GZ Yaw!

Will be in Guangzhao for four days. Bedsheet, cushion covers, table runners and pearls. 

Shoppin' for the weddin'.

See you soon. Toodles!

Childhood Friend is Married!

Liyana Nurain. She was my first friend after 3 years spent in Scotland where Dad did his postgrad studies. That was 16 years ago where life was all about fairy tales, barbie dolls, rollerblades, dancing to KRU Elite and Backstreet Boys.

Come this year 2012, both of us are getting married. And for Liyana's case, she's already someone's wife a week ago. Time just flew in so fast without us realizing. The hectic life of working and surviving, tup tup tak sedar dah kahwin. Lepas ni ada Liyana/Salman Jr. Insya Allah.

So, on the 23rd of June, Liyana and Salman was pronounced as man and wife and if you're reading this babe, you should have seen your face during the Akad. Priceless. You were indeed beautiful with your grey modern kurung by Qudyn and Salman ape kurangnya, he was dandy himself. He looked good in that grey Baju Melayu, no wonder he insisted on that colour. ;P

Congratulations dear friend on your wedding day. May the two of find everlasting love between you that will strengthen with each passing year. Of course you will have some tough times together, that is the challenge that all married people have to work through. Rest assured that you will have more good times than bad. And always remember you have made a commitment for life and in the end you will be happy together.

Have a happy married life.

Cewah, macam dah kahwin 10 tahun je saya ni.

Anyway Liyana, thank you for letting me be apart of your BIG day from day 1. The dresses (oh my the drama!), Jakarta (walau jumpa  kat airport je!), back and forth to get stuff, panicking over things and many more. Glad I could help babe. Even for just a bit.

During Majlis Khatam Al-Quran

Hours before her Akad Nikah

 Happy moments!

Beautiful pink-ple reception. I must say the food was good!

I've to admit it's pretty weird to see Salman next door!

Let's Get Domesticated!

Such a hectic weekend for the past two weeks but I had heaps of fun. Those two weekends were spent for my bridal shower and indeed I had fun fun fun. If you can see me now, I'm  smiling/blushing/grinning/giggling as I am typing this entry. Overwhelmed by my friends' effort and felt so lucky and blessed to have girlfriends like them. Alhamdulillah.

I had three bridal shower altogether and each of them deserves seperate post.

The first one was held a week ago and the theme was.. Stepford Wives. It was such an awesome theme and I couldn't help to not plan what I want to wear because you need to look 'domesticated' and EVERYONE were pretty! All was Bree of Desperate Housewives, Charlotte of Sex and The City, Joanna Eberhart of Stepford Wives. It was awesome seeing them together in those attire.


What BGFFs do best is plan an awesome party. No doubt their parties were always the bomb.

Let me feast your eyes with some pictures that were taken during the party.

Iced lychee / peach tea by Didi

Some of the decoration props.

 Baked mac and cheese by Tasha

The super-biadap-sedap-gile chicken mushroom and steak & cheese pies by Farissa. Sedap gileeee

Fruit tarts, chocolate brownies and cream puffs by Dalia Dania

My girls are certainly homemakers ;)

We played  games and as always Ema and Adeq were the ones that coordinated the games and the games were never dull. Not the usual ones people played at bridal showers, but the games we played relate to the themes. So we had:

1) Decorate the cupcakes

2) Identify the spices

3) The laundry

4) Initials cross-stitch



It's time for me to judge!

 The winner for cuppies competition. Top three!

The laundry game. The girls and I need to fold and arrange the laundry in a smooth, crisp and neat order. FAIL.

Pressure gile. Look at the onlookers. Siap cekak pinggang lagi.

All in all, I had a fantastic time. Everything was perfect from the theme to food to deco to game. Everything is nice like sugar and spice. ;)

More pictures:

Awesome doorgifts ;)

In true fashion for us, as according to the theme.. say cheese. 

Thanks for the amazing times girls. Forever I will never forget this moment and the all of the good times we have shared. May we have this kind of events until we are old. There's no reason for us not to have one kan? And may our friendship continues to grow and the warmth we feel continue to flow. Cewah!

Bree or Charlotte?

I am beyonnndddd ecstatic! ;)

Thank you girls. 

Surreal isn't it? When your bridal shower is around the corner, you know that the wedding is SOON. 

What shall I wear now?

Bree Van dee Kamp (-ish) or Charlotte York (-ish)?

Wedding Updates!

76 days to go till I marry my best friend!

Updates!

1. Make up artists - Yes, for all three receptions, I've booked my MUAs and I'm pretty satisfied with my choices. Asked opinions from many sides, especially those who has worked and used the MUAs' services before. It's true what every ex- B2B said that you need to book your MUA at least 6 months before. I did mine quite late!

2. Attires - Back and forth from Jakel to Jakarta, and compared the prices. Of course when you get yours in Jakarta, it is much much cheaper (like 5 times cheaper) but since they are cheap, there are some that the quality can be disputed. But, there are places in Jakarta that sell the best of best.. Even Pak Abu and Anna Avantie bought from them and prices again.. 3 to 5 times cheaper la. After all, Jakarta will always be the land of laces. So for that, my dress for reception has been confirmed and 50% deposit has been paid. Phew. Lega rasa tau setengah beban sudah hilang. Designs have been finalized with the designers! Excited!

3. Photographer - I got what I want but still need to see the team soon.

4. Videographer - Met and sealed. Gave songs and ideas. I know I'm going to love it.

5. Hantaran - Settled all except for my handbag! Pfft. Sirih junjung, cake, chocolates have been ordered. 

6. Tray bearers - Distributed the materials. I'm pretty sure all is in good hands.

7. Sound system - Need help! Anyone?

8. Cake - Ordered.

9. Entertainment - Booked but have yet to choose the songs! I think I made a pretty good choice? Karaoke for malam berinai. 

