Shake It Out

I always have a thing for silhouettes. Especially those wedding invitation with the silhouettes photo of the bride and groom in it.
I think silhouette is everlasting and classic too. Like this:

I'm not using any silhouettes in my invitations, though. Typical Aquarian of me. I just want my invitations to be different from any others. Beside, my photography vendor who handle the photos for my invitation also said so. I will post photos I'm using later.

In these few days, I've been so attached with my laptop and experimenting with photoshop. The result is lack of sleep and some edited images and logos too. I even created some logos for my upcoming project, insha Allah. So I tried to make my own silhouettes for the sake of my personal satisfaction. Since I'm still an amateur, you can tell that my work is not that neat. But I'll try to fix on that later.

Rocking The Suburbs

I finally had a chance to do pre-marital pampering. After taking my brother and sisters to the airport, I got lost on my way back just because I wanted to try the new alternative road. But silly me, I couldn't accessed my Google Maps because my iPhone ran out of balance. So I almost ended up in Merak. I will never ever try the new unfamiliar road anymore. It was tiring you know, to get lost in Jakarta. Stuck in the middle of the jam for hours.

After hours of getting lost, I decided to have a ME time at Martha Tilaar Bintaro. At first, I was planning to go to Dian Kenanga but I was too tired to deal with anymore jam. Lucky me, Martha Tilaar is only across away from my house. It was my first time trying this place. I usually go to Martha Tilaar Cikini for facial. Since it's quite expensive to do the spa, so I never tried it before. But turns out, Martha Tilaar Bintaro is cheaper than any other branches. Well, at least Cikini. I chose to do "Ginger Gold Spa" and "Aromatic Acnomore". They have "Ginger Gold Spa" promotion at the moment. With only Rp 388K, you can get "Ginger Gold Spa" plus pedicure and blow dry. I'm not sure is this promotion valid in any other branches. But to compare it with the price list on their brochure, it is way cheaper. In the brochure, the "Ginger Gold Spa" costs Rp 400K something. So it's quite a very good deal.

What I love is the place is very much relaxing. Everything is so clean and neat. Just typical Martha Tilaar. The treatment itself is also peaceful. Although the massage was not too satisfying, but I think I might go back there next week or the week after. The plan is to mix my pre-marital treatment with Dian Kenanga. They also gave me some useful tips when I did the facial. I used to have oily skin but maybe after using the wrong type of face soap, my skin turns dry. So the solution is to stop using face soap to clean up the face. Washing my face with water only is enough. And it's best for me to also stop using toner. Unless, after wearing makeups, then toner can be use after the milk cleanser. And I also did wrong steps in cleaning my face. It supposed to be milk cleanser - toner and then washing the face with water.

I've tried the tips in these couple of days and it worked! My face becomes less dry. Hopefully by the time of my wedding day, my skin could be healthier than ever. Overall, Martha Tillaar Bintaro is recommended and I'm willing to comeback anytime soon.

And yes, I'm starting to love living in the suburbs.

My New Hobby: Creating Inspiration Board!

Ah, Well..

The fiance keeps reminding me to not get stressed over this wedding preparations thingy. And I wish I can have control of it. I can't stand of this trouble breathing too. The lack of sleep is starting to drive me nuts. I even think it could make me die slowly. Such a drama queen, I know!

The wedding is getting closer. These are list of things that shall be done soon. It's better be prepared before I go back to Aceh in early March so I could just sit back and relax until the due date. So here it goes:

1. Design of the invitations
This is what I'm worried most. I'm really fussy for this part. Well, actually I'm fussy at almost everything but most of it are already finished. Just because me and mom wanted to put some photos so we decided to make the invitations to be useful for the guests. Already gave the photos to the vendors but I'm not satisfied about the design yet. So I gave them some references of how I want it to be. Up until now, I still haven't got any emails from them except the one that letting me know they will try to make it as I wanted. What I got in mind is the kind of notebook which is sold on the bookstore that is eye refreshing, automatically draw the attentions and urged you to pull out some money out of your purse just to purchased it. Tough calls.

2. Thank you note
This one is still related with point number 1. I want my thank you note that is hanging in the souvenirs to be different as usual. Already gave the photos to them and I'm still waiting for their responses regarding the date lines. This thank you note is needed soon so that I could give it to the vendor that is handling our souvenirs.

