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Monday, 26 May 2014

A little part of me died.

May 26, 2014 1 Comments
Went on a hiatus for a bit for the past few days for something awful happened.

I'd like to think of it as tragic but I know that's exaggerating things though I really feel that way deep down.

I know it's not a life and death matter.
But.....

My stupid Samsung Galaxy S3 died on me. The mighty all powerful legendary S3 died on me! Committed suicide without me doing anything damaging like dropping it or whatsoever. 
It simply died because it reached its lifespan of only two years. All other Samsung smartphone users y'all agree?!?!?!

Of course it showed signs of being critically ill some time ago when it started becoming extremely laggy and apps would force close itself or wouldn't start.

Why didn't I listen and backup my data every single time! :(

This is why a part of me died as my S3 died too.
The past two years that S3 spent with me, it served me well. It accompanied me across the globe and contains all my most precious memories.  Some of them so precious I refused to delete inspite of backing it up multiple times on my computer and hard disk.

But what's most painful are the recent memories which I hadn't had the time to backup. And I think they're really gone. Gone with its owner to its grave.
And the recent trips I hadn't uploaded because it hadn't transferred them to the computer. So I can't even retrieve low quality images from Facebook.
All I can do now is beg friends who had travelled with me to send me via WhatsApp the pictures that were sent in the group chat. Of course my own selfies are gone with my phone cos I not so narcissistic to send others my selfies. 

I know it's not easy digging through one's phone's camera roll again and separate the images to send to me again which is why I say I'm begging.  :(
Being such a pain in the ass but really no choice lah.

Also, not having prepared for its death, I also didn't manage to transfer my contacts.  I wondered why I never saved the contacts to my SIM card or Google account previously.

I think that's the thing with smart phones. You most probably are multi-tasking as you are saving the contact, distracted by another app that was running in the background or eager to return to something that u were doing previously - WhatsApp-ing, trolling on Facebook, or reading some stupid 9gag webpage. And nowadays there are so many options to save to! Your device, your SIM card, Google+ account,  Samsung account, etc.
Okay it's my fault also for not being consistent, then go and blame on technology for giving me too many choices. 

Even after S3's disappointing short life, still didn't learn my lesson and went ahead to purchase S5. Maybe I'll be cursing again after 2 years. Idk, but I'm too used to Samsung smartphones now.
Sigh. Lesson learnt. ALWAYS ALWAYS BACKUP THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU.
Or risk losing them.

Thankfully I had my Canon camera with me on those trips. So not all pictures are gone.
I try to comfort myself by telling myself it isn't a life and death matter. And If a gadget of mine decides to commit suicide, it's easily replaceable.

No big deal.
Right, no big deal.

Sunday, 18 May 2014

Supper Quick Fix DIY 101

May 18, 2014 0 Comments
What do you do when you're unable to resist those pangs of hunger late in the night and have absolutely no control over the images of yummy food that keep appearing in your head???

 Oh god, I totally know how that feels.

 Well, it's simple!

 Here's my supper quick fix and it's totally DIY. Wheee.

Imma be one of those jerks to post pictures of food in the middle of the night and have ur stomach growl while you surf the net and chance upon this. Haha

Okay, first,  you need to get out of bed and go look for some muffins.
CHOCOLATE ONES because the rest won't work.
I said, chocolate muffins.
Who on earth would even make non-chocolate muffins anyway?!



My special muffins I got them from Paris.


Mini-sized damn cute! Looks like small poop. Haha But very delicious ok.

Then you grab some ice-cream from the fridge.
Don't have, put on a bra and go downstairs 7-11 to get it yourself.

Or if you're too lazy, send da BF/husband cos no one else will do it for you. (Unless you have a maid but even maids have their rights at night. BFs/husbands, on the other hand.... Well, let's just say their rights are debatable. Lol)


You see, problem with sending someone else is that...



 They don't buy the right thing.

 I HATE RASPBERRY ICE-CREAM.

 What a big tub some more. Wah, sian max.

 Why would anyone like raspberry ice-cream! The artificial raspberry flavoring just tastes sour and ice-cream is supposed to be anything but sour.

 You can't even choose to avoid it cos it's freaking all over the whole tub of ice-cream. I'd take durian or mango ice-cream over this berry ice-cream anytime. :(



 Ok, last step, put ur muffins into the microwave.

