Monthly Archives: July 2011

Prevent garish gifts

July 29, 2011 – 2:47 pm

Photo credit: Weddingistas

Dreading the thought of receiving a wedding gift that you’ll never use and worse still, a gift that will waste your storage space? We all know how valuable each and every square foot is in Hong Kong, the last thing we need is a ginormous gold plated statue in the flat – keep it or dump it? To our Mainland neighbours, darlings, we’re not living in Versace-land nor is bigger the better so please, enough of the garish looking wedding gifts. To prevent this from happening, set up an online registry at www.myregistry.com, (don’t be greedy and only ask for expensive items; do you really need a HKD1k candle when you can easily buy one for 1/10th of that price?!) so you can choose what you want at any store in the world…well, that is if they ship to Hong Kong. If you need a recipe book to cook for your soon-to-be hubby, you’ve got , or need an iPad to show off those future wedding photos, then you’ve got .

It’s great for those who have friends and families scattered around the world – all they need to do is click on the item they want to purchase and the site will redirect them to the shop for them to input their credit card details. Easy, simple, hassle-free. You can even set up a cash fund and instead of the money being put into a general pot, you can name it your ‘honeymoon fund’, so the generous giver knows what it’s being used for, and not some ridiculous shoe fund. If you’re feeling particularly charitable, you can choose for the cash to be directed to a non-profit organisation. It’ll be great for your karma. To top it off, this service is free.

www.myregistry.com

Tags cash fund, charitable fund, honeymoon fund, wedding gifts, wedding list, wedding registry | Permalink | Comment (0)

Oh so dapper.

July 28, 2011 – 1:14 pm

Why do so many Hong Kong brides make their grooms look like clowns? Do they understand that only the bride wears white and no straight man, even if he has the body of Fernando Torres (Bridelicious has a small crush on him and giggled like a little girl when she saw him ‘shirt-less’ at the Barclays Trophy match yesterday) looks good in a white suit unless he’s gay? Nor are suits with sparkly sequins all over suitable for any occasion, let alone for your once-in-a-lifetime wedding. You’re not Barbie and he’s not Ken so give him some respect and let him wear a suit that’s not going to make him the laughing stock amongst his friends. There are so many well-dressed celebs and designers out there, not to mention GQ magazine, the men’s bible; take a cue from them.

Photo credits (clockwise from top-left): The Glass Factory, The Gloss, Getty Images via Socialite Life, Cinematic Paradox, PA via Percy Sales Events Blog, GQ via Million Looks

Tags celebrity suits, GQ, grey suit, groom's outfit, groom's suit, inception suits, men's suits, prince william tuxedo, wedding tuxedos | Permalink | Comment (0)

Entertainment

Boogie the night away

July 27, 2011 – 2:25 pm

For many, standing in front of a crowd of hundreds of people is nerve-wrecking enough, let alone having to dance. They pay a few thousand for a professional to teach them a few steps but the first dance becomes stiff and unromantic.

How about changing it up a little, enlist the help from your bridal party and choreograph an unforgettable first dance like this couple? Get ready to show off your boogie skills!

Tags bridal party dance, bride and groom dance, first dance, wedding first dance | Permalink | Comment (0)

Wedding songs

Processional fun

July 26, 2011 – 7:54 pm

Bridelicious is in a nostalgic kind of mood. Searching for music to accompany her extended wedding video is bringing back memories of the day, just under two months ago when she walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love with You. Who says one can only walk to the Wedding March or Bach’s Ave Maria? The ceremony should reflect you as a couple and not what others think it should be, so be unconventional and choose songs that you love. It sets the tone and can either liven up the ceremony, bring tears to guests’ eyes or make them secretly want the whole thing to end quickly and hit the booze. Go on, be fun!

Here’s a list taken from Bridelicious’ own wedding processional:

Bridesmaids (usually takes about 30 seconds per bridesmaid, depending on how long the aisle is)

She Loves You by Vitamin String Quartet

Bridal (this is what everyone has been waiting for, so take your time and walk very slowly. Let the guests be in awe and more importantly, make your soon-to-be hubby wait and hear the gasps, before he gets to see you)

Can’t Help Falling in Love With You by Jon Schmidt

Signing of Register (the process usually takes about 15-20 minutes so choose 30 minutes worth of music to make sure you don’t have a silent room)

Everyday by Buddy Holly

A Thing Called Love by Johnny Cash

There She Goes Again by The La’s

I’ll Be There by the Jackson 5

Take Me the Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson

Recessional (this is the time for you lovebirds to walk out, so choose a lighthearted song and get the party started)

I Only Want to be With You by Dusty Springfield

Tags bridal processional, bridesmaid's processional, processional music, wedding music, wedding processional | Permalink | Comment (0)

Wedding Fashion

Preserve your dream.

