Wedding Guide Asia

How many times have you been faced with the dilemma of what to give as a gift at someone’s wedding? Lucky for you, WGA doesn’t just cater to brides and grooms, we also like to be of some help to the confused guests!

It’s common courtesy to bring a gift when you attend a wedding, the big question is what to give! Sure, it’s the thought that counts but let’s face it, we want to give something that the couple will actually be happy to receive. Registering for gifts hasn’t really made it big in Asia yet, so people still have to depend on their creativity.

Money or Coffee Maker?

Money seems to be an easy option, it’s definitely useful, especially for young couples, but consider how close you are to the couple before you decide on that, it may be practical but it is also rather impersonal. Besides, then you’ll have to face the big “how much is adequate” question.

Grandma's antique bracelet would make a great "something old"

If you’re close family, then you are probably leaning towards jewelry or valuables of some kind, no? Sometimes an antique bowl or grandma’s gold bracelet means a lot more than a pair of brand new pearl earrings (well sometimes…)

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Everyone’s doing their bit to save the world, and it’s called going green. Nowadays ‘green’ weddings are becoming more and more of a big deal with the likes of Al Gore’s daughter (no surprise there!!) and Maya Karin keeping up with this trend. If you’re bent on keeping things eco-friendly for your wedding, these tips may come in handy!

1. Location

Set the tone of your green wedding by choosing an eco-friendly location. If you go for an outdoor wedding , choose a location that will show off the beauty of the environment. Have your wedding during the day to take full advantage of the sunlight (saves loads of electricity and pictures taken under natural lighting are so pretty!)

2. Invitations

Use recycled paper wherever possible for wedding invitations, most companies can offer this option. Also consider treeless paper made from materials such as bamboo, hemp and kenaf. Even the type of ink used for the invitation should be taken into account as some inks can be toxic. Weddings can generate a huge amount of paper consumption, so give careful thought to items that can be reduced. For example, instead of a program for everyone, perhaps one per couple or group.

3. Choose Eco-Friendly Rings

When it comes to choosing a ring, make sure to use jewelers that are green-friendly. More and more jewelers are using recycled gold and fair-labor gemstones. To make sure you are not purchasing a “blood diamond,” ask your jeweler about the origin of the stone.

4. Photos

Instead of sending out hundreds of paper based photographs, save on postage, processing and toxic chemicals by storing digital images on your wedding blog for family and friends to download as they please; printing out only what’s absolutely necessary.

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Planning a wedding is definitely not cheap! In fact it will probably burn a deep hole in your pocket, but fear not! Here at WGA we like to give you tips on how to cut down on your wedding budget. Wedding invitations are obviously a necessity, there’s no denying it, however there are ways to save on them. Have you ever considered making your own invitations? In this way, you can make a one-of-a kind invitation and also save at the same time.

First of all, before you begin rolling your sleeves up and getting started on your invitations, make sure you have a theme for your wedding. Once you have that settled, you’ll need blank cards of your choice of colour and size. To simplify the printing process, utilize the services of a local copy shop to help get the text on paper. You can also have your invitation cut and folded. It’s inexpensive and fast. Former Miss Malaysia Zen even tried her hand at making her own invitations and no surprise it was a success!

To add that special flavour and make your invitation unique, try decorating with ribbons or pressed flowers. You could even use a thick satin ribbon to tie the card shut with a bow (remember to stay in line with your theme though!) This would probably involve a lot of pasting and gluing so prepare to get your hands dirty. Here’s an idea, instead of using ribbons or flowers, how about a nice picture of you and your future husband/wife? It definitely makes the invitation more personal. I received a similar invitation to a wedding a while back and thought it was a very sweet idea.

Tip : If you don’t happen to have too many guests, how about hand delivering the invitations (provided the guests live in the country!) This always hits a special spot with your guests, it makes them feel important :)

Also, for WGA readers living in Malaysia do make sure to check out Czip Lee for all your stationery needs! They’ll provide you with everything you need to get started (and we all know that getting started is the hardest bit!)

Bringing you the pick of the bunch (no pun intended!) of beautiful and unique floral ideas for table pieces and bridal bouquets!

The following examples are  grouped in several different themes: bohemian, classic and glamorous.

Bohemian

First (and I must say, my favourite style!) is an ‘outsidish’ and edgy collection of 3 separate, small pieces featuring hyacinths, daffodils and ranunculus flowers, potted in a country-chic metal vase. Perfect for deco on wedding tables if a light, boho theme is what you’re after. Nothing too formal, just laid back and unassuming, but charming and rather cute!

