Bella box and SATC lashes

I first heard of Bellabox when I was flipping Cleo Magazine a while back. I thought it was kind of an interesting website as the Bellabox team actually handpicks the 5 latest beauty products and mail them to your door every month. (Item ranges from lip gloss, make up to shampoos) Once you have tried the products and love them, make a purchase over it online!

I thought that this will definately save everyone the hassle of us going to a department store, buying a product and then find out either you hate it or it doesnt suit you.

Website: http://bellabox.sg

I was surfing the web and I saw they were selling SATC eyelashes by Eylure, i remember reading a review on it and decided to give it a try. As you can guess, it comes in 4 different styles (Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte). I got myself a Charlotte pair of lashie as she is always so elegant looking!

Beautiful packaging from Bellabox

Eylure - Sex and the City (Charlotte)

Charlotte - Refined and Elegant Look

Comes with the adhesive glue

A closer look on the eyelash

Review: I dont think i particularly suits well on this lashie, it doesnt look as natural as i hope it will be. Its way  too long and sparse, probably better for girls with bigger eyes.

But Bellabox is definately worth a try for those beauty junkies that want to get the most updated beauty products every month to your door step. 

Prewedding photoshoot with AXIOO

The pre wedding shoot session with AXIOO is one of my 'most looking forward' moment during this whole process. I have been counting down to this moment for the longest time everrr

Timetable:

8am : went to AXIOO studio for make up

8.30am : on our way to our first location - Sinou Cafe 

9am - 12pm : Shoot at Sinou Cafe + Lunch

12.30pm - 3.30pm : went back to AXIOO studio for studio shots

4pm - 7pm : outdoor shot at PIK area

We have a total of 6 looks (2 on each location). I did not have time to get some photos of the pre wed sessions we had, but did manage to capture some looks here and there.

I got to say this is definitely one fun process and I enjoy every moment of it. My fiancé and I was having fun the entire time and definitely a big thanks to AXIOO and team that makes us feel so comfortable instantly when we met them! Cant wait for the photos to be ready ^ ^

On our way to Sinou Cafe

Decided to let my hair down instead

2nd look @ sinou cafe

David and I on our way back to AXIOO studio

4th look - with the wedding gown

They have this cute dog on set

5th look - outdoor look

Some polaroids we took after each look 

Prewedding photo session - checked!

My wedding dress - 1st fitting session

I was so nervous and excited the same time when its time for my first fitting session. First of all, i want to apologize for the bad qualities on the picture taken (thanks to my fiancé), but he did try his best to shoot given the condition. =p

My first initial idea is to have strap on my wedding dress +  a balero i can wear on top of the dress during the walk in ceremony. But I'm still tossed between whether to go with or without strap during reception.

The initial fitting was just for them make it fit to my size and choose some accessories so its in time for me to use it for my pre wedding session 3 days later. 

After the pre wedding session is done, I ask them to cut the back and make it more fitting.  As much as it is such a pity to cut such a gorgeous gown.. i believe it will suit Bali wedding more to have the whole wedding gown not as long and heavy.

The shop

Look 1 - Tube

Look 2 - With strap

Look 3 - With balero (for ceremony)

Back view

Cant wait for my next fitting session! 

Wedding preparation #4 - Good Skin

Clarisonic is a facial cleanser that have patented sonic technology to remove impurities from pores  - cleansing 6x better than hands 

I have been using Clarisonic for about 3 weeks now and I have to say the result is absolutely remarkable. The instant result truly surprise me, my face is less oily and i really feel the difference.

How to use:

1. Remove make up 

2. Cleanse your face with cleanser/ you can also apply the cleanser directly on the brush head (I will normally go for the first.)

3. Turn on your Clarisonic and gently brush it to your face in small clockwise motion.

4. 20 sec on your T zone / forehead

5. 20sec on your nose and chin area

6. 10sec on each cheek

Note: You will hear a beeping sound on each interval so you know its time to change to another section (20 sec to 1st beep, 20 sec to the 2nd beep, followed by 10 sec each)

This takes less than 1 minute for you to get a clean skin!!

They have interchangeable brush to suit most skin types (normal, sensitive, delicate, deep pore, acne and even body)

I truly recommend this for everyone , be it whether you have good skin or not. Everyone should have a clean skin all the time!

To get hold of the product or learn more information, please visit below website:

http://www.skinstore.com

http://www.sephora.com/clarisonic

Clarisonic - Mia sonic skin cleansing

Good size and grip (easy to bring around when you are traveling)

Closer look at the brush - normal

Magnetic charger

Clarisonic - refreshing gel cleanser

What comes in the box - Mia, cleanser, charger, instruction booklet

I really hope those who comes across this page will give Clarisonic a try and let me know how it works for you!

Preparation for good skin to the wedding day - checked!!

Wedding preparation #3 - The Wedding gown

Looking for the perfect dress is every girl's dream. There are different design by different designers to suit every girls out there.

I kind of know what kind of dress, material, fit, and etc I am looking for. But at the same time, I don't want to miss out any possibility of me missing out on a design I truly love. I will occasionally buy wedding magazine and look at blogs/websites to see the different designs available.

