like but the mind is slowly adjusting. I have faith that I will remember that I have an other half when the time comes.

One thing I am grateful for is that we've both lived and done everything so we won't be left wondering "what did I miss??" a few years on. Get it all out of your system and sow those wild oats before you settle down I say. No regrets later. We all come to a time in our lives where we think that it's time to bite the bullet and commit. Some arrive sooner rather than later but most of us do arrive eventually.

So it's 3 weeks to THE day. In 23 days I'll be married erk! Who would have guessed...

Bridezilla!

2007-08-08T06:47:00.000+08:00

Bridezilla is a generic term used to describe a difficult, unpleasant, perfectionist bride who leaves aggravated family, friends and bridal vendors in her wake. A bridezilla is obsessed with her wedding as her perfect day and will disregard the feelings of the family, bridesmaids and even her groom in her quest for the perfect wedding.

Bridezilla.com's Definition: Exceptionally attractive, confident women who know what they want and can't be bothered to sugar coat because they are obviously on 100 calorie- a- day microbiotic diets and can't even sneak a pack of Splenda if their life depends on it. Bridezillas are both blessed and cursed with a higher vision of perfection than most mediocre, David's Bridal wearing, Gerber daisy carrying mortals and have no choice but to impart this vision exactly to the masses. It is this motive that drives them to demand nothing less than excellence from their staff-err, wedding party.

Ok so maybe I'm not that extreme. Like i said before, I'm not one of those girls who grew up dreaming of and planning her perfect wedding but that's not to say I don't know what I want. I do, in fact, I have very definite ideas of what I want and even more definite ideas of what I don't want. Examples: I know I don't want frou frou on my dress. I know I don't want anything typically girly (I have allergies to pink frills). Most importantly I know I don't want a giant bridal party - after all the bride (and groom of course :p) are the center of attention so why distract from that by surrounding yourself with a giant bridal party especially when you're my height.

Other half has said that he's seen flashes of bridezilla emerging in the past few weeks. I beg to differ. I do, however, understand why some women go to such lengths to make sure that things are just so. You only have one chance to get it right (unless you're Elizabeth Taylor). Your wedding should reflect who you are. It's always nice to inject a bit of the couple's personality into the event as a whole.

Whatever it is, I believe it's important to ensure that we're not bullied into anything. It's our day and noone else's. After consulting both parental units, our program for the day includes morning tea ceremony at mine, church, light luncheon reception, afternoon tea ceremony at his, dinner reception. It looks to be a long trying day. I pray I don't get grumpy for lack of rest as I tend to do. This is where my darling bridesmaid comes in - to keep me in good spirits and ensure a free flow of stimulants throughout the day. I have every confidence that she'll bridesmaid me through the day with flying colors.

The mish mash of Chinese tradition and church ceremony got me wondering if there is such a thing as a traditional Chinese wedding? More and more couples are having church weddings meaning that the Chinese traditions of the bride pick-up, tea ceremonies and any other denominational customs need to be melded with the church ceremony.

To my understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) Chinese tradition demands that the groom arrives at the bride's house with a group of brothers to be put through the test (by the bride and her sisters) and jump through hurdles (sometimes literally!) before being allowed the honour of collecting his bride - to the victor belongs the spoils so to speak. After proving his worthiness, there will be a tea ceremony where the couple serves tea to the bride's immediate family. The significance of the tea ceremony is the bride's family accepting the groom and gives her over to his care while also acting as a send off for the couple. After this the couple proceeds to the groom's home where there will be another tea ceremony signifying the groom's family's acceptance and welcome of the bride into their family. After all is said and done, wedding receptions will be held to introduce the newlyweds to the extended family and friends.

In this day and age the legal requirement of solemnization whether in church or before the Registrar of Marriages is an additional layer. The church wedding is usually held after the bride's family sends her off with her new husband and the groom's family receives the couple at their home thereafter. Attendance at the Registrar of Marriages (for those not solemnized in church) is usually done prior to the tea ceremonies and reception.

I seem to have wondered off topic. Forgive the wandering mind of a bride-to-be.

Ekin & Adrin - Bersanding & Doa Kesyukuran

2007-08-05T22:30:00.000+08:00

Original gallery here.
Photos by Eyan

Ekin & Adrin - Akad Nikah

2007-07-30T13:25:00.000+08:00

Our heartiest congratulations to the lovely couple.
Original gallery here.
Photos by Eyan

Memoirs of a Bride (Part 6) - Doa Selamat

2007-07-22T13:06:00.000+08:00

The husband drifts off to sleep as I walk around packing and unpacking for the doa selamat at night. Time flew quickly and the next thing I know I'm running around and late (again)! We arrive at Polo Club at 6:30 and I get made up straight away. I finish getting ready and tiptoe to the balcony to check out the guests. Zakiyah caught me and made shoo-ing gestures so I go in and wait for my husband to 'pick' me up.

Doa Selamat dinner. An appreciation for the family who really helped out a lot. A big family is an advantage (more helping hands). Without my family helping, we'd be overwhelmed!

We go down together (me nearly tripping at the stairs) and we enter the hall holding hands. My outfit doesn't give me much stepping space so I'm forced to walk with tiny steps. I call out to my husband quite often requesting for him to slow down. We reach the table and pause. Do we go right or left? Oh what the heck! We walk to the right and around the table to our seat. A thank you speech was given by I think Pg Bahrum (my uncle) and he continued with a doa selamat and the food was served.

Caught in the act of checking out my guests!

The fish was good- some sort of steamed fish. Erwan played a video clip from the whole wedding with a Krisdayanti song in the background (which my family totally wiped out after a min). Oh well... Then I saw guests leaving. But am I not supposed to be out there saying my thank you's and goodbye's? I signal to Babu and she's in a daze when she lets me go out. We call mummy and daddy too so we all go out. But people are still eating. Uh-oh! I was early! My bad! Bapa marah's a bit and says its like us telling people to leave.

Lace material bought by Babu in Dubai, made at Lord'ess (Jakarta). Veil bought from Safrina. Tiara and Jewellery lent by Busera's mum.

But no one is leaving anyways. We wait till people are ready to leave and they come and say goodbyes. A few guests took pictures while we were still in line and finally it was done. More pictures were taken with guests that lounged around the hall. My feet were aching from those killer stilettos! Finally we head back home at 11:30pm knackered and straight away hit the sacks. It's been a long and exhausting day.

At the table. Checking out the video.

Our entertainment was strictly no music due to some religious members of my family. My grand dad wanted guling tangan though so we had that only.

Leaving the hall at the wrong time! Whoops!

With the maids. Material for uniform bought at YMRM and made at Idot's tailor.

An advice to future brides, a lot of time preparation time required! I had 2 months to prepare for nikah, 3 months for the other functions calling it a bit rushed is an understatement. Though, it's ok that my wedding wasn't perfect and missed a few touches here and there. It's our journey in marriage that will count. What is the memory of one day to compare to a memory of a lifetime?

Ordered from Singapore via Mangkuk Emas Trading (Batu Bersurat – same row as Red Canopy Café), Flower bought in Jakarta (Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua), Ribbon bought from UK (www.fourseasonsvillage.co.uk)

A few of the many gifts from guests and I would like to take this opportunity to tell everyone it was wonderful of you to share our wedding day with us. Thank you for your good thoughts, your generous gift and for being there. It means the world to us that you care.

Jewellery from my in-laws for the 'menyarungkan'. Not something that we're accustomed to, (not part of our adat) so that was something new.

Next destination, honeymoon? My husband cant get leave due to his involvement with preparations for the Royal birthday. We had a two night stay at Empire sponsored by my Bungsu and the real honeymoon sponsored by my Bapa planned to be in August. Where to? My husband wants a cruise, I want somewhere cold. How about an Alaskan Cruise? I'd like to go to Europe though...

Us.

Unedited entry by the bride herself, Muizzah.
Photography by eyan.

And that is the finale for this series of the wonderfully detailed account of the wedding events that Muizzah has kindly shared with us. Thank you so much for your contribution Muizzah, I'm sure the visitors have been enjoying your memoir and hopefully it will help those who are planning their wedding sometime soon too. We here at Brunei Weddings wish you a happy marriage and a lifetime of happiness - Bulimic.

Wedding Wish List

2007-07-21T15:44:00.000+08:00

Chinese weddings usually call for the gifting of gold jewelery by family and little red packets of joy by friends and wedding guests. However, in recent years, I find that couples tying the knot have sought assistance of their close friends to defray the cost of setting up home.

The comment by David on my last post inspired me to upload our Wish List. I'm calling it a wish list as opposed to a gift list simply because it's not a common practice here in Brunei. Wedding invitations will be sent out next week and guests who are wondering about gifts are most welcome to peruse the list. My fantasy wish list can be found here for those who are feeling exceptionally generous :p If nothing on the list appeals, I'm collecting Supa Save stamps so I can get the full Breville collection on offer.

