One of Andy's shots capturing beautiful moments

If you’re a regular here at WGA, you would have seen that many of the weddings we feature contain Andy’s brilliant ability to capture those special moments on film.

The photography workshops will be conducted personally by Andy Lim in two phases, the Simple SLR Photoclass and Wedding + Potraits Photoclass. The former is for complete beginners whereas the latter is for those in the intermediate or advanced level.So if you have a digital camera or preferably an SLR then try it out.

The good news is that Wedding Guide Asia readers get a special discounted rate!

For the basic class via Wedding Guide Asia, readers can sign up  and pay only RM300.

For the Weddings+Portraits class via Wedding Guide Asia, readers can sign up and pay only RM900.

Just contact Andy at +60123788082 and remember to use our special coupon code WGA 010710. Or check out his LWB page for more info!

Happy shooting!!

March seems to be the month of giving because as we promised, here at Wedding Guide Asia we have more Laura Mercier giftsets for you to add to your make-up purse!

All you have to do is answer the following question and email your answer to info@weddingguideasia.com

Where was Henry Golding born? (Hint : Search through previous articles)

Remember, we have one final giveaway in March, so keep checking in to stand a chance at winning this cute set!

And congratulations to WGA reader Audrey Kit who won the last LM giveaway!

My wedding.

Just kidding! A couple of years ago I shot a travel show called ‘Luxury China’ for Channel News Asia. My co-host Pierre Goh & I spent a month living it up (and working hard!), flying the literal length and breadth of the country. We were lucky enough to stay at the Banyan Tree in Ringha, which is situated in the Yunnan province (formerly part of Tibet). When we think of China, images of a billion people and city life come to mind. Ringha, however, is a hidden gem. High up in the mountains and still deeply immersed in Tibetan culture, you’ll feel completely away from it all.

Being the novel brand it is, Banyan Tree Ringha offers a wedding package where couples can tie the knot Tibetan style! Since Pierre and I had signed our souls away in our TV contracts (hehe, j/k!), we were asked to conduct a mock wedding as part of our Yunnan episode. I’m not sure if our ‘arranged’ marriage was one made in heaven, but it was definitely an affair to remember! :)

How to get married Tibetan style:

Pierre and I both get dressed up in traditional outfits. I am of course, the lady in red and he the knight in blue armor.

Next, I dutifully wait in a Tibetan lodge, while Pierre…

Finally, Pierre enters the room. But it’s not over yet!

Pierre must now bargain with my ‘mum’ (not my real mum, this lady above kindly volunteered!). Traditionally, the groom must ‘buy’ his way to sit with the bride at the banquet table.

Pierre sadly used his pocket change to bargain for me. Not a good sign!

After bargaining, Pierre takes his seat next to me while I remain hidden under my ‘veil’.

Me: Surprise! Only me.

Pierre: Bargain price!

Haha, so that’s a simple breakdown of a Tibetan Wedding. If you think this is something you’d like to try (sure beats eloping in Vegas!), then just contact the Banyan Tree Ringha here. The Banyan Tree Tibetan lodges are plush inside with classic Tibetan furniture and are snug with heaters and central warming – which is important if you’re there during winter!

Besides exploring the local village, there is much to do in Ringha! We went on a 4 hour pony ride (poor pony & my thighs), which was beautiful. The scenery is amazing and as you ride through the mountains you’ll find flocks of sheep or herds of yak (like a local Tibetan cow) passing you by.

I ate a lot of ‘yak’ while I was there. Yak steak, Yak burger, Yak stir-fry! It tastes a little bit like beef and I thought it wasn’t too bad. However, if you’re a bit of a fuss-pot, Banyan Tree does have a menu that consists of the standard hotel cuisine.

So did Pierre and I live happily after?

Alas, I just wasn’t his type.

Better luck next time ;)

Being named Miss Malaysia only happens to a select few (well, one person once a year to be exact!), who for the remainder of time have the privledge of saying ‘Hey, I was once Miss Malaysia!’. Once your crown is passed on to the next girl, life takes a different turn. For some, they make it big and become full-fledged celebrities, others enjoy their 15 minutes of fame and fade away. Miss Malaysia World 2003, Wong Sze Zen, decided to opt for the life less ordinary – and despite starring in her first film (”Seed of Darkness” that also starred Amber Chia), said goodbye to the entertainment scene and took up a job offer with World Vision Singapore.