Along the same lines is this sunny bridal bouquet of orange princess tulips, peach Parrot tulips, cyrthanthus and lady’s mantle.  Delicately arranged yet capturing the freshly-picked-from-the-garden look. Beautiful in their simplicity!

Classic

Here we have a Wedgewood inspired arrangement in a white-fluted urn. Taking a cue from the famous pottery makers – the influence of 250 years of English china tradition! Classy and slighlty more formal than the previous entries,  but with this style has an appeal of its own. (more…)

For what it’s worth, I really like the traditional wedding vows that most of us I’m sure will have heard a hundred times over. They go something like this,

“I, Barack Obama, take you Samira Albana (hahaha!), to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.”

They’re classic and in my opinion beautifully comprehensive.

However,

1) They have been around awfully long and everyone has heard them before i.e. they’re kind of boring.

2) It might be thought that the words amount to mere repetition since the people saying them (bride and groom) didn’t write them  i.e. they’re not particularly meaningful.

This, you might think, is good reason (among others) to write your own vows. I am by no means claiming to be the expert in the quest for the elusive perfect vows, but I offer the following helpful hints.

Tip 1. Keep it Simple

Don’t have a complicated structure. Don’t use unnecessarily complicated words. Don’t digress into some superfluous red herring. Keep it simple.

If you get stuck, you might find it helpful to use the standard vows as an outline. It breaks down rather nicely into several categories:

i) To have and to hold from this day forward – a statement of the present looking into the future

ii) For better or worse – overarching statement of unconditional love, followed by examples of this

iii) For richer or poorer -  financial situation not an issue!

iv) In sickness and in health -  physical well-being also not an issue!

v) To love and to cherish – What this love means i.e. what you’ll do about it.

vi) From this day forward until death do us part – description of the nature of that love

So use the standard vows as a guideline to writing your own vows (if you wish).

You can give your own examples of circumstances that will not deter your love for your future spouse! Conclude by summarizing the timeless/unending nature of this love! i.e. from here on end, till eternity (or something perhaps less cheesy but you get the drift!)

Tip 2. Keep it Short (reasonably)

No one wants to hear a sermon. Don’t end up being that guy at the Oscars who went on too long. zzz. Now you don’t have to be abrupt, I’m just saying you don’t want to ramble. Can’t go wrong if you’re clear, concise and to the point! (more…)

Nowadays mix marriages are becoming very common in Malaysia and around the world for that matter (both Steph and I are products of mix marriages in fact). Recently, WGA reader Fara contacted us and asked about mix marriage wedding tips. After doing a fair bit of research and contacting a Malay friend who recently married a Chinese man (thanks Niz!), I came up with this post.

When you mix two very different cultures, you need to take extra care in maintaining a balance and keeping both sides of the family happy. In this case, the cultures differ tremendously and each one has their own specific tradition when it comes to weddings. Here are a couple of tips that might be helpful if you find yourself in a bit of a pickle.

Courtesy of FIFOTO

What to wear

Ah, the big question… Generally for the akad nikah, the bride should be in more conservative attire (baju kurung or kebaya) whereas the groom wears the baju Melayu. For the tea ceremony, maybe change into a beautiful cheongsam or kwa. As for the reception, go for anything that suits your fancy (and that goes with the theme of course).

Food

Well, there won’t be any pork (obviously) and pretty high odds of there being yamseng because no alcohol is being served. Try to serve something that reflects both cultures – after all, both the Malay and Chinese are known for their yummy food :) You’ll be spoilt for choice!

Mocktails, anyone?

The Picking up of the Bride and Tea Ceremony

Marrying a Malay man or woman doesn’t mean you have to refrain from carrying out Chinese traditions such as picking up the bride and conducting the tea ceremony. In fact it will be a lot of fun considering the whole procedure is new to the Malay side. In this case, to respect of the Malay side of the family alcohol and pork should be crossed out (unless of course the family is very liberal).

The Hantaran

The Hantaran is a vital part of any Malay wedding and it usually isn’t omitted no matter what race the bride or groom may be(as long as one is Malay at least!). What the couple choose to give in the hantaran depends solely on them as long as it respects both cultures. If the bride is Malay and the groom is Chinese, cheongsams and songket materials are a cute gift to have as one hantaran. It could symbolise embracing the others’ customs.

