Will be collecting our wedding bands tomorrow, or so I hope. :p
We did not manage to collect it in end July when we went to eClarity, for part of our customised rings was made of 18K yellow gold (or some called it champagne gold) and I personally found it too yellow for my liking. Jeff was actually fine with it though. Anyway, Amanda, the owner was very nice and offered to remake the bands for us as we specifically requested it to be of lighter tone.
Though we left eClarity with disappointment, we were glad that the result of the design we came up with - mix of white and champagne gold with roman numerals engraving and diamonds (we were very particular - even coming down to the exact size of the dimension of each of the 2 golds and diamond size) were really nice. We were initially afraid that the combination might not turn out well. Glad that Jeff and I decided to customise our rings at the end despite the cost was almost twice what we budgeted for. :)
Shall provide details on our bands searching process, together with pic of our customised rings in our next entry.
Exactly one more month to go ...
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Pampered Lion
Celebrated my birthday with Qi Qi on the evening of 18th August at the intricately-named "The Nautilus Project" at ION Orchard. It was a dreary day in the office for me, so the gastronomical delight that awaited me was the perfect perk-me-up to lighten an otherwise plain birthday.
Located at the top storey of ION Orchard, the restaurant looked impressive enough with a large LCD monitor displaying the day's menu. The wine cellar was tucked away at the side of the entrance, with a wide array of wines and champagnes that would certainly have been a haven for wine connoisseurs. More impressively, the restaurant offered a quite-breathtaking view of the Orchard area and part of Scotts Road as well.
Alas, we were told the unfortunate news that the restaurant would be officially opening the next day, and the food currently available was limited to a single page of entrees. Which sort of explained why we made up half of the total diners in the restaurant when we entered. That was never going to deter us though, at least not on my special day. While the menu was short, it remained challenging to pick out what we wanted to fill our tummies with - not least because the short description beside every item sounded ever so appealing...
But we settled on the Seafood Platter, which was on 1-for-1, and of course the restaurant's signature dish: the Nautilus soup kettle. The Seafood Platter was a sight to behold and looked interesting once it arrived at our table:
The essential requirement for seafood as a cold appetizer hinges on its freshness, and here the Seafood Platter scored big with us. The generous serving of 3 shrimps were sweet, juicy and firm to the bite; the oyster on a half-shell tasted like it came straight out of the ocean (there was a whiff of sea-water as I lifted the succulent oyster with my fork) and the accompanying crab claw was another winner. We didn't need any dips for anything - everything tasted great au natural. The Platter included a tiny slab of smoked salmon, some chillied clams, Japanese unagi and crusty French bread toasted to a crisp. Qi Qi especially loved the bread, as I would expect her to, which came with 2 tasty cream dips which complemented the warm bread perfectly.
Then there was the soup kettle - another hit with us. At the front of the restaurant, there are 2 big pots which the restaurant uses to brew their cooking stock. Diners ordering this get to choose between 4 types of cooking stock and then choose from 2 seafood combinations. If my memory serves me well, the 4 stocks are Thai spicy coconut (sinful!), sweet & sour Sichuan (sinful!), clam chowder (very sinful!) and fresh Mediterranean (sounds healthy...) And of course, Qi Qi and I sinned to the max! The thick and creamy clam chowder was slurped up in no time! 4 thumbs up from us, definitely!
And, oh, what is a birthday without presents... Qi Qi had kept the present well-concealed from me, as usual... so I had to use all my senses to decipher what it could be...
I tried to listen...
And I sniffed...
I was so desperate, I even tasted it...
But still I couldn't get it right... And so I did the only thing I could - I ripped everything apart and saw it for myself!
A Gucci wallet! Heart pain la... so expensive... that's the way my dearest Qi Qi is, splurging on me, so that she can continue to say that I am a pampered little boy!
Happy birthday to me!!!
Located at the top storey of ION Orchard, the restaurant looked impressive enough with a large LCD monitor displaying the day's menu. The wine cellar was tucked away at the side of the entrance, with a wide array of wines and champagnes that would certainly have been a haven for wine connoisseurs. More impressively, the restaurant offered a quite-breathtaking view of the Orchard area and part of Scotts Road as well.