I notice that our very own Inner Space offers a Gift Registry service which I have yet to avail myself of. I wish that most of the major department stores would catch on. It is a rather exhausting to trawl through these stores meticulously documenting brand, description, pricing and product codes to enable generous well-wishers to identify the product with accuracy.

Some may say that telling people exactly what to buy for you does away with the element of surprise. I say surprise is underrated especially when faced with 10 different toasters gifted by 10 different people. As a wedding guest, I've always appreciated it if the wedding couple indicate to us exactly what they need (or don't need) so I can gift them with something that will be appreciated and most importantly, used!

I recall a friend sometime ago telling me that one of the wedding guests had decided to help her decorate her home by buying them a sculpture...now we all know that art is subjective - I may not like what you like - the scuplture now sits in the happy couple's storeroom gathering dust and housing spiderwebs. It is a shame because the sculpture was obviously expensive and the gifter obviously spent a lot of time and effort selecting it.

I may come across as presumptuous and a bit of a b*tch r bridezilla but I believe in being practical. It's always best to give (and receive) something that will actually be used. Moral of the story is...in the absence of a wish or gift list, little red packets are always welcome.

Next post...the appearance of Bridezilla!

Walking down that aisle

2007-07-18T16:03:00.000+08:00

The million dollar question: Who will walk me down that aisle to give me away? My beloved daddy has long since passed so that puts the kibosh on the traditional daddy daughter walk. I found this helpful article on eHow which has given me a few ideas. I wonder how everyone will take to me walking down the aisle solo? Not being regarded as a chattel to be traded. No connotations of ownership and being given away. Instead, you can read it as saying, I am my own person and do this of my own volition and free will.

There's 2 months to go to the Big Day. Things seem to be settling in nicely although no less stressfully. It's true when they say getting hitched is one of the more stressful situations in life. So many things to do, so little time! Thankfully, the mothers have taken things into their own hands so all we have to worry about are clothing ourselves, our guest lists and invitations....oh! and of course the hen and stag nights.

Marriage preparation classes have started and we seem to have stumbled onto the difference between the Anglican and Catholic churches - the Anglicans teach the bride and groom about sex, its phases and *ahem* resolution while the Catholics emphasize procreation and how to tell when you're at your most fertile. At our first session last week, the importance and sanctity of the institution of marriage was impressed upon us. They also taught us that the bible says that the bride and groom must leave their parents to start their own lives together - if that's not an endorsement of moving out I don't know what is! Tonight we will learn about "Communication"... I think I may need to get myself a bible. Anyone know where I can download a free copy?

There's been lots of talk about the order of Chinese weddings, in particular, about the games the groom and his brothers have to play when they come to pick up the bride. The bride and her sisters will put the boys through a set of tests to make the groom prove himself. Traditionally in Old China, it would be a way for the bride to test the groom's dedication and (fool)hardyness as they will most likely not Mr & Mrs Chia's was the last one I went to. All in all its a fun but exhausting exercise. I am thankful that my mother has declared "Us Hainanese don't do that sort of thing!" That means a little bit more sleep in the morning. After all who in their right mid would want to turn up at their own wedding with dark circles under their eyes!

I was chatting to a friend earlier today when it hit me just how much my life has changed in the past few years. My whole world view has shifted from one party after another to let's take care of me. I now believe that if you take care of yourself, the rest will come. My immediate concern used to focus on finding the next happening occasion, now it's turned to more domestic matters. Setting up house and home. I'm even getting the urge to go all Martha Stewart and start baking! God help us all!

The house has been secured and minor patching up is underway. I never knew just how much fun furniture shopping can be! A whole new world of retail opportunities has opened. To avoid totally breaking the bank we're taking the tried and tested approach of a wedding registry. Close friends who want to contribute something more personal than an ang pow have the option of helping us furnish our home. Of course one must take great care not to go overboard - it is not polite to ask your friends to buy you a complete B & O home entertainment centre! Not unless your friends include the likes of the Hilton sisters who might oblige without batting an eyelid.

Memoirs of a Bride (Part 5) - Bersanding

2007-07-18T01:01:00.001+08:00

I'm so sleepy! I groggily wake up at 8.30am and get into the shower to wash off all the hair spray Moore used on me the night before. Nini Tahir is expected to come to the house to mandikan me at 9am. Moore is already here to fix my flower girls' hair but the flower girls haven't turned up. I'm all set and waiting in the shower. Nini Tahir comes and pours his COLD 'quraan water' on me and goes. Nini pengangun continues with the rest, I have another session of bertangas then I go to my room and get ready.

Guling tangan, entertainment for the morning. They were hip too! I was tapping my feet on the pelamin!My pelamin. A family belonging bought by my grandmum. First used by my mum on her wedding 26 years ago. Fixed by the carpenter from Citra Idaman (Kiulap). Curtains and wallpaper from Haska. Golden pillars lent by Aunty Hjh Noraini. Real flowers on stands from Willyn florist (Kiulap). Jawi centrepiece (reads Allah selamatkan pengantin baru) drawn by my grand dads worker in Pusat Sejarah

Moore finishes with the girls and blow dries my hair as Bu Amas comes. I have the makanan suap-suap (nasi kuning, the boiled egg with the shell coloured red, and some other dishes which apparently were served just because it was tradition) then I scuttle off to have my make up and hair done. It was nearly 11 and I'm later than planned. The kids are all restless (and hungry) so they watch Cinderella 3 and have my junk snacks.

Flower girls. Tiara's and earrings from Singapore. Lace used on gowns from Royal Fabrics (Singapore), glitter chiffon for skirts from 1 ^st Metro. Dresses made at Nie Boutique (Kiulap). Flowers by Willyn florist (Kiulap)My veil lent by my KK cousin (Ka Zura). Tenunan Brunei sponsored by Babu, made from ZA handicraft (Tungku). My outfit made at Luire by Raden Sirait ( Jakarta). Tiara and Jewellery lent by Busera's mum. My hand bouquet from Willyn florist (Kiulap)

Just after noon I'm let off to change, run back up and Moore puts on my tiara, finishes off with my hair and puts on my veil. Bu Amas does final touches on my make up. I persistently complain that my tiara isn't levelled so Moore keeps sticking on pins into my hair. Zalina a.k.a. ZZ, my beautiful maid of honour (qualified veil carrier) appears at 12:30 apologizing repeatedly for being late and starts practicing carrying my veil despite my still sitting down being made up. Ainul, Sera, Sab and Bibi puts on my shoes for me and I'm done! Picture time!

Z practicing holding the veil

Jimmy Choo's lent by Busera

Prince Charming has arrived

Bapa comes up asking if my husband has left (in which I don't know) and he goes ballistic on me saying that the 'mens side' was expected to leave home at 1pm. But its 1.20pm, so I call my husband and he tells me he just got in the car. Oh no! I still continue having pictures with my friends before my two Bu Irings appear to bring me down. My 6 flower girls shuffle in line. I turn to make sure Z is doing ok with the veil and I walk.

When the lights went off! With Princess Nasibah My cousins (mum's side)

As we reach the ground floor, I see tons of mobile phones in the air. I flash smiles to as many as I can before I go in the pelamin room. My aunt stands in front of me (to cover me from the crowd) as I sit and give instructions for Z on how to fix my veil. They're done, they leave and I look up. So many people! So many cameras! So much fun! I'm relaxed, no jitters nor nerves. I look all around the room at everyone I could see. Then I see my aunts! More reminders of my wandering eyes. I give a guilty smile as I look straight to the wall and wait for the arrival of my 'prince'.

Muneerah catching my bouquet!

Chatter of him arriving gets into the pelamin room. Soon after, he enters looking very angry and serious. I smile thinking to myself of how 'controlled' he's trying to be. He rests his hand on my forehead (for the menapak), he sits and the salawat is read. Princess Nasibah comes out and sits then babu comes up to us to tell me to salam her. Babu invites Princess to take a picture and she walks towards the pelamin. Just as she stands next to me, the lights go off! Despite that, the photographers are still taking pictures. I worry on how long we'd be electric-less but not long after, the lights go back on and a choir of "naaaahhhh" starts.

Us.

More pictures were taken. Then we're told to go out to the door and wave to people outside. As I look out I think "sunshine!" I don't know why it felt so relieving to see the sun. I must've been cooped in the house for such a long time (since berbedak) for me to appreciate seeing outdoors. Shuffle left, shuffle right, look straight and go in. The crowd starts to thin but we're still taking pictures till around 4pm.

Unedited entry by the bride herself, Muizzah.
Photography by eyan.

Memoirs of a Bride (Part 4) - Berpacar

2007-07-09T19:08:00.000+08:00

No one woke me up today so I end up waking up at 11am. Such a great rest! I wait for my maids to send my white outfit to my room while surfing the net and my cousin Illah yells at me telling me to have a shower and I quote "you're lucky you don't have a pengangun, or else you'd be mandi at 8". The family was over last night to berjaga-jaga and only went home at 1:30am (thus my reason for waking up late).