 Heat it up a little. (step not to be missed)

 Scoop some ice-cream over them.

 Ta-dah!!!!!!

 Serve while it's hot.



Now don't say I didn't share. :)

Thursday, 15 May 2014

IT'S SKIN BABYFACE CANDY GLOW TINT BAR!

May 15, 2014 0 Comments
Introducing my current favourite lip makeup -
BABYFACE CANDY GLOW TINT BAR by IT'S SKIN!


Part of the BABYFACE series, which I suppose helps to create a babyface look?


Comes in 7 colours in total.


I love this lip balm + tint stick because the colours are so striking. And I think it's especially important to put on lip colour when you're wearing makeup because it completes the look.

I see girls who wear makeup but lips are bare and I feel like their efforts are wasted.
You know nude lips causes you to look how sickly, even if your face is well concealed by makeup???

No lip colour, lose liao. 

No lipstick also put on some lip balm lah. Helps to moisturize and make them look all plump and juicy and kissable. 

Note: It creates the kissable impression. Impression is all that matters on a not too familiar basis.
Though it's tested and proven that guys prefer to smooch lips without chemical substances on them.
(Tested and proven by the one and only guy in my life, Simon C.)
But don't worry! When they wanna kiss you, they will kiss you. :D

Lip colour is so important because it makes you look alive!

It also helps to enhance certain looks that you're trying to achieve, like blood red for a sensual effect, or baby pink for a bimbo-barbie look, orange for a supermodel look, etc.

Look prettier with lip colour and feel prettier too right?
Feel prettier also means happier and everything becomes brighter and livelier right? haha


Anyway, I'll be introducing three different colours from the BABYFACE CANDY GLOW TINT series. 

Bought them from Seoul and regretted not buying more colours. 

I love it because it has a creamy texture and that makes it so easy to apply. Creamy texture also doesn't dry out your lips as much and stays better throughout the day. 

Creamy textured lipsticks also seem to be louder and brighter.

Ready for my self-adverts? haha
Here comes!


No. 2 - Cranberry Candy




This colour is a deeper sort of sensual red but isn't too slutty or distasteful. It's striking yet subtle at the same time. Though I think it's on the louder side so perhaps only the vainer and bolder ones will attempt this colour.

Suitable for all skin types because it's red!!! Red goes well with any colour. 

Go all out on your eye make-up if donning this colour. Go all the way man. 

Matches well with mature, classy or sensual fashion sense. 

Think Kpop group Miss A or Angelina Jolie style.



No. 4 - Rose Candy  



Rose Candy has a very sweet tone and complements fair complexion.
Creates a sweet girl-next-door look but definitely not too plain-Jane.
Because plain Janes cannot be bothered with lipsticks right!

Goes well with simple, light makeup. Can go well with Japanese sort of makeup too.

Think kpop groups SNSD or A Pink style. Super sweet dainty look. 



No 5. - Hot Pink Candy
(note that picture colour is different because this lip colour only reflects well in pictures under white light)



My favourite of the lot!

Hot Pink is the trend for Spring/Summer.

Definitely for the bold because of it's loud tone but I especially like how it bright and youthful it looks!
A tad bimbotic, cheerleader sorta of teenage look. 

Match with bold eye makeup and bright youthful clothes!

Think American teenage drama style. I thought of Confessions Of A Shopaholic and kpop group SISTAR.


I love this Babyface Candy Glow Tint Bar much! 

Got them at Korea for 6, 000 or 7,000 won, which is about 10SGD each? Cheap and good!

 Can anyone tell me if these are available in Singapore??? If they are, you all go buy them okay. If not go Korea and stock up. haha




Okay, ending the post with a selfie, wearing Babyface Candy Glow Tint Bar No. 4!
Hope the lipstick baby-faced me a little. Wahahaha. #thingsyoudotolookyounger



Eyes are so blood shot red because I tried to be a chiong-ster and didn't sleep. LOL.

Hibernation mode

May 15, 2014 0 Comments
#esthertheexplorer is currently in Switzerland but in hibernation mode because highest temperature here today is only 13 Degrees Celsius! On the average, it's like 7 degrees??? Plus, it's been really gloomy with bouts of showers.

