You're a Gurame bride when seaside wedding is your thing

Picking Gurame Indonesian Restaurant as our wedding venue didn't struck to me one day when I woke up from my sleep. The reason I knew of its existence and that weddings do happen there, is because a childhood friend of mine got married there. What made me remember about Estee's wedding that happened 2 years back until now was the ambience. A seaside wedding? You got me. Call me lucky to have found someone who loved the place as much as I do which you can read the process of picking all here.

Why Gurame? You won't believe me when I say it is so easy to just deal with one vendor who is in charge of your venue, decor, food and little miscellaneous things like ensuring your wedding runs smoothly from A to Z. It is a bonus that the Keith (the manager) and his team are amazeballs. I am not saying that because I did my wedding there but you will be amazed how far these people who are strangers to you, will go all out for our wedding.

When I was doing my final fitting at TWB, I what'sapp Keith to ask if it was okay for someone to come by Friday to store some stuffs there as we will be coming from the hotel. He replied (jokingly), "Can but need to charge you." Baobei who was holding on to my phone when I was changing, read the what'sapp and closed it. Keith called 3 minutes later, telling me that he was just joking and thought I got offended that we had to pay to store items which is why I didn't reply him. Hahaha. I was "No, no. I am actually at my bridal doing final fitting so I didn't manage to read." Hilarious.

So, the plus point was Keith giving us a free hour so we could do the nikah and catch the sunset. If you're doing a wedding there, you will be given 4 hours. Either 11am to 3pm slot OR 6pm to 10pm slot. Since we were the first wedding of the year and Keith love us (I am just kidding but out of the kindness of his heart), we started our event at 5pm and still ended at 10pm. I said this before and I am going to say it again, please don't expect free hour because this is all subject to availability/approval.

For those brides who are crazy over chivalry chairs, you will love that Gurame includes such chairs for their outdoor seating for free. Now scream!

This seating is considered outdoor but sheltered. So if *touch wood* it decides to rain, you have the indoor and these outdoor seats. Oh, for the indoor, outdoor but sheltered and outdoor by the seaside, there is a total of 320 seats. So it was perfect for our wedding since we only have 300 guests so no one had to leave/stand to give way to other guests.

And yes, the chivalry chairs are gold. We opted out the flower center piece on every table because I hate flowers. So I am sure all my guests could deal with no flowers for one day because the bride says so.

You all know we chose Gurame's in house decor/dais. You can pick external vendors to do your wedding decor/dais, just deduct the prices for the decor/dais in the price list and replace it with something else (like food).

The dais looked very pretty in the day (you will understand at a later part of the entry why I specifically mentioned just day), and we had no issues whatsoever with the decor.

I actually like the white cloth draped over the hugeass cabana.

Oh, plus point is the seat for us are together. Not separated.

The best backdrop you don't get anywhere else.

This is why we picked a dinner reception over lunch.

This and of course, Baobei sweats very easily and we don't want the groom to sweat more because we all know how nerve wrecking nikah can be for the groom right?

And tak kan want to do sun rise. Tebiat nanti orang cakap.

These photos are taken from the extreme right of the outdoor but covered seating area. As you can see our pelamin area is glowing likka sun. Hahaha, but it turned out not so great.

DAY

VS

NIGHT

Okay the only thing you have to consider when taking Gurame's dais and dinner reception is this. The lighting is not placed right so people who took pictures with us on their camera phones, turned out crappy. Okay let's not talk about camera phones lah, even D was having a hard time. If we were to pull the lighting to the front, it might be tad too glaring for us. Unfortunately, this is a known problem to Gurame yet nothing is still done. (As I am typing, please keep in mind I am talking about Gurame itself and not Keith in particular because he runs the show with whatever is given to him)

The lights at Gurame can be a little romantic but it will be better if it could be brighter?

And also, we decided last minute to have a cake so we needed a cake table. The cost of a cake table set-up is $50.

This is $50.

Not sure if I should embrace simplicity but I think Gurame can do a lil better.

This is us, just out from the changing room which on normal days is a room for the staff to rest. I don't really mind the dressing room though can be small when we need more people inside and no aircon which I am okay lah. But... we wanted to do a "walking down then aisle" and the aisle is from the restaurant to the pelmain. I mean, we could do from entrance of Gurame BUT they have no back door. So Gurame if you're reading this, can you also drill a hole and put a backdoor from your changing room so we can still surprise our guests with our outfits and still walk down a proper aisle?

Oh, last but not least. Their sound system is old. I am talking really old skool kind of old. The microphone can be louder especially when planes fly. We had quite a hard time during the nikah when it became too soft. And if you plan to not take a band and play CDs like us, they don't even have mp4 or plug in from your phone/laptop okay? Plain old skool CDs.

Overall, Gurame you did good or rather Keith and his team. Major love for them! You all were very attentive and did whatever is required like topping up food/drinks without having to ask. My family members and close friends were very impressed with/by everything. If Syahrul and I were to do things any differently, there is nothing we would change. Even the horrible lighting at night, we will do it all over again.

Before this, Mama asked us to consider some restaurants in the East that have all-in-one but I thought it was a bit tacky and maybe because we have already set our mind with Gurame. Sorry, but I don't like cramped restaurants.

For those who emailed/PM/Facebook message me, don't quote me but if I am not mistaken Gurame has to renew their lease yearly or every a few years. That is why when we asked them in December 2013, they asked to call them (and can only book then) in February 2014 when they have confirmation of their 2015 lease. So can give the restaurant a call and just find for Keith. Please go down, and see the place for yourself. Keith will also give you a list of what is included in the packages, including food list. So trust me when I say it is better than asking me okay?

Also, to those busok hati people who said "Why must Izzatie buat kerja kahwin kat tempat mahal," can suck my balls because we tak hutang/pinjam duit from people to do our wedding here at Gurame. You asked how much one person costs, so my parents answered. Then ada hati want to say such stuff on our wedding day? On the day of our wedding, everything was FULLY paid for. If you tak nak bagi banyak duit (or tak nak bagi terus) pasal "tempat mahal" also okay makcik because kita tak mengharapkan duit dari sesiapa pun. Semua da bayar lah. Kita tak perlukan duit makcik untuk bayar yang belen lah.

Okay, since the last post to this, I have turned 25 years old and Baobei & I have turned one month. With many more surprises in 2015 awaits us. I am trying to finish up the wedding series (cake, rings, berkat, henna) soonest possible so expect more updates these nect few days before I share with you all more exciting things like houses and honeymoon and ...

Thank you Gurame Indonesian Restaurant

Thank you Keith and team!