My shoes, an old pair of Vincci's I found lying around

I don't do much today, just waiting for the evening to come. As usual, Moore and Bu Amas arrive to do hair and make up around 6. It's a smaller function today, only close relatives are invited. I'm getting used to all this being made up and 'presenting' myself to a crowd and I feel more relaxed as I'm get ready. I'm nearly done when I change into my outfit. Moore finishes off with my hair as I pick out a kain kapit and shoes. I'm ready and all excited to go down. Its Bungsu's turn to bring me down this time.

Look up, look straight :)

On my way down I still hear the usual don't show 'teeth smile' and I think to myself what is the big deal, its only close family anyways. I'm still talking and laughing on my way down (making the elders more riuh) and just before I go in the pelamin room I flash a big teeth smile to my aunt and go in with a more serious face.

Nana and Azrieff. My guests coming all the way from Malaysia

Today I'm just uncontrollable. My eyes are all over the place, my smile is super wide, I am myself! Everyone takes turn to put on the pacar on my palms (just like during berbedak). Its all over my palm! I think to myself that after they're done its not gone be neat! It was over really quick. I went up to my bilik gata to have the pacar properly put on my hands and feet (doing it traditional style). There was a short debate whether I changed into my white outfit or if I just used what I had on. Babu said I had to look 'nice' so that ended the debate and I used my berpacar outfit.

Bibi, Sera, Ainul and Sab being silly. These girls came to all my functions without fail. Thank you!

First my right hand was done. I told Nini Pengangun to not make it too long on my fingers and not to have the circle too big on the palm. She's very flexible so that was nice. My bottom started aching. It didn't help that I was sitting on wood (gata bed had no mattress). I became restless to somehow ease the pain. Finally I was left to wait (alone). People came in and out of the room talking about what was 'happening' downstairs. Apparently my cousin 'opened' a casino! I really wanted to come down as it was getting boring in the room. I think if anyone wants to berpacar, do it where the crowd is so you wont be lonely! Just after midnight I was allowed to remove my pacar. I went down to see what was left of my guests but there was none. Tomorrow is my bersanding and I should be having my beauty nap. I put on my eye mask and head off to sleep. I'm excited!

As comfortable as it gets!

Jewellery lent from Busera's mum, bunga goyang lent from my grand mum, pink lace material of my outfit bought by my mum in Dubai (sewn at tailor- Mrs Kong), make up done by my aunt Bu Amas, hair done by Moore (Evina salon)

Unedited entry by the bride herself, Muizzah.
Photography by eyan.

Zarra and Salsabeelaa - Nikah

2007-07-06T20:30:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Zarra PHD and Aiman Salsabeelaa on their engagement and Nikah this afternoon. Here are some photos from today's function.

Mr and Mrs...

Gifts for Zarra and ring for her

Groom getting ready for the nikah

Zarra waiting patiently for the big moment.. becoming.. someone's Mrs..

Getting blessings from her hubby

Wishing Zarra and Salsabeela.. the best for their new life and happiness forever...

Memoirs OF A Bride (Part 3) - Berbedak

2007-06-30T11:17:00.000+08:00

After a month of living with my husband, today I'm alone when woken up (yet again) by my mum at 9am. This time she reminds me that my grand aunts are coming to lulut me. Its back to having functions after such a long break. I've had not only a preview, but I experienced married life for a month. It took a lot of getting used to, its not as easy as it seems but its well worth it. I get out of bed, changed into 'whats necessary' and they did the works. Had the lulut, a shower and then the tangas. Used my 'white outfit' and walked around the house finding stuff to do till lunch. I had a house call manicure and pedicure after lunch but after, I got restless.

Putting on the tanduk and the thing for the back of the head.

Stand hired from citra idaman (kiulap), bohemia crystal bowls personal collection of my grandmum.

I went down to see everyone busy. The grannies were mixing paint into the bedak to give it colours, caterers fixing tables and everyone was running around. Then I saw the box of door gifts and no one stuck on my thank you cards on it. I started carrying the boxes, unpacking it and sticking the cards on. At first it was just me and my Mamit. Then my grand aunt came and told me to not do work coz then I'll look tired at night. I argued out that if I don't help, the job wont be done and continued doing my work. More people came and I was told off again so I gave in and 'stormed' into my room.

Bersikut in the bilik gata with my two grand mum waiting on the bed.

My grand aunts who gavev me my tenunan for my baju berbedak (L-R Nini Usu, Nini Eying, Nini Acai). Nini Acai designed the pattern. Kain Kapit was given as hantaran from Nasir.

Moore came to do my hair at 6pm, 5mins after Bu Amas came for make up. Make up was done first and then the head gear. First the tanduk thing, then the thing for the back of the head, then the naga, then the sisir, then the white kertas flowers then the bunga goyang then the white real flowers. As bad as everyone makes it sound, it wasn't all that painful. Having pins stuck into your hair didn't give me excruciating pain. I guess it really matters that u had the 'experts' to do it. It wasn't that heavy either. I mean, it was heavy but it was bearable.

Enzo Angiolini shoes lent by Busera.

8:30pm and I'm still not dressed! I started getting worried. Finally they finished with my head, had make up touch ups and then I got dressed (the quickest part)! Now I was ready to make my appearance. They made me sit to put on my tutup kepala coz if I was standing no one could reach the top of my head and got escorted by my two Bu Irings down to the pelamin. Then it started, first my grand dad, then Daddy, then Bapa then the uncles and some VIP Pehins… I knew I was stiff. I sat straight and tried to feel for the back of my chair but I kept leaning back and it felt like it was so far away.

Finally I felt it and I was able to rest my back. Phew! I had a slight running nose and I was sniffing away on the pelamin. I tried to signal to my sister that I wanted tissue but they didn't get it and my aunts told me to keep my mouth closed. They pointed at their eye and shook their head. So I looked down at a point on the carpet. At the corner of my eye I could see my aunt fall! It was so hard to control myself into bursting into laughter! After some time, the pengangun told me to not look down and look up at the people who were going to bedak me. So I looked up but the men were moving and my eyes automatically followed them so I decided to stick to a 'point' and I picked the mens studs. It was so difficult to stop my eyes from wandering with moving objects! After the men were done, the women started. At some time I felt my back started to ache. There were just so many women!!!

Door gifts. biscuits from Bakerlyn cake shop (Kiulap).

Berbedak gift for the women (comes in 5 colours) shipped from China (organised by my cousin). Personalised ribbons from UK (fourseasonsvillage.co.uk). Flower accessories from Jakarta (Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua).

Finally it ends, and I'm escorted up, found my friends and took pictures. My friends were telling me how I looked nervous at the start coz my eyes were wandering around. Now I know what my family meant about not having 'mata liar'. I'm glad I found a way to control it!

Berbedak gift for the men from Mangkuk Emas trading (Batu Bersurat- same row as Red Canopy Cafe). Personalised ribbons from UK (fourseasonsvillage.co.uk ). Flower accessories from Jakarta (Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua).

Next I had to change into my 'lulut outfit' for my mandi bedak. After that, I got in my white clothes (nicer one this time), had my accessories put on and did the sikut thing at my bilik gata. It was quite difficult coz I kept stepping on my pengangun's skirt. I did small 'japanese' steps coz I cldnt hve normal steps. Had 3 'rounds' and then stopped and bagi salam to my grand mums that were sitting on the bed. Finally I'm done for the day and its nearly midnight. Everyone bids their goodbye's but I'm stuck yet again taking off my accessories, removing make up and everything else. It was tiring yet so much fun. I cant wait for my next function on Saturday.

A text from my husband.

The accessories are all personally owned by the grannies. My grand mum lent a few and so did my grand aunties. My family back in Kg Ayer days were goldsmiths which is why its in the family to own bits and pieces of these things. My butterfly pin is owned by my grand mother. Her mum gave it to her as her wedding present when she got married 60+ years ago.

Unedited entry by the bride herself, Muizzah.
Photography by eyan.

Respondez s'il vous plait

2007-06-27T13:00:00.000+08:00

So after a little wrangling with the parental units over the wording of the invitations, it looks like that's another thing off my list...now only a thousand and one things left to do before the big day which is only 2 MONTHS AWAY!! *faint*

A few rules of thumb when writing your invitations:

Proper traditional Chinese weddings will usually have 2 dinners - 1 hosted by the groom's family and the other by the bride's family. It is, therefore, very important to the oldies to state on the card who is hosting i.e. Mr & Mrs parents of the bride or Mr & Mrs parents of the groom.
People will be late. Stating in bold letters on the invitation "Dinner will be served promptly at 730pm" never hurts as guests have noone to blame but themselves if they miss the first course.
RSVP's are important. Set a date for your guests to RSVP by and if you've not heard from them by then you'll have to pick up the phone, flex that dialling finger and settle in for the long haul. As a guest, it's rude not to RSVP if asked to do so.
Make your invitations pretty. Noone likes an ugly card. Simplicity is best. Also, so many people forego quality printing for price. Sometimes cheap printing can be good but most times it's a case of you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
Make it clear to your guests how you expect them to dress. As a guest, turning up in jeans to a dinner with a formal dress code is inexcusable. I've half a mind to inspect each and every guest at my dinner and kick out those inappropriately dressed.