Friends are out to the alps to ski but nah, not for me. Not with a weather like this.
Maybe #esthertheexplorer should change name to #estherthesummerexplorer. More apt right?
But I also like spring and autumn. Hmm.

Speaking of which, it's mid May now but why still so cold everywhere else ah? What happened to the spring flower blossoms? I feel like nowadays the earth just bypasses spring and autumn and goes straight to the scorching summer or bitter winter. So sad.

View from my hotel window. So gloomy right?



Good thing I brought my essentials along!

 Lappie so I can go on a blogging and drama spree. Watching Once Upon A Time (SE1) now and it's so addictive. How come I never watched it before, lagging by three years now. haha

And my food supplies for this hibernation.



Favourite Spicy Tomato flavour Roller-Coaster in a mug with a spoon so I can eat and still do stuff at the same time. woohoo.
Eating junk food now because heading for the gym later.
Ironic max. Always finding excuses to indulge in junk food. haha

Can stay one more day? Don't feel like going home tomorrow morning but I'm so sick of drystores now.

Met @epeportobello here and she bought me my usual Lychee Champange from the supermarket cos I was so lazy to go out.
Sweet girl offered me her microwaveable nasi goreng and mushroom risotto in case I didn't have anything to eat! So kind right.

Love this girl and her amazing personality.

Never Let Me Go

May 15, 2014 0 Comments
Imma be deep today and talk about books. Actually just one book.

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Was first introduced to this novel years ago in one of my Literature modules and fell in love with it ever since. It's a dystopian Sci-fi novel by Kazuo Ishiguro written in 2005. The language as well as the content is pretty light, pages are easy to flip. It was probably one of the lightest reading material from school!

What I really liked about this novel was how I really connected to the protagonist - Kathy H. despite her supposed non-human identity in the book.

I guess this booked inspired me to take on the pseudonym for this blog - Esthee H.
Names, do they really matter? I think names are simply labels we place onto things. To give us a sense that we have a grip over our surroundings.

What does it matter if I'm Esther Han, E. Han, Esther H or Esthee H? Or Amy or Barbie or Dolly or Zoe. Still me right? Okay sorry, digressed too much.

To sum it up, all the characters in the books are clones that exist for the purpose of providing vital organs to humans. They are bred so they will be in the healthiest form when they grow up so they can donate their organs multiple times. Clones generally donate up to 4 times, after which they will 'complete', because their bodily functions are just like any other human beings, except that they were manufactured.

Some 'complete' earlier than expected.
And the part where the nurse mentions that patients often 'complete' when they wish to, really really struck me deep.
If there's no will to life, what's the point of holding on to life?
Why exist if you can't live?
(Sigh, this is getting too philosophical) 

Kathy H. in her adulthood, often looks back to her growing up years and reminisce the simple, comforting times she spent at Hailsham with childhood friends, Tommy and Ruth.

I believe the book never intended to focus on the sci-fi and medical clone part, because Ishiguro wants you to connect with these poor souls, who were thrown into adulthood and reality of the world, upon which you will realize that many things are out of one's control, hard as you try.

The notion that mankind is selfish is so stark here, it makes me so sad.

It reminds me that all the nonsensical things you do in your past can be so deeply etched in one's mind later on, frivolous as they were. I guess all these fractions of your past make up the person that you are today. Regrets in life, that's for sure. I doubt anyone ever escapes from this painful part. You can never ever run away from it.

And at the end of the day, don't we all die?

We all have a lifespan, no matter the length of it, it's never long enough.

Sure we all make mistakes at some point in time.

But it's never too late to set it right.

Live the rest of it the way you should have.

Grab a copy of the book if you can, but I know the easier way out is to go for the screen option. No worries, won't judge you cos I'm a screen junkie myself too. Hee.

Link to movie Never Let Me Go below!
Watch Never Let Me Go (2010) Online Free Putlocker | Putlocker - Watch Movies Online Free

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Wedding Gowns

May 14, 2014 0 Comments







I'm a sucker for Wedding dresses. The luxury of modern day variety kills me. I could change a million gowns on my wedding day itself. Thank god for Chinese customs, I could probably change a couple for the tea ceremony and Wedding dinner itself. There's something dazzling about the bride on her wedding day. I always wonder to myself when I watch weddings taking place if it's the grandeur of the 1000 dollar dresses that sparkles or the happiness that's bursting out of every single pore of hers.