Alas, we were told the unfortunate news that the restaurant would be officially opening the next day, and the food currently available was limited to a single page of entrees. Which sort of explained why we made up half of the total diners in the restaurant when we entered. That was never going to deter us though, at least not on my special day. While the menu was short, it remained challenging to pick out what we wanted to fill our tummies with - not least because the short description beside every item sounded ever so appealing...
But we settled on the Seafood Platter, which was on 1-for-1, and of course the restaurant's signature dish: the Nautilus soup kettle. The Seafood Platter was a sight to behold and looked interesting once it arrived at our table:
The essential requirement for seafood as a cold appetizer hinges on its freshness, and here the Seafood Platter scored big with us. The generous serving of 3 shrimps were sweet, juicy and firm to the bite; the oyster on a half-shell tasted like it came straight out of the ocean (there was a whiff of sea-water as I lifted the succulent oyster with my fork) and the accompanying crab claw was another winner. We didn't need any dips for anything - everything tasted great au natural. The Platter included a tiny slab of smoked salmon, some chillied clams, Japanese unagi and crusty French bread toasted to a crisp. Qi Qi especially loved the bread, as I would expect her to, which came with 2 tasty cream dips which complemented the warm bread perfectly.
Then there was the soup kettle - another hit with us. At the front of the restaurant, there are 2 big pots which the restaurant uses to brew their cooking stock. Diners ordering this get to choose between 4 types of cooking stock and then choose from 2 seafood combinations. If my memory serves me well, the 4 stocks are Thai spicy coconut (sinful!), sweet & sour Sichuan (sinful!), clam chowder (very sinful!) and fresh Mediterranean (sounds healthy...) And of course, Qi Qi and I sinned to the max! The thick and creamy clam chowder was slurped up in no time! 4 thumbs up from us, definitely!
And, oh, what is a birthday without presents... Qi Qi had kept the present well-concealed from me, as usual... so I had to use all my senses to decipher what it could be...
I tried to listen...
And I sniffed...
I was so desperate, I even tasted it...
But still I couldn't get it right... And so I did the only thing I could - I ripped everything apart and saw it for myself!
A Gucci wallet! Heart pain la... so expensive... that's the way my dearest Qi Qi is, splurging on me, so that she can continue to say that I am a pampered little boy!
Happy birthday to me!!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Gloomy day sweetened with a home-made cheesecake...
I got a shock when I realised that it was 7.45am when I woke up this morning. Jeff told me last night that he would be coming over to my place to give me a SURPRISE before he fly off to Switzerland for yet another work trip. I called him and phew, he was still on his way. By 8am, Dear came and I saw this semi-transparent rectangular tupperware that he was holding, containing something that had 3 different coloured layers. “It’s Agar-Agar!”, I exclaimed. Dear smiled, I’m wrong. It’s cheesecake, one of my fav desserts! Looks good ya?
The top layer is agar-agar filled with peach fruits (so I’m not wrong totally :p), middle layer of course the cheese and the bottom layer is the crumbled digestive biscuits (very different from usual oreo ones ya).
I guess Jeff’s curiosity and love for cooking explains his superb culinary skills. He would constantly try out new recipes whenever he can. So far, he has tried cooking/making the following:
•Chinese food (i.e. fried rice, stir-fry veget – but that was a number of years ago.)
•Western food (His grilled lambchop is really really fantastic!! I could eat that for all my meals, if only he’s willing to do that..hehe)
•Italian (I love his mushroom carbonara spaghetti too.. but dear felt that Blooie’s Roadhouse serves better ones.)
•Appetizers and Salads (Really love his potato salads..could eat one big tub at a go. No wonder I’m getting fatter..)
•Fusion food (Around 2 mth back, Jeff made pancakes and added in smoked salmon with yogurt and fresh fruits – first time I tried such unique food!)
