Wedding Guide Asia

They’ve been featured all over the American press, from Martha Stewart weddings to The Knot to Daily Candy weddings. And now WGA is proud to talk to dynamic design duo, Alix & Kelly. If you’re someone who believes “less is more”, then Alix & Kelly is for you. Previously costume designers for film & television, the two decided to opt for something a little more ‘old Hollywood’ and follow their passion to create bridal gowns that were elegant yet fashionable.

With clients from around the world, we thought it was time they made an appearance here in Asia. Enjoy!

You’ve worked on the sets for films like “Gone baby Gone” and “CSI”. Why the change of scene?

Our background is diverse. We loved dressing character’s in real life situations. But Kelly and I always had a true passion for beautifully constructed dresses and fabrics.

How does Alix & Kelly differ from the ‘typical’ wedding gown?

We make gowns for a more sophisticated bride, a bride that wants a dress to help her shine not overpower her. Comfort is paramount. Simple, elegant, flattering shapes are our specialty.

How often do you launch new designs?

We launch a new collection every year in October. Our current collection is all about old world glamour and sophistication.

What sort of materials do you use?

We use all 100% silks, lots of silk chiffons, and silk crepe that we hand wash for extra movement. All our fabrics are lightweight and have great movement.

For our readers in Asia, how can they get their hands on an Alix & Kelly gown? Also, we’re typically a little bit shorter over here – can dresses be altered?

We have many international clients, all you have to do is order an Alix Kelly gown direct from our website – www.alixkelly.com. All the dresses are made to be easily altered, especially in length! (more…)

Is it me or does it seem like just about every celebrity is getting married of late! From Penelope Cruz to Carrie Underwood to… OK, if Brangelina happens to walk down the aisle this year – I’m buying 4D!

The Clintons - American royalty

But on a (somewhat) serious note, come July 31st, Chelsea Clinton, Bill & Hillary’s only child and daughter, is tying the knot with her fiance Marc Mezvinsky. As a fan of Hilary & Obama, I thought we should give her wedding a little bit of coverage on WGA. Not to mention, it’s actually pretty big news! Given politicians are the closest thing to royalty in America, the media has been scrambling all over to get any word on this secretive wedding.

No wonder there’s even a website purely dedicated to Chelsea’s wedding. Aptly called www.chelseaclintonweddingwatch.

They’re watching you Chelsea.

Chelsea & Marc

So you’re thinking, who’s this Marc dude! Well, being the well-behaved daughter she’s always been, Chelsea chose to date a fellow democrat, as beau Marc is actually the son of a former democratic congressman (at least the in-laws will get along). Presently a banker for Goldman Sachs, Marc has actually known Chelsea’s since her teens, but the two only started dating during their student days at Stanford.

Chelsea’s Little White Book (what we know thus far!):

Astor Courts

Venue: Astor Courts. Located about 90 miles north of NYC, Astor Courts is considered to be one of the grandest Hudson river mansions. Built by Gilded Age tycoon John Jacob Astor IV (who sadly died on the Titanic), it sits on 525 acres of farmland, hayfields and forest. Why is Astor Courts the most probable venue? Because it’s currently overrun by men-in-black, aka Secret Service agents. Who I suspect are not there on a company trip. (more…)

‘Find the hen a veil!’, my bossy friend said. Everyone else had more pressing duties in organising the hen weekend. I had the one task and I was determined to get it right! My instructions were: nothing tacky or lacy, just simple and elegant. Oh, and can it be in the bride’s favourite colour, teal please!

I recalled Sereni & Shentel’s bridal accessories which have been previously featured on WGA. Their collection are timelessly chic and elegant, all wrapped up in one big bow. Each piece is laboriously put together and lovingly hand-stitched. They only use high quality grosgrain ribbons and have at least 29 different colours for their rhinestones alone. Perfect, I thought!

