How Did I Spent My First Off Day (1st of April, 2012) Of The Year?

MONDAY RAMBLES, What a lovely weekend!

4 hours of cross stitching! 

Practice on making 15 boutonnierre and corsages.

I had a lovely weekend!

It's Been A Long Time... Farewell, my shining light!

I can’t believe I haven’t been on here for such a long time... I had to step away from my blog for a little while as a lot of things were happening and something had to take a back seat! I needed to sort my head out and now things have calmed down.

Farewell, my shining light..

Every so often we want to express our gratitude to and honour our parents, because if it were not for them, we would not have been who we are.

My mother passed away 2 months ago. I want to honour her for many reasons lately, mainly because it was her birthday and she was in my thoughts a lot in the last few weeks. My mother was a Superwoman. She was AMAZING. When she was in her 40s, she had a liver disorder, some surgery, some time in the hospital, and a recovery. After that, in her late 40s, she had a valve repair surgery. She had a lung infection during the second day of chinese new year last year, and followed by an angioplasty in the mid year. Imagine multiple operations, tubes in her side, morphine hallucinations. Modern-day feminists would have been horrified by Mom’s lifestyle. Her day-to-day world consisted primarily of cooking, shopping, keeping her home running smoothly and, above all, taking care of her children ( sending the three of us to school in  different schools and tuition centers). I think she just assumed that these were the most important things in every woman’s life. I have so much appreciation for my mom, now even more so after she had gone. Mainly for the things that she passed on to me – faith, values, hospitality, love for people, work ethics and my passion to create things. My mother was gifted in designing and although she never pursued it as a career, we still have her sketches to treasure. She always believed that we should be able to “show” what we have achieved at the end of the day. Maybe that is what motivated me to do what I am doing today – creating dresses.

My mother was not only creative, she cared deeply for people. She always had someone that she was reaching out to up to the end of her life and she lived a simple life and didn’t care much for material posessions. We sometimes had to tell her that she should be less frugal with her money – we tried to persuade her to travel, buy more decent food or to sometimes buy something new for herself, but it was hard for her not to be the person that she was – someone with simple tastes and a deep love for her Creator. 

When the phone rang at 6 a.m., first day of Chinese New Year, I knew before I answered it what it meant. After more than a decade of a life-threatening medical condition, I believe my mom, who never once talked about dying, finally decided it was time to go. At her advanced age, I never thought it would be difficult for me to accept her departure. How wrong I was. It’s hard for me to process the fact that I will never see her or hear her voice again. An integral part of my life is now gone forever. She passed away in her own bed, in her own home peacefully..

Farewell, my shining light.

Shirley and Andy, Made in Dreams!

My favourite types of Vintage wedding? 

The ones that are authentic. Hands down, my favourite era is the glamorous 20s to 40s. Pre-war decadence and excess as hemlines rose and morals slipped ;) Give me a stunning silk evening gown with embellishment, the full on red-lipped face and perfect pinned waves any day of the week. But the very best ones don’t stop there, with era appropriate blooms, and entertainment that recreates a mood of prohibition recklessness for the perfect party.

Your Kind of Vintage...
Of course, when it comes down to it, what really makes any wedding is you. How you make it vintage is completely personal. Forget the purists or embrace them and craft your wedding by cherry picking the perfect details, fabulous gowns and stylish decor you see on these very pages.

THE COUPLE
Shirley and Andy

The Inspiration
She has a lil vintage in her! She told me exactly what she like for her wedding dress when we first met. A petite dame who has all it takes to be an elegant and classic bride inspires me to design this classic gown for her big day!

The Bride wore
The design is vintage yet chic. With corded lace appliques all around the dress and delicate details like tulle pleats around the neck all the way to the empire cut. The dress is designed in a way to suit her petite figure and yet to enhance the sweet personality in her. One of the dress I LOVE so far!

The Photographer
A big thank you to i-Simplez Photography for allowing me to use their photos for this post. First heard their name through Shirley and their work are just amazing! Love the way they capture the gown! 

xoxo...

LOVE CHASE: GWEN & BERNARD

I was so excited to hear from Daren of Daren Chong Photography and see his work, and I’m thrilled to get to share it with you today. He sent over these sweet engagement photos of Gwen and Bernard, and in addition to adoring his photography, you know how much I love breeze! I have never posted these many photos before but all of the photos that Daren gave are just so lovely. I just couldn't resist highlighting here!

I love these photos – they just make me smile! It’s just so obvious from these photos how happy and relax Gwen and Bernard are – and isn’t that exactly what your engagement pics should show?

A charming engagement shoot from the talented Daren Chong...


THE COUPLE
Gwen and Bernard

The Inspiration
Gwen and Bernard have signed up a bridal package in one of the bridal house in early 2010, felt disappointed with the gowns condition and the photography skills offered. But all they want is just a simply easy, relaxing shoot with cool photographer and Gwen's dream wedding dress. Gwen is a sister of a friend of mine in Taylors College, Graece. They decided to have another set of bridal portrait session with Daren not long after the first one with the bridal house.