Ok, I digressed, back to today’s dessert – peach cheesecake. Yummilicious, good blend of the chewy agar agar with sweet peach and salty crispy digestive biscuits. The cheese tasted slightly different from usual, Dear said he added in too much cream. But overall, I would rate it 8/10. Really appreciate Dear’s efforts – He knows I will feel gloomy today with him flying off to Switzerland and this dessert is meant to cheer me up and last me till Sat (that’s when he will be returning). That’s such a sweet gesture ya? I’m touched once again.
Gonna 32 dear. Wish I could have gone with you and give you some comfort when air turbulence comes.
The top layer is agar-agar filled with peach fruits (so I’m not wrong totally :p), middle layer of course the cheese and the bottom layer is the crumbled digestive biscuits (very different from usual oreo ones ya).
I guess Jeff’s curiosity and love for cooking explains his superb culinary skills. He would constantly try out new recipes whenever he can. So far, he has tried cooking/making the following:
•Chinese food (i.e. fried rice, stir-fry veget – but that was a number of years ago.)
•Western food (His grilled lambchop is really really fantastic!! I could eat that for all my meals, if only he’s willing to do that..hehe)
•Italian (I love his mushroom carbonara spaghetti too.. but dear felt that Blooie’s Roadhouse serves better ones.)
•Appetizers and Salads (Really love his potato salads..could eat one big tub at a go. No wonder I’m getting fatter..)
•Fusion food (Around 2 mth back, Jeff made pancakes and added in smoked salmon with yogurt and fresh fruits – first time I tried such unique food!)
Ok, I digressed, back to today’s dessert – peach cheesecake. Yummilicious, good blend of the chewy agar agar with sweet peach and salty crispy digestive biscuits. The cheese tasted slightly different from usual, Dear said he added in too much cream. But overall, I would rate it 8/10. Really appreciate Dear’s efforts – He knows I will feel gloomy today with him flying off to Switzerland and this dessert is meant to cheer me up and last me till Sat (that’s when he will be returning). That’s such a sweet gesture ya? I’m touched once again.
Gonna 32 dear. Wish I could have gone with you and give you some comfort when air turbulence comes.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sourcing for the JP...
Qi Qi and I have been meticulous in our preparations thus far. Whether over the choice of solemnization venue, caterer or JP, we have carefully weighed our options and elected to settle for either the choice with the best credentials or the one which gives us the best feeling.
Being this meticulous, though, is a double-edged sword. On one hand, our selection would naturally be that we deem the best and which we were sure would leave us with no regret. On the flip side, dwelling on the specifics meant that a disproportionate amount of time was spent on planning rather than execution.
Which was the case for the selection of our Justice of Peace. Right from the beginning, we laid out our conditions: Mr JP had to be bilingual, popular, experienced, cut a fatherly figure, serious at the right times yet know how to inject humor at the appropriate moments. With that in mind, we thronged the forums and search engines looking for anecdotes from other couples about their JPs.
Comments such as “He was an hour late for our solemnization!”, “She wasn’t confident speaking in Mandarin” and “He scolded my father for turning up late” shrunk our shortlist somewhat, but we were still left with a sizeable group from which to choose from. Picking out the largely popular ones, though, left us with pretty much the same few names. We duly called & emailed them one by one – fingers crossed of course.
At the back of our minds, though, we knew tens of other couples were doing the same. The hugely popular date that we had selected dimmed our hopes further – expectations were not high, and each sms sent was done more out of optimism rather than genuine belief.
So it was with great delight that I received a call on a Monday morning – confirming our solemnization date and timing. He sounded affable, sincere and intelligent – so that was 3 big ticks already. Plus the fact that he could do the solemnization in 2 languages! Looks like we landed a gem!
Thank you for accepting our invite, Mr Phang Tai Heng! =)
Being this meticulous, though, is a double-edged sword. On one hand, our selection would naturally be that we deem the best and which we were sure would leave us with no regret. On the flip side, dwelling on the specifics meant that a disproportionate amount of time was spent on planning rather than execution.