I love the tail of this gown, though I think we can do without those strappy things around her back and butt.



And this, is how I'd like my photoshoot to be like... wish my HTB could be Kim Hyun Joong! They seem so happy, is it really the art of being in the Korean showbiz because obviously they're not a real couple.

Pictures can be so deceiving!


Can't believe I'm really seriously browsing through wedding dress catalogs. :) So excited!

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Wedding - Search for a Bridal Studio

May 13, 2014 0 Comments
God, all these wedding preparations are really giving us a huge headache. So many things to consider, so many things to plan! I didn't think there'll be such a long list of things to do, not until now when the date approaches.

Okay, we haven't got a date yet because we're still waiting for the tong shu (the lunar calendar) to be released so we can calculate 2014's auspicious dates. Will update once I get the dates!

I have no idea why Simon and I are so superstitious about it since both our parents are pretty relaxed about such stuff. Same for the wedding banquet, it seems as though we are the ones who want to get married the traditional way, instead of our parents' wishes. Weird. It's usually the other way round for people our generation. But for some reason, it doesn't feel complete to me if we bypass all these traditions.

Anyway, speaking of the many things to prepare for, one thing we stroked off our list is finding our bridal studio for our Actual Day.

We booked our pre-wedding shoot with IDo-Wedding and we'll be shooting it in Korea. Pricey as it was, we went ahead with it because we really liked the photos. Since an overseas shoot doesn't include gowns for the actual day, I needed to either buy or rent gowns for my AD.

Some people go to China or America to buy gowns since they're more affordable over there, I decided against it because there is no way my wedding gown is gonna fit in my wardrobe. Even I'll be shifting to my new home in future, I'm pretty sure I won't have space in my wardrobe. If you bought your wedding gown, surely you'll want to keep it. It'll probably turn yellow and end up in the storeroom years later.

So we shortlisted a couple of bridal studios and visited them to find out more about their AD package. The two studios that we considered were: La Belle Couture & My Bridal Room.

Both studios were personally recommended by people I know who had engaged their services so both I knew I could trust on in terms of services. I shall share my experience with them here for the benefit of others since I myself greatly benefited from those who shared their experience online too.

My Bridal Room:

First studio we visited because of the raving reviews we found on forums. Also the studio my brother & sister-in-law engaged for their shoot.

Service:
Service is top-notch.
I doubt anyone else will argue with me on this. Everyone I know as well as the reviews online all agree that Uncle Quek (the boss) has a very warm and friendly approach. That's MBR's entire business approach. You can trust on every staff to be absolutely warm and patient.

Even if you're not signing up with them today, they're definitely not pushy and won't pressurize you into signing up with them. Feel free to walk-in, or make an appointment and still keep your options open. No black faces nor offers that last only for that day. Just tell them your concerns and negotiate for something you want. They'll do what they can. If you need more time to consider, just let them know to hold your package and they'll do it. Of course, they will tell you not to take too long as prices can increase anytime.

I must emphasize again that service is top-notch. I particular like Wendy as she served my sister-in-law two years ago and she was so sweet. She'll give you suggestions on what type of gown suits you best since she's a gown designer herself. She's also my friend's coordinator this time round and my friend is absolutely pleased with her.

The lady who served me this time is Grace and she's also very sweet. She's of a little more age and says all the right things. She knows very well how to handle people and made all the appropriate small talk to my sis and mum who accompanied me there. We never once felt a tinge of discomfort with her around. She volunteered to show me the selection of gowns to help us decide. Most studios won't bother unless you've already signed up with them.

She even let me try loh! I tried two very gorgeous ones and fell in love with both instantly. Didn't dare to try more since I was still open to options and felt very paiseh trying on those heavy gowns when I still wasn't a customer yet.

One thing I'm sure of, service at My Bridal Room will never disappoint. 

Gowns:
Here are a random few photos of the gowns I took from their website.





Chio right?! I randomly select the gowns still can be so gorgeous.

Another thing to note is that MBR's gowns are all included in the package. They aren't separated into premium range or normal range so you can select any one of their gowns without having to pay extra.

Here's a sample that MBR posted on singaporebrides.com's forum and it so happens that the bride involved is my friend! So I thought I'd share it here.

