The Wedding Company

Video – Romantic Pre-wedding Music Video

theweddingcompanysingapore — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:35:59 +0000

Note: Admittedly, even though my Mandarin is not fantastic, I loved this video within the first ten seconds!

The mood-and-feel of it is immensely heartwarming, and I thought to share this with you.

Hope you enjoy it!

Wedding Advice – Quashing Sibling Rivalry (Part II)

theweddingcompanysingapore — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:59:03 +0000

The Bossy Boss

When you were little, you couldn’t walk out the door without your older, “wiser” sister schooling you on the right way to flip your collar and carry your backpack-one shoulder of course. You’re both adults now, but some things will never change.

Usually, the eldest child, the bossy sister, is used to being in control. Even though this isn’t her wedding, she’s most comfortable when she’s master and commander. It’s about attention – being in control of the show is how she gets hers. But let’s cut her some slack: An older sibling also feels a sense of responsibility for her kid sis.

Use your best Machiavellian maneuver and play to the strengths of a bossy sister while getting her off your back at the same time. “Make sure she has a good function,” says Barbara LeBey, author of Family Estrangements (Bantam, 2003). “Hand something over. Give her a fiefdom.”

Instead of letting her strong-arm you on all aspects of your celebration, give her an area over which she has total autonomy. Don’t have any particular issues with the flowers? Give her a budget, a few suggestions, and then free reign. But make it clear that you don’t want her taking over. Say something like, “You’re such a sensational organizer that if you’re up for it, I’d love to give you a few things to organize for the wedding. I know I won’t even need to worry about them. I can deal with the rest.”

The Mean Sister

Every time you bring up the readings you want to include in the ceremony, your sister makes some caustic, hurtful remark. She’s also purposely belittling your decor choices, and she’s even starting to say cruel things about your fiance’s family. What gives?

When people get nasty, it often means they themselves are frustrated or hurting. Maybe your wedding has brought her own lack of a mate into sharp focus. Or maybe at this point in her life, she’s heavier than she wants to be and your wedding will necessitate her wearing a skin-bearing dress and being on display. All these issues can cause a sister to lash out. Whatever the cause, Johnson (Sue Johnson, expert in family therapy, as from previous post) suggests that the best way to handle it is to get specific.

“Pick a time when she was mean,” says Johnson. “Recount it to her and say, I felt this way when you did this. Again, don’t blame but be prepared to back up your example with hard evidence. You need to be able put your own weapon down so the other sibling doesn’t have to get in her tank.”

Give her the chance to let her guard down, feel safe, and tell you what’s really got her goat. “You want to get to the point when you’re talking about the emotional issues underneath the meanness,” says Johnson. “Nine times out of ten the other person will respond when you put down your own weapon first.”

Feeling armed and ready to put an end to all the bickering (even if it’s all her fault and not yours)? It’s worth the struggle to keep the peace, especially during what’s supposed to be one of the happiest times in your life. Besides, with all that fighting out of the way, you can get back to the real fun… torturing Mom and Dad, together.

- by Liz Zack, from The Knot

Wedding Advice – Quashing Sibling Rivalry (Part I)

theweddingcompanysingapore — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:13:41 +0000

Admit it: Very few people – including your fiance – know you like your sister does. Not many people have the power to make you laugh… and cry with equal ease. If only we could bottle the awesome power of sister-to-sister dynamics, we’d never need guns again. But if you can understand your sibling’s motivation, you’ll relieve her of her stress-inducing ammo and you’ll both remember why you two love each other so much.

The “What About Me” Whiner

This seemingly egotistical behavior is most often associated with the middle child. Whatever you get, she wants an equal piece of it. Got a $5 allowance when you were seven? She was there, right behind you, to demand the exact same compensation from the folks. Growing up in the shadow of her big sister and without the strong “baby” identity of the youngest child, the middle sibling often spends her earliest years vying for a piece of the parental affection pie. When her sister announces her wedding, the middle child, though all grown up now, can often fall back into old patterns of attention competition. She can’t help it – even if she’s already married!

“People have raw places,” says Sue Johnson, an expert in family therapy. “When middle siblings witness their sisters getting all the attention, that raw place gets smacked again.” No matter what she has or has accomplished, that insecure seven year old takes over and makes her feel like she’s second-rate again.

Cure what ails your attention-craving middle sister. Make sure you take time out to recognize the achievements she’s making in her own life and the contributions she’s making to your wedding – and make sure your folks don’t get so wrapped up in your fairy tale that they forget to do that too.

We know, it’s completely ridiculous. Here it is, your wedding and you have to indulge your sister’s insecurities. But the truth is, she’s not doing it to be malicious. She may just be a bit needier than usual.

If her demands for attention start to become unreasonable, however, then you should tackle it head-on. Have a candid chat with her: Let her know how important she is to you and that you understand if the tables were turned you’d be having a hard time, too, but that right now, you really need her attention and support. Hopefully, a little tough love will go a long way to bolster her ego.

The Indifferent One

You try on your wedding gown for the first time. Beaming at yourself in the mirror, you turn to your entourage expectantly. Your mother coos. Your best friend tears up. Your sister is on her cell. Ugh. You got engaged and suddenly your sister, who was a normal and active presence in your life, becomes withdrawn and uninterested.

