The One with the Wedding Photoshoot Nails

How could I have forgetten to do a post on my photoshoot nails?! *Flabbergasted*


 >.<
 Damn lousy iPhone cam resolution dun do it justice!

Simple french for the toes

I didn't want to spend so much on my nails this time round, because the main focus of the photoshoot is on the outfits and us. Hubby said to me, "The more pretty things you have on you, the more pictures the photographer will take, the more pictures you'll wanna add when it comes to picking the ones for the album!* *shudders*

But anyway, here it is! I did japanese lace french tips with AB crystals and a gelish french for my toes. Very simple and feminine. Madlurves :)

I had my nails done at The Nail Status at Far East Plaza.Christine and Mabel (the owners) were the ones helping me with my nails and they were both extremely professional and non-pushy. Christine carefully kept within my budget and took time to talk me through the services even though her shop was extremely busy. She said that I need not do a manicure because she could push back my cuticles and apply cuticle oil to mask the edges to keep cost low for me. Saved me $20 and it worked! Needless to say I was thoroughly impressed with her service!

Do call to book an appointment first because they can get really busy! :)

The Nail Status
#04-83 Far East Plaza
Tel: 6836 2005

The One with the Wedding Photoshoot

Yes! It's done! *throws confetti*

We were blessed with sunny but breezy weather for a good 3/4 of the day. This made the photoshoot bearable and hence pretty enjoyable. I hope we got some good pictures and were not too unnatural because I believe I was rather 死板. :(  I think Ah Liang must be cursing under his breath thinking, "Why am I taking pictures of a block of wood?!"

Now that I'm done with what many said to be a 累到想死 day, (no kiddin) on that, we lived to tell the tale of our experience and what it was like.

Could barely sleep the night before. Very gan chiong for dunno wad reason. I slapped on a piece of SK-II mask and googled for nice wedding shots and bridal hairstyles.

Oh on the topic of skincare, to prep my skin for an intensive day of abusing, I changed my skincare routine to a more moisturizing one because hydrated skin keeps makeup on a lot better. So pile on your hydrating products a week before your photoshoot and your skin should keep your makeup intact. I'll do a post on my pre-shoot skincare routine on my other skincare blog soon!

Here's a checklist of what to bring along for your pre-wedding shoot which may be useful to some of you.
(1) Your own foundation and lipsticks for easy touchup during your outdoor shoot
(2) A mini electric fan and an umbrella! It can double up as props!
(3) Cold drinks
(4) Wet and dry tissues
(5) Comfy slippers! You won't wanna walk too long in heels
(6) Oil blotters (to prevent any shine)
(7) Plasters (In case your heels start to hurt or for minor accidents)
(8) A good assistant (mine was from the bridal studio and she was beyond crappy)
(9) Props to make photoshoot more personalized
(10) Any jewellery or hair accessories you think will go well with your gown
(11) Heels to match your gowns
(12) Casual attire for casual shoots
(13) Facial ampoules so you need not buy the overpriced ones from the MUA
(14) A GPS if you are driving in case you're not good with directions (for those who drive)
(15) Topped up cashcard (for those who drive)


Our day began with a yummy macdonald's breakfast before we headed down to the studio for makeup and hair-do.

10am: Started with my make-up whilst hubby sat there and laughed at me
10.30am: He left to pick up my bouquet from Connie's at TP market

Was sooo angry with the flowers because it was nowhere near to the example I gave the auntie. It was a combination of Eustomas and Roses but the roses she gave were either wilting or unopened. Come on, I'm using it for my photoshoot an hour later. How can you give me unopened roses? Am I suppose to bring it home, wait for it to blossom and then go for my photoshoot another day? ^%$^&$$! To top it off, I specifically asked for lace to bind my bouquet together and chiffon ribbon was used. I sent hubby back to confront her and all she could say was, "This is lace wad..." Like seriously? You thought that chiffon ribbon was lace?!? Unless you are ok with sub-par flowers or do not wish to spend too much on your HB, if not don't waste your time. The bouquet costs me $35 as compared to the $120 I spent on my ROM bouquet. 一分钱一分货. Never again!

