SingaporeBrides

Never A Dull Moment

2012-05-21T08:03:31Z

A hot air balloon proposal? A life-sized table football game at the wedding? A bridal entourage in football jerseys and tennis dresses? Now this is not your average bridal couple. With Angela and Gerrard so adamant about not having a run-of-the-mill wedding, the memories of their special day will leave a deep but happy mark in the minds of those who were there to share it with them.

The Couple

Angela Tay, 31, Financial Communications &
Gerrard Lim, 32, Banking

Date of Wedding
21 January 2011

The Story

How did the two of you meet?

Angela: We actually knew each other through Facebook, around Chinese New Year in 2008. Out of the blue, I had received a friend request from Gerrard. I saw that we had some mutual friends and thought that there was no harm knowing more friends, though I had people telling me to be careful about meeting people online. We exchanged messages on Facebook, then moved on to MSN, then went out on our first dinner date and clicked really well. We became a couple a few dates later.

You mentioned in the video that the proposal was amazing. Share it with us.

Angela: We wanted to go on a holiday. There wasn’t any particular location that I had wanted to go and he suggested letting him plan it so that it would be a total surprise for me. I thought then that it was a very fun idea to just take off somewhere without knowing where you’ll be going. So in January 2010, he told me to pack for a “not-cold” place and it was only when we got to the airport that I found out we were going to Cairns, Australia. It was a whirlwind 48 hours as we left Singapore on Friday evening and came back on Sunday night.

He told me he had booked a hot air balloon ride for Saturday morning but we had to get up really early (around 4 am) as the drive to the site where the balloon was to take off was quite a long one. As the balloon ascended and floated over Cairns, the sun started to rise and the sky brightened, which was really beautiful. That was when he hugged me, took out a most beautiful ring and asked me to marry him. I was speechless for quite a while and just felt so choked up with emotions. We were literally and figuratively on top of the world.

Apparently, Gerrard had already planned for this trip for quite a while, and our immediate family and closest friends all knew about it but they kept it so well under wraps. I was totally clueless about the plans.

Did you have a theme in mind when you started planning your wedding?

Angela: When Gerrard and I started planning our wedding with a year to go, we both knew we did not want a typical, forgettable wedding. We wanted a unique and fun wedding that would be memorable, not just for us but also for our families, friends and guests. We were very keen to avoid the kind of wedding where guests can predict what is happening next in the banquet.

We also did not want to trouble our friends and family to help us with the execution of the wedding programme itself, and wanted everyone to just enjoy the day with us. Hence we decided to engage a wedding planner to help us to assist on the planning to transform our ideas and beliefs into the actual day programme and the evening wedding banquet.

So what actually did happen on the morning of the actual day?

Angela: In the morning, an open top bus was engaged to bring Gerrard and his entourage (a total of 14) to me and my entourage (a total of eight). We felt that it was quite special as we can have the whole group seated at the top deck when we moved around and it definitely added on to the celebratory mood.

Our separate dress codes were meant to be a secret. In the end, it was proven that both of us were quite telepathic as both of us avoided the usual boring suits and dresses and opted for sports attire. The guys were in red Liverpool FC jerseys (with “Gerrard” imprinted at the back) whilst the ladies were in tennis dresses with red striped socks to match my gowns.

For the guys’ gate-crashing games, I gave my eight girl-friends a few guidelines. Basically, I didn’t want to have the usual, clichéd gate-crashing games. I had wanted the girls to plan activities that would involve the girls as part of the game as well, instead of just the groom and guys getting sabotaged by the girls. So, we used the “home-ground” advantage: there was an open field near my home, so the girls planned a game of “table football” by tying the guys to bamboo poles and had a game of girls against guys. This was very suitable as Gerrard is a die-hard Liverpool fan and most of brothers also follow the Premier League closely.

I didn’t want my girl-friends to wear the usual girly dresses, so my wedding planner and I sourced for sporty-themed clothing. We managed to find the same tennis dresses for all eight of them in varying sizes, and also red-striped socks to match my gown.

Was the evening just as eventful?

Angela: After a few months of meetings, discussions and getting to know our wedding planner, we decided on the theme of “Hollywood Glam” for our evening banquet, which was to be held at Four Seasons Hotel.