Which was the case for the selection of our Justice of Peace. Right from the beginning, we laid out our conditions: Mr JP had to be bilingual, popular, experienced, cut a fatherly figure, serious at the right times yet know how to inject humor at the appropriate moments. With that in mind, we thronged the forums and search engines looking for anecdotes from other couples about their JPs.
Comments such as “He was an hour late for our solemnization!”, “She wasn’t confident speaking in Mandarin” and “He scolded my father for turning up late” shrunk our shortlist somewhat, but we were still left with a sizeable group from which to choose from. Picking out the largely popular ones, though, left us with pretty much the same few names. We duly called & emailed them one by one – fingers crossed of course.
At the back of our minds, though, we knew tens of other couples were doing the same. The hugely popular date that we had selected dimmed our hopes further – expectations were not high, and each sms sent was done more out of optimism rather than genuine belief.
So it was with great delight that I received a call on a Monday morning – confirming our solemnization date and timing. He sounded affable, sincere and intelligent – so that was 3 big ticks already. Plus the fact that he could do the solemnization in 2 languages! Looks like we landed a gem!
Thank you for accepting our invite, Mr Phang Tai Heng! =)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The venue is finalized!
The unpredictability of life never ceases to amaze me.
Just when Qi Qi and I thought we had found the perfect venue for our solemnization after numerous recce trips and a stringent selection process, a major brick wall emerged right smack in our faces. 20-09-2009 had always been our premium ROM date, having chosen it from the list of recommended dates from the almanac – and the string of numbers were of course meaningful as well. Alas, we had not counted on other couples adopting the same thinking as well.
Hort Park has been booked on the 20th of September and would not be available for us…
I do not know what exactly devastated us more – the fact that our choice venue had been eliminated in such an abrupt manner, or that we would have to go through another arduous round of selection to select an alternative venue. Indeed, it took a lot to lift our deflated morale before Qi Qi gamely suggested that we explore other venues which we had yet to visit.
Never underestimate the allure of well-taken pictures. Especially when 2 despondent souls are scouring the internet for that elusive wedding venue. For it was during one of these random searches that a gem of a place was unearthed.
The site where Raffles House stands in Fort Canning Park used to be a colonial house for Sir Stamford Raffles during his final stay in Singapore. Pictures of the interior of the house gave us a majestic feel, but what really impressed us were pictures of the garden set-up for previous solemnization ceremonies – that gave the both of us ample impetus to make a trip down to check out the place.
And we were not to be disappointed. Overlooking the Clarke Quay and CBD area and offering a peek of the Singapore Flyer from certain angles, the view was nothing short of breathtaking. The garden space was extremely close to what the both of us had been visualizing it to be all along and the dining area was in close proximity to where the outdoor ceremony would be held.
Just when Qi Qi and I thought we had found the perfect venue for our solemnization after numerous recce trips and a stringent selection process, a major brick wall emerged right smack in our faces. 20-09-2009 had always been our premium ROM date, having chosen it from the list of recommended dates from the almanac – and the string of numbers were of course meaningful as well. Alas, we had not counted on other couples adopting the same thinking as well.
Hort Park has been booked on the 20th of September and would not be available for us…
I do not know what exactly devastated us more – the fact that our choice venue had been eliminated in such an abrupt manner, or that we would have to go through another arduous round of selection to select an alternative venue. Indeed, it took a lot to lift our deflated morale before Qi Qi gamely suggested that we explore other venues which we had yet to visit.
Never underestimate the allure of well-taken pictures. Especially when 2 despondent souls are scouring the internet for that elusive wedding venue. For it was during one of these random searches that a gem of a place was unearthed.
The site where Raffles House stands in Fort Canning Park used to be a colonial house for Sir Stamford Raffles during his final stay in Singapore. Pictures of the interior of the house gave us a majestic feel, but what really impressed us were pictures of the garden set-up for previous solemnization ceremonies – that gave the both of us ample impetus to make a trip down to check out the place.
And we were not to be disappointed. Overlooking the Clarke Quay and CBD area and offering a peek of the Singapore Flyer from certain angles, the view was nothing short of breathtaking. The garden space was extremely close to what the both of us had been visualizing it to be all along and the dining area was in close proximity to where the outdoor ceremony would be held.