The Bride wore
Fluff me up! That's the word to describe Gwen's dream dress! She loves the idea of what Kate Hudson wore in Bride Wars. Thin straps and pretty bow at the front side. But I would say it's total different design in the end because it is supposed to be created to suit Gwen and not just any other bride! She chose black for the bow. The front top is a sweetheart strapless embellished with Swarovski crystals and tiny little pearls. The back of the top is layered with a layer of tulle and decorated with lace applique. The skirt is fully fluffed up and pleated with thousands of pleats and layers and layers of tulle to create the translucent effect.

The Groom wore
Bernard wore a black tuxedo for the day, by Bespoke.

The Photographer
I met Daren for the first time in a photographer's gathering in December 2009. And not long after that, Gwen told me that he is engaging Daren for her bridal portrait. The first thing I did was, I quickly googled and found darenchong.com. I viewed most of his posts and fell in love with his work instantly. His work are generally vibrant and if you look at his photos, you can feel that the couples are not faking their smile of their pose. The happiness is just "In Your Face"!

Thanks so much to A Bryan Photo for sharing Gwen and Bernard’s love shoot and with us! 

Happy Saturday!

xoxo

I ♥ Green, 2011...

Here we are, the first Wednesday of 2011.. Something strikes me today. It's the green color. I have been always wanted to convince my bride to consider green as they look pretty cool and glamorous, depending on which green you choose. So I decided to have this crazy idea of giving a flat rate for my bride who is going to try on the Greens this year!

The Pantone Fashion Color Report for Spring 2011 features commentary from fashion insiders and leading retailers discussing the geographic locations currently influencing fashion and design. Industry gurus highlighted in the report include: Cate Adair, costume designer for "Desperate Housewives"; India Hicks, creative partner at Crabtree & Evelyn; Simone Legno, chief creative officer at Tokidoki; Lanie List, chief merchandising officer at Iconix Brand Group, Inc.; Collier Strong, celebrity make-up artist; and Essie Weingarten, founder of Essie Cosmetics, Ltd. Contributors from Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Macy's also weigh in.

Citing exotic destinations like Africa, India, Peru and Turkey as inspiration for spring 2011, designers continue to satisfy consumers' need to escape everyday challenges with intriguing color combinations that transport them to foreign lands.

Spicy, gregarious and persuasive describe Coral Rose, a sophisticated orange that, much like Beeswax, a warm, honeyed yellow, conjures up feelings of faraway lands and locales. Pair either of these piquant hues with a cool, refreshing color-wheel opposite like Regatta for a vibrant color combination that will add zest to any wardrobe. Romantic, fanciful Lavender implies sensuality with its subtle hint of red undertone. Combine it with Beeswax or Coral Rose for a unique counterpoint.

Trans-seasonal neutrals ground this season's palette and provide a stable backdrop for all of the other colors. The so-called "nude hues" are represented in the range of ethereal Silver Peony to dramatically deep Russet. Another dependable background color, Silver Cloud, is the quintessential neutral that consumers can rely on to coordinate with everything in their closet.

Alluring Blue Curacao evokes thoughts of tropical destinations and pays homage to the 2010 Color of the Year, Turquoise. Practical consumers can continue to incorporate enticing Caribbean blues into spring by pairing Blue Curacao with warm, complementary colors like Honeysuckle or Coral Rose. Peapod, a fresh yellow-green, brings an organic element to the palette and is reminiscent of the green shoots that signify change and new beginnings traditionally found in spring. Green!!!

Flirtatious Honeysuckle is a feel-good hue that brings a festive sense of playfulness to this season's palette. This vibrant pinkish-red for both apparel and cosmetics makes consumers feel alive, and is a perfect post-winter pick-me-up. I was thinking, pair with green... Nice ~ :)

In the middle of the color spectrum, green matches well with both rainbow extremes: rich reds, burgundies, and pinks as well as lilacs, violets, and royal purple hues. Choosing just the right green shade for a wedding is more than just picking a pretty color, however. First, the exact shade of green should coordinate with the season. Light, airy hues such as pastel green or mint are perfect for spring weddings, while summer celebrations are best paired with brighter, bold shades or green patterns. Fall weddings can easily be accented with sage or darker green hues, while winter weddings are perfect for jewel tones such as a luxurious emerald. As for the Malaysian brides, I would suggest the green that complement their skin color.

The green you choose should also be coordinated with the theme of the wedding and its location. Informal, casual ceremonies are better suited to light, playful shades, while more formal events demand more somber colors. The location's decorations - wall color, carpet patterns, artwork, etc. - can also affect which shade may be best for an integrated, coordinated look.

 Peapod

 Coral Rose

 Honeysuckle

 Lavender

 Regatta

Russet

 Silver Cloud

 Silver Peony

 Beeswax

 Blue Curacao

Besides the usual green & ivory, green & brown, green & pink, green & yellow, green & blue, I do think the fresh lavender & olive green is quite a cool combination. What  say you? :)

xoxo

A Classic Yet Contemporary Red Wedding

A red wedding dress is a perfect place to start when perusing all the colorful choices available for today’s fashionable bride. After all, it’s a powerful color for conveying the intense passion a couple experiences on their special day. Every little detail counts when planning the color and theme. There’s even wedding jewelry and hair accessories that can be perfectly matched to the bride’s wedding dress as well as the wedding party’s chosen outfitting. Freedom of expression has never been as respected as it is today.