Tonight we start our marriage preparation counselling sessions as part of the church's efforts at preparing us for what's ahead. I'm assuming we'll be taught to love, cherish, honour and obey until death or divorce do us part. It's amazing the little things that you only find out about when you decide to get hitched.

Speaking of the church...while preparing the church booklet with the order of service, it's also just properly registered how long the wedding vows actually are. Must practice my serious voice so as not to giggle while reciting them. Don't think Reverend would be too pleased.

We're also on the hunt for a suitable roof to put over our heads. Time and time again I hear the same advice...don't live with parents. There can only be one mistress of the house and you want to be it. Me, I just want to joy of furnishing a house. Nesting is fun and gives me an excuse to shop shop shop and did I mention shopping?? :)

Got both our mummies together earlier this week and zipped through the guestlist and a few other things so I feel a little more settled now. Next thing on the list is to mobilize the soldiers and start assigning tasks to people for the day itself. The more the merrier I guess :)

Entertainment for weddings

2007-06-22T15:39:00.001+08:00

Having entertainment at weddings can be a debatable issue for some. There are many options for the wedding couple to decide, depending on the venue, budget and the occasion deemed fit.

Some may choose to invite singers/performers at their wedding reception....

....while some preferred the sound of classical musical instruments or simple guling- tangan music at the background.

I have attended occasions....where even the newly weds entertained the guests with their own songs rendition and playing the guitar and piano. I thought that's a novelty idea and quite original as usually, the wedding couple would just sit there and watch others performing. At a recent wedding. there were some ball room dancing performance from Le Swan Studio as well as hip-hop and Michael Jackson look-alike. Cool!

At the end of it. it is up to the wedding couple to decide what is best for their occasion. It's their wedding day.. right?

Sharifah Eliza and Walee Part 3

2007-06-22T15:17:00.000+08:00

My apologies for the late post. Been busy lately. Here as promised.. more pics from Eliza's and Walee's wedding. Bestmen and Bridesmaids getting ready to usher the king and queen of the day!

The bridesmaids had matching outfits which were designed for the occasion.

The groom and the bride getting cosy at the dinner table . Here, the couple and the wedding cake, specially made by the Empire Hotel and Country Club.

I think Sophie, the flower girl looks adorable. I have asked her to pose for the camera and she did it beautifully!

Czareena, Yasmin and Rose, the bridesmaids in matching outfit but with different finishing and touches on their gowns. Great fashion ideas for attending wedding events!

Awww.. Rockers at weddings? Nah! families of the bride wishing the best for the wedding couple as well as showing their penggilan outfits..

Last.. but not least..Madam Tiff.. in a flamenco-inspired designed gown.. Looks gorgeous!

White weddings

2007-06-19T22:51:00.000+08:00

The term "white wedding" is commonly used to refer to a traditional Western wedding with all it's attendant customs and traditions. "White" is taken to refer to the color of the bride's dress which symbolises purity of heart, the innocence of childhood and virginity. In Victorian times, wearing a white dress indicated wealth and affluence but that's not so in modern times what with the rise of the rent-a-dress.

Some girls grow up dreaming of their wedding day, the one day in your life where everyone aims to please you because it's YOUR day. Some girls dream of white princess dresses with flowing trains and spend years planning their perfect wedding.

I'm not one of those girls. Have never been and never will be but I'm learning fast what it takes to plan a wedding. The most important things are checklists and delegation of responsibility. Gather your family and close friends around you and tell them exactly what you want and what you need them to do. Know what you want and don't be airy fairy about things. Give them specific instructions e.g. "I want a 3-tiered wedding cake with lavender trimmings" don't give them vague details and expect them to read your mind. If you don't know what you want then how the hell do you expect them to know? Next thing you have to do is set deadlines so everyone knows what is expected of them and by when. Lastly, don't constantly nag them about doing things. If you've been clear with your instructions then there should be no problem. Yes, I like the bootcamp style of organising. Tough love and all that.

There's 2 1/2 months left until D-Day. The venues, makeup artist and photographers have been booked, invitations have been designed and are ready to be printed at a moment's notice, the boys have been measured for their suits and my dress design is in good hands. We're finalising guest lists and mulling over menus is the next step. I'm still hunting for the perfect pair of shoes although my plan B are my bling bling Feldmans. The bridal party has been briefed and is ready to go. The parental units of the flower girls and ring bearer are hoping that the kids perform on the day :p

A few questions going through my mind:

Bling. Every bride needs bling. I'm still looking for THE statement piece that's just me.
Tiaras or feathers? or even a top hat with the veil!? What do you think?
Pocket squares or corsages for the boys?
Set date for pre-wedding shoot so our fantastically talented photographer can get us to cam-slut for him (not that we haven't before :p).
Hair - to grow or not to grow, that is the question. I guess I'm halfway there already so may as well go whole hog and ask for extensions!
Should we send out "You are not invited" cards so everyone knows where they stand :p
How do we fill a 7 bedroom house with just 2 of us??
Uh Oh...after this we'll be fielding questions about the pitter patter of little feet. I don't think the world is ready for another mini-me or a mini-Bryan.

Alhamdulillah

2007-06-12T16:31:00.001+08:00

Heartiest Congratulations to
Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bulqiah
&
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Khairul Khalil
on their royal wedding.

We pray that love continues to blossom for the royal couple.

Photo: Infofoto

Sharifah Eliza and Walee Part 2

2007-06-10T22:14:00.001+08:00

Congratulations to Sharifah Eliza Elaine and Lft (U) Walee for their joyous wedding ceremony last Saturday night.

Here you can see Lft (U) Walee in white songket ensemble for the berziarah ceremony and white mess jacket for the bersanding ceremony.

Lft (U) Walee's friends came to give him the 'salute' during the wedding.

Congrats.. once again to a beautiful couple and may you be blessed with happiness always. Amin!

More pics update soon.

Sharifah Elyza and Walee Part 1

2007-06-10T21:55:00.000+08:00

Saturday night saw the wedding of Sharifah Eliza Elaine and Lft. (U) Walee at the Royal Berkshire Hall at the Jerudong Polo and Country Club. Beautiful setting for a beautiful couple. In this post, I will highlight Sharifah Eliza's beautiful wedding attire designed and made by Josche Nelan Boutique. Hajah Zaleha was the make-up artist for Sharifah Eliza and she looked stunning beautiful.

Hmmm.. where is Walee? Getting ready to be photographed? All will be revealed in the next post!

Very superstitious?

2007-05-31T07:43:00.000+08:00

A wedding is fraught with traditions, lots and lots of traditions. In the course of skimming the net for wedding whatnots, I stumbled across a handful of websites detailing the traditions and customs of this lifelong institution.

Anyway, it all really starts with the proposal doesn't it? A long long time ago suitors would send a pair of gloves to their intended as a proposal. If she wore the gloves to church the following Sunday it signified acceptance of his proposal. The Welsh were even more offbeat - the suitor would carve a spoon and present it to his beloved who, if she accepted his proposal, wear the spoon around her neck on a ribbon! Not quite the bling we're used to. Ladies rejoice! 2008 is nigh! It is considered acceptable for the female half to propose on 29 February in a leap year...something to do with the 29th not being a "real" day therefore, traditions held no weight on that day.

Engagement, or betrothal rings used to be considered partial payment for the bride and al pledge of the groom's intentions hence the reference to an engagement as a contract for marriage. I believe modern etiquitte dictates that should the engagement be broken by the male half, the female half gets to keep the ring, however, if she ends the engagement she must return the ring not unlike our modern concept of sale & purchase contracts - if the buyer terminates the contract, the vendor gets to keep the deposit and vice versa. Yes, it would seem us women are chattels to be traded at the whims and fancies of the male species. Did you know that women have sued over broken engagements?

Engagement rings weren't always the diamond that we're all so familiar with these days. Until the 15th century, only kings wore diamonds and gems were reserved for the upper echleons of society...all this to maintain a clear division between social classes. As the years went by, the diamond emerged as the symbol of betrothal because its clarity and brilliance reflected innocence and purity, while it's strength signaled the hope of an enduring love. Thank God for De Beers and it's now legendary "A Diamond is Forever" campaign which firmly entrenched the diamond and THE engagement rock in our minds forever and ever Amen. All wedding and engagement rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand. The vein in this finger was once believed to go directly to the heart which is closely associated with love.