We had a stage backdrop reminiscent of the Old Hollywood/Broadway bright lights, a red carpet, and red and white ostrich feathers and crystal centrepieces on each table, which we felt brought up the “glam” factor of the event. We also had our “A & G” monogram printed on our wedding invites, main stage backdrop, as well as on our final dessert dish.

For the first march-in, Gerrard was inspired by a scene in the Harry Potter films where the various schools marched into the school’s dining hall in fanciful colours. So, instead of having a typical string quartet or small band to perform throughout the dinner, we decided on a children’s choir. We invited our friend Charlotte, who has unbelievable vocals, to perform with the school choir for our official march-in. Choosing the song to walk in to took time as well, as we needed an appropriate song that was beautiful, suited Charlotte and also wasn’t difficult for the students to learn. In the end we chose Faye Wong’s 我愿意, which was a song we both liked a lot.

The second march-in was a song-and-dance with our bridal entourage, with me dancing into the banquet venue with my dad.

The champagne pouring ceremony is slightly different as well; we had all the 14 brothers each pop a bottle of pink champagne before Gerrard popped the main champagne. It was evident that the bridal party and relatives enjoyed themselves on the stage.

The night ended with a continuation of the open top bus tour for invited guests to move to Gallery Bar at St James for a private party of booze and fun. My dad also went there with some of his colleagues and he partied to 4am with us!!!

Whose idea was it to do a song and dance for the second walk-in at the wedding dinner?

Angela: We wanted to have a memorable second-march in and do something different. Gerrard was, again, inspired by the Glee TV series when we danced to “Marry You”. We told our entourage about the idea of them marching-in with us, and everyone was so game and excited about it. We rehearsed a few times as it was not easy to coordinate with so many people involved, and to make sure everyone was familiar with their steps. My dad was also very game and agreed to dance with me.

What did your family and friends say about your evening?

Angela: We think most people found it very memorable; with friends and family still talking about how fun, unusual and unforgettable it was even one year after the wedding. We are really glad that everyone enjoyed it as much as we did getting married and planning such a big celebration for everyone.

Were there any particular moments during your planning process or on your big day that were especially memorable to you?

Angela: I have to say I really enjoyed every part of the wedding process. There was not a single dull moment. I can’t really single out anything because everything was so special, from the overseas photo-shoot in Rome and Liverpool, to the video-shoot in Tokyo, to all the special projects with our brothers and sisters, our families who chipped in to help with different aspects of the wedding preparation. They had been so supportive and helpful, and having everyone we cared about and who cared about us to share this big celebration with us, every aspect of it was memorable. I’d also like to thank our late mothers, whom I think played huge roles in our lives when they lived, and even after they are gone. Their absence makes us treasure what we now have dearly, and in many ways, brought Gerrard and I closer together as a couple.

Watch the Pre-Wedding Video

Watch the Wedding Day Highlights

The Details

Her Gown: Amanda Lee Weddings
His Suit: Amanda Lee Weddings
The Venue: Four Seasons Hotel
The Wedding Planner: Sherwin Lee of DoWed
The Photographer: Brian Ho and Luvin Lim of thegaleria
The Cinematographer: Yang of Substance Films

Taking A Break After The Wedding

2012-05-07T08:48:13Z

The passing of each day brings you closer to your wedding day, and every day closer to your wedding brings you closer to your own private after party – your honeymoon. A smile appears on your face as you imagine being whisked off on a jet plane for a romantic getaway, until you realise some levels of planning needs to happen before you get there.

Uh-oh. There’s that word again, “planning”. And you thought your honeymoon is the one thing out of your matrimonial union that doesn’t require any planning. In fact, it should be planned concurrently with your wedding. Look on the bright side: getting your honeymoon planning out of the way means you get to devote more time to your wedding. SingaporeBrides lends you a helping hand and dives straight to the heart of the matter, identifying five questions you should consider when planning your honeymoon.

Where to, Honey Bunny?

First and foremost, decide on what kind of honeymoon you’d like. He wants a beach retreat in the Maldives while you’re looking forward to Korea and Dongdaemun market. And you’re at an impasse. Regardless of what kind of honeymoon you want, ensure that you’ve talked it over with your partner and discuss the places you’d both like to go.

In the case of different travel preferences, always aim for a compromise. If your man wants to spend some quality quiet time with just the two of you and minimal distractions (read: shopping), then put Korea on hold for your next trip. Besides, it might be a good idea to spend time alone together to reconnect and prepare yourself for your new life ahead as a married couple.

