18.6.2011 The Bride's Reception - Part I

I need to write about the wedding before I forget everything...so 2 months after, this is what I could recall about the day after I became a Mrs.

Woke up not as early as I have been waking up for the past few weeks, less anxiety as the biggest event ie; getting married all settled...I walked out of my room and everyone was busy cleaning up and packing for Putrajaya tonight. The plan was for everyone to leave around 10am and start the rehearsal somewhere around 11am. I stayed back with Han and waited for my beloved husband to pick me up. Aliff came at about 11.30am, but we had to wait for Han to bathe and get ready...its ok, no rush, we were Raja Sehari kan? People wait for us! Haha.

So, at this point of time I still have not received my wedding dress from you know who. At about 1200 noon he mms-ed me my dress and asked me whether it was ok...from the very-very-very beginning, 5 months ago and repeatedly for the past 2 weeks I told him, FULL. I think he was trying his luck sending me that picture...Cut the story short, when I received the picture, I ruined my contact lenses (which I proudly wore my self) that Syida had run to Empire and get me a new one and I reached Putrajaya at 4pm, with THREE back up dresses (thanx to some lovely angels).

Anyway, imagine, I reached there 3 and a half hours before the guests started to arrive. Rehearsal ofcourse terbantut because the main people, ie; the Bride and Groom was not there. And because I planned everything myself and being the control freak I was, everyone was panicking as everything needed my final say.

Ok, so anyway, once I reached the hall, I immediately lighted up...from the frown I wore since morning, I finally cracked a smile, albeit a small one. I LOVE the walkway that Que had decorated...Lamp posts with white ostrich plumes on top. It was lovely...although I was a lil bit dissapointed that the plumes on the pelamin was not as much as I would hoped it to be, but oh well, tak kisahlah, it looks fine. We started rehearsal right away. There was a little bit of a commotion between me and Father-of-the-Bride-Zilla on the flow of the pengantin's entrance, but it was sorted out to my favor, yeay.

So, me and Aliff stood below the arch and the bridesmaids started walking down the aisle. Then the intro of "At Last" started and Maria started singing...OMG...that was the first time I heard her sang that song, and I completely fell in LOVE and knew that I picked the right person to sing it! I know Maria has a beautiful voice, I've heard her sing before, but I've not heard her sing At Last and she had told me that she has never sang that song before. I had goosebumps as I was practicing walking down the aisle as she sang because it was just angelic. So, my smile grew bigger, and I remembered feeling, ok, this night won't be a disaster.

We had to do a few trial runs to get everyone's timing right, my dad ofcourse had to tweak every SINGLE thing, as he looked over the hall in the AV room upstairs yelling this and that with his cap on. Thinking back about it, he looked so cute and I know that he was a perfectionist and he wanted that night to run as smoothly as possible, although at that time I was ready to bite his little cap of off his head! I love you Bapak!

Bapak with his little cap :)

So, we finished at about 5.30pm and my MUA (Kak Liza - the bestest EVER!! HIGHLY recommended!) arrived, on the dot as promised. Then I realised (although I have been pursuing for this since last week), my guests who I invited (friends, colleagues) did not have designated tables. I ran to my mum and asked for "Nadiah's Friends" tags. Then I had to run around and place the tags at tables which had no tags. Could not remove those already with tags because they're already assigned according to Bapak's list! Arghhhhh so I had to split my guests into 3 groups I think, front, middle and back. If I had arrived sooner I could have sorted the seatings out, but because of the dress-drama-thank-you-so-much-to-you-know-who, I had to run around the hall finding empty tables to place the tags when i'm supposed to be getting all dolled up. While I was running around, I saw the cake that I ordered arrived. Didn't get to see how it looked like because I was too busy. Oh, and my dress has not even arrived yet, and it was close to 6pm. At that point of time, I was thinking that there is a high chance I might have to wear either one of the back up dresses! So went up to the Bilik Pengantin, and I found out that it is bloody locked! Screamed from the top to get somebody to open it up. Syida also helped scream, you can count on her to do that! Thanx Syida! (She was doing her best to assist me all day because of the dress drama - I have the bestest sister ever! [minus the PMS and OCD])

At about 6pm I was seated infront of the mirror, shutting my ears from everything and focussed on looking pretty. Thank goodness I made, I think one of my best decision to book Kak Liza as my MUA. She did her magic so gracefully and I'm not one to brag, but I received a handful of compliments on how I looked that night. I know I've said this before, but Kak Liza is HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended. Her work is fabulous, she has the best personality and the best heart.