What i find is really helpful are collating pictures!

How i do it:

1. Create an excel spreadsheet 

2. Whenever you see a design you like on the web, copy and save the picture onto the spreadsheet

3. I categorize them by Designer

4. This way, its easier for you to look back and do a comparison among the many dresses you like. 

One wedding website i truly rely on for my wedding was:

www.weddinginspirasi.com

However, please note that as much homework you may done on the wedding dress you like, it is still important to actually go down to a store and try out different styles to see how you fit. 

Picking up a wedding dress is a very fun process and I truly enjoy it. I have engaged on this wedding vendor called : The Venisse Bridal in jakarta for my dress and I can't wait for my first fitting this coming June!

Watters Bridal

Vera Wang

Jenny Peckham

Pronovias

I hope this helps the next bride out there when they are in search for the perfect wedding dress.

Wedding gown - checked!

Wedding preparation #2 - Finding your photographer and videographer

Finding a good photographer and videographer is very important. They are the one that captures one of the most important and beautiful moment of your life. I know that I can save on most of my the wedding prep but not on this one.

As an indonesian myself, I knew I wanted to engage in an indonesian based photo/videographer. Most enquiries are communicated via email and after downlisting to whom I really love, i made a trip back to jakarta to meet them. 

After just 1 visit, I was pretty certain to whom I want to engage with for both my prewedding and wedding photo/videographer and made the deposit payment about 1 year before my wedding. If you are sure on what you want, its better to get it done asap, you do not want to regret when you try to reach your vendors 6 months before your wedding and they are fully booked. 

To visit and have a look at more of their works, please visit the links below. 

photographer - http://axioo.com/

videographer - http://findingwimo.com/

To those that are looking for photographer in Singapore, I would really suggest you not to get any from those bridal package. It is always better to engage in different vendors for your wedding. I know that an average wedding bridal package costs about 3,500 SGD (it includes renting of 2 wedding dress, groom's wear, make up and it includes 30 photos). Unless you do not really care about photography and etc, you could go for this deal. However, ladies... to choose only 30 photos from the hundreds and hundreds of prewedding photos taken is impossible. I have friends that end up topping lots of photos and they charge at 150sgd per photos. (crazy!!) Most of them total up to become about 10k SGD. Yes, with 10k.. you could have engage in a seperate vendor and get a better photographer. 

So always remember to not invest all your eggs in one basket. 

Photographer & videographer - checked!

Wedding preparation #1 - Finding the location

Both my fiancee and I knew that we wanted to get married in Bali. But finding a place in Bali is tough since we only been there once.

The points we were looking out for are:

1. Outdoor wedding and reception

2. Cliff wedding

We went to Bali once last october and just few weeks before and we have minimize it to 2 location. 

1. Banyan Tree Resort

2. The Latitute - Villa

The Latitude - Villa

Advantages:

1. You only need to pay for the function fee. 

2. Yes, you may need to book the whole villa (5 bedrooms = 10pax) for min. of 2 days. But the good thing about that is you can stay with your closest family member which = accommodation for guests are partially covered. 

3. You can order your own caterings. Means more good food at a much cheaper price. 

4. There are no time limit to when the party could end as you have the whole place to yourself

5. Big lawn space to hold the ceremony and reception. 

Disadvantages:

1. Since you have a bigger space, you definitely need to spend more on decoration. 

2. The road leading to the villa is quite narrow and dark at night. It could be dangerous driving out of the place at night considering we will be using a big bus for the guest. 

I simply love the view and the huge space for reception

The Latitude - Villa

Banyan Tree 

Advantage:

1. The moment you reach the Banyan, you are welcome /greeted warmly by the staffs there. 

2. The ceremony place is very pretty that it is very hard to say no to the place.. 

3. The ceremony is held at cliff overlooking the sea with sunset view.

4. There is a private beach which I think will be great for photoshoot.

5. The package comes with 2 night stay.

6. Since the place is beautiful by itself, decoration could be minimized  = savings.

7. Since you are engaging their service, you don't have to worry about the wedding day events. They will let you know where we should go at a certain time. Its like having a complimentary wedding organizer.

Disadvantage:

1. You need to order the food from their restaurant, where most of the spending are. 

2. The reception place is not that spacey.

2. There is a time limit till 10.30pm where the party have to end.

3. Music could not be too loud as there are other guests staying in the resort.

4. Bringing outside vendor/ food will be charged at a certain fee. 

Ceremony place - Such an Awww place!

The building beside the ceremony will be where the tea ceremony is held.

So with that said, I have come to a conclusion, i.e Banyan tree! 

The thing that held me back was since I have a huge family, staying in a villa where only really close family could stay might stir people talking how they are not allowed to stay there as well, etc. too much drama ( you know how aunties can be )

Plus, I simply could not resist the white coral look of Banyan's ceremony place!!

Wedding location - checked.

It's A Whole New year, 2012!!

I am super looking forward to this year. I will be getting married this October!! There will be so many preparations to do but i guess this is the headache and the fun part about getting married. 

Venues, dresses, shoes, photographers, decorations and etc 

I believe many good things will happen this year, it will be a start to a whole new great year.

Wishing everyone a happy new year!!