"Opposite Hoover Cinema"

It does seem that furnishing the Patch has taken a step back to preparing for the customary wedding and dinner.

And trust me, there are a LOT of things to prep for one silly day of costuming up, running around, and grinning yourself silly, all for the sake of your parents' collective face.

It doesn't really help when said parents suddenly try to offer well-meaning advice such as:

1. Learning a simple waltz to lead the dancing during the dinner
(I didn't even know there was going to be dancing...)

2. Big serenading me with Elvis Preseley's Hawaiian Wedding Song at the dinner becos that was what his dad did (if Big is singing Elvis, *I* am choosing the song!)

3. Tailoring a suit at some shop "opposite Hoover Cinema" (where?!) instead of buying a cheap one from "Oriental Emporium" (um, didn't that kinda close down years ago?)

4. Me wearing a rather thick head band with an accessory that is way too large for my head but is "cute" (cute on other occasions perhaps, but not at my wedding!)

5. Big wearing a cream suit in the day, and changing to a dark one at night (yep, here comes the white elephant! oh wait, it's the groom...)

6. Me having to buy & carry a little bag on *MY* wedding day to hold cosmetics for touching up my make-up (huh??!!)

7. Wearing as high heels as possible and piled up hair so our discrepancy in height won't be so obvious (I am so looking forward to tottering around on over-high heels, and looking like Marge Simpson)

Any other sound advice?

Swathes of cloth

With the flat almost ready to move into, we have progressed to preparation for the customary wedding in April. Now, this was supposed to be my project, as the flat was Big's. Itz starting to look like a more thankless project than his really...

I started looking out for gown designs online sometime last year. It proved a good break from frustrating work in the office =P But even before I started surfing randomly, I had already decided I didn't want the following:

• a tube top gown (too common & generic)
  
• a fluffy skirt with cancan underneath (can't walk with the cancan)
  
• anything too lacey or poufy (don't want to look like a cupcake or too girly)
  

The keywords were - simple & elegant - and the result was a Grecian gown. These gowns feature a sleeker silhouette and the skirt usually either lightly skims the body or flares in a slightly A-line from an empire-cut bodice. The overall look is clean, simple and elegant.

Our gown designer, Debbie from Blu Mesh (contact courtesy of Yen Ling), did a couple of sketches of variations from a picture that I had sent to her from online research. One of them was a very simple gown - the bodice is a cross-over both front and back, with a sash knotted off to one side, overlay of silk organza (or chiffon) for bodice, opening up in the front of the skirt, and lace and beading details on shoulders, front of bodice and skirt. We jumped on it immediately.

Hunting for material

We spent the whole afternoon of 2 Jan trailing Debbie around Arab Street while she draped duchess satin over me, showed us bits of lace, and hunted for other materials. For someone who already doesn't enjoy dressing up, this experience was quite a chore. But this highly personal service is actually very good becos it inovlves the bride-to-be from the very beginning, and you get to choose the fabrics, and get an idea how they would drape on your body even before the gown is made. I know I can't wear stiff material and was initially quite worried becos gowns tend to be made of duchess satin which is rather stiff. But we found a softer duchess satin and this draped nicely.

1st gown fitting
The 1st fitting took place some 2 weeks after we had gotten the material, and just like the Arab Street hunt, was quite an experience.

1st, I hadn't expected the boning in the bodice or at the waist, obviously I wasn't used to it and felt like I was in a corset.

2nd, I seldom wear full white or off-white, so the result was a bit disconcerting.

3rd, when Debbie tied the sash on, it was all I could do not to fall to the floor in a dead faint (ok it wasn't all that tight but it sure felt like I was being squeezed in the middle...).

4th, the damn hem kept getting in the way. And when I hitched it up to walk, I was greeted by gales of laughter from my (unsympathetic) audience. Especially Val, who obviously delighted in telling me to "glide" becos that was exactly what I told her when she got married last year...

I'm not sure how I'm gonna avoid toppling over or tripping on my skirt, especially in my 3.5" heels...

Contact: Debbie from Blu Mesh at debbling@gmail.com or 9459 4995. http://www.blumesh.com/

X'mas & New Year

We rang in 2010 at the flat feeling a bit cheated.

We rushed back to the flat from feeding & laser-pointing Spooky at Big's family home, becos we wanted to be there for the annual midnight horn-blasting from the ships anchored off the ECP. Marina Bay counted down with fireworks, MediaCorp counted down with confetti. 15 min after midnight, and STILL no deep foghorns from the ships...what the heck...

Anyway, we spent the long X'mas & New Year weekends at the flat, and apart from all the rushing around from family gatherings to parties' at friends', buying stuff at Ikea, furniture delivery on X'mas Eve & cleaning, it was actually quite fun.

X'mas 2009

We had arranged for 2 furniture deliveries from 3-5pm on 24 Dec becos we were both on half-days. The plan was to meet for lunch and then go back to wait. It ended up me grabbing a burger, and trying to get back before 3pm becos we both got off work late. Fortunately, I made it back in time for the 1st delivery at 3.45pm.

We now have a shoe rack (on the right), which we both hope will hold all our shoes - my middle name isn't Imelda (unlike Val =P) - which is also supposed to serve as a lookout for Spooky when she moves in. And we have a bench which will also hold shoes (on the left). This is supposed to also hold people becos the couch only seats 4 Asian butts of average size. I love the bench. Itz a great lookout for me - when Spooky comes, we can both look out together.

On 26 Dec, after the Ecosystem party at Val's, we headed to Ikea, with the package of Swiss raclette cheese tucked into my new Longchamp Le Pliage bag. We got a step-stool for me becos I have problems reaching anything above the counter-tops...and the most wonderful invention of all - a plastic bag holder!

We also finally got a bin for the kitchen. On our last visit to Ikea, we had spotted a rather impressive "Oscar" bin - yes it looks like the one Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street lives in. Big wanted the large version - it stands about slightly under 1 metre. After much discussion, he agreed to get the smaller version (phew).

New Year 2010

We bought a Play Station on New Year's Eve. So New Year's Day was spent fiddling around with it - Big played Little Big Planet and downloaded Street Fighter - and drilling. He put up the curtain rod (and the curtains) for the front room, which looks very cheery now if you ignore the huge box which the oven came in. And his bedside shelf.

Apart from the adventure on Arab Street and Gwen's birthday dinner, I spent most of the long New Year weekend either helping around the flat or reading with my feet up.

At the end of it, Big wanted to know if we were going to spend every Sunday with him gaming and me reading with my feet up. Doesn't sound all too bad to me.

Happy New Year from the folks at Pumpkin Patch.