Potato Queen travel and lifestyle: My Wedding Series: Wedding Day

OK so the big day has come. As a child I have always dream of having a fairytale princess wedding where I would ride into the ballroom on a pumpkin carriage by white horses. That's possible as rentals are available but as we matured money comes into our mind. I know this is a once in a lifetime moment but even a simple wedding can be memorable. But I did dress up like a princess with a Tiffany blue sparkling ball gown and princess jasmine type of dark blue long tailed dress. And I emphasized that I wanted a crown lol.

So here's a summary of preparations we did for our wedding.
* Note that this is a Chinese wedding and its not really traditional.

1. Book a venue at least 6 months before to secure your preferred place.
2. Come out with guest list after you succeeded booking a venue.
3. Book photographer and videographer 3-4 months before event.
4. Send out wedding invites 2 months before event.
5. Choose dress with bridal house 1 month before event.
6. Wedding car rental 2 weeks before event.
7. Confirm guest list 2 weeks before event and print any necessary plans such as table arrangement etc.
8. Pick up dress and other deco 1 week before event.
9. Pick up car and decorate 1 or 2 days before event.

And so we held our wedding on 2nd March 2013 at Sea Palace Restaurant. Had no idea why we chose that day. Maybe coz it's an auspicious day for Chinese as it was still within Chinese New Year lunar month. We wanted around 10-11th April because 11th April was our first date and 10th April was our ROM.

Total we spent about RM30k for a simple wedding that includes prewedding photoshoot, restaurant, car rental, photographer, videographer etc. Here's roughly the agenda of our wedding day.

0900 Prayers for ancestors at in law's house
1000 Back home and rest
1600 Bridal makeup and hairdo
1700 Go to venue
1730 Double check and set up stuff like banner, table number, slideshow etc.
1800 Tea ceremony with relatives in private room
1900 Welcome guests
1950 Grand entrance
2000 Start dinner. Typically, Chinese wedding has 8 courses.
2100 Cut cake, toast and speech.
2240 Dinner ends
2245 Greet guests outside
2300 Photo session with relatives who stayed back and pack up.

I bet you noticed that we did not have the typical groom picks the bride from her house and go through horrible games then prayers and other traditions. Well we did pray to our ancestors, had tea ceremony, decorated our room and hubby had his tangyuen at night. The rest we felt it was unnecessary.

On the next day which was 3rd March, we had photo shooting session with close friends at Beach Street. I had swollen eyes because I was too tired from the wedding dinner. So I will leave you with pictures (∩_∩)

Hubby and the wedding car. Don't worry about the number plate coz it's not our car anyway.

The couple bear belongs to me. It's a wedding gift from the bridal house.

It's a tradition for Chinese to decorate their vanity and wardrobe with new perfumes, skin products and new clothes.

Teapot set was a gift from my mother-in-law.

I didn't buy new perfumes coz I rarely use them. These are travel sized ones from SIA.

My main wedding gown. I have no idea why I did not choose a white gown. Both my gowns are shades of blue. I guess my favourite colour is blue then.

These are hubby's tuxedos for the night

Gold pajamas is his while pink pajamas is mine.

Some Chinese traditional item. Each of them has a meaning so if you know what they symbolize do tell me, I'm interested to know coz even my mum doesn't know.

So here's an overview of our wedding bedroom. It's small but cozy enough for us.

Our bouquet of flowers from the bridal house as well as plum sweets wrapped in red plastics with the word 囍 (hei) which means double happiness. I still have the 囍 stickers all over my house.

This is my dog Bruno a.k.a. Chai Chai and he was grumpy coz he has to stay at home whole day while my parents and I were busy. Isn't he cute?

Next, hubby and I went to my in law's house to pray to our ancestors and ti kong. Traditionally in the mornings, the bridegroom will depart from his home to fetch the bride. In the process, the jimui-s (bridesmaids) will have some games prepared for the groom and his hengtai-s (best men). After that the groom has to give each of them angpow containing money. Then the bride will be escorted out along with the groom and they will pray and do other traditional stuff which I am not sure of then tea ceremony and then everybody have a buffet lunch. After that the groom will bring his bride back to his house and have another prayer and tea ceremony for his side. For Christians they will exchange vows in church.

Well, hubby especially do not like all these so we skipped the hassle. So here's the twelve dishes for prayers.

After prayers for ancestors and he prayed to all the altars in his house, we had lunch and ate whatever was on the table.

We had a good rest at home before going to Crystal Brides for hairdo and makeup. This is my zombie bare face.

Much better...I love the glitter on my crease.

Hubby with foundation on.

He looks a bit irritated.

Woohoo...on our way to the venue.

We arrived around 5pm to set up and double check the place.

Here's the flower arch. We paid RM500 to Sea Palace Restaurant for the deco including stage deco. RM10 per table for them to slot in covers for the chairs.

Here's the stage deco that we have chosen. I find them cute.

Flower deco along the aisle included in the RM500.

Our simple main table.

All these are DIY by me and I'm still keeping them now. The frames were bought from Daiso and I printed out the names. The mini tuxedo and gown was handmade by me and it's not as easy as it seems.

Here is the entrance of the restaurant. Though its not a 5 star hotel, by the poolside or the beach, consider not bad lah.

We began with tea ceremony at 6:30pm. Usually elder relatives will give the couple gold jeweleries and angpow after drinking tea. The ceremony went on for like 1.5hour because relatives kept coming in. After that the bride and groom will distribute angpow to the relatives who aren't married mainly kids below 18.

My besties who are very supportive and never fail to attend anything I invited them.

The hall is already full so we shall start the dinner.

Here is our grand entrance.

I was so happy that I smiled horribly.

Damn a lot of guests.

Finally seated. We were so exited that we don't have the mood to eat so we just ate the first 2 dishes.

We hired this band for about RM1200 or so I have forgotten the exact figure. They entertained us with relaxing music the whole event because I requested not to make the environment seem like a karaoke or pub.

Here are the dishes for the evening. Traditionally, Chinese weddings consists about 8 courses including a dessert. You can have a look at their Wedding Set Menu in the website. Note that the "shark fin" soup contains imitation shark fin strips made out of starch. Say no to shark fins.

After we had like 3 dishes we went to change in the changing room and walked the aisle for the 2nd time.

We were called upon the stage to cut the cake.

Then we were given champagne and we had to shake to open the cork. The sprinkles were his not mine. Mine came out first easily and the secret is to twist the cork to make it lose before you shake.