Calla Bridal (Closed Down)

#1 Calla Bridal

23 Teo Hong Road

6223 5088

(the shop has closed down, with many brides left stranded because the designer eloped)

No photos are allowed in the shop, but since they closed down, should be ok right? 

Casey the designer, quoted me $5,888.00 then lowered to $5k for my criteria, not bad right! Told him I have a tight budget and he lowered it further to $4k. Thank god, I didnt sign with him. Thank heavens! What I found weird was after I told him I have a really tight budget, next question was "Is your bag a Hermes?", weird? And no, I wasnt carrying one. So after that he said, ok, $4k, which is really a good deal because he claimed that for rental, I can just change the color of pre existing gowns if I like, so its sorta customising right?

+ : Great designs and workmanship, since his an ex-digio designer

- : not comfortable, he said i can have everything i want after nonchalantly looking at my design references

Gown above is amazing, auto fluffed without the can can. So thumbs up for workmanship.

The only 1 i like on the rack but dont like on me. :/

Can you feel the love tonight?

Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Singapore String Q…: https://youtu.be/28sC7SY9ocg

Forever

What about the rest of your life?”

She shrugged. “What about it?”

“Aren’t you worried about, like, forever?”

“Forever is composed of nows,” she says.

Hayley Paige, you have my heart.

It has always been in the plan to rent a gown for the prewed photoshoot, so off i went to a few places and still not getting the WOW feel. I did when i found 2 dresses actually. This was the 3rd one i found and i knew i have to buy it! So thankful that my man is supportive of all my decisions.

Will do the bridal studio post next.

So i was so happy to find an unconventional gown, no lace, no ribbon back, chapel length and poofy without can can dress. Since the actual day dress is a mermaid, i was double happy that this is a princess gown.

And within half an hour, the gown was sitting happily inside the car! It was a spontaneous decision by me to go down to the shop, bcox i took half day on the actual day and just went down by myself, usually i have frens w me. This was not my 1st choice but the 1st choice is not around, so after trying like 5 dress, i keep thinking about this. So i sat there thinking if it was an impulse buy and if its worth it since alot of ppl alrdy worn this design, but i dont care la, i love it!

So heres a photo of the gown, taken in sydney, for all you nice people reading!

Bridal studio

I will touch on bridal studio next. Look out for it!

Wedding Venue

My pre requisites for the wedding venue are the following:
Solemnization, Sunset Timing, 80 persons, Green Space
Dinner, Good Food, Long Table, 250 persons

So we started exploring awhile back in 2014, with the constant urging of the friends, since everyone confirmed their venue 1 to 1.5 years before. So here are our choices:

#1 Equarius Hotel

We were pretty set on this place, but the coordinator urge us to build a tentage to cover the area in case of rain and we have to bring in our own sound system and lighting and decoration, since the place is rather bare. But the carpet grass is seriously pretty. So with all the above added in, we were rather apprehensive on taking the venue. Plus the turnover from solemnization to dinner might be a problem as there is no holding area. Food was to be catered by Forest restaurant, so we can rest assure it is not from RWS central kitchen.

 

#2 Four Seasons Hotel & Alkaff Mansion

Four Seasons have an amazing western menu and they have done long table settings before, and it looks good! What stop us from taking the venue is due to the lack of green space. To have the solemnization there, we have to pay 10k to block the lunch time, so they wont take any bookings. Function rooms was a no go for me since its not green. So our backup plan was to hold it at Alkaff Mansion, which is really pretty! And of course we have the option to hold everything at Alkaff Mansion, they have this tentage thingy which can hold everyone, but nah, if we want a tentage wedding, we can hold it anywhere.

Credits: www.welovelaughkiss.wordpress.com

 

Credits: www.theweddingscoop.com

Credits: www.greatnewplaces.com

Credits: www.superduperyummy.com

Credits: http://blog.wearespaces.com

#3 Grand Hyatt Hotel
They just renovated their ballrooms, their food menu is amazing! And it is very affordable for the value of the food you are getting. What blew me away was the full panel projector screen, dont need to decorate the stage at all, save cost! But the downer was the green space is so small. And to have the function room earlier to do decoration will cost another 10k, just for booking. I was all for converting that space into a green one, but alas not parting with the money. Their benefits was the best! Super chic I must say! They have the nicest holding area and bridal suite.