July 25, 2011 – 12:35 pm

Photo Credit: KC Photography

Not all of us are Kate Middletons who has the privilege of displaying her wedding dress in Buckingham Palace for all to see. For the rest of us nobodies, once the special day is over, the ivory dress that you lost ten pounds for, will ceremonially be packed into a box and perhaps only taken out when you want to prove to your hubby that you’ve not gained any weight since the day you said ‘I do’. Before you do so, you must bring your dress to the dry cleaners to have it professionally cleaned. There are bound to be stains (your nervous sweats?!), especially on the hemlines even if you wouldn’t allow anyone within ten feet from you. The humidity (being in Hong Kong!) will also get to your dress before you get a chance and by then, it’ll be too late to rescue it. This is one cost you do not want to skimp on.

The price varies depending on the material and detail so if you’re given a quote of HKD2,000, calm down. If you want to see your dress in its original condition ten years later, it’s the price you have to pay.

Jeeves Hong Kong

They’ve been in the industry for over 40 years and know what they’re doing. Your dress can be vacuum packed for a longer life, at an additional cost.

http://www.jeeves.com.hk/s_wedding.php

Prices start from HKD1,300 up

Goodwins of London

Another specialist with experience in wedding gown preservation.

http://www.goodwinsoflondon.com/pricelist.php

Prices start from HKD850 up

Tags dry cleaners in hong kong, hong kong dry cleaners, wedding dress dry cleaning, wedding dress preservation | Permalink | Comment (0)

Groom Groomsmen Speeches Uncategorized

The Speech (Part II)

July 22, 2011 – 2:32 pm

Here comes the tricky part. What does one talk about if you’re not suppose to crack too many jokes yet maintain a sense of humour in your speech AND keep it short?

Photo credit: Jaime Delaine Photography

Father of the Bride

Thank all the guests for attending the celebrations and in particular, those who’ve had to endure hours cramped on a plane or train just to witness the lovebirds exchange their vows. If there’s only a few out-of-town guests, give them a special nod. They’ll be touched.
Welcome your new son-in-law and his immediate family into yours and thank them for accepting your daughter into theirs (even if she can be a pain sometimes!). Be gracious about it, and let any differences in political views be forgotten.
Now’s the time to share 1-2 interesting stories about the bride (remember, nothing too embarrassing). You can tease her on her personality but don’t go overboard (that means, no ex-boyfriends). After all, it’s her big day and you should be proud of all that she’s achieved.
Mention about how you’ve gotten to know your son-in-law and how glad you are to call him your son.
Add your words of wisdom on a successful marriage but steer clear from giving a lecture.
However, be a man and don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Yes, it’s an emotional day to see your girl grown up and now a wife but think about your guests…where will their heads turn when you’re crying uncontrollably?
Wish the newly-weds a happy marriage. Raise your glasses!

Groom

There’s a lot of thanking in the speeches. Hey, your guests took their time to share in your special day. The least you can do is to give them your heartfelt thank you.
Thank your new family for making you feel so welcome and for letting you marry their lovely daughter (awwww).
Most importantly, you must express how happy you are to have found the girl of your dreams, how lucky you are and how you can’t wait to spend the rest of your life with her.
Now you can breathe again and start drinking!

Best Man

This is the part everyone’s been waiting for. The pressure is on you to make it memorable – we all expect you to be funny.
Start by thanking the groom (AND the Bride) for allowing you the honour to be his right-hand man. Not everyone gets this opportunity.
Thank the hosts of the wedding, be it the parents or the couple. It’s a nice gesture.
It’s now your chance to take a jab at the groom and spill his embarrassing stories. Don’t mention anything to do with the stag though – that motto ‘whatever happens on tour, stays on tour’ applies to the stag until the day you die. Use props if you have to; videos and photos will help bring your story to life.
Last but not least, remember you’ll get married in the future (if you’re single!) so what you say in your speech may just backfire on you one day.

Tags best man speech, father of the bride speech, groom's speech, humorous speeches, wedding speech tips, wedding speeches | Permalink | Comment (0)

Bridesmaids Groom Groomsmen Speeches

The Speech (Part I)

July 21, 2011 – 11:46 am

Speeches. The groom, the best man, the father’s most dreaded part of the wedding. How do you ensure that guests (including the bride herself!) are listening and are not hitting the snooze button?

Photo credits (clockwise from top-left): Solar Photography, Shooting Hip, James Davison Photography, Brian Mullins Photography

1. Keep them short and sweet. Don’t go on a 30-minute spiel about how proud you are of your little girl, how much you love your wife or how lucky the groom is to have found ‘the one’. Unless you’re a professional stand-up comedian, anything more than 5 minutes will activate the yawning process.