When deciding your honeymoon destination, you should keep your options open and list down a few places in order of preferences. That way, when you move along the checklist, you won’t have to backtrack to the first step if your budget doesn’t fit the place you’ve picked.

Do We Have Money for This?

Once you’ve a list of places for your honeymoon, proceed to plan your budget. For some couples, deciding on the budget is the first thing they’ll do. It doesn’t matter whether you decide on your destination first, or your budget. The sequence just serves as a guide.

By now, you should be experts in drawing up budgets and setting aside money. This is where you have to decide how much you have and how much you’re willing to spend on your honeymoon. If money is not a concern, then we say, go all out on your honeymoon. But if your budget doesn’t allow that, try to get a big honeymoon with as little money as possible. You can do this by deciding if you want to spend little in a big city, or spend a small fortune just lazing on a beach somewhere.

More Research For You

Once you’ve got a budget drawn out, match it against the list of honeymoon destinations and find your match. When that is done, it’s research time. What, you didn’t think that was it for your honeymoon planning, did you? Matching a destination to your budget is only the beginning.

Researching on your honeymoon location allows you to maximise your vacation to its fullest. It ensures you are going at the right time, enables you to secure a lower-priced air-ticket and accommodation on site. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the local weather during the month of your travel too – you don’t want to be facing torrential rain at a beach resort, or get snowed in in New York city when there is so much to be done.

Doing research on alternative transport (especially if you’re travelling around Europe), accommodation, food, entertainment and tipping will enable you to maximise your budget and make the best out of your vacation.

Lastly, visit websites such as TripAdvisor to learn what other travellers or couples say about a particular destination or hotel. Don’t be lured by or rely on fanciful or romantic photos on the Internet. Listen to what others before you have to say about the place before making a decision.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Or, if you’re really tight after your wedding, or would like to avoid the hassle of packing and travelling to another country for your honeymoon, why not consider having it in the country you’re in? Go for a short staycation or sign yourselves up to a spa retreat and splurge on luxuries such as opting for a honeymoon suite in a local hotel, as opposed to a budget hotel in Rome, or indulge in fine dining rather than eating out at delis.

Alternatively, you can literally stay at home for your honeymoon. It’s a great way to settle into your new house and spend some quality time together. Even better, you can splurge more on yourselves and your new home. This option is also perfect for couples who cannot be away from work for long periods of time – just remember to set rules about checking text messages on your mobile phones and work e-mails. What remains is to stock up on food, wine and movies, and you’re set.

A poll SingaporeBrides did recently on Facebook revealed that Paris, Maldives and Switzerland were the top three most popular honeymoon destinations among Singaporean couples respectively. And who could deny the allure of Paris, the city of lovers, the crystal-clear blue-green waters of Maldives and the pristine white snow of the Alps in Switzerland? Or, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to be different, check out these spectacularly uncommon honeymoon destinations for inspiration.

One of the top most common honeymoon mistakes of all time is not planning the honeymoon early enough. So, regardless of where you’ve chosen to spend your honeymoon, always kick-start your planning early. To make the journey towards your honeymoon even more fuss-free for you, we’ve created a honeymoon packing list to help you pack so you don’t leave anything behind. Tick off the list as you pack, and once you’re done, you’re good to go.

Download the Honeymoon Packing List PDF here.

The Manly Guide to the Ultimate Honeymoon

2012-05-07T07:59:37Z

If the task of planning that once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon has fallen on your burly shoulders, take heart. You may have to make some tough decisions, but you shouldn’t be pulling your hair out. SingaporeBrides makes your life easier with this handy Dos & Don’ts guide.

DO…

… Start early

A perfect honeymoon is almost never a spur-of-the-moment occasion. Instead, it should always be mulled over and meticulously planned. So if you’re the spontaneous type, this tip is for you. Start the planning process as early as six months before so you will have more than enough time to do your holiday research, including checking out various destinations, collecting maps and booking air tickets, hotels and tours. You don’t want to end up lost in the streets or hungry because of a missed restaurant reservation!

… Decide on a destination together

If you’re into the great outdoors but all she wants is a nice beach holiday with a world-class spa, it’s only fair that you find a location that offers both. The last thing you’d want is for her to hit the roof after she has found out that you booked a 10-day African safari trip… with no lazing-by-the-beach to look forward to at all! Lately, local newlyweds have bucked the trend to find romance in the rough – it’s all about having an adrenaline rush in a rugged environment. Think mountain trekking in Nepal or building schools in Cambodia. Ultimately, it all depends on the type of traveller your bride-to-be is – and a honeymoon must satisfy the both of you!