11.30am: Done with my makeup and Xiao Qi got me dressed in my indoor shoot gown. She taught me how to wear my NuBra (Damn noob can -_-"" ) and then we got started on my hair.
12pm: Done with me! We got started with Hubby's make up and hair. I think he was semi-asleep by this time.
12.30pm: Started with our photoshoot!
2.15pm: Done with indoor shoot and proceeded to change into my outdoor gown.
2.30pm: Proceeded with  makeup for outdoor shoot and then break for lunch
3.00pm: Done with lunch and continued with hair-do
3.20pm: Touched up Eugene's make-up and hair and started to set off for our 2 outdoor shoots
4.00pm: Arrived at first outdoor shoot and omg the damn weather! Didn't help that I had so much hair cascading down my back making me perspire till no end.
4.45pm: Done with first location shoot and proceeded to the 2nd location. Felt a cool breeze blowing which helped to evaporate the perspiration accumulated from the photoshoot.
5.15pm: Arrived at 2nd location and changed into my casual outfit for the casual shoot
5.50pm: Ended the shoot and proceeded back to the studio for outfit and makeup change for the final night photoshoot (almost ending almost ending!)
6.15pm: Changed into my evening wear and altered hair and makeup
6.40pm: Out of the studio for the final time for the final shoot of the day
6.50pm: Stuck in the bloody jam enroute to the final location (very torturous for me because I could barely keep my eyes open at this point)
7.15pm: Arrived at destination. Maneuvered my way up many many flights of escalator with TONS of ppl staring at me holding onto my voluminous gown as though my life depended on it because I couldn't afford to let the dress get caught in the escalator.
8.15pm: Thats a wrap! (thankgod!)
8.40pm: Arrived back at the studio to change out of my gown and into my comfy clothes
9.00pm: Left the studio and drove damn fast to Old Airport Road for dinner! (my favourite part of the entire day)

Went home tired but full and happy that the day is over. Hubby was so sweet to help me remove the pins from my hair, all 17 of them. I forced him to remove his makeup with my oil cleanser before he went home (typical of men to think that soap and water coupled with violent rubbing will suffice -_-"")

Cant wait to see the photos in a month! :)

Hand Bouquet:


see how the rose at the bottom left is closed
as compared to the top right one? CMI -_-"

A small preview:

I dun even recognize myself  -_-""

The One with a lot of updates

5 days to photoshoot and I'm nervous and uber excited at the same time. Been drinking healthy shakes like crazy. Dying to shed 2 more kilos to achieve goal photoshoot weight. 4kg more to dream weight. Jia you jia you!Have a list of items to prepare and get ready. Hubs is heading for his business trip which means I'm a one man show again. This doesn't make sense. He always 'disappear' before big events. First it was the ROM, now the photoshoot...^!$^%$##^%*

Met with Ah Liang yesterday from Julia. Read reviews that many had trouble understanding his Taiwanese accent, so I went prepped for the worst. Surprisingly I could understand every single word, so I don't foresee any problems with communication there. Discussed on potential places to go and he gave suggestions. I have a nagging feeling that he was dying for a change of scenery and feel because I could tell that he was very tired of balloons, botanical gardens and boring ass outfits.  I have however read many awesome reviews about his photography skills and how amazing his assistant is at predicting what he wants. It undoubtedly gave me a sense of relief knowing that we'll be in good hands. Hubs then proceeded with his suit fitting because he won't be in Singapore the next few days. We were told to moisturize our skin with facial mask everyday leading up to the shoot to prep our skin for the makeup that we'll be piling on and to get sufficient rest. And to NOT put on weight. Gawd... damn stress can. I recalled a scene in Bride Wars where the salesperson in Vera Wang told Kate Hudson that brides have to alter themselves to fit Vera and not the other way round. Completely feeling it right now.