This was quite interesting because the horse later on had an erection and it was more strikingly obvious than it already is now. HAHA.

Anyway my friend had a fabulous time and she looks great in the photos. Also, she didn't have a single bad thing to say about Wendy, her coordinator!

Photoshoot Quality:
Photos wise, I was greatly impressed with my brother's wedding album and that was 2 years ago. Till this date, I am still impressed by their photos. They remind me of the Taiwanese style kinda of photo shoot. They're very good at taking lively, cute, bright photos. They made my bro and sister-in-law looked so awesome!
Take a look at their sample photos, they'll be most happy to show you. There was a wide range of album cover material for you to choose from too.

Negotiation:
Grace got Uncle Quek to speak to us when we wanted to negotiate and it was pretty simple with him. He laid everything flat on the table. What will cost money and what not. What he can't bend he's also very straightforward about it. You may feel that he's very inflexible but he'll also explain and justify why he's being so inflexible about it. It's also good because you know he's pretty standard with all the other couples. You don't feel as though you're not bargaining hard enough and you're losing out. I liked it that way because he doesn't make you feel like you owe him a favor when he grants you one of your bargains.


Here's MBR's website: http://www.mybridalroom.com/
Ask for Wendy or Grace if you're making an appointment.



La Belle Couture:

The second studio we visited. Overall feel was that La Belle was much more negotiable than MBR. We generally felt as though they were more flexible than MBR as we were able to play around with our package more. But we later on realised that it's a tactic because they don't lay everything out on the table, you gotta bargain for it. AND BARGAIN HARD because you can get it. It's a very different approach from MBR so it's really what works for you.

Service: 
Not quite the same family/homely atmosphere I got from MBR. The staff were generally younger and hence the studio also felt more modern, sophisticated. I wouldn't say service is bad, just that the salesperson we spoke to wasn't particularly nice to negotiate with. I shall not mention names since he's also trying to make a living.
I'd choose to talk to MBR staff over him anytime but that's just ONE person in La Belle. I don't want to generalize the whole studio that way. Will update on this part again.

Gowns: 
Note: La Belle's gowns are all included in the package.

La Belle's gowns are known to be gorgeous. They're always having shows to display their latest collection and I can tell they're absolutely proud of their gowns. Simon also commented that La Belle's gowns seem more sophisticated and classy compared to those at MBR.

But when I went to look at their gowns, none caught my eye the way the other two gowns at MBR did.

Though I have to mention that it was because Grace at MBR made the effort to show me those two gorgeous ones that she thought I'd like.

The salesperson at La Belle didn't, he left me there to explore on my own but I didn't because I could only take a quick glance. Who knows, I might find something I love since they're famous for their gowns? (please let me find something I love!)

Oh, and their outdoor gowns range is definitely more extensive than MBR. Their outdoor gowns also include quite a wide range of the long gowns, while MBR mainly offers short dresses. This was a huge selling point for me since we are only considering outdoor shoot.

Here's one that I found on their FB page and I think is gorgeous.


This one also not bad! Their gowns are also all available for you to choose from. No separation into premium range.


Photoshoot Quality:
Photos wise, I prefer La Belle's photography style. Not that MBR's isn't great, but it's a personal preference for Simon and I. We felt that MBR focuses alot on the couple and their shooting style is generally more close-up. La Belle's photos seem to focus more on the scenery/background and their graphic editing also has more variety. Again, they seem to take on a more classy look while MBR offers the bright and cheery style.

I must say the graphic designer is very proud of his works so he'll be most happy to show you what he can do.

Negotiation:
Bargain, bargain & bargain.
BARGAIN AGGRESSIVELY!
Had two other couple friends who signed with them and it was only after comparison that we realized our packages are different. I think Simon and I weren't aggressive enough so we didn't get the best deal. :( We were so soft-spoken the salesperson was actually louder than us.

You can say they're more flexible than MBR because they offer small things, which you don't really need and can be traded off for other things while MBR doesn't really. (MBR offers all the basic essential stuff hence they're cheaper)

To sum it up, BARGAIN.


La Belle Couture's Website:
http://www.labellecouture.com.sg/
Ask for a lady because the guy we spoke to like not very flexible. haha. I felt like I was begging each time I bargained.


