Who doesn’t enjoy travelling? I am extremely passionate about travel – with Singapore being one of my favorite destinations – my familiarity with this livable city keeps drawing me back. Of course, my love for Asian food and the wide array of shopping malls are enough to keep me busy.  I made sure I had my fill of the Chilli Crab and the Black Pepper Crab (not forgetting the fried buns!!). Top of my list from this trip is the newly opened Marvelous Cream (originally from Japan). The Original Cream laden with everything chocolate is to die for.

The ever bustling Orchard Road has something for everyone, along with live entertainment lining the sidewalks every night. Ion Orchard and the new 313 @ Somerset had a variety of interesting stores and restaurants. The Icing Room at 313 @ Somerset has a beautiful pink and white storefront and a great concept – decorate your own cake! Their shop assistants are even dressed in cute little French maid uniforms!

Anyway, for all you brides-to-be who are searching for that perfect pair of shoes, the bespoke service at Essex Walk makes your dream comes true in owning the perfect pair of shoes that is truly “yours”. Essex Walk, now at Mandarin Gallery, is known for its fabulous quality shoes and luxurious designs. The consultant at the boutique was extremely knowledgeable in the bespoke service from offering advice on the fitting of the shoes to other services such as more padding. This just made it a wonderful and pleasant experience when slooking for that perfect pair of shoes to walk down the aisle.

Singapore has plenty of wedding exhibitions, with great packages on offer for soon to be married couples. This time, I was there in time for the Bridal Bazaar, a unique wedding exhibition organized by Wedding & Travel magazine. On display were stunning wedding gowns, fabulous deals on wedding packages, honeymoon ideas and my favorite – destination wedding shoots.  Seriously, which bride wouldn’t want ethereal images in Santorini? I have to admit, I was tempted!

So, a few things I learned about weddings in Singapore. Singaporeans love their wedding photography – and with good reason too – the photographers are very talented and creative. The latest trend is destination pre-wedding photography, with some great deals to Taiwan, Australia and Italy on offer. Another interesting discovery is that most Singapore-based bridal boutiques offer the complete package – gowns for all wedding related occasions, bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, bouquets, limo, photography and sometimes even décor. Purchased together from a bridal studio, usually gets you a pretty good deal!  Having a wedding planner helps greatly! Also, very interesting that the Singaporean bride has as many wedding related outfits as the Indian bride – ROM dress, Cheongsam for the tea ceremony, wedding gown and a cocktail gown for the evening. 

Our quest for the perfect wedding gown, coming up next….

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Your partner and you have set the wedding date and the guest list is just about coming together. And, with your wedding budget set to prioritize nothing but the most important factors (like your wedding gown!) you in all probability won’t have much funds to spend on something as plain as a wedding web site. But, in today’s age, everybody has their own wedding web site and there are many good reasons why. Below you’ll find all the right reasons to get your partner and yourself a wedding-dedicated web site. And, you’ll also find the necessary ways to get it up and running.

Why should we have a Wedding Web site?

Even though the concept of a wedding web site is quite a new phenomenon, it has definitely taken the world of weddings by storm! Today’s wedding web site builders allow one to do a lot. Here are the benefits of a wedding web site!

1. A wedding web site offers your partner and you the best platform to tell your story to your friends and well.. possibly everyone on the Internet! It is one place that you can share every detail about the day you both met and of course about your wedding plans. It can be especially useful if you will be inviting people who don’t know your spouse-to-be very well yet!

2. Photos, photos and more photos! Don’t we all just love them? Well, your guests can get access to the uploaded photo galleries of both of you, your family, pre-wedding parties and the actual wedding itself. They’ll be able to enjoy the fun before they even reach the wedding destination, if they haven’t already. It’s also nice for those guests who couldn’t make it to your wedding.

3. Another great reason to get your own wedding web site is that it keeps your guests informed of the wedding schedule way in advance. So if your wedding is in Mumbai, India, they will be able to make advance plans just by looking at the information on the web site.

4. A wedding web site also provides a good way to deliver vital information such as a digital map of the location of your wedding and other ceremonies. You can also place photos of the wedding venue, giving your guests a sense of the location. Plus, you can also add some hotel options for out of town guests.

5. You can create a specific email address just for your wedding! Thus, guests will be able to reach you and your partner there with no form of miscommunication.

Now let’s get down to the creation of such a wedding-dedicated web site

You’ll find tons of wedding web site creators on the Internet itself. But most of them either provide you with very few pages and drab templates. Try out Wedorama and Bridal Bell, two separate sites that offers a personalized web address, user-friendly web page builder, advanced planner tools and CD Keepsakes purchase options. They offer a 2 week free trial for those who might want to change their mind.

An Indian site called FirstPhera is also a good option since they offer ethnic design templates, the ability to write in a regional language and more importantly an easy to use interface. You can also create your Gift Registry here for all to see.

If your partner or you happen to be an HTML expert, then you can save your money and create your own web site for free.

When should I create my Wedding Web site

Well, if the date’s been set or even if it hasn’t, there’s nothing like getting way ahead of time and creating your own wedding web site. This way you’ll have plenty of time to organize it before you actually send out the link to your guests.

It’s a good idea to send the link to your wedding web site on your Save the Date cards. Guests and family will then be able to be in regular touch with the progress of your wedding.