… Check into a nice hotel

While she may have been contented with a crummy backpacker’s hostel on a budget trip, anything less than a proper hotel for a honeymoon is an absolute no-no. In fact, score brownie points and check into an above-average hotel. Remember: It’s not just about a complimentary bottle of champagne or rose petals on a four-poster bed. Look for a list of amenities that would set her heart aflutter… like an outdoor Jacuzzi, Molten Brown toiletries, pillow menus, and free in-room desserts (chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone?)!

… Know your limits

If you want a happy honeymoon, you must understand both of your limits. Like whether or not your bride-to-be could take the cold. Or whether she could endure (and even enjoy!) a four-hour trek through mountain villages in northern Vietnam. Or maybe, you are terrible at navigating (and thus, should not attempt a self-drive through the Hokkaido coastline!). In a nutshell, it would be easier to relax and spend quality time together if you two can stay in your comfort zone… somewhat. You can definitely try new things, but do know what works for you – and what won’t.

… Surprise her

Honeymoons are meant to be memorable, and the sweetest thing you can do is to surprise her. If the destination is no secret, you might even want blow her away by planning a day filled with a series of small, romantic and thoughtful gestures – upgrading your plane ticket to First Class, arranging for a horse and carriage instead of a typical cab to take you places, filling the hotel room with flowers… Even little things like making sure that she has her favourite key lime pie for dessert after a romantic dinner will mean a lot.

DON’T…

… Book the cheapest travel deal out there

Price will always be a factor when it comes to choosing your travel package, but that doesn’t mean you should dive straight into that Groupon deal. Especially since there could be a not-so-great reason why the deal is priced so low. You could be booking yourself into a new hotel with kinks still un-ironed out. Or, the quality of food offered at the breakfast buffet may not be top-notch. Such deals might be okay if you’re just going away for a short break, but they might not that suitable if you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon. So think carefully before you sign up for any travel package – you don’t want to spend way more later to upgrade your package if you’re unsatisfied later!

… Bust your budget

While you shouldn’t book the cheapest deal there is, it doesn’t make sense to book the most lavish trip out there either (think luxury resorts in exotic far-flung locations). Make sure you sit down as a couple to first decide on the budget. Is it below $10,000? Or are you okay to go slightly above that? Only then should you start researching on the destinations that fit your budget. Also, don’t break the bank – make sure you compare flight prices and check out online deals from reputable sources.

… Fly off the very next day after your wedding

Even if you have limited leave days for your wedding and honeymoon, don’t pack everything in too tightly. After months of planning and pulling off your wedding, believe us when we say you will be tired! This means you should never, ever book a flight so soon after your wedding (like the morning after your wedding banquet!). Make sure you buffer at least one to two full days of rest in between. This will also be the time to grab any last-minute travel essentials so you don’t end up lacking something on your trip.

… Pack your holiday schedule too tightly

A honeymoon is still a vacation, and it’s not about rushing from place to place all the time. Say if you’re heading to Tokyo, don’t count on her being okay with dashing around the train stations (with their famously complicated train lines) trying to find the right platform! Make sure you give yourselves plenty of time to adjust to, and travel to and from places. You might even want to jot down things like “Have an ice-cream break!” in your self-prepared travel itinerary! Remember: Your honeymoon is not a reality television show.

… Just cuddle up in the hotel room

Checking into that luxurious boutique hotel doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors for your entire trip. After all, a honeymoon isn’t solely about those Egyptian cotton sheets (or honeymoon sex!). Nor is it only about dining at hotel restaurants. If you want to create some truly unforgettable memories, you definitely need to venture out. After all, a honeymoon is also for the both of you to spend quality time together eating, wining, and dining!

No matter what, embark on your honeymoon with a mindset to enjoy quality time together. Realise that no trip abroad is going to go without a hitch. But having the right attitude will make your honeymoon a truly memorable one!

Wedding Forget-Me-Nots

2012-05-09T11:04:54Z

Weddings are exciting times but the planning process can sometimes be more trying and frustrating than fun. If you feel a pressing desire to rip that long, scary wedding to-do list to pieces as you approach the one week mark to your big day, try not to give in to it. So many things could go wrong if you didn’t perform a last minute check-through of that list, and you’ll not want any of that to happen on your wedding day.