Your engagement ring signifies that you are pledged to a lucky so and so. For the material girl in all of us, that bit of bling shouts (or whispers, as the case may be) of your man's commitment to you or in some cases it can be an indication that he should be committed...to a mental institution...but that's another post altogether :p

Choosing a wedding day isn't made any easier if you want to stick to tradition.

"Monday for wealth
Tuesday for health
Wednesday the best day of all
Thursday for losses
Friday for crosses
Saturday for no luck at all"

Next you have to pick a month...

"Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last."

A longer wordier dictator-like rhyme is available here.

Then the colour of your wedding dress...

"Married in white, you have chosen right.
Married in blue, your lover is true.
Married in pink, your fortunes will sink.
Married in green, you will not long be seen.
Married in red, you'll wish you were dead.
Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow.
Married in brown, you'll live out of town.
Married in grey, you'll live far away.
Married in black, you'll wish you were back."

Is there no end to these wretched rhymes!?!

The commonly repeated "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" is familiar to every bride. This dates back to Victorian times when the the full version was "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe"... now where can I get a silver sixpence for my shoe? and what on earth does it mean?

"Something old" represents the link with the bride's family and the past.
"Something new" represents the good fortune and success in her future.
"Something borrowed" reminds her that friends and family will be there for her when she needs help.
"Something blue" symbolises faithfulness and loyalty.

My favourite superstition is associated with dominance and shopping. It is said that the first partner to purchase something new after the wedding will be the dominant one in the relationship. The perfect excuse to go shopping! Maybe stop at a kedai runcit between church and home??

These traditions are just the tip of the iceberg. I haven't even delved into the Chinese wedding superstitions and pantangs (taboos) yet! Google "wedding traditions & superstitions" and you get this. It would be crippling to have to organise your wedding around all these traditions!

On a more personal note, it's 12 weeks to the day and all is well. Parents are polishing off guest lists, flowers & pretty bits and other scary logistic things are all in capable (read: parental) hands and it looks like I'm on track with my dress although I do have a little itty bitty shoe dilemma.

We went wedding band hunting yesterday - B has FAT fingers! I can't believe that nowhere in this country sells plain wedding bands!! Everything has fancy swirls and whatnot on it. You have to custom order plain bands...oh the irony of it *sigh* To engrave or not to engrave, that is the question. Decisions...decisions...decisions...the list goes on...and on...and on...and on...

One Of A Kind

2007-05-31T00:52:00.000+08:00

If you're looking for a unique, original, one of a kind, artistically and professionally done, personalised and have great faith, this may be what you're looking for.

Jump here for more info.

Memoirs of A Bride (Part 1)

2007-05-28T23:00:00.000+08:00

I'm woken up at 9am by my mum and aunts who announce themselves in my room (I should've locked the door). I'm still a bit sleepy from the night before where my family and my 3 friends (Ainul, Bibi & Sera) came over for the AF finals but I manage to pull myself out of bed feeling somewhat invigorated. My 2 months worth of preparations will now be put to test. I'm not feeling the slightest bit nervous. I've been feeling extremely ecstatic for the past few weeks or so.

Mum reminds me that Pehin Yahya and Dato Ahmad (Nasir's uncles) are coming over at 10am for my signing and I go and get ready. For the signing I was asked by Pehin Yahya to read out the paragraph for myself which I did (in my head). I thought it was like if you buy stuff u are asked to read the terms and conditions, you don't really read it out loud rite? I was all quiet, happily reading the paragraph in my head when Pehin Yahya said "Baca.... Bismillahhirrahmannirrahim..". I repeated after and said "Bismillahhirrahmannirrahim" and kept quiet. He then said to read the paragraph and pointed at the 2 nd line so I was stuck contemplating if he wants me to read it from the top or from the 2nd line. So I asked! Hehehe…

After the signing more family members came to the house. I was shoo-ed upstairs and banned to not wander off around the house. So I skipped to my room and played around with my pembalas. Mum came in and said "Belulut!" then came in my grand aunties (many of them) and pulled me out and made me sit on a mat. They had it done like bebedak mandi where every 'old/married' person took turns to bedak me. Our family does not allow un-married people to bedak whoever is getting married. Apparently it's not allowed. They say the unmarried person wont get married if they do it. After that I had to change into kamban n they did the works. That was my bebedak mandi 'cowboy'.

At 2pm Eyan (photographer) came and took pictures of my pembalas and then came Bu Amas (my aunt who was doing my make up). So I sat while she painted my face and then I felt it! The 1 st sign of butterflies in my stomach. I was finally feeling nervous! Erwan (videographer) came and reported for duty, my friends started coming in and filling my room which distracted me during the process of having my make up done. Though it also made my nerves lesser. Make up was done, I ran down to change and use my tudung and came up to have my jewellery, tiara and veil put on.

Geared up, I took pictures with my friends and it was time for doa selamat (after hantar berian). My family members came in and gave the "Jangan ketawa ketawa. Senyum jangan besar. Mata jangan liar" talk. Not long after my 2 aunts came in my room to escort me down to the pelamin. So I sat, looked around, had Zakiyah make faces and distracting me, having the family walk up to me on countless occasions saying that my 'mata liar' and to behave. So to keep my eye at 1 point, I just watched the TV in which Nasir was being 'lectured' about marriage. Then came the time for the 'ijab & kabul' which despite his 1st time that was at the wrong time, his 2nd time was said without a glitch. After that Nasir had to read some 'agreement' where if he were to be missing for 6 months and I complained to authorities, it'd be automatic talak and I thought to myself… He's only just become my husband and he's already talking about divorce! Its like a pre-nup! Nasir went to salam with everyone and then he got escorted upstairs to where I was. Had him touch my head (tapak) and salam-ed (batal wudhu) him followed by him sitting next to me and we 'bersanding'. Everyone then started to head off to eat and Nasir said "sudah" and was about to walk off with them!

We took pictures and more pictures and more pictures and had a little cake cutting thing with more pictures taken. In the evening we went to Ban 3 (his house) to continue taking more pictures. By the time we got back to Mabohai (my house) we were absolutely tired. I managed to admire my hantaran from Nasir for a few minutes but I definitely didn't have the energy to unpack it! If I went back in time 10 years ago to when Nasir and I 1 st went out and told myself that I'd be getting married to Nasir in 10 years I don't think me in the past would've believed it cause its still very surreal to me now. It all feels like I'm in a blissful dream, one that I wont have to worry about waking up and going back to boring life. One could say I'm on cloud nine but a permanent cloud nine.

Memoirs of a Bride (Part 2)

2007-05-28T22:33:00.000+08:00

Signing in the morning at my house

Victim of Bebedak Mandi

The stairs done by no other than me. Flowers flown in from KL by Dr Ismail. Bought in SSF by my friend Tasha who gets 50% discount!

Make up artist is my aunt who had her courses in London. Currently she lives in Abu Dhabi so I was lucky she was back on holidays to do my make up.

Hantaran from Nasir which was fixed by his sister in law's family.

Pembalas from me which was fixed by myself. Flowers custom made to my liking. Also flown from KL, also organised by Tasha.

All that glitters are diamonds! Tiara lent by my Aunt (she bought it in Korea). Very bling bracelet and necklace lent by Sera's mum. Bangle lent by my grand mum. Rings lent by my mum. Veil bought from Saffy.

My baju (dress). beads sewn and diamonds stuck on by myself.

Shoes from Prettyfit. A gift from Nasir during Raya last year that I didnt get to use much.

Nasir and uncle during the Akad Nikah.

Envelope made from Digital Impressions (KL)

Wedding favours. Chocolate mud cake from Bakerlyn Cake Shop.

Nasir's ring. Made to order from Diamond & Platinum.

My ring. Also made to order from Diamond & Platinum.

Wedding cake from Empire Hotel. A gift sponsored from my uncle Saiful Bahri.

Pelamin made from Norhayana. Made new for me (i gave them the design).
For more photos, click here.

Bulimic: Thank you for your wonderful contribution Muizzah. Everything looks so lovely, from the cake to the rings. On behalf of The Wedding Blog team, we wish Nasir & you a happy marriage and may you both be blessed by Allah SWT always. Amin.

And the going is rough

2007-05-24T09:47:00.000+08:00

So many things to do. So little time to do it. I'm so glad that both families are non-traditional and only demand that we do the bare minimum when it comes to wedding ceremonies. The flow has been decided now we just have to get the people and outfits for each.

I spent a few days in Singapore for work this week but managed to squeeze an hour for a mad dash to Arab Street to get fabric for outfits. I didn't have time to trawl the shops for bling as instructed by mother and grandmother. This is the first time I've heard mother say "don't worry about the cost" when talking about bling! I was overjoyed! Tiffanys??