PRICE:
Do note that there's a difference in $400 between the two studios. They each offer different things. You can email me for more details if you like, I'll try my best. :)





After the extensive research online and making two trips to each studio, we decided on La Belle. I don't know if it's MBR's softer approach that lost or what but I was a little sad when I signed up with La Belle. I felt like I was missing out on MBR's good service and I was actually sad to not be able to continue my journey with them. I knew I was in safe hands with them but I can't help but like La Belle's photographers more.

It was the photography style than won me over. It was the style that I wanted and I knew MBR wasn't able to produce that. It doesn't make sense paying for good service but the end product doesn't deliver what you want. Deposit paid, and we're looking forward to gown-fittings and further discussions with our coordinator and photographer!



I mentioned earlier that all these preparations are causing us headache and I must admit, they're a hassle and waste of money really.

But I've never felt more excited planning for something. I think Simon feels the same way because it seems to draw us closer together and we both have a greater sense of reality that it's really happening. Speaking to professionals and asking around friends with experience really gives us a heads-up on how to plan a wedding. Previously we had been so lepak because we thought we still had plenty of time, but honestly, it's never too early. Start early so you can get things settled first!

Deciding on a bridal studio can take so long, what about the other things?!

Next up, selection of gowns I'M VERY EXCITED. HEEE.


Friday, 9 May 2014

Chicken Up @ Tanjong Pagar Road

May 09, 2014 0 Comments
Okay, I generally don't do Food Reviews but this I just have to.

CHICKEN UP is a Korean Fried Chicken joint that serves fried chicken of all flavours and I tell you, it's sooooooooooo yummy omg.

I didn't know about this place and sorta chanced upon it last weekend after visiting La Belle Couture. We were looking for 2days1night when ChickenUp right next to it caught our attention. When we saw people ordering the Watermelon Soju and we were like, "Yeah! Let's try this!"

Here's what we ordered.

Sorry included my dinner date in the picture too. Heee.


Chicken Up @ Tanjong Pagar

You can't really see the variety from the picture cos I only took picture of the first round of food served to us and later on got too pre-occupied with eating. But anyway, fried chicken, you get the gist of it. No matter how you take photo of it, it's still gonna look like fried chicken right.

But I must specially mention this Yangnyum flavoured one. Shiok max can?!?!

Yangnyum flavoured fried chicken

They've got Soya, Spicy Up, Curry and I can't remember what other flavours but you don't really need to know cos you'll probably be getting the buffet option and just eat everything anyway.

Why not buffet?! It's only 25++ sgd per person and you get to eat not only every flavour of the fried chicken, but also salad, some korean chicken stew, and also their famous truffle fries! The buffet also includes a whole bunch of other things like popcorn chicken which I didn't really bother ordering cos I just wanted fried chicken and truffle fries in my tummy.

Eat as much as you want, for a period of two hours. But really, an hour plus of non-stop eating is quite enough already, you don't need more than two hours. There's only so much one's stomach can hold, don't over-eat peeps!

They've also got promotions every other day like ladies night on Wednesdays where you get 50% off alcoholic drinks and some other promotions on the other days.

Not bad since alcohol is great with fried chicken. I'm guessing cos of the Korean drama <You Who Came From The Stars> , this fried chix cum beer combination is latest IN thing now.

You can get beer buffet with your chicken buffet too, at an additional cost of 20sgd if I'm not wrong. Not bad right!

I'm not really a beer kinda person though, so we went for the Watermelon Soju instead.
Watch my instavid here.

Watermelon Soju at Chicken Up

It was 38sgd++ for soju poured onto a mega huge watermelon sliced into half. HAHA. If you think about it, soju costs like $1 in Korea, and how much does a watermelon costs, maybe a few bucks.

Totally not worth it, if you consider the cost price like this. But we had fun definitely. Worth it to try once with a bunch of friends, but I'm not ordering it a second time for sure. Chicken buffet, yes. Watermelon Soju, nahhh.

Check out their FB page for more details on the promotions.
https://www.facebook.com/ChickenUp

Address is at:
#01-01, 48 Tanjong Pagar Road


Very easy to find lah. Google Map saves the day! Google Map can give you better directions than I can, I'm sure. Alternatively, it's just next to 2days1night Korean bbq restaurant or opposite La Belle Couture bridal studio. Like short 5-10 mins walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT.