 

So, I asked Aliff, Syida and Han to get ready in the same room with me. The room was huge, and I like to be surrounded by people to help ease the nerves. So they got ready there. Altho it was quite chaotic, with all of us and the photographers and videographer in one room and Syida and Aliff "trying" to iron their clothes (both failed, had to call reinforcements; ie KakHuriah to the rescue)...the chaos somehow made me so calm. At about close to 7pm, THE dress finally arrived. So, I had 4 dresses to choose from........................................and I chose to wear the original dress. At the end of the day, that's the dress I have been envisioning to wear, and although it wasn't as perfect as I had hoped and imagined it to be, it did look nice and waaaaay better than the picture he sent me earlier in the day. So, while getting ready I was doing last minute changes to the seating arrangements. Aliff and Han also got in the Kak Liza magic - to touch up on their face...Han later washed it all off because he said he felt like he was wearing make up! haha

 

 

Then few of my friends who arrived early came up and met with me. The reactions I got from people who came up and met me made my little smile grew larger and larger and I started letting go of the Bridezilla in me. I think I suddenly realised that it was about time to say goodbye to the "Zilla" part of me and enjoyed being the "Bride". At that moment, I suddenly felt soooooooo much lighter and I didn't have a care in the world of what was going on, whether guests have arrived, whether they got their seats right, whether everything is in the right place....I was enjoying the moment so so much, wearing a white dress, meeting my family and friends, taking pictures...I was having tooooo much fun! And the best part of it all, Kakmyra, Adri, Lulu and Baby Ahmadi surprised us by showing up (actually I already knew, tapi buat2 surprise la as usual). If you read my previous entry, Ahmadi was admitted for a slight fever and there was a high possibility Kakmyra and family will not be able to make it that night. They already missed the Nikah. So, having everyone I loved with me, I just enjoyed EVERY moment and did not have a Bridezilla moment from then on.

Kakmyra and family!

with the fabulous Que

By 8.00pm I was ready, veil, shoes, flower bouquet (which was also from Que - he is also VERY highly recommended!) and all. My lovely bridesmaids, each in beautiful royal purple/maroon dresses joined me in the Bilik Pengantin. The guys, including Que, were there too, all handsome in their suits. Everything was perfect. 

The Groom and The Bestman

The MOH and the Bridesmaids

My 4 Lovely Bridesmaids

Then we were called to come down to meet the guests of honor in the holding room. Took pictures with them and made our way back to the main entrance, waiting for the que for us to make our big entrance as man and wife.

Dam dam da dam .... Dam dam da dam ....

To be continued...

16.6.2011 - Malam Berinai

The night before the wedding day, my family held a small Malam Berinai. I'm not quite well-versed with the tradition, and I can speak for my mum, she is as clueless as well...I think I am more aware of adat compared to her..ahahah...Anyway, so, we don't actually know what goes on on a Malam Berinai, other than the Bride-To-Be wearing some traditional outfit and sitting on the pelamin...I think some people say it is actually to familiarise the Bride-To-Be with what is going to happen on the wedding day...And for some families, the Bride-To-Be will be changing into a few different outfits...Entahlah...For Kakmira's Malam Berinai, she changed into 2 outfits; a Javanese ensemble and an Arabic ensemble. She sat on the pelamin and the elderly will merenjis. That's all. I went to one of my bestie's Berinai, Shyra, where she changed into 4 outfits and just posed on the pelamin for pictures. I've also went to my neighbor's Malam Berinai, albeit, it was the Groom's side, where the Groom-to-be wore a traditional baju melayu, sat on the pelamin and family members will stain his palm with inai.