Nowadays she travels to the likes of India, Cambodia and Africa; changing lives if far more instrumental ways then she once did on covers of magazines. They say god rewards the diligent, so perhaps thats why this princess met her prince charming. Here’s an inspiring lil chat I had with Zen about her recent engagement with her partner, Lawrence Adam.

Zen: At Siem Reap. This was our first photo together!

How did you guys meet?

We met totally by chance. He was in town from Singapore and tagged along with a friend to singer Camelia’s birthday party. I had already left the party but my car would not start for no apparent reason. So, while waiting for a dear friend to come save the day, I decided to pop back into the party. I saw you (Steph) and you were talking to Lawrence. I was thinking in my head, “Ooh, hello there!”. And as fate would have it, you introduced us. We had a fantastic first conversation. And then guess what? When I went back to my car, it started up just fine.

Lawrence and I believe that it was divine intervention, for sure! Sade’s “kiss of life” tells our story quite perfectly.

Single girls in K.L often lament, “There are no guys in this town!”. When you met Lawrence, you were single – was he a pleasant surprise?

Yes, I heard myself saying that over used phrase, quite often in fact, esp when I’m with my girl friends (and you Steph had to endure it!). However, a few things happened in my life during that singlehood period – having time to reflect honestly to myself, I also realised it wasn’t so much that ‘there were no guys here, there or anywhere’, it was more so that I didn’t really know myself enough yet to be ready to find the so-called right guy.

So, it was a good time for me to “fix” myself for future things to flow.

And how long have you been dating now?

Since mid 2007.

Zen: Lawrence and I in paradise Maldives

Was it ‘love at first sight’? Be honest!

Not LOVE, but definitely like-a-lot at first sight. He told me later that he noticed me before we met but didn’t know how to be properly introduced. And till now, I still believe I had seen him a few months earlier at another party… but that he had disappeared before I could make my move. Hahahahaha!

Initially, it was a long distance affair – was this difficult?

Not exactly pros or cons, the way we approached whatever that came with having a long distance relationship was the building blocks of our relationship. We made the effort to see each other often on weekends but it was very sad as before we knew it, we had to part again. Sometimes, I did wonder if we were presenting only the best of each other because of the limited time together. However after a year, professional and personal circumstances brought me to Singapore and we’re both gladly assured that we are who we are and our love continues to grow.

I ‘hear’ that Lawrence is a romantic? What has he done for you lately?

If I may gloat, too many to name- yes, i know I’m blessed! Hahaha… I suppose it’s also because we are very compatible and drawn towards the same romantic things. Even with his crazy work schedule, he still puts time aside to travel together… so it’s really the little things that count. Quite often, he surprises me with little gifts that shows he notices the things I like from our random conversations. It can be a box of hand-picked chocolate, to the upteeth Entourage season box set (Yay for Ari Gold!!), to a simple note with excerpts of Neruda poetry. He appreciates the photo journals that I put together with captions that only we understand.

How did you know you’d met the ‘one’?

When the love between us grows too naturally.

And how did Lawrence propose?

We often play Scrabble and on that special holiday, he made the words “marry me”.

What do you think is the secret to a happy relationship?

Always look to God to guide us. Also, have an open, appreciative and loving heart and communicate honestly.

I remember going to a vintage themed wedding at the KL Hilton last year (organised by WGA wedding planners The Occasions) and it still is one of the most beautiful I’ve been to today. With candles and vintage chairs, it was very much perfect down to every last detail. Having a vintage wedding exudes class and fashion at the same time – not to mention a reason for everyone to dress up! Here are some pics that should inspire brides who are contemplating ‘a walk in the past’.

Besides a colour theme that is in tandem with your chosen vintage ‘era’ of choice, its the ‘little things’ that complete the look. Think of novel ideas as this couple has done. Old photos in jars or even renting a photo booth that prints out sepia-toned photos will make your wedding look more stylish.

This bride has a vintage style dress which she complements with flowers and hair accessories. Below we can see that the flower girls and even the cupcakes have followed the wedding theme. When you’re doing vintage, think muted colours that are more ‘classic’ in character.

Quick tips:

Before you begin, pick an era and then design the wedding accordingly.

Vintage is a concept of old mixed with new – so don’t feel you need to buy an array of new things that ‘look old’.

Have a look at 2nd hand or charity shops for old pieces or accessories that you can use. Be it retro furniture or art deco-inspired wallpaper, you are bound to find some bargains.

