First Post

I dedicated this first post to all brides-to-be out there, who finally grasp the idea of wedding preparation,
which is not easy, but fun and thrilling, and not to forget, mind blowing -- literally.
As my husband-to-be always reminds me, "This journey will become a laughter for you, us, one day when we reminisce it, so enjoy the process."

I keep that in mind all the time, although sometimes, it is not easy, trust me (okay to those of you who has just started or not even yet, soon) sometimes it is frustrating.
The key is, at least to me, I keep it real.
I do not want a huge fancy wedding in the first place.
Although there were couple of issues I had to face about guests list, particularly from my parents' side.
They were HUMONGOUS list.
Discussions and arguments are sometimes inevitable, BUT do it in a wise and mature way.
So you can always deliver your intention with a cool head, and also your parents will come to their senses.
In my case, since I fund my own wedding with our own savings, I don't have much money to pay for thousands of wedding invitations.
Problem arises when my parents once insisted on thousand of guests.
We simply cannot afford that.
Not that I do not want to take my parents' blessing by offering us money to aid, but I personally think, this is our responsibility, and we want to make it ours as best as we can.

Crying and sometimes letting shouting slips are inevitable.
But make it worth the fight.

I thank God for having such a wonderful man who is willing to accompany me throughout the journey (no, it is not yet finished), but so far, his intention to make this journey worthwhile is fantastic.

Back to the key, which we want to keep it real, in addition to that, please, please, PLEASE, be a reasonable bride, do not turn yourself into a BRIDEZILLA.
I know it is once in a lifetime event, but to me, is it worthy to spend millions on your dress, or hundred thousands on decor?
To me, the best way is to manage your budget.
Which one is your priority?
Top of the list is the most priority item you want for your wedding, think carefully, in the first place, everything seems priority.
But seriously do you think hundred millions of decor will worth more than if you spend that partial amount of money, for example, to allocate it to food, good foods?
Or maybe, spend it for your honeymoon trip?
Afterall, wedding is not always to impress people who come, not always about prestige, but it is about who you are, the identity of you two as a couple, about being proud of funding your own wedding with all you've got, to show people your ability to manage and plan your own wedding, to me those are most important reasons why I wanted to keep this wedding real.
Real to myself, my family, my husband to be, and to my own capacity.

Once in a lifetime does not always have to be all grand and fancy.
Pick the most expensive gown is not necessary make you feel joyful, you pick and buy designer's dress just because you follow the trend or to impress people or just to post it on instagram, instead of having joy inside your heart is the most ridiculous reason to get your dream dress.
Be smart is the key.
Don't get me wrong, who doesn't love a gorgeous and best fitted dress from a designer?
But I'd rather allocate my funding to a better field, like honeymoon, or maybe house decorating. Anything that makes it worth post wedding day.
Not just one night's show only.

I do not against people who want to celebrate their wedding day in a fancy and grand way, nor I want to diss or discourage people who do not fund their own wedding, what I am trying to deliver here, is sometimes the idea of wedding in Indonesia, or maybe in Asia, is too overrated.
It results in overrated everything about wedding.
You name it, from venue, decoration, wedding dress, groom's suit, bouquet, car, catering, even to photography.

Sometimes picking quality over overrated vendors is like finding needle in hay.
Hard, but trust me, it is possible.
Key is to be patient and hard work on browsing, asking friends and relatives, visiting many exhibitions, or I'd say, fate will meet you with right vendor, which will make you fall in love instantly at the first sight.

The first thing I do after the proposal is listing things I need for a wedding to happen.
And the first thing on my list, the most important as well, is the venue.
What is a wedding without a venue.
I wanted a garden themed party, back then, but realizing how my man cannot take heat too long, as well as my mother-in-law-to-be, I could not force my want to what I need.
(See the difference between WANTS and NEEDS? this is very important to always ask yourself)
I wanted to be in a hotel ballroom to make things easier, I suppose.
But then hotel ballroom mostly are expensive and their package is exclude with decorations and other stuffs, which makes it double cost.
So in the end, hotel is excluded from list.
My my mother-in-law-to-be suggested the venue should take place in Jakarta instead of Tangerang, because most of the relatives are staying in Jakarta, so Tangerang is also crossed from list.

Somehow it did not make it any easier.
Finding perfect venue is, again, like finding needle in hay.
But since I found one, so again, it is not impossible.

I will post more on venue, bridal, decoration, etc.
Now I have to find my own wedding gown asap before I turn into a bridezilla

Cheers,
mel

xoxo