Halloween

Twilight-vampire wannabe, Lady Gaga apparently, our host for the evening and a cross between Harry and Hermione - the team from That Special Occasion with Natasha from The Peak Xperience who hosted a halloween party in conjunction with the opening of her wedding gallery.

It takes quite an effort to dress according to a theme for a party. Luckily for me, Michelle, proprietor and makeup artist of Michelle Touche agreed to help me out. An hour was how long it took her to get me looking like this. I wonder how brides sit through their makeup and hair sessions, I was practically trying not to fidget after 10 minutes.

As they say, effort is always well rewarded. I had a great time at the party, and one only gets to really do so when one immerses oneself in the theme. I could have done more with the attire but having to work a full day, I guess sitting through the hour long makeup was effort enough. Thanks Michelle for getting me into the spirit and thanks Natasha for the party!

Photo shot at Natasha's Halloween party.

A Pat On The Back

I seriously think all those involved in the Association Of Wedding Professionals Malaysia should give themselves a pat on the back - the outgoing committee, the incoming committee, members. It is a challenge running an organisation, what more a non-profit and an association that has had its share of skeptics and critics.

AWP celebrated its 1st anniversay today. As I reflect on how much I have contributed to the association, I find myself thinking 'adequate' but definitely not as much as some of my fellow committee members, past and present. It is a testament to the persevering nature of my colleagues at AWP that has enabled it to reach this milestone. The road has been bumpy to say the least. Getting the industry to support the association has not been easy, getting the fact across that the association does not 'belong' to its founding members even more confoundingly difficult. Members vote for office-bearers, plain and simple.

Whatever the case may be, and having given AWP a fair chance of proving its authenticity in its aspirations, I would draw this conclusion. It is about partnerships. It is about different vendors coming together, developing a certain level of trust amongst each other, nurturing credibility within the industry, and ultimately supporting one another in our business endeavours. To fully appreciate its objectives, one has to be open-minded, be willing to support its causes by contributing one's time and effort, be able to take criticism, be bold enough to give criticism and most importantly be confident enough to work as a team. Here's to a smoother ride in the year to come AWP! By the way, here is the Vice President's take on the day's celebrations.

Photo shot at AWP's 1st birthday bash.

Self-Belief

We come face to face with self-doubts every now and again. Life is not always a bed of roses, no matter how much we wish it would be. We just need to cast aside the negative thoughts, throw caution to the wind and look forward to the twists and turns that are part and parcel of life.

I was touched by this story. Bernard Lachance appeared in an episode of Oprah which I caught by chance.

Watch this first.

Then this.

And finally this.

Have self-belief. Here's looking at you!

Photo shot in Bali, Indonesia.

Holiday, Where Art Thou?

It’s that time of the year when we are closing next year’s issue of weddingsmalaysia. The 2010 edition will be our 5th issue and whilst we always contend that the work process will be smoother and easier to navigate, it never really is. Somewhere, somehow, something crops up that throws a spanner in the works.

Still, we soldier on. We take note of the errors, correct them. We acknowledge what is sub-par and elevate them. We receive last minute requests from advertisers, consider them and then politely remind them that deadlines are long gone. We check, counter-check and when we are finally as sure as we can be, the files are sent to the printer.

A huge weight is off our shoulders; for a while only. In a week or two, it will be time for the factory visit to inspect pages that have come off the press. And when all goes well, the pages will be collated, bound and the publication will be shipped to our distributor. And if all goes to plan, weddingsmalaysia 2010 will be in bookstores and newsstands early December. Come to think of it, I still haven’t decided on the cover ........ OMG! Definitely need a holiday soon.

Photo of Sapi in Sabah, Malaysia.

Chance Encounter

I first came upon the work of Anggun11 at a wedding fair recently. Their creativity caught my eye and I took a business card.

Fast forward a couple of weeks later and I initiated a meeting with the people behind the company to get a better foothold on the scope of services they offer. It's part of my job as the Editor-In-Chief of our wedding publications and it is rewarding when one meets industry colleagues who share a like-minded passion.

Introductory pleasantries aside, it is inspiring to gain insight into new ideas and visions. I look forward to future collaborations soon.

Photo of table setting by Anggun11, shot at the wedding fair at Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Last One Please

I am bummed that another friend has taken ill. The count over the past 2 months - 1 family member, 1 acquaintance and 1 friend.

Notice some of my recent posts on keeping healthy and embracing life? One can't help but be adversely affected to a certain extent when close ones are dealt a life-threatening blow. The only recourse though is to trust the doctors, believe in the medication, a change in diet, rest, maintain a positive attitude and have faith.

On the personal front, I've given up my favourite drink, ditched certain types of food and have gone organic in others. Weekly swims continue, sessions at the gym are now more regular and am trying extremely hard not to let the stress get to me. And of course, take everything in stride. C'est la vie.

Photo shot at Spa Bliss in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Stress-O-Meter

These are stressful times. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all good. The peak wedding season is no joke, even for seasoned wedding industry practitioners. One can sense the frazzled nerves when one meets an industry colleague, albeit one who is popular.

Other than it being the season for weddings, there is also a compounding effect – last minute orders. With all the preaching we have done in our publications and portal, it seems hilarious at times to see brides or grooms for that matter, placing last minute bookings. Seems that our preaching may have landed on deaf ears.

Whatever the case may be, we are always happy to have orders. Whilst the stress level rises, we are encouraged when clients appreciate the effort. We are afterall in the service industry are we not?

Photo of my client Katherine, courtesy of Zach Chin Photography.