This is Hyatt's green space, not sufficient for the guest list.

Credits: http://belluspuera.blogspot.sg/

#4 W Hotel Singapore
After the unfruitful Equarius Hotel, we did more research and we found out that W hotel has a lawn, score! They took really long to get back with a good menu and we just gritted our teeth and stick to this place which we love. It is pricey hence we are restricting our guest list to a bare minimum. After waiting for their responses and going back and forth from Nov to March, we finally secure the place!

Credits: www.theweddingscoop.com

Credits: lenardilywedding.blogspot.com

Credits: http://www.hotelchatter.com

#5,6,7.......many more
We actually sourced and look around the following spaces but many didnt make it.
Raffles Hotel: Maximum is 150 persons, have green space..
Hort Park: Logistics nightmare
Chijmes: Turnover is tricky and cant do solemnization at the timing preferred
St Regis: No green space
Ritz Carlton: No green space
Shangrila Rasa Sentosa, Atmosphere by the sea: Maximum is 150 persons, have green space..
Clifford Pier: Too expensive, OMG! Will you pay 300++ per person for a 4 course dinner?
Old Kallang Airport/Sculpture Square/Changi Cove/Red Dot Museum/SAM: No longer available for rental
Boathouse: Pretty but small.
Fullerton Hotel: No green space and I heard food is bad. But tried and tested, its good leh.
Shangrila: We cant meet their minimum.

Golden call

You know how we have dived into tackling the styling and floral aspect of the big day. We have received quotes after quotes, met and went to appointments after appointments. We even had our first meltdown over this due to the money required to be spent. He wants to keep it within 4 digits, but lo and behold, its all 5 digits. Like mid high range.

My vision is to have styling done right, no matter what. No clustered tall centerpieces and aisle bird cage standee kinds. No drapes or curtains. Its just tacky! So we gave up on the hotel's floral bcox its full of the tacky stuff above and went to find a our own company. It did cross my mind to diy but i think i will die on the actual day, die from fatigue and worrying.

Today, we got a golden call. Why golden? Bcox its a company we really like and it came down to a comfortable five digit!!! OMG! We didnt put much thought into scoring this company bcox its on the extreme high range. But after 3 emails with appreciating their hospitality bcox its out of our league, they relooked and called us, saying its possible since we are sincere! OMG! I m thanking the wedding gods. I was so shell shocked that i have t look and re read my whatsapp a few times. So drowsy from the meds, but i woke up immediately after this news. OMG! No wayyyyyyy. Amazed i tell you. Is this the secret happening??????

Cant seem to share this news with anybody bcox they wont seem to understand...bcox everyone is using the hotel themes. Oh wells.

Hehehhehehe. Popping champagne soon when i feel better!

Bridal studio vs a la carte

So, after all the breakdown on facts, lets get down to dollar and cents:

Bridal studio
+Pre wedding photography
+Gowns
+Men suit
+Makeup Artist
+Bridal car, bouquet, corsage and posies
Average $3,500.00

+Topup for additional photos $50 x 50 = $2,500
+Topup for one premium gown $200
+Topup for makeup extra $200
Total $6,400.00

Average stufff....

A la carte
+Pre wedding photography
+2 Customized gown
+3 Customized suit
+Makeup Artist
+Bouquet, corsage, posies
+No top up, yay!
Total $7,500.00

I will rather pay the $1,100.00 difference to get a gown i love and fits to a T, same for the suit, airbrush makeup, peonies/david austins for flowers! And i need to highlight, the cost is lowered because of my preference in pre wedding photography, its only 3 hours! If u want the full day, many days, taiwan, korea, photo studio kind, then the price will not match la!

Prewedding Photoshoot snippet #1 and #2

Sneak peek #1

Looks abit dark, but i love dark photos. Hate all those all white, over exposed, over contrast and over saturated stuff. It captures the silhouette perfectly. And the colours, hues of orange and red! So warm.

Sneak peek #2

The glow!
The sun!
The ray/beam that was caught there, just perfect!

Same place, same timing, just 2 different photographer shooting. 