In fact, a last minute check-through might prove to be too late, if you did indeed miss out an important detail. Nip the problem in the bud by working carefully and methodically down your wedding to-do list during the planning stage to ensure all ground has been covered. But we know the list is long and you busy brides-to-be have your hands full, so we’ve handpicked five issues you should pay close attention to during the planning and on the eve of the wedding. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay the rest of the items on the list no heed, but you need to start somewhere, and we suggest you begin with these five first.

Don’t Ditch The List

Think you’ve gotten every task on your wedding to-do list and are ready to chuck that piece of paper into the wastepaper basket? Think again. Even if your list is full of crossed-off items, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve been taken care of. You could have crossed it out by accident and forgot about the mistake. The next thing you know, you’re missing table centerpieces.

The truth is, the more times you’ve gone through that list, the more likely you are going to miss something on it. Keep the list by your side until the very end – this allows you to check through your list a week or day before your big day to ensure you’ve covered all grounds. Noting down the progress of each item will make checking-through it a breeze as well.

It’s in the Timing

Picking out an auspicious date is the first thing brides-to-be will be looking at, especially for Chinese couples. The date and day of your big day holds equal importance as where it is being held. Just as certain hotels or locations are more popular than the others, there are particular times of a year that are more popular for weddings.

And those times tend to be the beginning and end of a year. So, if you’re planning on having yours around those months, it’ll be a good idea to plan way ahead to secure the hotel or location of your choice.

You’ve Been Cordially Invited

The next step is, of course, to send the invitations out and spread the good news around. But before that, you have to decide who gets the invite and who doesn’t. With family obligations and feelings to consider, deciding who gets onto the guest list is not an easy task nor will it end in a pretty sight. Regardless of how tactful you’ve gone about it, someone’s bound to get upset – and sometimes, they may not necessarily be the ones who didn’t make the list.

Even if you’ve kept the affair hush-hush, word will still make its rounds via social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, and gossiping relatives. When that happens, you should brace yourself for passive-aggressive comments and snide remarks from those who weren’t invited, as well as from those who thought these people should be invited.

Refrain from reacting to them by brushing them off or politely emphasising that your decision is final. You owe no one an explanation of why they weren’t invited. It is your wedding; who you want to invite lies in your hands. Surround yourself with your loved ones and don’t let a handful of disgruntled individuals ruin your special day over something as trivial as wedding invitations.

Drink Up Me Hearty

Pop those wine bottles, my dearies, it’s time to toast to the newlyweds’ happy union and get the groom stinking drunk on his wedding night. What? There isn’t any around? Not even champagne? What atrocity is this?!

While alcohol is usually a staple at a wedding banquet, on the rare occasions, the happy couple might decide to omit it for various reasons. It could be due to religious or family reasons, or maybe, they simply didn’t have the budget for it. Or if you don’t want your new husband to be dead drunk on your wedding night, that could be one motivation to keep alcohol off the menu.

If you are providing alcohol at the banquet, there are a few things you should consider to avoid overspending on it:

Work out a budget for alcohol and check with the hotel’s charges for the amount of booze you need.
If you’re working on a limited budget, it’ll be a good idea to source for cheaper outlets besides the hotel itself.
Ask the hotel about per-bottle corkage fees if you’re bringing your own liquor to the banquet, and work that amount into the final budget.

Emergency Kit

Who (or what) is going to save you when your shoe bites, your mascara smudges or the stitching at the side of your wedding gown comes apart? Your wedding emergency kit, of course. If you haven’t prepared one, then it’s about time you do. From heel guards to spare make-up, safety pins and a sewing kit, everything you might possibly need goes into this kit.

Prepare this list we’ve done up for you as you go along in your planning and get your bridal party to help you out just in case you’ve missed something. Make two sets of the kit and keep one in the bridal car with you, and the other in the wedding suite.

Although we’ve only listed out five issues, you’ll find other or more issues on your wedding to-do list that will require you to pay closer attention to than the rest. Recruit a trusted friend or relative and keep them in the loop. It’s good to have an extra pair of eyes (and hands!) to help out in the planning stage and on the wedding itself to ensure that your big day goes smoothly. You, on the other hand, need to let go and enjoy your wedding day to its fullest.

Download Emergency Kit PDF here.