All in all, the benefits of having a personalized wedding web site are high. After all, planning a wedding can be very stressful at times. So why not make it a less stressful experience by having an online wedding web site!

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There are so many things to do before your wedding day. But the key is to get most of it sorted out as soon as possible so that during the time leading up to your big day, you have nothing to really worry about. You should use the immediate run up to your wedding day to prepare yourself both mentally and physically. After all, Indian brides are the epitome of grace.

Look fabulous in your wedding attire

With the wedding preparations in full swing, it’s highly probably that you’ll get easily side tracked from your fitness plan. A couple of months before your great Indian wedding, you might want to begin working out (if you don’t already) and stick to a healthy diet. After all, you do want to look ultra-fabulous in that one of a kind Indian wedding dress now don’t you!

Many fitness gyms in Mumbai, India offer special fitness packages for brides-to-be. These involve a strict schedule that combines a good dose of exercise and diet, rather than having the bride-to-be starve herself or stress out.

If you are one who cannot bear to step in to a gym, then why not take up dance classes with your partner. Not only will you both stay in shape, but you’ll also learn a good number of dance moves like salsa and ball room dancing, perfect for your wedding ceremonies!

Wedding Makeup & Bridal Beauty Tips

 It’s said that you are only pretty as you feel. But when it comes to prepping for your wedding day, we suggest you pamper yourself with a good number of beauty treatments  that will not only bring out your true beauty but also make you feel it!

At least six months before your wedding while you’re deciding or checking on your party favors and other wedding-related activities, you should also take some time off to work on your beauty regimen.

Drink up on a lot of water and green tea for stress-free skin that glows luminously. Visit your beautician for regular skin facials and peels. It’s also time to consume nutritious foods that promote good skin.

Beauty salons and spas in Mumbai, India offer special wedding packages  for brides-to-be. These include facials, body peels, manicures and pedicures.

 The Indian Wedding Dress Stress

Shopping for that perfect wedding gown or lehenga can undoubtedly be a fabulous adventure in itself, but it can also be stressful. Perhaps you’ve always had a mental picture of the perfect wedding dress since you were a child. Or maybe, you have absolutely no idea what your gown should look like. Either ways, you should keep in mind that your perfect dress is somewhere out there. You just got to find it!

It’s a good idea to begin at least 6 months in advance and when you do, you must keep in mind your body type and the comfort factor. Also look out for a pair of shoes that will compliment your wedding dress.

Once done, you need to get started on dresses, shoes and corsages for your brides maids. Most importantly, you may want to help your mother find that perfect ‘mother-of-the-bride’ gown.

Wedding Hair Styles & Makeup

Once you’ve selected your make-up artist and a wedding hair stylist , you need to discuss with him/her your cosmetic requirements and hair style. If you want to grow out your hair or have it colored, now is definitely the time to talk to your stylist. 

Pamper yourself

Now that preparations for the wedding day are underway right from wedding invitation cards, to wedding photography  to beauty regimes, you need to step aside from the stress of it all and simply unwind. Take time off when you can to pamper yourself at your local day spa. Indulge in skin treatments like body wraps and scrubs to ensure that your overall skin is aglow come your wedding day. And don’t forget to take regular hot oil massages for your hair and body.

Above it all, take time out when you can to meet up with your friends over tea, read a good book, watch the best wedding movies or simply put on your dancing shoes and simply unwind!

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Your wedding photo album is the most traditional and well known way to remember your special day. Your partner and you will definitely look at these photos many times during your lifetime. Thus, choosing a good wedding photographer is one of the most important things to do when planning your wedding.

We at Marry Me, rightfully believe that wedding photography should be at the very top of your wedding checklist. Once the wedding is over, and you are done with everything right from the choice of venue, decor and clothes, and of course finally enjoying with your spouse, family and guests at the reception what remains with you forever is your wedding photographs.

Times are changing and today’s couples are very picky about the kind of photography they want. If the regular wedding photography seen in your parent’s albums are not your cup of tea, then candid photography may just be what you’re looking for. These pictures will truly tell a story of those amazing moments you shared with everyone on your wedding day.

Candid photography focuses on spontaneity rather than poses that are planned, staged and which inevitably turn out to be obtrusive. Candid photographs are those that a photographer shoots at the reception when people are busy enjoying themselves dancing, eating, socializing and any other worthy moments.

This sort of photography lends a more personal feel to each and every photo and really captures moments worthy of making their way to your wedding album.

Another trend that seems to have hit the wedding world everywhere is a pre-wedding shoot, perhaps after your engagement. Here the photographer captures your spouse and you in your favorite location outdoors or with colorful props, backgrounds etc, using portrait style and treating the photos with a very art-like feel. You both will surely cherish these photographs for years to come.

If you are on a tight budget, our advice is to spend more on your photography and minimum (or nothing) on video! Get a friend or relative to shoot a video on their handy cam. It will make them feel special and a part of your wedding troop too! And, your guests will feel more at ease when they leave you a personal wedding wish on video if it’s someone known shooting the wedding video.

Something worth remembering when choosing a photographer is that you should look through his/her portfolio to see if the excitement and emotion of the bridal couple has been captured.

Whether you are looking out for a candid photographer or a classic traditional one, you’ll come to know that there are many to choose from. Shop around carefully to find the photographer whose style best matches what you are looking for. And, finally you can then work together to come up with the perfect wedding photography package- one that you will want to look at forever.

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