Shoes. I think the pair of shoes you walk down the aisle in are crucial. It's the pair of shoes that will carry me down the aisle towards the future basically if you want to look at it that way. I'm refuse to wear a pair of crappy cheapo wobbly heeled one time only shoes because in my mind it shows that the event is not important enough to merit a proper pair of solidly made shoes. I believe you should walk towards your future on a solid footing and firm foundation. To that end I'm looking into the budget to see if there's money to get me a pair of Choos.

Dress. Design's sorted. A choice of fabric will be winging its way home with me in a few hours and I'll be seeing my tailor tomorrow. Once that's done then I can concentrate on veil, shoes and accessories. This is the one day you get to wear a tiara without question!

Hair & makeup. Sorted! Who else but the one and only style icon. I couldn't go for anyone less.

Flowers. As if we have a choice! Ken Florist was the only choice. It's all in good hands.

Receptions. Sorted kind of. Venues that can accommodate the number of guests are few and far between so it's not really a choice. I only have one rule - No Karaoke!

The groom needs to be sorted out so I think I'll spend next week doing that together with finalizing invitations. The groom always seems to need sorting out :p

We've embarked on a spiritual journey now that we're required to attend Sunday Mass on a regular basis. I never realised how many familiar faces are regular churchgoers. The bright side is the Sunday morning breakfast after the 8am Mass.

Martina & Ismayadi

2007-05-13T00:16:00.000+08:00

Sharing some pics of the couple taken by David Cheok.

I'm not an expert but it's amazing how David always manages to capture and enhance the beauty of his subjects,

and portray the love and laughter and the joy and emotion of his wedding (& engagement) assignments.

I like the way he takes us 'behind the scenes'..

By viewing photos on his site, it is almost as good as being at the event itself.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

2007-05-11T00:09:00.000+08:00

We were reminded todat that the institution of marriage is not one to be entered into lightly. The good Reverend sat us down and had a serious chat with us about our intentions. Not having been maried before and not having spent much of my life in church, I didn't have a clue what to expect and so let B lead the way.

Before giving us the requisite forms to fill in, the Reverend asked us the following questions:

Have we attained the age of majority?
Are our parents aware of our intentions?
Are we currently married?
Are we of sound mind?
Are we entering into this marriage out of duress or coercion of any kind?
Do we have the intention to have a christian marriage and will our children be raised in the framework of the church?

Of course we answered yes, yes, no, yes, no and yes respectively. After impressing onto us the importance of the church as an institution and guide to our lives as a married couple, the good Reverent stops sweating us and hands us the forms to fill in. And here I was thinking that he'd be all fire and brimstone and that I'd have to sign my soul away before he'd say yes.

A church wedding is full of traditions, some of which may be outdated yet hold enough appeal to follow. One that especially appeals to me is the "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" bit that many modern brides still follow. If I were to follow this to the letter then I'm thinking an old pair of blue underwear should take care of old and blue and maybe I can borrow a new pair of Choos from some generous donor.

Another tradition is the bride wearing white to symbolize her purity and innocence...well! not in this day and age! Thank goodness for shades of champagne and ivory - slightly tarnished is the modern bride.

I've been scouring the internet and magazines for my dress and of course that of my wonderful bridesmaid and I can't find anything that we'd be comfortable in. Everything is puffy, frou frou or lacy! The standard wedding dress of strapless top and poufy skirt is a definite no go for me - I'd trip over the skirt and probably pop out of the top halfway down the aisle. I am so not one of those girls who grow up dreaming of her wedding day. The white suit ala Bianca Jagger is beginning to look more and more appealing to me. I'm warning you dear bridesmaid, you may end up in something frilly despite my best efforts to rescue you from such a fate. Please don't hate me forever.

Hair and makeup have been taken care of by a simple visit to the one and only Shahdon. all 3 of us go way way back so it was only appropriate that I ask him to beautify me on my big day.

A wedding means photographs! Lots of photographs! Pre-wedding shots are usually taken to show off to one and all during the wedding. This is one thing we may not do. The shots, yes but a resounding no to the showing them to one and all during the wedding...we're just not like that somehow. I'm hoping to get a good friend to do the photographs. I like his portraits and I like his style. Photographs are also very personal and I hope that by getting a dear friend to take our pre-wedding shots, his knowledge and familiarity of us as a couple will show through in photographs that capture what we really are instead of stilted photographs of 2 people who slightly resemble us physically. The personal touch is important.

My to do list for the next week:

Sort out dresses for myself and wedding party.
Finalise guest list from parental units and grandparents.
Approach printers for quotations for printing the invitations.
Sort out entertainment and venues.
Decide on how many separate events to hold.
Finalise budget.
Investigate flowers and wedding favours.

Fastforward to Bride - The Beginning

2007-05-07T18:50:00.000+08:00

1 May 2007. That's the day life as I know it changed. I am no longer allowed to count myself amongst the singletons of the world, albeit with a significant other but as yet unmarried. The rock on my ring finger of my left hand now serves to remind me that I am about to pledge myself body and soul, to another.

So how did this happy situation come about? In a nutshell, boy meets girl, boy saves his number in girls mobile phone under assumed name, girl discovers number weeks later and hazards a call, boy takes girl out for a beer, boy and girl somehow start spending a lot of time together, 6 months later boy and girl resign themselves to being an item. Now fastforward to 1 May 2007. Boy and girl are on holiday, girl refuses to get out of bed, boy pops the question, girl feigns initial ignorance but eventually says yes. Yes the ring is a real diamond. Yes he bought it himself.

The proposal wasn't meant to be what it eventually turned out to be. Although B's really tight lipped about it, from the fragments of information that I've gathered it seems that he's been plotting for a while and practically everyone was in on it. The original plan was to pop the questin while riding the glass bottomed cable car from Mount Faber to Sentosa but in his own words "it didn't seem like we were going to make it so I thought I'd propose in your favourite place - the bed!". I'm just thankful he didn't do it in the middle of Orchard Road! That would have been a disaster...can you imagine me going "ok we'll talk about this later, let me finish shopping first" *roll eyes* True shopaholic am I.

To the fellas out there, if your girl isn't the type to declare her love at the top of her lungs from the top of Wheelock Place then for both your sakes, pop the question privately. Doing it in a public place with hundreds of eyes staring and waiting for an answer can be nerve wracking to say the least. Also, to me, a private moment between the both of you when you ask that oh so special question is infinitely more beautiful than the most publicly lived out moment imaginable. Plus...if she says no in public what on earth would you do?!?!

The parents have been told. Today we tackled the remaining grandparents. My lovely grandmother took her sweet time getting settled, seated B directly opposit her in her living room and conducted a mini-interrogation - when's the wedding? where will you live? you better look after her? and so on and so forth. B emerged unscathed, after all when your grandmothers were good friends and fathers went to University together, you're not going to have much of a problem getting accepted by each other's families.

Since we got engaged, it's been a whirlwind of attention. I'm not usually one to shun attention but I'm getting to the stage where if I could, I would blush, stammer thanks you's and run away. A big thank you to all those who've wished us well - now watch me lose my mind trying to organise a wedding...MY wedding *faint*

I must say that getting engaged and putting together a wedding has opened a whole new world of internet resources to me. Gone are the days I surf looking to perv at the latest handbag or another pair of Choos. Now it's to sites like the knot or Female Brides for information and ideas. Can someone tell me if there's a difference between a dress and a wedding dress? To me the only discernible difference is the price they stick on the one meant for brides. Does becoming a bride give retailers carte blanche to rob you blind?? For God's sake, an invitation card is an invitation card regardless of whether it's for a birthday party, coming out of the closet or a wedding!

Engagement annoucements out of the way we're looking at maybe biting the bullet at the end of August. A long engagement would just be a pain for the both of us. We figure it's best to just jump right in.
How do I feel you may ask?? I feel fine. Much as B popping the question was a surprise, I think deep down I had a feeling it was going to happen this year. Even his 4 year old neice has been telling everyone that we're getting married this year - psychic maybe? I'm happy, he's happy, the families seem happy, my brother's are eagerly awaiting ang pow's next Chinese New Year. The enormity of it all has settled in - this will actually be something that's forever and ever and ever, not until next season's collection comes out. To put to rest any doubters and dissenters out there, I have 2 words for you - I do.

Majlis Tanda Tunang of Tina & Yadi

2007-05-06T17:37:00.000+08:00

The engagement or Majlis Menerima Tanda Tunang of Tina & Yadi

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s ! !

The couple
Hajah Martina Melati binte Dato Seri Paduka Hj Kifrawi

Ismayadi Sugara bin Asrul Hayat

Tina is the only daughter and eldest child of Dato Seri Paduka Hj Kifrawi and Datin Hajah Zainah. She is a medical student at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. The couple met in Brisbane and went 'steady' in October 2004. Yadi graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in December 2004. He is working as an Auditor with the Brunei Government.

The ring
The ring was from Twinkles Jewellery

The event and venue
The beautiful bride-to-be was made up and dressed in the Darussalam Suite of the Sheraton Utama Hotel situated on the 6th floor of the hotel.