On to search for hairstyles, props and other ling ling long longs that we'll be needing for the photoshoot! NOT GOOD! WHY oh WHY didn't I go for my consultation sooner? Gawd there's 10001 things to get done and I'm barely halfway through! *breathes*

I realize I'll be needing the following which I do not have or have not done
1) Bling bridal shoes (Think Anna Nucci and Sinderella)
2) A mani and pedi (Gasp! Basics!! What am I thinking!)
3) Prudential hotel's custard mooncakes (why am I thinking about food at a time like this?!)
4) Hand bouquet (should I do real flowers or fake?)
5) A lip scrub (My lips are really chapped I don't know why! Must be all the gan cheong lip biting)
6) A beach dress for photoshoot
7) Ampoules (I really really don't wanna pay for overpriced ampoules from the MUA. I believe groupon has some on sale now)
8) Research on hairstyles I want to sport....
9) which brings me to potential accessories I'll need to pack along
10) Rummage for an outfit to wear to E and Y's wedding on Saturday
11) Pick up ROM dress which was sent for dry-cleaning

Oh dear lord....

我不干了！



The One with the Honeymoon Locations

What do you think guys? Which looks best? They all look so wonderful that even looking at the pictures made my eyes glaze over as I sit daydreaming about jetting off to these amazing islands of wonderment.

Location 1

Location 2

Location 3

Location 4

Location 5

Yes I know what you're thinking. Are they not all the SAME place? Not sure why but we have managed to shortlist locations that are somewhat similar in scenery. But yes indeedy, it's 5 separate locations that are nothing short of being a piece of heaven on earth. Gorgeous much yah? VERY DSLR friendly! :) Uber excited right now!

The One with the Si Dian Jin (四点金) and Hong Kong

Hong Kong this time round proved to be more well-spent than my other trips there because I got to discover new eateries and most importantly spend less time getting lost and navigating around busy streets. Yes, I'm no navigator. I can zoom around the shopping district just fine but meandering alleys and getting from one location to the next is no cup of tea for me. Thank heavens for the hubby. My personal godsent GPS :)

One important mission in Hong Kong was shopping for my 四点金 becauseI found nothing I fancied in Singapore gold shops. We've heard wonderful things about the many many goldsmiths in Hong Kong and decided to check out the designs they carried as they were known to be much more intricate than local ones.
Some research later showed Chow Tai Fook to be one of the most popular goldsmiths in Hong Kong. Chow Tai Fook is littered almost everywhere in Hong Kong just like Sa Sa branches. We went to the branch located just a stone throw away from our hotel along Jordan Road. We were lucky enough to get a truly wonderful SA named Jackal who was extremely generous with discounts and freebies.

Big big thanks to hubby and my MIL who gave me the freedom to choose what I liked. I absolutely LOVE the 龍鳳球 that only CTF carries because they bothered to jazz up the traditional 龍鳳designs and turn them into something trendier. I got the 龍鳳球 design for both the earrings and pendent to make it a set. Current gold price in Singapore is S$73.50 per gram and S$69.80 per gram in Hong Kong.

Literally every corner of hong kong

The branch we visited along Jordan Road

Part of my SDJ and my dowry

 No upclose pics of the 龍鳳球 pendent but here's what it looks like.

The dragon (龍) side

The phoenix (鳳) side

We spent everyday food hunting and bargain shopping that photo-taking was completely forgotten. All I managed to document were the food we had in Hong Kong. How I wished I had taken 15 mins off everyday just to stop and snap a few more photos. :( 下次吧!

Next up, the food in Hong Kong. Two words. SIMPLY AMAZING!


Best milk tea in Hong Kong!

Ratty-tatty stall but oooh so good!

Pork Cutlet Burger with my afternoon milk tea. Yums!

My favourite wanton noodles from Chee Kee

Really like the fish roe flavour in the soup.The wanton was jammed packed with prawny goodness

Garlic on chickie wings. Crispy!

Tim Ho Wan 1-Michelin Star restaurant

Ghetto Dim Sum Goodness!

We queued for almost an hour :(

Very very nice siew mai

Juicy and extremely flavourful glutinous rice

There were so much crunchy carrot bits inside, you know it's the real deal!

Shredded pork with century egg porridge. YUMMY!

 

Rice rolls with pork liver

Star of the show: Best Char Siew Bolo Buns I've ever tasted!