Johnson notes this as a sure sign that something’s amiss. “When people get cold it’s usually because there’s some hurt involved – to protect themselves, people shut down.” Although passive, this can be one of the most painful sibling behaviors because it’s not as in-your-face or confrontational.

The best thing to do? Make sure you’re calm and out of the situation (wait until you’ve left the bridal shop, for instance) and then approach her, says Johnson. Take a risk and gently probe for an explanation.

We know, easier said than done. And yes, chances are she’ll just respond with a lame excuse you have no choice but to accept (“Sorry, that was work on the phone”). It’s still worth a shot.

Before you say a word, think carefully about how you phrase it. Don’t blame – she may get angry or retreat further. Tell her how her silence made you feel. For example, “Yesterday, when we were at the bridal salon, I wanted you to tell me that I looked great in my dress. When you didn’t, it hurt my feelings.”

Hopefully, by gently opening up the door to dialogue, you’ll get an explanation of why she’s acting so apathetic (“It really pisses me off that Dad is helping you with your house down payment. He didn’t do that for me…”), and then you’ll be able to have a discussion about the real root of her behavior.

If it doesn’t work the first time, don’t lose heart. Keep approaching her and hopefully you will get through or at least get her to realize what she’s been doing and put her insecurities on hold…at least until after the wedding.

- extracted from The Knot

Quick Tips – Helping Your Photographer

theweddingcompanysingapore — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:37:15 +0000

Whether you are having a professional on your actual day or a close friend or family member, remember your photographer is there to help you capture both your moments together.

Five ways you can help your photographer are:

1. Keeping it accessible – Important areas where your photographer is needed should be kept accessible, such as where the cake cutting takes place, and crowded areas where the both of you should be captured by the photographer’s view may be obscured by guests.

2. Keeping it co-operated – Seek your guests’ understanding and co-operation when it comes to giving your photographer his room to work. Especially when some guests may be equipped with their own cameras and hope to get a good shot for the both of you, it is important that they take the pictures either from behind or beside the photographer.

3. Keeping it close – While your photographer being the professional will know how to spot places near your venue for good pictures, don’t be afraid to suggest a spot you like and would like to be photographed. This doesn’t require dictating, it is good to scout the places nearby and explore the possibilities of how the photographs can be taken.

4. Keeping it updated – Never forget to update your photographer on your order of events so he can prepare ahead of time to find a good spot to capture those special and significant moments.

5. Keeping it fun! – Don’t be stressed out with trying to look your best for the camera, just relax and have fun with your loved one on your wedding day because some of the best photographs that can be captured are those of intimate moments when the both of you or your guests are not looking at the camera!

Did You Know? – Wedding Trivias and Traditions

theweddingcompanysingapore — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:22:54 +0000

1. According to Greek culture, putting a sugar cube in the bride’s glove will sweeten the union.

2. The English believe it is good luck to find a spider in a wedding dress.

3. Pig entrails were studied in ancient Rome to determine the luckiest time to marry.

4. For good luck, Egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding day.

5. Peas are thrown at Czech newlyweds instead of rice.

6. In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlyweds’ home as a symbol of fertility and luck.

7. Queen Victoria started the Western world’s white wedding dress trend in 1840 — before then, brides simply wore their best dress.

8. The “something blue” in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.

9. Queen Victoria’s wedding cake reportedly weighed a whopping 300 pounds.

10. Seventeen tons of gold are reportedly made into wedding rings each year in the United States!

Video – Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings

theweddingcompanysingapore — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:55:13 +0000

Remember Butterflies & Cakes? Be sure to check them out if you would like to explore a theme of your own or discuss one with them!

Have fun exploring your own wedding theme!

Services – Wedding & Travel

theweddingcompanysingapore — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:47:12 +0000

Remember to visit Wedding & Travel’s website for a handy directory for your wedding preparation including travel destinations.

There you will find categories such as Wedding Dresses and Wedding Tips among other useful information.

Also remember to visit the Spring Date Wedding Exhibition to be held at Level 3, Suntec Singapore from the 24th to 26th of February!

Services – Yours Truly

theweddingcompanysingapore — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:47:24 +0000

If you’re looking for a live band for your wedding, you can consider Yours Truly, where good ambient-setting music such as Jazz music can be arranged.

From two to four-piece bands, your guests can be easily set into a comfortable ambience by the professional musicians.

Visit their website today for more information!

Did You Know? – The History of Valentine’s Day

theweddingcompanysingapore — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:50:14 +0000

Saint Valentine’s Day, often simply Valentine’s Day, is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentinus. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. It is celebrated in hundreds of countries around the world, mostly in the West, although it remains a working day in all of them.

The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”).

Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

- Extracted from Wikipedia

Services – Butterflies and Cakes

theweddingcompanysingapore — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:40:23 +0000

The Wedding Company is the happy official media partner of Butterflies and Cakes, where you can find rental packages for wedding themes for your own special look-and-feel for your wedding!

Butterflies and Cakes are a Wedding Support Props House that provides actual and accurately detailed sets, scenery, staging and props for Weddings.

You can also visit their blog and Facebook page for updates and ongoing promotions.

A participant at the recent Suntec Wedding Fair held from 3 – 5 February 2012, their Facebook page features photographs from the wedding fair among others including publications and theme decors.

Be sure to visit their website today or drop them an enquiry for your own wedding!