Kiss me please, bride-to-be

The very popular Kiss me please, bride-to-be veil is made of layers of tulle attached to a headband adorned with creamy pearl satin finished off with a very stylish bow. What I liked best was the ‘bespoke’ service they offer. I contacted the duo, asking:

Can I have it in teal? Yes…

Can you add extra layers on the bows? Yes…

Can I have pearls on the veil as well? Yes of course!

Can you promise my hair will never be frizzy? Unfortunately, the pair had to say no, but they did recommend their other hairbands that would be a definite head-turner!

Below is an example of how a bespoke headband comes to be:

Ideas, ideas, ideas! Firstly, it’s pen to paper… (more…)

Remember our posts on WGA jewellery vendors Chris Lim and Sara Ooi? Maybe it’s the constant Wedding Guide Asia links appearing on their Facebook homepages or (more realistically!) maybe it’s just the right time, because Chris got down on his knees recently and proposed to Sara!

They shall now go down in history as our first WGA vendor to tie the knot! Haha.

Below, Sara has kindly shared with us the story of Chris’s ‘fishy’ proposal. Enjoy!

The Proposal

Hi! We are Chris and Sara, creators of Goldilocks and morethandiamonds.com.sg, who you will be seeing here on Wedding Guide Asia as we give you the lowdown on buying jewellery, choosing the right design, budding trends and interesting stories! As an introduction, I thought we’d start with sharing our own engagement story. (Yes we are a couple AND we work together – we even share a desk!)

For Chris’s 30th birthday, he organized a fishing trip in Thailand with some close friends. As our jewellery shop was just in transition between Paragon Shopping Centre and our new service showroom, we decided to make it a company trip as well and invited Chris’ parents (our bosses) and Steve our Diamond expert along.

The day after Chris’ birthday, we rented a boat for everyone to go fishing and snorkeling around the islands. After hours of fishing, some wanted to continue while others were getting restless. It was then when Chris made his catch of the day. He asked me to help him reel it in (since I hadn’t caught anything all day). I walked over, started rolling up the fishing line and saw that there was no fish at the end. “The fish must have gotten away”, I said, slightly disappointed. Chris quickly responded with “Pull it up and I’ll re-bait it for you.” After I pulled up the tackle, Chris’ mum suddenly shreaked: “It’s a ring! Oh wow! You caught a ring!”

I saw the ring attached to the fishing line and looked at Chris. When I saw his nervous face, I realized what he was about to do, and burst out in tears! I was wearing sunglasses and I cried so violently that the tears bounced off the inside of my glasses, like something out of a cartoon.

Chris just stood there like a statue without saying a word. “Get on your knees you moron!” one of our friends shouted. (more…)

I’ve just come back from my wee holiday in London and one things for sure – you can’t beat the summer sales. On my trip, I spent my mornings working on WGA and my afternoons shopping and meeting friends (part-time tai tai, haha). However, as much as I liked popping into Selfridges and Waitrose (yes, I love supermarkets!), I equally enjoyed surfing Net-a-porter.com, as it too held a ‘summer sale’ online.

They’ve just added further reductions this week (a Alexander Wang dress I have been stalking is now 60% off!) so I thought I’d send you through our fav bridal picks that are perhaps more attainable than… usual!

Dresses:

According to our London correspondent, Sylvia Tan-Jong, fashionistas in London are going gaga over Temperley London. If you ask me, this bridal gown is perfect for a bohemian or beach wedding. Or simply for a bride that wants something soft and romantic.

This Temperley London ‘Evon silk-chiffon gown’ is now 50% off, at £728.87. If you’re thinking in RM, multiply that by 4.85! Err… welcome to mathsguideasia…

I quite like this 3/4 length Richard Nicoll “Crepe de chine gathered dress”, that is exclusive to net-a-porter.com. At £658.85, this designer garb is sleek, chic and suitable for any bride.

Erdem’s “Niji crepe and lace dress” is a classic cut that is draped in white crepe with a cream lace overlay. Although it looks quite simple, I think it despite being a bit conservative it creates a beautiful silhouette which you could glam up with accessories and heels.

