LOVE CHASE: JO EN & WILLY

Best Friend's Wedding, Jo En & Willy 

'I am blessed with lots of brides who have a very individual and unique style, but above all I have always focused on the curve of a waist. The waist is a focal point in a lot of our gowns, whether they are extravagant or a minimalist. I love curves and I love things popping out on the dress!

Jo En has given me an opportunity to take part in her wedding preps adventure and when I heard it from her I was so nervous! Both husband and wife work in Perth and they're back just once to fit her dress and was couriered to her later. I would not say it's difficult working or communicating with brides from overseas, they tend to be more nervous and curious which is normal. 

Jo En is a close friend of mine. We were classmate in A- Levels at Taylors College. We have been talking about her dream wedding dress for years and this day has finally arrived! I am blessed to have her as a friend and a client that truly knows what she wants. 

 

Jo En chose one off shoulder dress with shaded mauve design for her night gown. The dress is finished with shells motive beads and pearls around the shoulder and the empire line.

Dear Jo En and Willy, 

I send you my heartiest congratulations on the arrival of the little bundle of joy in your life. I know you both were waiting for this moment since a long time and I am thrilled to see your dream come true. It is surely a moment of great happiness and both of you must be really overjoyed. I am extremely happy to hear that little Isabelle is doing fine, and I wish her a healthy and happy life ahead. You must be really proud of her!

Wish you and your family many enjoyable and memorable days ahead with your precious little one!

xoxo

Photos courtesy of Ndrew Photography. 

Makeup by Carmen Meng, Weddng Isle

ALBERT NOBBS

ALBERT NOBBS

Now, here is one of the saddest movie I have ever seen, Albert Nobbs... A tale of a woman posing as a man in 19th-century Ireland, and it is an amazing, incredible story of humanity: how cruel we can be, how we will do anything including totally losing our sense of self in order to survive. 

Albert Nobbs is not in every way a man. She works as a butler and waiter in a 19th century Dublin hotel, where she dresses and passes as a man because a woman would not be hired for the job, and she needs the economic security and primarily because, years earlier, he, as a she, was raped. But the pain she lives in isn't worth the money. Many people pass as members of the other sex for many reasons, but and my impression is that for most of them, and in ways for Albert Nobbs, it answers a genuine emotional need.

Albert Nobbs isn't always happy being a man. But he is especially happy when fantasizing about the tobacconist’s shop he plans to open and about the emotional life he intends to have there. There is something stiff and genderless and traumatized about him. His entire life is focused on economic security and on an emotionally warm and safe life spent both industriously and basking in the radiant glow of the hearth, and she lives in terror of being exposed. Regard her his body language: shy, repressed, reclusive, trying to fade in and become invisible, and how awkwardly he stumbles (and looks), dressed as a woman running along the beach.

The hotel is a Dublin crossroads for people of some means but of no great distinction. It's run by the ebullient Mrs. Baker, who sails a jolly ship but as an employer is no paragon. Employees come and go, and although Albert is considered by everyone an odd fellow, she's still there. Homosexuality is not unknown in this establishment; Viscount Yarrell checks in with a free-drinking crew and specifies an adjoining room for his friend. But Albert Nobbs isn't a homosexual of any description except to those of you who see her only as a woman, and, as a woman, one who lusts after at least one other woman, life would be simpler if she were.

This is such a brave performance by Glenn Close, who in making Albert so real, makes the character as pathetic and unlikable as she must have been in life. The film is based on a story by George Moore (1852-1933), an Irish realist writer who may have known some real-life parallels in Dublin. Close never breaks reality. My heart went out to Albert Nobbs, the depth of whose fears are unimaginable. But it is Janet McTeer who brings the film such happiness and, with Close, the life as that it this film has., because tThe tragedy of Albert Nobbs is that there can be notoo little happiness in her his life. The conditions she has had thrust upon him chosen make it impossible. have made his life complex and too-often lonely.

I hope you enjoy the movie as much as I am! Oh ya, remember to pause the song tracks below before you watch the slides! 


Good day.

xoxo...

Shammy and Carlsson, Swayyyy!

Before you lay eyes on this next engagement session I suggest you have an icey drink or cold shower handy.... because it is so sizzling hot you’ll need to instantly cool down! Put together by the extraordinarily talented Jon Low it is a breathtaking shoot full of ravishing images. The knock out looking couple Shammy and Carlsson, capture their love for each other with so much passion and style, they have literally taken my breath away. That’s why chemistry is the key! But of course, with chemistry like that, there are many more gorgeous images to choose from…

Fascinator always goes well on simple and elegant dress.

The beautiful black sand beach...

THE COUPLE

Shammy & Carlsson

The Inspiration

Shammy and Carlsson are both from the creative line. They wanted a memorable engagement session that truly reflects their personality. Being the visual type, I REALLY appreciate "Vision". Shammy shared her vision of a cool wedding dress and it somehow reminded me of Nicole Richie and Rebecca Twigley! A wedding dress that could transform from long to short kind of idea is totally not my style as I thought a wedding dress should be a proper wedding dress. After meeting Shammy, we decided to transform a classic wedding dress to a more glamorous one instead!

The Bride wore

The dress was a classic elegant lace and mermaid cut. then, I made a detachable tulle skirt for her next style. When the skirt is attached to the original mermaid dress, it turned out to be a dramatic ball gown as I expected! It was perfect. During the fitting, Shammy brought a bikini top that she bought and try it with the tulle skirt. Seriously, awesome!

The Photographer

Jon Low, my all time favorite photographer continues to WOW me with this collection. I just can't stop adding in more pictures!

xoxo.......

Seh Leng and Choon Yong, Luxe + Vintage! I ♥

This couple are so gorgeous and I love the vintage styling to this pre-wedding shoot. I particularly like the styling with the, lovely baby breaths, antique camera, antique bicycle and the ivory balloons. It suits the couple down to the ground. They're relaxed, earthy and their pre wedding shoot with Adam they really get to have some fun!

Adam's beloved antique prop! Yashica 124G

A beautiful mixture of baby breaths and eustoma  

A pair of simple classic shoes is all you need!

THE COUPLE

Seh Leng & Choon Yong

The Inspiration

I am a lover of all things vintage, rustic chic, so when this lovely couple shared their dream e-session boasting some serious rustic goodness (along with darling details and a sweet as can be ivory and vintage rose color scheme), I know I have to make her dream gown!

The Bride wore 

The gown is designed in a simple A line with a sweetheart cut on the top to give a total clean look on her. Again, the tulle is the main player in the design to soften the typical A line, many many layers of tulle! Lace aaplique are added from the top till the hip part, finished with Swarovski crystals and ivory pearls. 

The Photographer

A pre wedding shoot is a great way to relax in front of the camera and het to know your shooter, I'd highly recommend one, And with Adam Ong of Frames Studio on hand to capture all of the lovely, it means and entire day for you and me!

xoxo........

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