Vintage wedding gowns can be anything from the 1920s period or simply dresses with accessories such as a feathers, lace shawls or jeweled headpieces

Pay attention to the details – for example rent a classic car and search for ‘vintage plates’ to pop on it for the day.

Last but not least, don’t forget to get the entertainment in line! A vintage wedding with trance music doesn’t quite work! Opt for music that suits your theme – such as classical music or swing jazz.

Say hello to Joy & Anderson’s wedding photos shot by WGA vendor Fifoto Photography. This has to be one of the most entertaining weddings we’ve had from Fifoto – just scroll down to see the fun photos of the groom and his men as they ‘pick up the bride’!

Here’s what Fiona from Fifoto had to say about the wedding:

After shooting their pre-wedding shots a year ago, we knew that their wedding was going to be one to remember! And we were right.

The Tai Kam Che was singing tunes from the BeeGees (in Cantonese, of course!) and the “Heng Tais” (groomsmen) cheered her on as backup singers during the tea ceremony. Just hilarious!!

To sum it up, I think “Purple Perfection” would be the words of the day – the 10 bridesmaids were dressed in matching purple dresses and the groomsmen (JasonBoy was the best man!) looked cute in their purple bow ties.  The Heng tais were very sporting (in fact, overly sporting!) and completed all tasks/games assigned to them, even if it meant having to put one’s face in a bowl of flour to look for a door key. Joy, needless to say, looked ravishing in her gown!

Vroom, Vroom! The Groom arrives in style to ‘pick up the bride’.

Maybe not so stylish… but the bridesmaids came up with a range of fun ‘challenges’. Looks like bananas are the ‘in’ fruit this season and shaving got a lot more interesting for some..!

The new MAC lippy for Spring 2010?? Hehe.

Some nice moments captured by Fifoto photography.

The wedding reception was held at the JW Marriot hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Joy chose to create a theme of pink and purple hues. To add that special touch, little wedding wishes were written by guests and then hung on the entrance arch which was made of twigs.

Congratulations to Joy & Anderson from WGA! If you’d like to speak to Fifoto about your wedding, simply contact them here. xx

The pitfall of too many brides when choosing their bridal hair is opting for something that has absolutely no bearing to their everyday look. While you understandably wouldn’t want to look like ‘everyday you’, you should never stray too far from home, so to speak. Go for a glamourised version of your normal look, so that you will still be comfortable with it, and not have a stranger staring back at you from the mirror! Do also keep your dress in mind when selecting your hairstyle; if your dress is long and dreamy, loose curls with flowers woven through them will not only suit the look, it will add infinitely more charm and beauty to the overall presentation.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive Discovery Travel & Living launch of one of it’s latest shows, Cake Boss. Cake Boss airs on Travel & Living every Wednesday evening, 7 pm (SG time) and follows the entertaining Italian Buddy Valastro, who runs the family cake store Carlo’s Cakes in New Jersey. So to get us all in the mood for the show, we had a free lesson in cake decorating!

For all the ladies who are planning their wedding and baking their cake at the same time… this is for you.

Here are some tips from Miss Loo, an experienced Malaysian wedding cake decorator who represented the Cake Boss.

1. If you want to DIY your wedding cake, one method is to buy ready made sugar flowers – so you just bake the cake then decorate it with these pre-made flowers. OR alternatively, take a class in cake decoration and make some simple decorations!

2. For a wedding cake, it takes approx 4 months as you need to make a lot of flowers – which need time to dry. With our S.E Asia climate, its very humid so it takes longer than say in colder countries.

3. Popular wedding cake flavours to go for – fruitcake (if your design is difficult). But usually buttercake as most ppl like it!

4. Remember to choose a common cake flavour,  Durian is not a wedding winner!

5. If you’re making a multi-tiered cake, make sure there is a strong support base. The heavier the cake’s weight, the stronger the bottom board should be.

6. Icing is important! Each tier should be equal, with the sides and top must be smoothly and evenly covered – don’t let any cake show through – which may happen if you don’t use enough icing. So be generous with the butter-cream icing as the cake absorbs some of it while it sits.

7. For a smooth (and quick) finsh, use a comb.

8. As we live in the hot tropics, you must be careful as to what butter-cream you use. If its too soft the butter-cream icing may melt or even slide off your cake. Tip: Bake your cake in an air-conditioned environment and if your icing turns runny just pop it back in the fridge till it hardens up a bit.

Last but not least – practice!!!

Why hello Bobby Chin!

“The rare, the exceptional, the utterly timeless”; this is Harry Winston’s legacy. Harry Winston diamonds have become an icon of international glamour from the possession of the Hope Diamond to the sparkles of the red carpet.