Shed Those Pounds Before Taking The Plunge!

2012-05-07T02:46:56Z

Your wedding is fast approaching, and you just can’t seem to squeeze into that size 0 number? Well, don’t scream or starve yourself – you can look your best without going overboard. SingaporeBrides shows you how to slim down and shape up – the healthy way, of course – for your Big Day.

To prepare for her royal wedding, Kate Middleton went on the Dukan diet, jogged, cycled and amped up on her rowing practice to sculpt those upper body muscles. Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon added yoga to her fitness regime, while American TV personality Jessica Simpson hired celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson and reportedly dropped 20 pounds in just under two months.

It is only natural for a bride-to-be to want to look her best on the wedding day. In the quest to fit into that dream dress, some brides-to-be may actually be tempted to try quick-fix weight-loss solutions. And it’s only too easy to succumb to the promises of fad diets, extreme dieting, inadvisable over-the-counter slimming pills and dietary supplements, and ineffective exercise machines.

But beware: While these products and methods may promise a fast and easy solution, they may not always work in your best interests. Dr Tham Kwang Wei, consultant at the Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital, says: “It is important to realise that there is no magic pill to weight loss. Without a well-balanced diet, you run the risk of nutritional deficiencies.

There’s a healthier way to lose weight. Dr Tham adds: “First, you have to understand that our current lifestyles make us what we are. Weight gain is caused by excessive caloric intake coupled with the lack of physical activity.” So if you’re looking to shed those pounds, a combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise is the way to go.

SLIMMING DOWN

“The first step towards achieving healthy weight loss would be to formulate an action plan, and follow it through,” suggests Dr Tham. Here’s how:

1. Find a motivation! As a bride-to-be, you already have your motivation: To be a glowing and gorgeous bride on your big day. That’s the good news. Dr Tan Hong Chang, associate consultant at the Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital, advises: “As you make a conscious decision to lose weight, also ensure that you’re mentally ready to embark on certain lifestyle changes.”

2. Identify the problem areas: Try to find out what could be wrong with your diet. Dr Tan observes: “Besides what you are eating, it could also be the irregular meal times, frequent snacking, late-night suppers or drinking with friends. Other lifestyle factors like stress and lack of good quality sleep can also play a part.”

3. Set your weight-loss goal: A weight loss target of five to 10 per cent of your initial weight in three to six months is generally attainable and safe for health. Dr Tan adds: “Be fair to yourself and don’t harbour any unrealistic expectations – like losing 20 kilograms in two months!”

4. Start a food diary: Reducing calories and eating healthily are vital to weight loss. Dr Tan advises: “Record down what and how much of each dish you eat every day. Be as precise as you can. Then, play detective and identify elements of high fat or hidden calories, like sugary drinks and foods with a lot of gravy.”

5. Make small changes: Then, simply start cutting high-calorie foods out! Set feasible, sustainable goals like “I will only have supper once a week” or “I will only eat fried foods twice a week”. Dr Tan advises: “Slowly build up these goals. Unrealistic goals, like “I will not touch chicken wings at all”, is generally unattainable by most people in the long run.”

6. Eat the right foods: Foods like desserts, candies, fatty and processed foods are considered energy-dense foods. Meanwhile, other foods like fruits and vegetables have low-energy density. “This means you can fill up on fruits and vegetables without loading your body with calories,” says Dr Tan. “This actually makes you feel better about your meals.”

7. Maintain a healthy diet: To make your diet healthier, you can eat more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grain carbohydrates. Dr Tan adds: “Also take more of lean sources of proteins like soy and lean meats. Eat small amounts of fat and stick to low-fat dairy products and ensure that they come from a heart-healthy source.”

8. Get support! Rope in family and friends to push you towards your goals. “You can get Mum to cook with less oil, or not leaving too much dinner for you when you return from work,” suggests Dr Tan. “Or, you can encourage friends to eat healthily with you.”

9. Consult a professional: Besides researching online on ways to change your diet for the better, you can also seek the advice of nutritionists, dieticians and medical doctors before you begin. Dr Tan: “Professionals will be able to help you lose weight with the goals of health and wellness in mind.”

SHAPING UP

It will not be enough to merely make dietary changes – you will have to work that body too. Abraham Nikhil, director and boot camp instructor at Phyzique Pte Ltd lists five easy-to-achieve weight-loss tips:

1. Start early: Don’t wait till a month before your wedding to start working out – you will only panic when you can’t drop those pounds and feel demoralised. Nikhil advises: “Get started at least six months before your Big Day, as a good average is to lose about 2 kilograms a month.”