Guess I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
The path leading to Raffles House...
And the nice little pathway leading up to the place...
The solemnization area...
Suffice to say, we fell in love with the place on first sight. Raffles House, where have you been hiding all along??
Within 3 days of inspecting the area, the security deposit was paid, and the both of us are already drawing out plans for the Big Day.
After a long-drawn-out process, it is somewhat ironic that Qi Qi and I had come one full circle (literally) and returned to Fort Canning Park for our solemnization – albeit one held in a different setting. Anyhow, it doesn’t really matter, does it? We’ve got our place, and we have just taken another big step closer to our haven.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Recce Trip 3
Remember I mentioned about our rating table on solemnisation venues in one of my previous entries? Yes, I know it is long overdue, so here it is:
ShanShui Palace Restaurant
Pros: The place could accommodate all our 70 guests. Given that it is sheltered, there is no issue with wet weather. Ample, free parking space. Cost is also very affordable at about $28 - $45++ per person.
Based on the ratings table, we selected 7 more venues that we thought were worthwhile to recce. And so, Jeff and I embarked on our third recce trip on 23rd May 2009, determined to complete all that we shortlisted. Given that some were in the west, some central and some north, this task wasn't easy at all. :P
The reveal of the 7 places:
1) 12:00pm Raffles Country Club @ Tuas
We got to know that the outdoor Raffles Foyer, which has a pretty good view, would be out of bounds from June 09 on wards. And so the only existing venue in the club available for solemnisation would be the restaurant, Shanshui Palace itself. Solemnisation could be held at the balcony overseeing the reservoir.
Raffles Foyer
ShanShui Palace Restaurant
Pros: The place could accommodate all our 70 guests. Given that it is sheltered, there is no issue with wet weather. Ample, free parking space. Cost is also very affordable at about $28 - $45++ per person.Cons: Too alike to banquet style. Not what we wanted - a garden wedding. Location too west.
2) 1.30pm Beaulieu House @ Sembawang
The place was extremely far. But it gave us a good feel the moment we walked into the park.
The place was extremely far. But it gave us a good feel the moment we walked into the park.
The food listing sounded good to us, with a mix of western and chinese food. Prices of the food were fair too, with a choice of either $32 or $40 per pax. An elegant decoration (including reception table, solemnisation area, dining area and surroundings) could be provided at a decent price - $488 for 50 pax, with $3 per additional head.
Pros: The antique colonial setting and outdoor garden by the sea appealed to us. Quiet surroundings. Affordable and cozy for 70 pax. Sound system could be provided at a cost too, so seems like everything could be provided at one-stop. Flexible with our demands too.
Cons: The place would not be exclusive to us, 20th sept has been booked for a solemisation as well. There would also be no air-conditioning (other than the side-hall which was booked). No good wet weather contingency plan - would have to move indoors if it rains.
3) 3.00pm Bottle tree village @ Sembawang
Bottle tree village was near to Beaulieu house, however, it was relatively more inacessible (will not be able to get there without a car). Nothing really special about the place, got fish spa, prawning though. Backdrop was also not impressive, though overlooking the sea. We did not bother to talk to the person in charge to find out more (unlike the first 2) as we ruled out this venue completely.
4) 3.30pm Bottle tree park @ Yishun
Hort Lawn
A big park with prawning and fishing activities. We spent more than 30 minutes searching for the solemnisation venue, but to no avail. Also could not seek help from the general office which was closed. I personally quite like the greenery feel, but we both agreed that it might be difficult for guests to find the specific solemnisation area given the big park. 
5) 4.30pm Hort Park @ Alexandar
Pros: Hort Lawn - Garden feel with pretty background, fits perfectly to what Jeff and I wanted. Rather exclusive place. The location is also convenient; no need to provide shuttle bus.
Cons: Basically we would have to do everything by ourselves - sourcing for marquee, caterer, decorations, etc. The marquee cost is not going to be cheap too. No free parking and inconvenient for old folks who will have to climb down a fleet of stairs to reach hort lawn.