We paid less than S$30 for 11 dishes with tea for 4 pax. Super duper cheap! MUST.VISIT.AGAIN!


Kau Kee Beef Noodles

Gracious. Hubs and I conquered a mountain of steps to get to this place. After what seemed like forever, we were greeted by a queue of 30 over people waiting to get into the restaurant. The weather was flaming hot and at this point, I felt like dying. But we stuck it out. People who queue and eat yummy beef noodles stick together!! 决不放弃! Gambatte!

And we made it.

I could eat this everyday.

and curry beef with tendons too. All day long.

Thumbs up from the hubs since it was his first taste of Kau Kee. So amazing, Why can't Singapore have this? Whywhywhy?


Tai Cheong Bakery - Lyndhurst Terrace

This is the only branch I frequent because I feel that none of the other branches do the egg tarts justice as well as this one. My favourite snack in Hong Kong. Gawd I'm drooling over the pics. I envy Hong Kongers who can have this everyday. Damn the calories, who gives a tiny rat's when this delicious goodness is calling out to you in all it's shiny golden glory.

 全部給我包起来!

Last meal of the trip before we head to the airport. Very typical Hong Kong breakfast, just like the TVB dramas. Feel so immensely Hong Kong-fied.

Rice rolls, congee and soy sauce noodles

Hubby and I are big big fans of Hongkong dramas. So while touring HK, our mums were very amused by our continuous strings of, "Hey! didn't we see this in that drama? That road look like somewhere TVB filmed before!" Sometimes we even go as far to exclaim very loudly when seeing Hong Kong policemen and going, "Oh my god! they wear the same uniform as the 學警series!!"

Sua Ku.... -____-"

So that concludes our short Hong Kong trip. Filled with food and shopping and more shopping.

My haul from Sa Sa and the duty-free

And a last minute purchase at the airport from Mum

The SAs call this a clutch but it's actually spacious enough to be a bag too. Limited edition design and colour.
 Has only 1 chain strap instead of the usual double like the classic. Very unique! Loves!

Here's what my dowry and 四点金looks like!

Just a thought

Grey and cream together is not always the most thought-of combination, but I think it's just dreamy.  Here are some swoon worthy ideas found on Pinterest. I can't help but think how nice it would be if I have a house to decor instead of just a flat. We'll get there!!

xoxo

The One with the Furry Culprit

Living in a house with a garden is not all it's cracked up to be. I've experienced the torment of all sorts of creepy crawlies invading the house that freaks me till no end. Be it bigger than palm-sized butterflies, chameleons taking up residence on garden stools and under spray hoses, the occasional pregnant stray kitty giving birth on your lawn and bits of twigs and sweet wrappers dropped onto the front porch because Mr Birdy is building a nest inside the roof. Oh yes, and did I mention the now familiar Mr Monkey who brings his family of three over to my estate for an all-you-can-eat buffet amongst all the exposed waste bins?

Those I can tolerate.  Nature's wonders. C'est La Vie.

But what happens when Mr / Miss Kitty decides to leave you souvenirs every day on your painstakingly trimmed lawn because it is apparently very picky over where to place it's butt. I have sprinkled pepper over my lawn to keep the fur-ass at bay but on nights which I've forgotten to, I'll awake to a scented lawn bearings gifts for me to clean up.

I never did catch the culprit, since the deed is always done in the middle of the night. Sometimes I wonder what the poor furball would do if I were to keep watch the entire night. Will it suffer from constipation or will it run off in search of better toilets? I'm tempted to tent on my front porch armed with a cane to flick it's furry ass away.

This morning as I was leaving for work, I caught a glimpse of something.

do you see what i see?

Comfortably seeking shelter under Pegs?! How dare thee!

and so we meet, you lawn-shitting furball

I unlocked the gate and went back in to get the pepper dispenser to pepper its ass away from my porch. I peppered the entire lawn and around the car. It seems to know what I'm up to because when I peered under the car it was sitting up, alert and vigilant as the smell of pepper permeates the air. I closed the gate with a smirk on my face, knowing that this kitty is in for some serious constipation today. Hah! Take that fur-ass!