Courtesy of FIFOTO

The Reception (more…)

I came across this video and couldn’t stop laughing – it just gets better and better! Great way to start your Monday and rid yourselves of all those blues!

Some people spend ages trying to prepare the perfect vows, and then they practice for hours in front of a mirror. This really fun couple decided to go for something a little different and it’s safe to say I don’t think they regret it. So if you’re in the midst of writing your vows and feel like leaning towards something a little less traditional, maybe this will inspire you!

Diamonds or pearls? Platinum or gold? Choosing the perfect pieces of jewelry to adorn on your special day are very important. Here at WGA we’ve compiled a list of do’s and dont’s in regards to choosing your wedding jewelry.

Do’s

1. Consider the neckline of your gown, if you have a v-shaped, sweetheart or halter neckline then a necklace with a pendant or drop  would compliment it beautifully. . If you have a strapless dress, you could opt for a simple or statement necklace, a choker necklace, drop or multi-strand necklace of many different designs.

2. Think about how you can work family jewels into your bridal look. For sentimental reasons you may choose Grandma’s pearls, your favorite aunt’s diamond earrings or your mother’s charm bracelet instead of buying new pieces.

3. Do pay attention to the beadwork on your dress. Are you going to go for a simple, understated dress? If so, you can be more daring when it comes to your bridal jewelry. As a general rule, if your dress is heavily embellished go easy on the bridal jewelry as you don’t want to overdo it, a simple wedding necklace should suffice and compliment a busy wedding dress beautifully.

4. Let your hairstyle, headpiece and necklace dictate the earrings you choose. Larger and more intricate earrings particularly those with a drop, look great with upswept hair, whereas simple studs or small bejeweled hoops may be the perfect addition to a dramatic necklace or decorative veil or tiara.

5. Finally try on all the jewelry with your bridal ensemble before you make your final decision. It may look perfect in the catalog or under the glass but be less than stunning when you try it on.

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What’s more romantic than taking a long walk on the beach while sipping on a cool cocktail, arm in arm with your newly pronounced partner for life, in the presence of the setting sun? Well I can’t think of anything and if I’ve painted you an appealing picture, then a honeymoon in the Seychelles Islands may be just the thing for you!

Many have chosen to honeymoon at the Seychelles because of its unique romantic ambiance, the archipelago is known as the ‘Islands of love’ for a reason. The very name Seychelles is famous the world over for its legendary beauty, from verdant peaks, primeval forests to the glittering white sands and sparkling turquoise water, where life is reduced to the simple elements of sun, sea and sand. Doesn’t that sound dreamy?

Getting There & Getting Around

Getting there has become really easy due to simple fact that international flights from around the world connect the Seychelles to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia. The national carrier is Air Seychelles.

An extensive, inexpensive bus network  and the abundance of taxis makes it easy to get around on Mahé and Praslin (the main islands). About a dozen car hire companies operate on Mahé and Praslin, with fleets that include everything from Mini-Mokes to chauffeured Mercedes-Benzes. Rather more in tune with the pace of life on the islands, bicycles are readily available for hire on La Digue and Praslin, where they are a popular mode of transport.

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You will never forget a Persian wedding. Whether it’s the food, the music or just the people, you will find something to remember it by. Being half Persian myself, I felt like sharing with the readers here at Wedding Guide Asia what is it that makes a Persian wedding so special.

Aghd, the Solemnisation

The Sofreh

During this ceremony, a spread or sofreh is prepared for the bride and groom. The spread is typically set on the floor facing the east so that the couple will face the light. Each content of the sofreh has its own meaning. At this point, the officiant arrives and proceeds to read the agreed upon vows and begins the ceremony. After the preliminary blessings and a few words about the importance of the institution of marriage, the officiant asks the groom if he wishes to enter into the marriage contract. Then the bride is asked the same question.

Courtesy of Merge Weddings

Here, the bride traditionally plays shy and makes the groom wait for her hand in marriage by not answering the question right away. The guests scream in the background, “the bride has gone to pick some flowers” or “the bride has gone to bring rose-water”. She then says yes on the third try and they are pronounced husband and wife, a kiss and the exchanging of rings ensues. At this point, the honey is also presented to the happy couple. Here, the groom dips his finger into the honey and gives some to the bride. She does the same in turn and they are ensured a sweet and happy life together.

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