Hort Lawn6) 6.00pm Peony Jade @ Keppel
Pros: Oriental feel of the restaurant. Solemnisation area faces the sea. Decent price too.
Pros: Oriental feel of the restaurant. Solemnisation area faces the sea. Decent price too.
Cons: Solemnisation area is just beside the pool, which could be quite crowded. Given the limited space, it is unlikely that any chairs can be placed there. We weren't impressed and ruled this venue completely once we left the place.
Solemnisation area
7) 8.00pm The Pines @ Stevens Road
After dinner, we headed to our last destination, the Pines. Cost is still acceptable, about $55++ per pax.
After dinner, we headed to our last destination, the Pines. Cost is still acceptable, about $55++ per pax.
Pros: Gave Jeff an atas feel. Rather spacious garden with indoor dining. Centralised lcoation. Ample free parking.
Cons: Alike to banquet style with round tables setting. Limited back setting for photo shots.
After some discussion with Jeff, we shortlisted 3 venues for consideration, in order of priority: Hort Park, Beaulieu House and The Pines. The reason for Hort Park to be our first choice of solemnisation? Simply because exclusivity meant more to us than anything else. Though Hort Park meant that we will have to put in extra effort and time to plan and source, we certainily do not mind doing so. After all, this is once in a lifetime event. We were just glad that we have found our so-called ideal venue. :)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
11 years on...
First dates are always memorable, particularly so for sentimentalists. One can forget the first time you lied to your parents, the very first expletive you used on a nemesis. But we never ever forget our first date - whether positively or otherwise.
The feelings of anxiety the night before, the innate fear of running out of topics, awkward moments of silences... Endless (and often unconfounded) worries that the ultimate cock-up will happen...
Exactly 11 years ago, I summoned the courage to invite a gal to watch a potential ultimate cock-up occur. I still remember it was a HCJC band concert. Now, I've never been a big fan of school bands, but then again, it didn't matter whether it was a band performance or a Hollywood movie - one wouldn't pay attention anyway. Not on a first date. =p
Thankfully, the ultimate cock-up didn't happen... and Qi Qi and I still hold that special evening close to our hearts. What makes today special would be that this would be our last "first date anniversary" together as singles (That's the thing with sentimentalists... anniversaries for everything! =p). By the time the next May 19 comes around, that would be our first "first date anniversary" together as a married couple!
I have only ever run 3 marathons in my life, all of which are memorable for unique reasons. There was the one in 2006, my inaugural attempt at completing the 42 km run. Then there was the one the following year when Qi Qi was there beside me throughout the run, with the excruciating pain in my knees afterwards forcing me into an early "retirement" from long distance running.
And of course there is the one which I have been running for 11 years now (how about that for stamina? =p) Shoulder to shoulder, stride for stride, with the one who has stood by me especially when the going was tough.
Come September, we would have reached another significant milestone along this journey.
But for sure, we will always be fully committed to finishing this lifelong race together.
The feelings of anxiety the night before, the innate fear of running out of topics, awkward moments of silences... Endless (and often unconfounded) worries that the ultimate cock-up will happen...
Exactly 11 years ago, I summoned the courage to invite a gal to watch a potential ultimate cock-up occur. I still remember it was a HCJC band concert. Now, I've never been a big fan of school bands, but then again, it didn't matter whether it was a band performance or a Hollywood movie - one wouldn't pay attention anyway. Not on a first date. =p
Thankfully, the ultimate cock-up didn't happen... and Qi Qi and I still hold that special evening close to our hearts. What makes today special would be that this would be our last "first date anniversary" together as singles (That's the thing with sentimentalists... anniversaries for everything! =p). By the time the next May 19 comes around, that would be our first "first date anniversary" together as a married couple!
I have only ever run 3 marathons in my life, all of which are memorable for unique reasons. There was the one in 2006, my inaugural attempt at completing the 42 km run. Then there was the one the following year when Qi Qi was there beside me throughout the run, with the excruciating pain in my knees afterwards forcing me into an early "retirement" from long distance running.