3. Wedding gown
The first fitting didn't go so well because I feel fat in that dress. Not because it's not very good, but I ate like a pig and should do a diet. And so I did. Lost a few kilograms, thank you to Acai Berry. The second fitting the dress looked great on me. But I still think that I should lose another 2-3kgs around the arms, hips and thighs. The down side of having pear type of body, I guess. The fiance also have problems with his suit. The first fitting went well because it's in Ramadhan. But on second fitting, Mas Sapto said that he should up sizing the suit around 6cm. But he did give an options, to lose weight or up size. Our last fitting will be in the end of the month. Let's see how it goes.

4. Other Wedding Gown
Because of there will be many rituals and traditions that I should do, so I made another few dresses at Ferry Sunarto and Yasra. My first fitting at Ferry was okay. But the fiance didn't think so. He thinks his suit is not so comfortable to wear so there will be some changes to do. I don't know what's going on with my dresses at Yasra. We haven't been in touch yet. I just wait for mom to come to Jakarta so I can go directly to her place. And last is my reception gown (Aceh traditional) at Bang Imran. Never did the fitting yet because I was just measured like 3 weeks ago. I gave all my trust to him because I know he's the best in this thingy.

5. Hijab Style
Bang Imran is responsible my hijab style from day 1 until the end. He said that I should do hijab test days before the wedding just to find which one I like the most. Sapto is the one who made my head pieces along with the dress for akad nikah. Since the picture I gave him was a lady without hijab, I still don't know what am I going to be like in hijab and that head pieces. Hopefully Bang Imran will do me good or otherwise I could burst in to tears for ages. And for the reception, I still can't decide whether to use hijab before sunting or just let the sunting directly stick into my head without it. Mom said that it would be weird for me to use hijab over the sunting. But I still want to try it just to fulfill the satisfactions. I'm a fussy, remember?

6. Decorations
I am really into Suryo's decorations. Years before planning the wedding, I said to mom that I really want him to decorate my wedding. But since I'm having the wedding in Aceh, it's impossible for me to bring him back because it would cost me a fortune and I couldn't afford it. So we decided to use Bang Edy, local decorator, who also did the decorations for my brother's wedding last year. His work was divine. And so I hope it could do the same for mine. Gave him pictures of decorations as references for Akad Nikah. But for Wedding Receptions, I really can't think any designs of pelaminan do I want. At first, he offered to do me a Morrocans style. But I refused it because I want something new that is not common. Typical Aquarians of me. He then came up with ideas, which I believe will turn out great, but to be honest, I can't imagine of it at all. I gave it all up to him. I'm sure he won't disappoint me at any level. As for Akad Nikah, I wanted floral decorations instead of Jepara like he suggested for the background. So I might gonna make the DIY floral backgrounds *crossing fingers*.

7. Khatam Al-Quran and fasting!
These are the most important things to be done by March. Hap, hap!

... to be continued

So I Feel A Little Bit Relieved

I got anxiety attack! I can not sleep, a non-stop major migraine and also trouble breathing *sigh*

Almost a year ago, when I stumbled on one big problem that I thought would never find the solution, I also experienced this exact symptoms. I directly went to the doctor. Not just any doctor, but the experienced pulmonary specialist at MMC Hospital. He asked few questions before he then examined me. He convinced me that I'm on my perfect health and it was not asthma that made me trouble breathing. He said that maybe there's something going on in my mind. Things that I haven't shared with anyone and made me stressed out. He thought that I was still in college and thinking too much about the examinations. Then I thought, how weird is it that I just turned 26 years old at that time and don't even know my own body? How come I couldn't sense it when the stress appeared? Was I being too ignorant or maybe was it just a form of denial?

Guess that's what happened to me now. Preparing this wedding thingy made me so stressful. Thank God I quit my job so my mind can focus on this one thing only. I'm not complaining about the hectic of this preparations or anything. In fact, the activity was very much enjoyable. But when it comes in dealing with jerks, I just couldn't stand myself to not pissed out. Not to mention when things aren't working out just the way it was planned. That's when the beauty bride becomes the most scary bridezilla you can ever imagine.