I would like to wrap up this year with a real wedding feature by a photographer whose work I have been secretly longing to feature for a while now. His name is Mun Keat, and today I'm prettying up this here page with one of Mun Keat's most recent weddings - that of Chor Hao and Evonne on the 10th of October 2010.

The Red Wedding Dress 
From the left: Bride's mother, groom's mother, the bride.

The couple with bride's parents

The bride and the bridesmaids

The flower girls are all dressed up with tulle skirt and red sash!




THE COUPLE
Evonne and Chor Hao

The Inspiration
RED is the call of that day! Groom and groomsmen were dresses in red ties while the bridesmaids were dressed in fuchsia and mocha brown. Bride? She's all well dressed in her red wedding dress. Well, the groom has two words in the dress while I was designing the dress. Red & Less embellishment. And here it is the dress of their Big Day on the 10th of Oct. For the evening reception, the reception was decorated with the combination color of mocha brown and green linens, gorgeous centerpieces in lovely silver vase and the isle was  surrounded with tons of candles and lanterns.  The green apples were the gift for the night. Their evening was traditional, intimate, elegant and romantic. Everything I love in a wedding!


The Bride wore
Red duchess satin is the main attention in this design and silver beads finished the top as a peek a boo effect! It is a pleated bodice with an A line bottom that flares out from the mid hip. A red birdcage veil is used to match the wedding dress. Evonne had a white french lace cheongsam during the tea ceremony session followed by a ivory halter evening dress embellished with red ruby crystals and semi precious stones with a long sash down from the neck.

The Groom wore
Chor Hao wore a black tuxedo for the day, by Bespoke. 


The Photographer
I have admired this photographer's work for a number of reasons ~ it's contemporary yet sensual styling, his ability to attract the most amazing couples to work with and his all round niceness ~ yes, he really is that lovely! Did I just said Lovely? I'm usually a fan of the soft focus, vintage photography, all nude palettes and tulle like fabrics, if you read lots of wedding blogs you know the ones I mean. However, I really like Mun Keat's use of colour, and the clean, sharp images. err.. I think they're sharp, No? :P Mun Keat's work is just Sublime, Sensual, Stunning!
x0x0...

A Wedding Photographer's Destination Wedding!

Happy Holiday! Last September 29th, Zach Chin from ZA Gallery got himself married. And Jon Low of Jon Low Studios took the pictures. I look so forward to the future for these two. They are a perfect match, and I know that they will remain not only lovers, but friends, for all of their life. They just seem to have that certain something about them, and I know that theirs will truly be - a match made in heaven. 

I knew Zach through a client of mine and also a photography workshop back in 2008. I love his work, they are just truly genuine. He is a soft spoken, sentimental and creative photographer that reflects his work tremendously. And, as I always say to him, Work, Patience, Love, Self-sacrifice are his only vocabulary in life! It was unfortunate I couldn’t witness your wedding but am pretty sure it was wonderful!

Congratulation, I love you guys!

Have you ever seen a more radiant bride? How about Zach, is he looking good or what? I feel like I’m looking at Bride Magazine when I see this picture perfect couple.

Amelyn + Zach // highlights from Edmund Lee on Vimeo.

THE COUPLE
Amelyn Yong and Zach Chin

In the BeginningZach and Amelyn known each other during their secondary years back in Ipoh and then lost contact once after completion of school. They met again in 2000 in Petaling Jaya night market and were then in touch with one another but have yet start a relationship. After many hurdles and years, they then decided to be together after the Chinese New Year in 2009 and ever since they haven't looked back!

The Inspiration
Zach and Amelyn both love the romantic and exotic wedding, they know Bali is the ideal place to celebrate their dream wedding with their closest family and friends. The couple and their guests stayed at the beautiful Villa Bulan Putih, where they held the civil service and reception. The villa was situated near Uluwatu and the privacy of the place is just splendid for them to spent priceless time with their family and close friends. Zach and Amelyn hired a local wedding planner company by the name Bali VIP which is run by Veronika. Their efficient service

The Bride wore
Amelyn is one of the coolest bride I have ever met! She is carefree, adventurous, and gorgeous in every way! She chose a V neckline, ivory ruffled dress and fabulous pheasant birdcage veil on her wedding day and followed by a short whimsy white dress for the post wedding photo shoot. Both dress were a big fairytale style, but they still showed off her figure.

The Groom wore
Zach wore a white shirt paired with comfortable white pants, both from Island.

The Photographer
The wedding was covered by Jon Low, one of their close peer, and also a good friend of Zach.

The Videographer
I have to say Edmund Lee, from Keng's Cinematography did a brilliant job in this wedding! He's the man!

xoxo