And of course there is the one which I have been running for 11 years now (how about that for stamina? =p) Shoulder to shoulder, stride for stride, with the one who has stood by me especially when the going was tough.
Come September, we would have reached another significant milestone along this journey.
But for sure, we will always be fully committed to finishing this lifelong race together.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Time waits for no one...
Ever since Jeff proposed, I got myself a new "hobby". That is reading up Singapore Brides and Style Weddings forums. Really useful sites to get ideas and advice for a wedding. Handy tips and experiences shared by BTBs. :)
I was reading the forums as usual yesterday... and realised how slow we were in terms of our solemnisation preparation. Many BTBs having Sept solemnisations this year have already sourced and booked their venues, Justice of Peace and some, even chosen and gotten their ROM dresses and photographers. I started to get worried, reason being that the date we have chosen is a popular one, 20/09/2009. Not to mention that the numeric term of the date and mth represents exactly the year, it is also a "ji re" and there is a public holiday on the next day. Some BTBs have also expressed difficulty in getting their JPs. Sigh.
Just how did things come to this stage? We had 1 year and 8 mths to prepare (since the proposal)! Other than visiting a shifu to decide on auspicious dates, booking a bridal shop which was practically done on the spur of moment last year, and receeing some venues this year, we did nothing else. Ok, I'm not totally right to say that. Jeff did collect some wedding package brochures, while I had been into my new hobby. Perhaps more accurate to say that there wasn't much concrete actions from these. We always assume there's tons of time, not knowing that time pass by so quickly.
And so, both of us started getting panicky yesterday. And decided that something must be done SOON in order to have our ideal ROM. We did spend the whole sat evening completing our pretty comprehensive solemnisation table and shortlisted 7 more venues that we would want to recce. But the venue needs to be confirmed asap so that we will get our first choice and to allow us to proceed to book the JP's time. And so we split the tasks on hand, Jeff took charge of planning our next recce trip in the shortest time possible and I in charge of consolidating a list of solemnisers with good reviews. For both of us, this sat shall be a hectic but excited excursion to 7 different garden places where we have never been to before. Sounds fun!
Btw, we also made our first call to Jazz Bridal (who moved!!) to book an appointment to look at the ROM dresses and suits. I'm certainly looking forward to that!
I was reading the forums as usual yesterday... and realised how slow we were in terms of our solemnisation preparation. Many BTBs having Sept solemnisations this year have already sourced and booked their venues, Justice of Peace and some, even chosen and gotten their ROM dresses and photographers. I started to get worried, reason being that the date we have chosen is a popular one, 20/09/2009. Not to mention that the numeric term of the date and mth represents exactly the year, it is also a "ji re" and there is a public holiday on the next day. Some BTBs have also expressed difficulty in getting their JPs. Sigh.
Just how did things come to this stage? We had 1 year and 8 mths to prepare (since the proposal)! Other than visiting a shifu to decide on auspicious dates, booking a bridal shop which was practically done on the spur of moment last year, and receeing some venues this year, we did nothing else. Ok, I'm not totally right to say that. Jeff did collect some wedding package brochures, while I had been into my new hobby. Perhaps more accurate to say that there wasn't much concrete actions from these. We always assume there's tons of time, not knowing that time pass by so quickly.
And so, both of us started getting panicky yesterday. And decided that something must be done SOON in order to have our ideal ROM. We did spend the whole sat evening completing our pretty comprehensive solemnisation table and shortlisted 7 more venues that we would want to recce. But the venue needs to be confirmed asap so that we will get our first choice and to allow us to proceed to book the JP's time. And so we split the tasks on hand, Jeff took charge of planning our next recce trip in the shortest time possible and I in charge of consolidating a list of solemnisers with good reviews. For both of us, this sat shall be a hectic but excited excursion to 7 different garden places where we have never been to before. Sounds fun!