2. Tradition has it that the order of speeches goes; Father of the Bride, Groom, Best Man. Try to stagger the speeches between the courses to keep the guests’ attention rolling. The downside though is that any speeches after the main course may be overshadowed by drunkenness and slurring (example from Bridelicious’ own wedding banquet in HK as the groom and the guests had one too many tequila shots!). Having said that, when you want the speeches to be made and their order is entirely your call.

3. Avoid any sensitive or touchy topics that might make the Bride hate you (Groom, that includes you and don’t think you’ll get away just because you’ve signed the papers). Basically anything that she doesn’t want ANYONE to know.

4. Project your voice and speak clearly if you don’t have a microphone. You don’t want to stare at a room of confused faces (they’ll be too polite to tell you to pro.nun.ciate.)

5. You can be soppy but you also don’t want guests running to the ladies or gents to throw up their dinner. Give your speech a lighthearted touch.

6. Avoid excessive use of jokes. Friends and family members are only laughing to calm your nerves.

7. Finally, end the speech with a toast to the happy couple. Any excuse to take a swig of the bubbly!

Tags best man speech, father of the bride speech, groom's speech, order of speeches, staggering wedding speeches, wedding speeches | Permalink | Comment (0)

Proposals

The Proposal.

July 19, 2011 – 9:25 am

Some might react with an ‘awwwwww’, some may even cry, whilst others may just cringe. Watch this proposal and decide.

Bridelicious’ opinion = It’s sweet but too staged. Proposals are meant to be between two people and is a very private affair. Why turn it into a movie for strangers to watch?

Tags best proposals, cinema proposals, movie proposals, private affair, proposals, wedding proposals, worst proposals | Permalink | Comment (0)

Flowers

Simple and effective floral arrangements

July 18, 2011 – 1:22 pm

It’s a general misconception amongst Chinese brides-to-be that garden flowers are a no-go when it comes to decorating the wedding venue. Reason being? They’re not expensive enough! Oh wake up already! Money does not always buy you class and hanging floral butterflies on the ceiling of a ballroom (seriously, Bridelicious was gobsmacked when she saw these hideous creatures a few weeks back in a 5-star hotel) just automatically screams tacky. As mentioned in previous posts, peonies and hydrangeas are lovely and romantic but how about standing out from the crowd and choose some unusual flowers for your bouquet or table decoration? The bridal bouquet doesn’t always need to look like a hand-held forest. Sticking to one type of flower is tres chic.

Craspedias. Billy Balls. So cute and brings a smile to your face. Bridelicious loves them so much, she had them for her own wedding (photos are from her UK ceremony and reception)!

Photo credit: KC Photography

Beautiful colour and smell; lavender is a great choice for spring weddings.

Photo credits (clockwise from top to bottom): Aubrey Joy Photography, Elizabeth Messina Photography

Use potted plants. If you’re really fixated with the idea of having hydrangeas, why not place a potted plant version as a table centerpiece? You or your guests can take it home and watch it grow. So home-y and rustic.

Photo Credits (clockwise from top-left): Sundae Paper, Choco Studio, You and Your Wedding, Martha Stewart Weddings

Flirty and romantic, astibiles come in a multitude of colours. A new favourite.

Photo credits (clockwise from top-left): The Knot, Green Wedding Shoes, Windy Dougall Photography, Azzura Photography, Weddingbee

Tags astibiles bouquet, billy ball bouquets, craspedia bouquets, floral centerpieces, garden plants for weddings, lavender bouquets, potted plant centerpieces | Permalink | Comment (1)

Guests Personal touches

Look after your guests

July 15, 2011 – 10:37 am

Happy Friday Bridelicious readers. Did you know that adding a small personal touch to your wedding can go a long way? It’ll make guests feel that you’ve not only thought about yourself (listen, don’t be selfish now), but you’ve considered their needs too. After-all, they’re as much a part of your big day as everyone else – make them feel special too.

Having an outdoor, summer wedding? Provide fans and parasols for guests to keep cool under the hot beaming sun and add a touch of colour to an already bright day. Better still, design a fan wedding program – pretty and practical!

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Couture Colorado, Trendsetting Wedding, Leigh Webber Photography, Miller + Miller Photography

A cold wintry wedding? Keep them warm and cozy with a shawl. Place them in a basket or on the chairs as an accessory.

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Heidi Ryder Photography, The Knot, Inspired Occasions, Studio JK Photography

Want happy guests? Provide a flip-flops basket to give them comfy feet. The ladies will love you for relieving their pain (it’s never easy wearing 5-inch heels to dance in) and the men will also love you for another reason – to stop their wives and girlfriends complaining!