A little pricey still, but it has gone all the way from £2,218.72 down to £1,331.23. As my girlfriends say, “you have to buy to save!” Haha. (more…)

Make-up guru Sheng Saw

So I had a mini-panic attack. I’m on shoot for a Marie Claire beauty spread and I didn’t realise it was going to be a full day affair. Shooting with M’sian celebs Jacyln Victor and Vanida Imran for the August issue means taking a couple of group shots and single shots. So rather than sit here and tweedle my thumbs while waiting my turn, I thought I may as well do a little impromptu post for WGA!

Our make-up artist for the day is none other than beauty maestro, Sheng Saw. One of the top names in the biz, Sheng regularly shoots the covers and fashion spreads for the likes of Glam, Marie Claire and Her World here in Malaysia. He’s also a personal friend and one of the rare gems in this industry who has big heart (and loves to talk about politics with me!). So ladies, for those of you thinking about what type of bridal make-up you should be doing, here’s a few tips from Sheng:

"Orange Crush" look for NUYOU magazine. Featuring Ein Tan, Ling Tan's sister.

Beauty trends of the moment:

It’s Spring/Summer which means make-up is very fresh and minimal. Some key trends are ‘strong lips’ in orange. Now, orange is quite tricky and not everyone can carry it so do test it out first. Orange represents many shades though, so you could also opt for ‘coral’ which suits most skintones. For the traditional bright orange, I’d recommend it only for girls with a bold attitude! :)

With this type of look, team it with bronzed eyeshadow.

Day wedding make-up:

The Signing ceremony, Chinese tea ceremony or Akad Nikah are usually daytime events which means the bride to be should opt for a lighter, more natural make-up. Of course the misconception with natural make-up is that it is easy to do!

Zaireen J Redza for Marie Claire

For the Malay wedding, my clients usually like stronger eye make-up to bring attention to the eyes. But don’t go for the very pinky lipstick – you can look a bit too heavy and dated if you do. Go for more beige pink lippies. Also if you’re going to be outdoors and it’s a long day, avoid cream eyeshadows and blushers… you’ll end up shining and not in a good way!

Natural make-up is preferred for Chinese weddings

(more…)

Good skin? Bad skin?

Okie, so my skin isn’t quite flawless and to be fair if you ever see me in an ad or magazine spread – it’s usually with the aide of trusty ol’ photoshop! BUT, after nearly a decade in the fashion industry, I have learned a thing or two about getting that ‘perfect skin’.

My ‘education’ on the world of skincare really started when at the age of 14, my mother sent me on a ‘grooming’ course during one of my school holidays. One of the clear memories I have, are of the beautician saying to us young, innocent girls, “Ladies, remember in life – you get what you pay for! Buy cheap products and you’ll get cheap ingredients that harm your skin.” She was of course slightly biased as an Elizabeth Arden beautician, but nevertheless, that comment has stayed with me for life!  If you ask me – pass on the next expensive dinner or pair of shoes to invest in your skincare. After all, your face is your fortune :)

So, without further adieu, here’s my humble opinion on how to get that glow for your big day:

My picks

Foam cleanser: Clé De Peau cleansing foam. Quite pricey for a cleanser but well worth it. Especially after a day of make-up, I find all I need is one wash and everything’s removed leaving skin clean but not too taut.

Day Serum: Estee Lauder’s Idealist. I’ve been using this on and off since my late teens. Somehow, I always come back to Idealist and have recommended it to many friends who also approve. It leaves your pores smaller and skin feeling smooth and soft. Girls, I am BIG on serums. It is all about prevention nowadays!!

Day moisturizer: Kiehl’s Abyssine lotion + SPF 15. I discovered this during a holiday in New York years ago, where my skin kept peeling from dryness. I tried applying various creams but nothing worked and I looked like ‘flakey chai’. So as fate would have it – I strolled into Kiehl’s, gave it a go and use it till today!

Eye cream: Revive Eye Renewal cream. The BEST eye cream I’ve ever used. A friend introduced it to me and showed me how their eye circles had ‘disappeared’. Somewhat skeptical, I gave it a go and it’s helped a lot! And fyi, I’ve tried quite a few expensive eye creams in my time. Great investment!