Btw, we also made our first call to Jazz Bridal (who moved!!) to book an appointment to look at the ROM dresses and suits. I'm certainly looking forward to that!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Recce Trip to Mandai Orchid Garden and Gardenasia
Finally some updates on our second recce trip on Vesak Day, 9th May 2009. We spent the Saturday afternoon recceing MOG and Gardenasia. On our way there, Jeff told me: “Dear, don’t expect that we will reach MOG very fast ok? The journey will take a while.” Well, the reason why he said this is because I often complain that the roads he chooses are often the longest. And my reply to him? “Yes, I know, Dear. Thanks for managing my expectations.:p”
About 10 mins into the ride, Jeff exclaimed “The road sign! See, Mandai Orchid Garden!” We were both too surprised as we didn’t expect the car ride to be a short one.
As we stepped into MOG, we were greeted with beautiful orchids. The feeling about the place was good.
We tried to find Gazebo and the water garden based on the photos we saw on the website. Here’s some photos of the solemnization venues:
We moved on to our next destination, Gardenasia, which is near Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Dear wasn’t sure of the direction, after all we seldom wander to the northern part of Singapore. In the car ride, Dear asked me if we would be so lucky to again see the road sign “SBWR” in no time. “Got so near meh?” was my reply. You know what? Within the next few minutes, tada, we saw the SBWR sign. We couldn’t believe our eyes, we got the direction right! Today indeed was our lucky day.
In a word, Gardenasia was disappointing. The frangipani venue, which looked so good in the website photos, has a huge tree entrenched in the middle where the guests sit. Quite out of place, isn’t it? Jeff felt that the place would be almost ideal had the tree not been there. I second that. And so, this venue for our solemnization is definitely out.
About 10 mins into the ride, Jeff exclaimed “The road sign! See, Mandai Orchid Garden!” We were both too surprised as we didn’t expect the car ride to be a short one.
As we stepped into MOG, we were greeted with beautiful orchids. The feeling about the place was good.
We tried to find Gazebo and the water garden based on the photos we saw on the website. Here’s some photos of the solemnization venues:
We were in favor of both Gazebo and the water garden, both bearing their own merits.
Gazebo has a beautiful setting, surrounded by colourful orchids. Nice background for photography. The water garden gives an exclusive feel and can accommodate a bigger capacity.
We approached the Vanilla Pod restaurant next. The restaurant owner, Mr Wilson Yew, was helpful and answered some of our enquiries. The owner gave us assurance of the high quality western food his chef provides and it seems to us, at reasonable prices too. Accommodating 60 pax in the restaurant would be a tad too crowded, as we were told. Hence, difficult to include a screen as well. Other than this, we think this place will suit our garden theme wedding perfectly. Too bad.
Gazebo has a beautiful setting, surrounded by colourful orchids. Nice background for photography. The water garden gives an exclusive feel and can accommodate a bigger capacity.
We approached the Vanilla Pod restaurant next. The restaurant owner, Mr Wilson Yew, was helpful and answered some of our enquiries. The owner gave us assurance of the high quality western food his chef provides and it seems to us, at reasonable prices too. Accommodating 60 pax in the restaurant would be a tad too crowded, as we were told. Hence, difficult to include a screen as well. Other than this, we think this place will suit our garden theme wedding perfectly. Too bad.
We moved on to our next destination, Gardenasia, which is near Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Dear wasn’t sure of the direction, after all we seldom wander to the northern part of Singapore. In the car ride, Dear asked me if we would be so lucky to again see the road sign “SBWR” in no time. “Got so near meh?” was my reply. You know what? Within the next few minutes, tada, we saw the SBWR sign. We couldn’t believe our eyes, we got the direction right! Today indeed was our lucky day.
The drive after seeing the sign, was deep in though. Inaccessible. Subconsciously, we started giving Gardenasia a low rating even before we reached there.
In a word, Gardenasia was disappointing. The frangipani venue, which looked so good in the website photos, has a huge tree entrenched in the middle where the guests sit. Quite out of place, isn’t it? Jeff felt that the place would be almost ideal had the tree not been there. I second that. And so, this venue for our solemnization is definitely out.
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