We all have no doubt that their jewellery is brilliant, but what makes HW unique is their impeccable customer service. Most of us may feel a little intimidated visiting the jewellers and for those men on the search for an engagement ring, the experience can be even more daunting. At Wedding Guide Asia, we recognise the stresses you may face have when choosing an engagement ring, therefore we contacted Harry Winston for some advice and here is what they have to say:

What makes a HW diamond unique?

At HW, each diamond is hand-selected by the world’s leading gemmologists with decades of expertise. We emphasize on quality rather than quantity. Each HW diamond must pass strict quality assurance criteria that consider not only the Four Cs but also meet the HW visual standards for beauty and brilliance.

HW Signature Ring

Why are designer rings such as HW dearer than local jewellers?

Every aspect of a HW engagement ring is of the finest quality – aside from the brilliance of the diamonds, each piece of jewellery is carefully designed and then meticulously crafted by hand in the Winston workshop on Fifth Avenue, New York.

What tips can you give a man who is planning to buy an engagement ring?

To start, it is important to have a vague idea of the design your fiancé may prefer i.e. solitaire, three-stone, emerald cut etc. The next step is look out for the 4Cs – cut, colour, clarity and carat. If you are still unsure, our experts at HW are available to talk you through the process.

What makes HW different from other jewellers?

The shopping experience at our stores is unique. We encourage our clients to take all the time they need to be educated and guided by our knowledgeable sales executives to select the perfect ring, all in the calm atmosphere of our salons. We aim to provide each client with a highly personalised shopping experience, from the selection process to after-sales service.

Micropavé ring

What are the most popular engagement ring styles now?

Every person has their own idea of what constitutes the perfect ring. Generally round brilliant, cushion and emerald-cut rings are the most popular. In particular, our cushion-cut Micropavé ring is a favourite. HW’s classic design aesthetic ensures that the rings we offer will never go out of style.

How does one match the engagement ring to the wedding band?

It is important to consider the setting and the shank of the engagement ring to ensure a perfect fit and balanced match. For example, a beautiful Micropavé engagement ring with a delicate Micropavé wedding band will compliment each other very well.

Last words:

Shopping for the ring should not only be about the diamond, the experience is just as important. You need to be able to trust your jeweller to guide you to the right choice. A loyal HW client recently shared: ‘HW made me feel at ease and I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I was to be able to ask different questions and how patient they were with me.’ This is how I sum up the Harry Winston experience.

Dedicated to my husband, who spent endless hours in search for the perfect ring.

NB: If you would like to visit a Harry Winston store in Asia then do check for locations here. For those of us who unfortunately do not have HW in town, you can always visit their online store!

1. Partaking in last-minute beauty treatments.

Many brides think that scheduling a facial the day before the wedding will leave their skin looking angelic on their big days. Thinking of tanning the day before your wedding? Think again as you may end up with blisters instead of sun-kissed skin. Last-minute beauty treatments can lead to breakouts, mistakes or, even worse, serious infections.

2. Exceeding your budget.

It costs a lot of money to throw a wedding. Excited brides start booking vendors and making purchases without having a real budget and then are shocked to discover they’ve already spent all of their money (or parents’ money) and don’t yet have half the things they need. Planning a wedding is serious business. Make a budget and keep track of your expenditures so you won’t be walking naked down the aisle.

3. Ordering your wedding gown too late.

If your heart is set on a couture gown, be sure to order by the six-month mark since your dress will be custom-made and, many times, made overseas. In addition, most off-the-rack dresses will require alterations, so make certain that you have enough time to get the gown fitted properly. You’ll want to leave plenty of time for shipping and for your fittings. The same goes for the bridesmaid dresses.

4. Underestimating the importance of a good photographer.

Your wedding is potentially the most important day of your life and you will definitely want lovely images to remember it by. It’s always a good investment to hire the best photographer who can truly capture those priceless moments. At all costs avoid depending on shots from family or friends unless they’re professionals.

5. Taking your partner’s opinions for granted.

After all it’s his day too. Even if his requests don’t always conform to your vision, you want him to enjoy the wedding as much as you. Not only should you be willing to compromise, but also consider biting the bullet once in a while and telling him that you like his ideas. Even if you wind up with hot dogs on the menu or a Rolling Stones cover band, chances are good you’ll appreciate these quirkier decisions down the road. Plus, you’ll make him really happy – as he should be.