Scrub: Laura Mercier Face Polish. Gentle on the skin and has a lovely scent to it.

Evening serum: Lancome Genefique. This was actually given to me at an event and after a week trial I found it cleared up my skin. Again, prevention is key! I’ve seen some girls who haven’t taken care of their skin… and you definitely age quicker.

Evening moisturiser: Clé De Peau gentle nourishing emulsion. I love this product. I clearly remember friends remarking that my skin was ‘glowing’ after using it for a few weeks! Remember, if no one says your skin is looking good – err, change products! Haha. (more…)

Beautiful dress, beautiful bride – but isn’t there something missing? As the uber stylists from the fashion world used to say to me “Accessorise, accessorise darling!!” Yes, when it comes to perfecting the ‘perfect’ gown, one has to add a bit of pinache and style to finish it off. If not, you run the risk of being another white gowned lovely minus that extra sparkle that represents ‘you’.

One trend that is gathering ground around the world, are bridal hair accessories. We got these fab pics from WGA vendor Pretty in White, who are basically a one-stop shop; designing gowns, shoes, veils and of course, accessories!  Here are a few samples of just what they can do:

According to PIW’s blog: A fascinator is the “in thing” nowadays with the stylish bride. Traditionally, it’s what you call a “fine, lacy head covering, usually made from wool or lace.” But in modern terms – it’s a delicate, slightly-to-very frivolous head decoration worn by women.

The options are really quite open; use flowers, beads, feathers or whatever tickles your fancy. Well, not something too out of line of course!
We don’t want brides looking like they’re attending the Melbourne Cup!

As with all Pretty In White creations, you can be rest assured that their fascinators are made with quality materials and TLC. Prices start from RM 150 (about USD 45) (more…)

Admittedly, on the wedding day all eyes are on the bride, but still – a groom needs to look sharp. Discounting beach weddings and traditional costumes*, the classic options are usually thought to be twofold: tuxedo or suit.. but which one?

The Tuxedo

Elegant and sophisticated,  you can’t go wrong with a well fitted black tuxedo. The tux is formal wear at its best. Here’s an example of the standard no frills combination – white shirt, black bowtie.

Let’s be honest, when I said ‘tux’ you were thinking of James Bond anyway. That being said, for your wedding, you might want to jazz up the classic combo.

As you can see, there are several ways of doing this. You can add a waistcoat, cummerbund, change the bowtie colour,  and of course you’re always free to ditch the bowtie and use a tie instead.

For weddings, grey and white tuxedos are also suitable…

For an Asian wedding however, it’s not uncommon for a tuxedo to be viewed as overly formal. If this is the case then a suit is no lesser an option. Moreover, a suit might be thought of as more practical; it would get far more use (for an average person) after the wedding than a tux.

The Suit

Here’s a fine example of dark suits with white or dark waistcoats.

An interesting, Asian-style twist to the suit is the mandarin collar, which is slightly more laid back, not requiring a tie, but also rather smart. (more…)

Celebrity fashion blogger Bryanboy & designer Marc Jacobs

If you like your fashion, you’ve probably heard of Bryanboy. He’s the Phillipino blogger who has lived the online equivalent of the American dream. When his blog grew in popularity, not only did it make headlines but it even caught the eye of Marc Jacobs. Flash forward to the present, and this fashionista has not only made the list of nine hottest online celebrities (New York Post), but even had a bag named after him by Marc Jacobs.

So why am I writing about him on Wedding Guide Asia?

Bryanboy at the Musa KL opening in Avenue K, M'sia

Because we were very lucky to have Bryanboy here in K.L at the opening of the hip Musa KL store in Avenue K. Since he is fashionista to be reckoned with – I thought who better to ask about being the fashionable bride!

Melania Knauss - Married Donald Trump in a 50-pound heavy Dior couture bridal gown

Bridal gown: DIOR COUTURE!!! If budget is not an option then DIOR is the ultimate. And I love something that is princess-like, glam… think big but not too poofy ya. (more…)