On arrival, guests were ushered into the Mutiara Ballroom located at lobby level. The ballroom was decorated in the colour theme of blue and white. It was wonderfully cool and tranquil in the ballroom and an air of excitement was in the air while the guests waited for the ceremony to start.

The guests in the Mutiara Ballroom could see Tina in the Darussalam Suite, as she waited for the ring to be brought to her.

The invitation
A very simple gold leaf, bought by the bride-to-be from a stationers in Brisbane. Her Aunt, Ngah Alin or Haslinda, prepared the words and layout. Elegant yet effective.

The make-up and hair
Tina’s hair and make-up were done by Maureen from De Most Salon in Kiulap. Soft baby blue sparkly eye shadow, light pink lips, radiant complexion and dramatic lashes.

Tools of the trade:

Maureen, make up artiste

The Dress
And now to her breathtaking baju kurung which was made out of an exquisite piece of luminous ice blue French Lace adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals. It was lovingly cut and sewn by Madam Glinda, who works in Tina’s grandma’s tailoring shop, Tina Tailor. Hundreds of silver and blue beads were hand-sewn over 2 weeks onto the neckline, cuffs and edges of the baju kurung.

Tina Tailor was set-up Datin Hajah Jamilah, Tina’s maternal nenek (on right). Here she is with her daughter, Datin Hajah Zainah.

Located at No. 120 Kampong Lambak, Simpang 284, Jalan Berakas, BB1714, BSB, Tel: 2390438, Tina Tailor is well known for their delicate and intricate beadwork, superb workmanship and innovative designs of baju kurungs/kebayas and baju feysen.

Here is Glinda, master cutter, (2nd from left) and her team of sewers and embroiderers.

The Jewellery
A pair of ear-rings from Swarovski and a long necklace of topaz and assorted stones.

The shoes
A lovely pair of blue sandals embellished with crystals from Vincci to match the baju kurung.

The photographer
When only the best will do, you call David Cheok. Pop over to his site to see more photos. Please register to view photos which are in his Private Gallery.

The videographer
Irwan, a familiar face at weddings.

The food
Chef Ken Yeong, Executive Chef of the Sheraton Utama Hotel, put this menu together for the occasion. We had Tasek Fried Rice, Darussalam Noodles, Tofu Ebiko Pouch, Honey Sesame Chicken Wings, Crispy Fish Fingers with Sambal Dip, Assorted Canapes, Sliced Cakes and Fresh Fruits.

Go to Foodie Tales for pics.

The giveaways
Mum (Datin Hajah Zainah) of the bride-to-be, bought these Chinese silk tissue box holders from Shanghai. The lucky ladies received this, with Golden Boronia nougat from Australia in a re-useable dark blue chiffon drawstring pouch, and a piece of chocolate cake baked by the Pastry Chef of the Sheraton Utama Hotel. The gentlemen guests received a mug instead of the tissue box holder.

Isn’t it a wonderful idea to hold an engagement party in the air-conditioned comfort of a hotel? Imagine having their banquet department make most of the arrangements for you, leaving you to look your best on the big day?

No surprise the bride-to-be and her family all looked wonderfully calm and collected, mingling with their guests and enjoying the afternoon’s events. Call Sheraton Utama Hotel on 2244272 for enquiries.

Here is Rano in the Darussalam Suite. Check out his site for his write-up of today's events.

Shafique & Wanda

2007-04-21T03:35:00.000+08:00

As promised earlier on, here is the complete post from their wedding events. Thanks to Fidz & Tiyah for the text & images respectively.

Nikah

Nikah was held at individual venues, I think it is usually held under one roof (at the girls side) but instead of that the guy's nikah function was held at his place first and later went to the girls side at Kpg Mata-Mata. The bride's side managed to watch the Nikah function take place at our place via video call on Skype, apparently it was on projector for everyone to watch since it was not held under one roof. Technology these days!

Berbedak

Berbedak function took place on the 28th of March at the groom's side in Berakas. Outfit & accessories by Roza Rohaya located at Gadong Properties.

Bersanding

The Bersanding function took place on the 1st of April both at the groom's side while the bride's side was held at ICC. The groom's Bersanding clothing by Nurhayana Enterprise.

Ambil-ambilan

Ambil-ambilan was held at the bride's side in Kpg Mata-Mata. Congratulations again you both. Ok now go make lotsa lil Fiqs & Wandas! Hehe...

More photos here...

Shafiq & Wanda

Delani & Handara's

2007-04-17T15:26:00.000+08:00

My brother and some friends recently made their way to Jakarta to attend one of our good friends' wedding reception. It was held at the grand Balai Samudera. As you can see from the pictures below, it was a very lavish occassion attended by VIPs and performances by well-known Indonesian artist.

Congratulations Delani & Handara, may your marriage be a pleasant journey and an everlasting one too.

The Groom & Bride

Some of the invited guest.

With the VIPs, The Indonesian President and his First Lady.

Now thats what I call a cake!

With friends.

The Brunei posse putting on their best looks. Macam Mafia eh! Hehe...

Harvey Malaiholo sang the first song for the first dance.
There was also a performance by Vina Panduwinata.

Their Brunei wedding reception will be held this coming May. Will try and post more pics of that too.

Lace Of Elegance

2007-04-12T16:44:00.000+08:00

Click here to know more.

SMARTER Five Hills Challenge

2007-04-11T12:31:00.000+08:00

Date: Sunday, April 15th 2007
Time: 7am
Starting Venue: Tasek Lama
Other destinations include: Subok, Marakucing and Mentiri before heading to Bukit Shahbandar by either 1pm or 2pm

The SMARTER meaning to the five hills:

Five important challenges faced -

'The challenge of our children growing up'
'To advocate support and understanding from government agencies'
'The challenge of academic issues'
'The challenge of future employment'
'The challenge of higher education'

Other info:

Members of the public who wish to contribute and participate are welcome to join the charity event
SMARTER Brunei is targeting to raise enough funds to sustain them for six months

For more information, contact: Hj Malai Abdullah at 8743777 or Major Talip at 8865646 or Hj Yusuf Thani at 8732046

Dave & Darlis

2007-04-07T15:27:00.000+08:00

Their wedding was last year, now they are the proud parents of a handsome young boy named Lucas. These pictures are taken after their church wedding. I think pictures of that will be posted by BlackDiamonds soon.

This particular layout is made using Tabblo. Its a fun way of displaying your photos and best of all its free. All pics are taken by me using my Nokia N80 and enhanced a bit using Photoshop.

Back from church ... See my Tabblo

Ayla and Sufian... Thanksgiving ceremony

2007-03-26T18:31:00.000+08:00

The story of Us... Ayla and Sufian continued with a thanksgiving ceremony last night at the Orchid Garden Hotel.

Make-up Artists were done by Alley and Yassin. The beautiful bridal gown was solely designed by Nelson of Josche Nelan Boutique for Ayla. Yes! She owned the dress!

Lovely sister, Yani assisted Ayla in getting ready for the evening.Handsome groom waiting for his loved one!
All set.. ready... shoot!!
Rahayu.. the flower girl with mummy and daddy!Intending couple..practising their photo-shoot!
Families of the groom
The wedding cake made by the Orchid Garden Hotel.
Let's cut the cake!
Saving all my love for you!
Sufian showing his love and gratitude to his mother
Ayla showing her new bling-blings from her in-laws.
Paternal instincts? hehee
The wedding couple with parents and families
Elegant look for the evening

Ayla and Sufian bersanding ceremony

2007-03-25T15:43:00.000+08:00

Here comes the groom.. looking dashing and regal.....
As usual... families and friends...all excited to see the newly wed couple.The reception party .. receiving guests..Guests and friends mingling..Look... who's in the crowd? Mrs Jenny... looking radiant from her honeymoon...
At last.. pics of the wedding couple...looking lovingly and happy!Thanksgiving prayers for the newly weds! Ms Maurina and Honey were present as well at the wedding!
Lovely girl taking picturesAyla's aunties having a good laugh. something funny caught their attention... Once again.. congratulations to Syarifah Ayla Surya and Haji Sheikh Sufian Mahmud on their wedding day and may Almighty blessed the union! Amin!

Ayla....pre- wedding pics

2007-03-25T15:26:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Sharifah Ayla Surya and Haji Sheikh Mahmud Sufian for their wedding day today. It was held at the Caesar Ballroom, the Orchid Garden Hotel. Here are some pre-wedding pics. The bouquet flower was made by Ken Florist.
Bridal costume was made by Roza Rahaya Boutique.The make-up artist was Alley.
Beautiful sister of Ayla, Yanti helped out in getting the bride ready.They seemed to have fun together....
Sharifah Ayla Surya.... all ready....waiting for the groom ...