10. Emcee- Both functions covered. Mom is handling it.

11. Invitations cards - Masih pening. Design ada, but have yet to see the final outcome.

12. Guest list - Belom finalized!

13. Corsages - I love you Zaza! By Bungaa of course!

14. Legal docs - Zaim is doing his at the moment. Will be in my hands next week. HIV test next week.

15. Spa - I've been going to Martha Tilaar Jakarta but can't go there again for the sake right? So, I've decided to continue my spa session here. Will ask friends for recommendations.

16. Favours - 90% done. My dad has been really supportive driving me around to Chow Kit area for cheap containers and mind you, the quality pun ok. Found VIP's gift and I'm pretty certain with the idea. Love it. 'Thank You' tags are done by Dalia of PrettyLittleThingsKL.

17. Decorations - Mom's choice and I think 80% of it has been finalized. Bunga manggar dah order. 

18. Kompang - Not yet!!!

Goodness. Wedding is a hard work. Stressful at times but I'm enjoying every seconds of the process. ;)


More to updates! 

Manipedi Treat from Nadia Bakly

On a glorious Sunday evening, Paan brought us (the Guangzhao qualifiers) for a treat of manipedi at Mont Kiara and it was really nice to actually discuss about PB and business while pampering ourselves. Who says this business is stressful?

Thank You Paan for the treat! ;)

The girls before manipedi 

 Paan, who has been kind and supportive all these times. A mother of a boy (macam anak dara lagi) with five figures income after a year of doing this business. Not bad eh? It's all about determination and it is all for her son!

Nadia Suhaimi, my desk partner in Standard 5 in Kampung Tunku and who would have known now that we are business partner! Alhamdulillah. She's a super smart crazy auditor at EY, who has been doing PB business for 5 good months earning close to 5 figures. She has been really helpful and so so pandai on strategizing and not kedekut at all to share all the knowledge she has. 

I've known Rang through Nadia and she's also a crazy-ass auditor in Schlumberger. (That mighty Oil and Gas company that earns millions a day tu). She's going to be my roomie in Guangzhao and I bet our journey is going to be whacko with her around.

If only PB has face and neck nipper! It's so hard to lose the extra fat at that area!

Can't wait for Guangzhao! 

I Miss London

London. A place where I used to go every other weekends. 

Jangan panic. Not go every weekends from KL (gile ke?) but every other weekends from West Midlands, a place I called home two years ago.  The journey from Birmingham to London takes 1 and 1/2 hour.

OMG! Has it been two years? So cepattt.. Sigh. Rindu nyaaa..

My housemate and I (Sheena), whenever we are bored with our lives in Brum, we would head out and take the first (cheapest) train from Birmingham Moor Street station to London Marylebone (via Chiltern Train). Of course we prefer the fast Virgin Train which will take us straight to Euston Train station in just an hour, but that's only ... when we have extra to spend. Those were the days when every penny counts. Hahah.

The things we did in London:

1) The Cranberries concert at Royal Albert Hall. OMG that was one hell of an experience. I never thought I ever watched this band up close and personal. They are like... the bomb. 'Linger', 'Zombie', 'When you're gone' and many more. Best gileee.

2) If we are ever in London on Saturday, we never failed to singgah Portobello Market (near Notting Hill) just because. Before we depart back to Brum, we just had to indulge ourselves at least for a cuppa of Red Velvet from Hummingbird. Sedapnya tidak la terkata. The soft and moist texture of the cake and the sinful creamy cream cheese. Glory glorrrrryy. Apart from Hummingbird, there are many many more things to do at Portobello. Vintage lovers, say hello to your world!

3) During our depression days, and when we missed Malaysia so so much, the food, the kekecohan of being around Malaysian people,    we just loved going to Malaysian Hall cafeteria. We were there just to eat their roti canai (breakfast), Sup ekor and sambal belacan (lunch) and have their scrumptious teh tarik (supper). A lot of people said that Malaysian Hall's food sucks and all that, but I just don't care. I felt safe there and in a way, it does felt like home. 

It may sound..what? Sup ekor? Teh tarik? The little things that we love.

Zaman students at MSD (Malaysian Student Department)

4) Harrods. Should I elaborate?

5) Oxford Street. I miss Selfridges (of course!), my favourites which are H&M, Zara and..... Primark. Nothing beats Primark's leggings. 

6)Museums and art galleries. London has the best museums in the world and we've only managed to see the British Museum and Tate Modern. The National Gallery, National History Museum, etc??

Andy Warhol exhibition at Tate Modern

7) West End! I've seen Wicked, Chicago and The Legally Blonde, but the best I've seen was Wicked of course. I cried buckets kot. Don't mind watching it again. But Billy Elliot and The Lion King are next in my list.

There are many many more of London's must-do and must-see pictures that I have in my laptop but those are memories and it will be kept as memories. Cute English cafes that serves original English scones with clotted cream, tea, the fish and chip, Camden town, Borough market, frozen yoghurt, smoked salmon and egg benedict from Patisserie Vallerie, yada yada yada. Banyak sangat la and it won't do any justice if you don't try all of these yourself. 

Which you can come with me next year FOR FREE. 

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. In 2013 we are going to London and Paris for F.R.E.E! 

Mr. Z and I insya Allah! 

Want to know how you can go for FREE? 

Contact me at : 013-2033763 (24/7 on whatssap)

rashida.rafar@gmail.com

Ke Sana Denganmu

 I'm such a sucker for love songs. I know.

Especially from these two renowned Malaysian singers;

Adibah Noor and Sam (Innuendo)

Enjoy.

Countdown wedding day: 87 days to go!