Regarding the case that I faced a few days earlier, I've asked some people's opinion. What if they were in my shoes? What are they going to do? And I also asked some of my wedding vendors. As the vendors, what if they have to deal with this kind of situation? All of them, yes I mean ALL the people I asked, gave the exact same answers. He has NO right at all to charge me the penalty and I MUST NOT pay him just like what he asked. It is not negotiable because he NEVER told me his policy regarding the cancellation, which every vendors MUST inform to the potential clients. Especially to those who are eager to use your service. It is just not making any sense when he said he didn't tell me about the cancellation fee because I already agree to use him as the makeup artist right on the day we did the makeup test. In fact, if I were not agree to use his service then why bother to cancel him in the first place, right? And he said that he also has prepared for my wedding, which is blocking the date for me and proposing furloughs from his office while my wedding is still 2,5 months away. Well, not only it was just spoken orally and has no legal force, but as someone who provides service, you are obligate to state all the consequences if any client suddenly cancel the agreement. So his defense was non sense for me. But if he ever informed me verbally about the cancellation fee before, then it would be impossible for me to not obey his policy. Let me refresh your mind. I called him first to asked his bank account just because I wanted to recouped the makeup test fee just like what we agreed. But then he shocked me when I heard he suddenly add up to 30% due to cancellation without any notice before. I may be bitchy sometime, but to harm people and disclaiming others rights? I never ever have the heart to do so.

Life is about taking balance. When there's bad at one side but there's also good beneath it. After feeling so fed up with one of the vendors, this morning I had my pictures from Imotio that I'm going to use for the invitations. The photos were just like what I always wanted. They made it clearly inspired by pictures I sent as my references. So the fiance and I almost reached the top of our satisfactions. Hopefully they will keep up the good work until the last day we're working together *crossing fingers*.

After what I've been through with my previous makeup artist candidate, the fiance suggested to meet up with my new one. We had our first meeting this afternoon. I won't spill the name now. Maybe later. At first, the fiance told me that I have to force them to make an agreement letter. But after we had a long talk, asking loads of questions, we reached to the conclusion that this new one is much more professional and experienced. I told him about the case with my previous and he has the exact same answer just like everyone else. He then initiated to make an agreement letter once I transferred the 30% deposit. Just to engage both of parties. If I ever cancel the agreement, then I won't get back my 30%. But if he's the one who cancel, which he said never ever happened in his 18 years of experiences, then he will give back my 30%. Fair enough. Meeting him and his assistant was the right thing to do. After the consultations, I feel a little bit relieved. At least, now I'm convinced even more of what action should I choose to do regarding the case.

As for me, it's much better to say all the worse things and consequences upfront than covered it all with good things but then end up badly.

We're Only A Click Away

Technology makes us closer even though we rarely meet in real life, no?

It's still 77 days until our wedding and I have just finished creating the wedding invitation blog. Yeap, another blog has just born. But this one is only to announce the good news to our dear friends and relatives. I decided to announce the address later. Maybe around 2-3 weeks before the wedding date. I've only showed it to the fiance. And my oh my, he's really not into the internet thingy. He doesn't even know that there's sections to be clicked on the blog. And now I'm worried what if our invitees will experience the same thing. Got to find another way to make it easier to understand then.

I have to admit, planning a wedding makes my creativity sense blew up. It urged me to think creatively what goes to where and which is more eye candy. It's fun, though. I enjoyed it so far. Even those things that's actually driving me crazy and makes me trouble breathing. Preparing the wedding also make me found new hobbies. One of it is, getting attached to Photoshop. I'm such a daring amateur. I've tried to design my own e-wedding invitations. It's actually not as hard as I thought before. Maybe at first, I was like "what the heck is this?". But once I got the rhythm, I can not go back. I've successfully designed 3 e-invitations. Will post the pictures later because it's way too early to publish it now. I'm planning to send it by email or maybe tag it on facebook.

If it's not for technology, then I can not imagine how to reach old friends that haven't met since ages. Or people who I haven't saved their addresses nor phone numbers. That's why I never feel offended by wedding invitations through emails or facebook or even text messages. Some people may think the invitation through facebook is not personal, etc, etc.. But as for me, just by receiving the invitations, it means they remember and appreciate us. When they send the emails or tagging on facebook or send text messages, they individually type our name, isn't it? Besides, it saved more time and money too. Don't you think?

I Love You Anyways

A conversation we had at Itasuki last night. He tried to be romantic but then failed big time. I was going to post it in English but it wont be as funny as it is in Bahasa Indonesia. So here it goes.

f: "Kamu mau jamur yang mana? Jamur salju, kuping atau enoki?"
i: "Aku mau jamur di hatimu"
f: "Kamu mau bilang hati aku jamuran???"
i: "....." (hening)

Oh, my dear fiance. You are sweet by heart but sorry to say you're not good at sweet talk at all.
And I heart you for that..