Chicken Up has officially replaced KFC for me and you have no idea how much love I have for KFC.

I dream about Chicken Up every single day now. :(
When can I eat again?

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Wedding Bells Ringa-Linga-Ring Part 2

May 07, 2014 0 Comments
Okay so here's my post on the pros and cons of having an overseas pre-wedding photoshoot versus a local one.

Kinda pissed now because Ido Wedding is so inflexible!
Like really damn inflexible I'm so annoyed I feel like advising newly-weds-to-be against them now.

Sorry for the ranting but I just received an email from them and I don't think I'm being over-demanding leh. I understand that things are done different from local bridal studios. But also, since your target group is now Singaporean couples, then you should also adjust accordingly right? Flexible abit can?

I'm still wondering if I should kick up a fuss over this. It's not exactly right of me since I've known this right from the start and now I'm kinda bargaining my way around it. Aiya, that's why I say they should be more flexible right?

Okay basically they only allow you to choose your gowns and tuxedo suits after you arrive in Seoul. It's a half day process, after which the gowns will be sent for alteration and that's it. No more trying on until the following day which is the actual shoot itself. Many other Ido brides had an issue with this because it means you can't go through the whole "Say Yes To The Dress" process. Most of them just hung onto the hope that the gowns will be up to standard.
Though I haven't read a negative review about the gowns lah.

Con Number 1: You don't have the luxury of time in choosing your gowns.

Hey, most local studios allow you the visit the studios time after time until you finally find THE ONE gown.

Okay, granted that they can't possibly allow you day after day of gown selection cos some people can take forever and never ever find something they like. Plus you really can't afford that kind of time when you're overseas, unlike those who have signed up with local studios.

So you can't go to Seoul in peace knowing that you're be donning your prefect gown. And if alteration fails, they will alter on the spot but seriously... Major turnoff factor.
:(

And like I've mentioned, your whole "Say Yes to The Dress" process is completely eliminated. I guess it doesn't matter to some? But I'm abit sad because I can't let my mum, sister or best friends enjoy helping me choose my gown!

Anyway, what I was annoyed with was that I asked Ido if I could visit the bridal studios in Seoul myself in advance and take a look at what gowns are available.
Since I can go to Seoul easily on my own, why not just take a look, try on a few gowns, and have an idea what sorta gowns suit me best? I'm not asking you to alter for me what.
Just let me try on a few gowns so I know which types are big no-no for me and I can have more peace of mind right? People wearing wedding gown for the first time in their life leh! What if suay suay choose an unsuitable one for the photoshoot and spend 6K on photos wearing something that doesn't look good on them?!

I know it's not their usual practice to let people visit and try on their gowns in advance. I tried asking anyway because I really do get to travel to Korea very often and I can find my way easily. They really just replied a flat NO. Came up with some lame excuse saying that alteration is done straight away and if I tried on my gown now, my body measurement might change when the time comes. Hello, totally missing the point? I'm saying I wanna see the gowns and just try so I know what type suits me and what doesn't. I also don't need your translator or transport mah. Don't wanna entertain me say lah.

But I'm paying 6K leh!!!! *cries*

鸡蛋🐔 the photos better turn out mega perfect I tell you.

Con Number 2: Overseas shoot is definitely way more EXPENSIVE.


Period. Nothing much to say further.
Do note that your airfare, accommodation and expenses aren't accounted for yet.
If your package includes paying for the photographer, makeup artiste's expenses or what not, I totally think it's not worth it lah.
(Ido don't need to pay, cos they're all Koreans. You pay for your own butts to get there and no one else's.)


Which leads me to....

Pro Number 1: It's like a honeymoon!

Some couples take this opportunity to go for honeymoon in advance. One stone kill two birds, not bad right? Save $$$ and completely relish in the whole 二人世界 newly weds atmosphere.

Pro Number 2: Your photos are different.


Of course lah, take in another country. How many people do that? More nowadays but I can safely say, majority still go for local bridal shoots, so your photos are definitely fresh and different.

I'm major jealous of those who have theirs taken in Paris or in Japan where Lourve and Sakura blossoms cannot be found elsewhere. Very special indeed!

Pro Number 3: It's a unique experience that's special to the both of you.

I truly believe in all these pre-wedding or even wedding must-dos. I know some people find them a hassle and all a waste of money. That's fine because it's a personal preference. If you hate these things, good for you! Save so much money, HAHA.