2. Do cardio: Cardiovascular exercises like jogging (working on the stepper or striders in the gym will count too) burn calories effectively. “Get 30 minutes of cardio a day for about five to six times a week, before having a rest day,” advises Nikhil. “To prevent boredom, do a variety of cardio exercises.”

3. Add strength-training exercises too: Many women shy away from strength-building exercises because they mistakenly believe that it will make them look bulky. But according to Nikhil, strength-building exercises like lifting dumbbells can help you to get more love from the weighing scale. He explains: “If you do a lot of cardio exercises, you will lose weight. But you will also pile it back on when you stop your fitness regime. It will be better to add strength-building exercises to your regime three times a week to set yourself up for long-term change.”

4. Take baby steps! There’s no point telling yourself that you will hit the gym every single day – because you won’t. Nikhil suggests using small strategies that will help you become more active in general. “Park the car a bit further from your destination so you will need to walk more, or use the stairs instead of the lift. It’s just about adding movement to your daily life that will increase your calorie-burning on a daily basis. Remember: Even a few minutes of exercise is better than no exercise!”

5. Engage a health coach: If you’re constantly making excuses not to exercise, you might benefit from the professional guidance of a health coach. Nikhil explains: “When brides-to-be come to us, they fill out a questionnaire so we can find out more about their dietary and lifestyle habits. We then do a body composition evaluation, as well as a fitness evaluation, to see what we should focus on – both in terms of diet and exercise.”

As you try your best to shed those pounds, don’t be too hard on yourself. Enjoy the process of getting fitter – and realise that your fiancé loves you for who you are!

How to Choose Your Bridesmaids

2012-05-03T02:43:03Z

Ever heard of the saying “Behind every successful man lies a great woman”? Well, SingaporeBrides has our own version. We say, “Behind every bride lies a great bridesmaid – or five”. Unless you want your wedding to shake like a Jenga tower missing more than a few blocks in the middle, you better put some thought into picking your bridesmaids.

You know your bridesmaids have a more important responsibility than fending off your groom and his boys during the gate-crashing and looking pretty by your side. If you’ve been a bridesmaid yourself before, you know they will be your support system, your aid in the wedding planning and have your back from the very beginning to the end. Which is why it’s exceptionally vital that you find the one (or many more) women who’d be perfect for the responsibilities of a bridesmaid to ensure you get all the help and support you need to make your wedding a successful one.

The question is, how would you know who these individuals are and how do you identify them from the others on your very long bridesmaids-wannabe list? SingaporeBrides has a simple solution for you: a six-step guide to picking your bridesmaids. By the time you finish reading it, you’ll be picking out bridesmaids like you were born to do so.

1. Time is On Your Side

One minute you’re engaged and showing off your ring to your family, and the next you’re punching in the numbers to your BFF’s mobile to ask if she’ll be one of your bridesmaids. That might seem like the best idea at that moment, but it really is a very bad one. Hang up and let us tell you why.

Deciding who’ll be your bridesmaids is just as important and tricky as deciding your guest list and seating plan. To begin with, how many bridesmaids you have depends on how big your wedding is. Don’t forget, you have more than just your BFFs to consider for the role of bridesmaid – there are women in your family that you have to consider as well.

That’s why you need to be calm-headed and rational enough to look at your circle of friends and family to see who is cut out for the work of a bridesmaid. So take your time and wait for that bubble of excitement to settle down before making any decisions. If you’re asked about your bridesmaids and who they’ll be, let them know that in all the engagement excitement, you haven’t had the time to think of it yet.

2. Who’s Bridesmaid Material?

If you’ve watched the movie 27 Dresses, the first 10 minutes or so should give you a pretty good idea of the kind of bridesmaids you want to be surrounded by. I’m referring to Katherine Heigl’s character in the movie, of course. Ecstatic, responsible and even willing to hold the bride’s skirts up while she tinkles away – these are some of the traits your bridesmaids should have.

Ideally, they should be someone whom you are close to and who are familiar with your temperament so they wouldn’t bat an eyelid even if you transformed into the legendary bridezilla in front of them. You should be able to completely rely and lean on your bridesmaids and draw on their strength when things become too much for you anytime between now and the wedding.