So, how is it going to be for my Malam Berinai?

I didn't actually put so much thought into it...I just wanted to have a small gathering with close families and friends the night before "The" day...

I didn't want to change into different outfits, cause it's going to take time and I want to spend time with the guests. Because the theme of the decorations for the nikah was moroccan, I decided to wear a kaftan, while I asked the guests (men and ladies) to wear the jubah. I have been looking for the right kaftan for quite sometime, I think 2-3 months earlier. I had in mind a white kaftan with some heavy beadings. But the ones I found are either too expensive or not having enough moroccan vibe to it. At one point I thought of tailor-making it, but time catched up too fast and it was already quite late.

5 days before the Malam Berinai, me and Ibu went to Subang Parade to look for some wedding stuff and dropped by this shop called the Maisoinnette. It is located below Uncle Lim's. Have been there a few times and they have a selection of beautiful kaftans, but quite pricey. This shop carries a few brands/boutiques, and one of them is Faiz. If you live in Subang, you will know this boutique because come Raya, their baju kurung will sell like hot cakes. Anyway, while I was combing through the kaftans, I saw a Faiz kaftan - creme colored kaftan with heavy beading at the neck. What I like about this kaftan was the beading was colorful - very moroccan-ish. BUT, the it was toooo big. Alamak. The sales lady then told me they can alter it. YEAY! Then I brought in my mum to bargain the price. My mum is somewhat a regular customer and knows the sales lady, so she sold the kaftan at a small discount and free alteration! It will be ready 2 days before the Malam Berinai. This is what the kaftan looks like:

On Thursday evening, after we were done with cleaning and preparing the house for the wedding, I bathed and prepared myself for the Malam Berinai. I decided not to have any drawings on my palms, because the reception is somewhat modern-ish. But I did the henna drawings for Aliff's side which was more traditional. So, anyway, I bought the tube-innai and Kakmira put it on my finger nails at around 7pm.

Then me and Syida went to Cut N Blow, a saloon near our house to do our hair...they were already closing, but we managed to persuade them to blow dry our hair, since it was my wedding and all...we're quite close to them :)

Came back and Kakmira put on the contact lenses for me...yes, I don't know how to put them on myself...hahah...and it always stresses Kakmira out, because it will take atleast 15 minutes to put them on because I have very sensitive-protective-blinking-eyes ;) Then she started to do my make up...Half way through, my UIA besties arrived...Kakmira saw Atun's make up which was very pretty and asked her to do my make up instead...hahaha..so, Atun jadi bidan terjun and did my make up...and she made me looked pretty! Cheh..serious...loved her make up.

Then I changed into my kaftan. Seeing how pretty Atun made me look, Kakmira and Syida asked Atun to do their make up as well...hahah sian Atun.

 

Then I went down to meet the rest of the guests and eat. I poured out my wedding stories to the girls while we eat...haih...tak baik kan "these people" buat pengantin stressss...but I didnt want to ruin my night, so I said, whatever happens, I just have to live with it kan? I asked them to pray that "it" will turn out alright, and you know what, both of "it" turned out better than expected! So, to you girls who did pray for me, thanxxx a million!

Anyway, after we ate, I was asked to seat at the pelamin for the "Berinai". The elderly-family members merenjis and stained some innai on my palm. Then my uncle called out my friends to do the same. After the "Berinai" we took pictures and my aunts helped put in the kurma and chocolates into the boxes for the doorgifts for the nikah.

Kakmira had to miss the Berinai (and the Nikah the next night) because baby Ahmadi had the fever.......the best timing kan? Dugaan nak kahwin....but, Ahmedi is now ok. Kakmira came back after the guests left and we took some pictures.

So, that was my Malam Berinai...it was just a simple one, with close family and friends, the way I like it. My last night as a single woman...EXCITED + NERVOUS + HAPPY BEYOND WORDS.

NEXT: THE DAY I BECAME A WIFE - THE NIKAH

Toodles.