Shafique & Wanda

2007-03-23T17:29:00.000+08:00

Mohd Shafique bin Mejar (B) Hj Mohd Hussain
and
Nur Wanda bte Mohd Charles Ridzuan Abdullah

The Nikah ceremony was held at the groom's residence and later moved on to the bride's residence. Shafique said his Akad Nikah flawlessly, almost with a sense of urgency hehe. I had to leave early because of another function at home. So watch out more photos and infos on the wedding.

Congratulations bro!

Adri & Syahidah

2007-03-21T01:29:00.000+08:00

This is way back in May 2006. It was a lovely occassion, so thats why I thought I'd share it with all. The pics from the slide below is taken by me using my Nokia N80.

Nikah dress designed by the bride herself. The material was a gift from her dad & mom. It was sewn and created by Fatimah Mohsin (Singapore).

Make-up, hair also by Fatimah Mohsin (FM).

Dulang hantaran from the bride to groom is again by FM.

Cake by Fleur De Lyss and also designed by FM.

Flower girls dress designed and made by Adri's cousin, Dk Ernie.

Wedding reception & catering: Jerudong Polo Club.

Photgrapher: Kid Chan (pics below).

Btw, the couple recently had a a cute baby girl, aint she adorable?

Wedding cake

2007-03-13T21:53:00.000+08:00

Have u ever wonder where to order a wedding cake? Although major bakeries and cake shop do make them, I found this wedding cake rather a beauty. It is made by Sapphira Cake House. Those interested can called Madam Nori at 8984848

Fashion for wedding receptions

2007-03-13T21:26:00.000+08:00

Have you ever lost for ideas what to wear to weddings functions? Must it be the same baju kurong or kebaya for you. Have no fear as this post will help you with some ideas. I found some able models willing to pose for you to view. Hope you find the following useful!

French lace seems to be the trend these days......from the look of the pics

Kebaya never fade in its appeal amongst the ladies. Colour and style makes the difference!

Modern style baju is in trend as well.I must put a pic for the man's style. Although men tend to have the same style baju melayu. Not only colour makes the difference.... Sun-glasses too.

Til death do us part - Teaser

2007-03-13T20:29:00.000+08:00

Since last year I've been priviliged enough to see 3 close friends pledge undying love forever and ever. Wei & Steve, Dave & Darlis and Jeff & Rachel. A traditional Chinese wedding is somewhat different from a Malay wedding. A church wedding is a world away from both the Chinese and Malay weddings. There are customs and traditions galore to be adhered to. Look forward to a long post on these wedding customs once I manage to condense it into something readable and coherent. In the meantime, enjoy my 2 works of 'art'.

Liza & Aboy

2007-03-13T07:00:00.000+08:00

edly amran seth & lizayati damit

march 2007

What happens when a PR events officer decides to marry? She doesn't hire a planner. She plans everything herself. The sweet little details of the wedding really showed Brunei PR tactics at its best!

Liza and Aboy tied the knot on Friday 9 March at her home on Jalan Muara. Their nikah ceremony saw an interesting crowd - a bus full of more than thirty KL-ians bringin hantaran gifts which were brought in beautiful red leather boxes which had convenient handles for the carriers. Talk about chic.

Liza's hantarans were no less than beautiful. One from Liza is definitely noteworthy - the reknowned kek lapis- layered cake baked by her mother is cuisine worth boasting about!

...reception...

It was only befitting to hold the reception at the Multi-Purpose Hall, International Convention Centre as two families from different lands celebrated their marriage infront of 1200 guests. Guests included several VVIPs, a fifty-strong entourage from Kuala Lumpur and of course, bloggers.

The couple looked lovely together in a lovely soft green jong sarat set from Mutiara Ayu Boutique, a popular choice for today's weddings. The colour gave a natural and light effect rather than the usual character of heavy and stiff jong sarat bajus which most couples dread.

A traditional malay dance performance from Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports entertained guests while they feasted on dishes prepared by Nurwanita Enterprise. The fish fillets were especially delicious! Shots to slobber on can be found on Yeeman's Foodie Tales.

X-Romantic Factor of the Night was the Suap-Suapan Session where the couple fed each other with wedding food to a favourite song of the couple's (especially Aboy's) which was 'Gemilang' by Sheila Majid.

Lens, lens everywhere! Who wouldn't want to take photos of this glamorous affair?! Wedding shutterbug pro David Cheok was seen hard at work and we surely cannot wait to see the official shots! Also noticed paparazzi Rano & photoblogger Eyan doing what they do best too.

Another interesting detail - the pretty notecards which Liza herself designed. Many were seen writing congratulatory messages and inspirational words for the lovebirds.

Sweet, simple yet detailed, Liza and Aboy's wedding will be remembered for ages. This one surely made Brunei proud.

Words by Mel. Photos by Lisa & Mel.

Eddie and NurAini Bersanding Ceremony

2007-03-13T06:43:00.000+08:00

It was a lovely Sunday afternoon and everyone was ready for the function. Families from both sides came to celebrate the wedding couple.

The wedding couple got their attire from Nurhayana at Kiulap.

NurAini had Fonzzie to do her hair and make-up for all her functions for three days. Fonzzie did a good job as I can see. She is also an experienced Make-up Artist. If anyone interested, she can be contacted at 8786369.

All systems go for the bersanding.

Eddie and NurAini Tea Ceremony

2007-03-13T06:20:00.000+08:00

Eddie and NurAini had a tea ceremony early on Sunday morning. It was a great event as the pictures will show you. It was a cultural experience for me too as it was the first time for me to attend such event.

Eddie and the Bestman.Lighting up the cracker.

Before Eddie is allowed to come in, he had to fulfilled several tasks. First he had to drink some liquid.. which turned out to be bittergourd juice.. hehehe You can see the expression on his face!Next Eddie had to eat durian ice-cream at 8.00 AM!! Thanks to the posse who helped him out!

Next task was to sing an Awie's Song! What?? No one knows the lyrics.. Thanks to Syam from Hikarie8, helped us out with Belaian Jiwa from Innuendo. Way to go Syam!

Next task was to eat cheese crackers with wasabi in it! You can see Chai's face turned red with delight!! hahaa!!

At last, Eddie looked happy, being able to come in after giving many ang-pow away!

Ka Che introducing NurAini's side of family.. Ini anak abang ke dua!! Lu mesti jaga isteri baik baik ya!

The girls who prepared the games with the bride.
This looks like a scene from a Shanghai Triad movie. Actually, the couple with the bestmen!
Eddie's family members
Getting their ang-pow!

Marshmallow Boy getting a taste of culture and ang -pow!

Ani Fiviviyanti and Muhammad Ezwan

2007-03-13T06:07:00.000+08:00

11th March was the wedding of Ani Fiviyanti and Muhammad Ezwan. The Make-up Artist was Shahdon from Icon Saloon tel: 2230460, while costume for the couple come from Nurhayana. Food was catered by YaNur and it was a good lunch I must say. You can contact Santosh from Yanur at 8719986

The bride and the bridesmaid getting ready!

The bestman and the bridesmaid in action.
Here comes the groom!On the dias.

Guests attending the wedding.
Bride's mum in pink!

Celebrity Wedding

2007-03-11T18:11:00.000+08:00

Bulimic and I played Celebrity paparazzi today, to cover for the wedding of Celebrity DJ Jenny Malai Ali to Ridha today. We were in discussion on this for the past few days as we see several blogger covering the event. So, we thought why not do a post on Celebrity Wedding.... behind the scenes and preparations. We came early to the wedding to get early glimpses of Jenny and to interview her on the preparations. Bullimic played sharpshooter today while I roam around asking questions and chatting people up!! Here it goes...

I must say Jenny M has been immaculate in her preparations. She did mentioned recently in her Bluntly Sharp article that she would prefer a traditional wedding and a traditional wedding, it is. I must congratulate her for all her efforts in galvanising family and friends to help out in the events as it could be seen everyone helping out in the numerous events leading to the big day today.

Foremost, the beautiful flower girls were children of her best of friends. They looked beautiful, complimenting the bride. Dresses for the flower girls were designed and made from Hokko Tailors.

For Jenny and the Ridha, the main wedding gown and attire for the groom were made by MRSA Boutique at the Mall in Gadong. Stunning purple with lilac undertones made the couple's choice. Usually purple will come too garrish but the design and colour blend of chiffon and beads made the wedding costume outstanding! Matching shoes goes with the wedding outfit too.

Next, make-up. I come to understand that there has been several Make-up Artists( MUA) for the past few days but the main wedding day.. credit has gone to Yassin, a seasoned MUA. He did a marvellous job and is someone who is experienced in this field.

Accessories.. The choices of real diamond tiara, necklace and ear rings are fabulous. Thanks to her friend who was willing to let Jenny wear a private collection. Yes! They are real diamonds!! Woooo!!

We would like to wish Mr and Mrs Ridha, all the best in their new life as a couple!

Words by Pablo. Images by Bulimic. 4th March 2007