That’s why it’s so important for the women you’re about to pick as bridesmaids to possess some, if not all of these qualities. When all else fails around them, you can count on them to be standing fast and strong.

3. Stand Firm

When news of your upcoming nuptials goes around, all of a sudden you’ll be hearing from friends and distant relatives whom you haven’t spoke with in years. And once the congratulations have been conveyed, you’ll be hearing talk about some or all of them expecting to be asked “Will you be my bridesmaid?”.

Don’t let this group of people arm twist you into making them bridesmaids against your wishes, even if relatives pull out the family card. You need to be completely comfortable and familiar with your bridesmaids for this relationship to work, so don’t force yourself to make a distant cousin of yours one of your bridesmaids just to please your family.

Let them know that while you’d be happy to share your day with them, you already have enough bridesmaids. Offer them an alternative and inform them that while it is unfortunate they can’t be your bridesmaids, there is another area, such as manning the reception table, that you’d like them to help you out with.

4. Group Dynamics

Picking the right individuals to be your bridesmaids is just the first step. The next step is to ensure these individuals are able to work well and get along with others. Otherwise, you’ll be having catfights reminiscent of those you see on “America’s Next Top Model”.

That means you should never ask two feuding friends to be your bridesmaids, because that is just asking for trouble. You’re essentially giving them an avenue (read: your wedding) to engage in a silent and destructive war or dish things out with one another. The same goes for relatives or ex-colleagues.

If your bridesmaids are made up of individuals from different stages of your life (secondary school and university friends), arrange luncheons or gatherings to give everyone an opportunity to get acquainted with on another. It’d also be a good idea for you to assign each of them clear responsibilities to minimise any fighting over tasks.

5. More Than Just an Honour

Being asked to be a bridesmaid is more than just an honour; it also comes with responsibilities. If you’ve been one yourself, you’d know how important a bridesmaid’s role is in a wedding and during its planning process. You’ll also know that sometimes, bridesmaids end up being busier and more stressed out than the bride herself, especially the Maid of Honour.

6. A bridesmaid’s responsibility

Don’t think for a second that your bridesmaids’ tasks are limited to giving trusty advice during your dress fittings and on the colour of your flower bouquet; it is a list long enough to rival even your wedding to-do list. You need to be able to count on your girls to turn up at your dress fittings or bridal showers, speak to vendors and coordinate other wedding details. So be sure to pick the ones who are ready to shoulder those responsibilities to the very end.

In your search for your bridesmaids, you’ll meet some who awaits eagerly to be asked to be your bridesmaids and some, who when asked, end up saying “no”. When you do, don’t be too surprised. Don’t take their rejection too personally or hold it against them. They have their own lives too and they’re not obligated to put yours above theirs. Just be happy that they’re there at your wedding as guests.

Planning a Dreamy Jade Green Wedding

2012-05-02T06:13:47Z

It’s the middle of the year, and all of us in Singapore are trying very hard to fight the sticky humidity and crazy rain that plagues our shores. While for fashion’s sake, I wish we had the four seasons to enjoy, there’s no denying the fact that being right smack on the Equator, we see beautiful colours all year round. Nature thrives on our kind of weather, but I’m really not about to start having a Science lesson.

The word green comes from the Old English word grēne, which means “to grow”. I can’t think of a better colour to signify the new relationship all couples will begin to nurture after their wedding. You may have been dating for three months or 10 years, but getting married should still exhilarate and excite you. After all, you did pledge to grow old together, so make the most of the first steps into the rest of your lives together.

Green may not be the first colour that comes to mind when you think of weddings, but think about it: it’s a free colour theme. It’s everywhere you turn in Singapore! I’m featuring a opulent, gorgeous Jade green that looks refreshing in the day and ravishing in the evening. If you’re having a dreamy, garden wedding, this shade of green can still be formal and suitable for a beautiful wedding. For an evening banquet indoors, use this jewelled tone to your advantage by making use of wedding stationery, decoration and the expertise of your florist. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to create something unique for you. As a guideline, green is complementary to purple, so think of Jade green with sapphires and amethysts; I can already think of several wedding themes with that information.

If you’re still thinking up a wedding theme, or already are having a garden wedding, why not consider Jade green for a unique and lively colour. Follow our Pinterest board for more ideas or email us with yours!

XOXO,
Michelle Tay
The Editor