But I think that you only get married once. (God forbid, I don't want twice) Don't do these things to get yourself excited about the wedding, then why marry If it's just a simple signing of name on paper. Feels like getting married for the sake of it only. No offense, I know it's personal preference.
But you still can't deny a photoshoot overseas will be a mega special experience for both in a long long time.
It's a additional memory of you both to hold onto. It'll be as special as your first date, first kiss, proposal, etc.

Pro Number 4: Your photos will be stunningly Chio.

Ido-Wedding, please hor. I'm banking 6K on you to deliver that.

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Wedding Bells Ringa-linga-Ring

May 06, 2014 0 Comments
Starting off today's entry with a picture of mum and sis's new bake. They called it steamed cake. If I baked them, I'd give them a better name. Like Pastel Cupcakes or something. Pink and yellow, how pretty! It's some icecream soda flavored cake. Not bad, very light and fluffy.

Sis & Mum's new bake: Icecream Soda Steamed Cake
Sis & Mum's new bake: Icecream Soda Steamed Cake

Anyway got woken up early because they were making so much noise. But it's good that I got woken up, because we are going to check out bridal studios today!
Finally a weekend around together and we didn't oversleep. HAH.

Just looking for actual day gowns because our pre-wedding photoshoot has already been settled. We're going to Korea for the photoshoot in September and I'm like ultra-duper excited! we decided to go with Ido-Wedding because I fell in madly love with the photos that the Lettuce Couple took in <We Got Married>.

wgm1

wgm

So pretty! I really like the entire feel of it. The silly props that aren't too plastic looking so young adults like us don't look silly posing with them. Look at her holding the dainty umbrella sitting on top of a bus! Super cute concept la. Only the Koreans and the Taiwanese can pull off this concept really well.

When I saw the episode of WGM in 2008, I was like 20, never had a boyfriend, and of course marriage plans were nowhere near. But I just knew this was kind of photos I wanted. Good for me that Fiance is so game about it too! I mean he was pretty impressed with the photos too, apart from giving in to me too. Haha Dream come true. Yay.

Here are some of the samples of the various studios they have. These are as of 2014. I think each studio generally change the concepts every now and then to keep their concepts fresh. Pretty good I say. Keeps your customers interested when you frequently update! You wouldn't want to have the same exact photos with like hundreds of other couples because the studio has the same background all the time right?

As of now, I think studio 9 is really popular with a lot of other Singaporean couples because of its lively and fresh concept. Very suitable for young and energetic couples.

Ido Wedding Studio 9

Ido Wedding Studio 9

They have many different concepts to choose from. There are 59 studios in total can. Mostly in Seoul, some in Jeju. And each one of them has it's own unique features. All so chio can? Haiyo how to choose? You tell me how to choose.
Here's something different.

Ido Wedding Studio 13

Ido Wedding Studio 21

Ido Wedding Studio 37

Ido Wedding Studio 41

Ido Wedding Studio 41

If I got money, I'll choose everything. But we no money for that. Haha

Simon and I had such a hard time choosing our studio. There are so many lovely scenes from each studio that we really couldn't decide on one. I would say Ido wedding's studios are top notch. The tough part about going with Ido is that you can't mix and match the scenes because they're all at different studios so you're really spoilt for choices and it hurts having to pick just one. Feels like I'm letting other good things in life slip right by me. HAHA. Too overwhelmed with choices!

As of today, we've decided on Studio 17. Here's a scene which I really like. Studio 17 has the most number of scenes which we like so far. But Idk, I keep seeing more pictures that I like from other studios too. Ah headache. Every time I look at the photos I feel like changing my mind.

Ido Wedding Studio 17

All pictures taken from their official website.

Pre-wedding Photography in Korea No.17

Free publicity for Ido. HAHA Please make me a prettier bride, I'd do more publicity!

I haven't gone for the shoot yet so I can't say how the experience was. But reviews from other Ido couples were really good. (or rather those that were published) I believe many couples had a positive experience with them, despite having language barrier. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Shall share in my next post on the pros and cons of doing a shoot overseas VS a local photoshoot since I've considered both very thoroughly. A tad biased to begin with but I've really weighed the pros and cons of both okay! Shall also update on my first appointment with them!