This was the last set and the sun was setting already. The whole place is void of sunlight other than the sun rays coming from that angle. 
I like photos that shows the light, rays and flare. Its just magical to be able to capture light which are so infinite in that moment. So seeing this really made me so glad that i made the right choice of place and photographer!

Plus it was a really fun set. Hahah! Being carried and twirled around then we have to stop midway on the twirls to get the right angles. My motion sickness and his muscles kicked in immediately! Plus...i m heavy, so secretly gloating there. Hahah! 

Cant wait to receive the rest of the photos in a few months.

A la carte, the way to go.

For the whole wedding, we decided to go for a la carte style. Its really crappy what they offer in the packages. For instance...

#1 banquet
We do not require, the fake cake, guestbook, champagne tower, invitation cards and floral deco. Just give us the food, venue, service, car park coupons and drinks! Still thinking if i need their chairs. Fyi, the price didnt change even thou we didnt want the stuff above, so dont bother.

#2 bridal studio

+ Pre wedding photo, no thanks.
I heard so many ppl telling me they spend a bomb on the photos and the album is just sitting happily..ok, not very happily since its collecting dust.. in some god forsaken place. And paying $50 to $100 per additional photo, r they mad??!?!?!??!?! Anyhow, i know who will be my pre wedding photographer from years back, so no chances for smoking me into the trap people. Bcox all photos will be given back to us in high res for our printing. And i dont need an album, just go online n see the photos la!

+ Actual day makeup and hair...
Every bridal studio has a list of makeup artist that they use, so you will be assign or you can choose one that you prefer. If your first choice is not available, settle for second. Theres also a high chance you need to topup for lashes, curls, hair setting and ampoules. That could amount to $200 to $400. Nahhhhhh...i rather have an all in, first choice, no topup whatsoever. Dont need the wayang kind, best is dont need to makeup. Just do hair will do! Hahah.

+Wedding Gown
This is so important, i cannot even fathom how people go through all this uncertainty. Now, i guess i know why there is so many outfit changes huh.

Everyone is dreaming of that 1 gown that will make you look like a princess for the day right? So..since you have been dreaming of it, time to make it real!

Back to story, i dont understand how a shop can have 2 to 4 storeys or some hidden wardrobes of gown for you to choose. How would you know it will look good on you with so many gowns jam packed together. Many a times, whats good on you might not look good on the rack! Then you have to tell them what you want and they will magically bring a few gowns for you to try. You trust their taste and memory? Plus, you just have t take their word that it is new stock or premium gown which u have to topup, YES AGAIN, is it tagged with a sticker or price tag or something? Based on trust and memory again. So, I think not. Plus, how many times can you go sift thru the racks till u find the one? Errrrr...tried that...didnt work at all! Especially when i hate those ribbon tie back criss cross thingy..once i see that, which is 80% of the gowns, dont need to show me. Yes, picky is me.

+ Actual day videography and photography
Dont like their works. Enough said.

+Floral bouquet, car deco, posies, boutonierres
Yes, i need. But i am so particular, later they ask me to topup AGAIN. So save the trouble la, i go to the florist and buy myself better. Car deco is just tacky, wle, seriously?!?!??!?!? Dont understand why people place emphasis on the car too. What meaning or significance is the car brand/model to your marriage? So a better car means you are better off or you are sporty or you are what?? Errrr...i think none. Its just a mode of transport. Face it. A car is how manly, why need to dress it up? Unless its pink, then i give it to you. So, i will be using my dad's car, which has a special meaning and significance to me. No rental car business please.

On top of it all, you are at the mercy of the bridal coordinator, if you meet a bad one, good luck..so, i dont want t take my chances here. Can you imagine paying 10k to 15k for the whole thing and you have to make do with an average dress and average vg/pg/mua/flower..i heard people who cant find a nice gown also ok. Plus, it will be worn by other ppl for many many times.

Might just be all the stories that deter me but i am happy with what i have now.

So think twice ok everyone! What might be convenient, might not be at all!

Its only normal

And i experienced my 1st mental meltdown yesterday. It was quite mad..it was seriously uncontrollable. I see more coming soon.

Its only normal that it happens everyone..so embrace it and wish it will pass soon.

Now its time to look at the bigger picture, that its just ONE smalltinylittleshort day, it too will pass just like that. Nobody shall bring me down bcox of this ONE day.