What it means to be a #BrocadeBride

As you all know that I have set my eyes, heart and soul on The Wedding Brocade since the idea of getting married came along back in 2013, and if you have missed them, you can click on my journey here as a #BrocadeBride (which I didn't know that I am that until the wedding day itself). But my journey as a bride than a bride-to-be is even more amazing and has exceeded my expectation, again (how do you do that?!).

Stalking all the pretty girls on Instagram who use House of Lashes's Iconic lashes, I also nak for my wedding. So during one of their sales, I managed to buy about 10-12 pairs including their Iconic lashes because I planned to use for the wedding. So when Katt and Su (her assistant for the day who is also one of The Wedding Brocade's MUAs) were taking out their magic brushes and pots on the hotel bed, I showed Katt the Iconic lashes that I bought and brought along but Katt said that using hers will be better for the whole look.

Actually, prior to the actual day, Katt has been asking me to research on what kind of looks that I wanted, which I did but I honestly don't know what would look good on me and can be versatile for all looks. So on the actual day when Katt asked me what I wanted, I actually said, "Just do what you always do."

That my dear friends, it means that how I will turn out at the end of the day for one of the most important day of my life, is based on decisions made by Katt. I'm trusting her not to make me look like geisha/wayang pekji HAHAHA. Now, that's a pretty big deal because believe it or not, there are tons of pictures taken on that day with professional cameras and handphones. So it has to look good regardless who takes the photo. But the trust I had in Katt was established the first time we met. I have seen all her work. It is all over her social media for anyone to see. And no, the photos you see on social media has no filters/editing, just damn good lighting.

While I left Katt to do her magic on me, she was telling me stories about how some brides choose their looks and tell her not too much this and that, which is not her. But brides have the last say. At the end of the day, the pictures don't look good. When you pick the bridal and the MUA, you need to trust that they know damn well on how to do their work. You cannot be telling a police officer how to solve a case like as if you could do a better job. You know what I am trying to say? I mean, yes there are terrible make-up and hair done by supposedly done by "professional MUAs" but it is YOU that have to do the homework and always, always trust that gut feeling. It is always right.

At this point, I only had a rough idea how I looked like from the little snapshot I send the orang kuat's group chat. Then it was time to wear my baju nikah and get ready to head off. I needed to pee and had a great look at myself in the mirror. To be honest, I thought the eyebrow game was tad too strong for my liking. BUT, it grew on me and one of the MUAs whom my bridesmaids took (she's quite known and started her little bridal) was "Lawa nyer the make-up," and I knew it that this is why Katt is such a genius.

Okay, this is not encouraged because The Wedding Brocade has an amazing collection but despite my decision to have a simple dress for nikah that I got tailored, Katt lend me her belt and veil with no extra charge. She is not selfish and will help her brides when it is within her means.

That's the plus point about The Wedding Brocade you know? Unlike some bridal companies out there that I know of, there's no such thing as "exclusive collection" which requires you to pay more for that. Yes, the fabric, beading, the workmanship are more expensive when designs gets more complicated but why do you even have a "less exclusive" range in your collection? In my honest opinion ever since I followed my sister going bridal shopping with the arwah, I get turned off when they have a "higher" range which costs more. If you want the best for your brides, have the best for all your brides. These brides represent YOU, you know that? If she doesn't look good, it reflects on YOU. So why have dresses that are "less exclusive"? Everything should be like what a queen would wear. Nothing should be lesser than another piece. Yes, maybe more simple ones should cost less, but that's where your accessories come to life. At the end of the day, the bride's look is your masterpiece.

Okay dah enough. So this is my final nikah look (and all just hair and lip will change):

HOW CAN WE NOT LOVE KATT? Can we please love her a bit more than the maximum we can? I am not being biased because she did her magic on me, but this is seriously amahzeballs laaaaaaaaaa. I dah request nak shift next to her house, so she can do my hair and make-up every day. Hahaha.

On the way to Gurame, Katt was explaining to me why some brides have the #BrocadeBride on The Wedding Brocade's IG and what it means. Simply put, a #BrocadeBride is how Katt imagines her brides to look or the end product. Some brides have preferences and want things different, and that's okay. But when the brides trust her to do her magic, the end product is what she has imagined you look after being in her hands. If you tell her, you don't want "heavy" make-up etc, then you're changing her vision of you as a #BrocadeBride. All the #BrocadeBrides give the same vibe, under the same magic.

Katt was also telling me that in order for you to be in this industry, you need to be able to see other people's beauty. If you're the type who says "Alah tak lawa lah ni pompan," when in actual fact she is or some of her features are awesome, if you fail to see that, then this industry is not for you. You need to be able to identify beauty and want to enhance it. That is why Katt is doing well in whatever she does. She is able to pick out the beautiful features of her brides or girls in general.

So, the best part having Katt and Su with me throughout, is that they will keep telling me that things that happened based on experiences where tok kadi tak suka brides seat on pelamin etc, and they will tell me what to expect and what to do. 

Can you see how amazing they are? Always ensuring I am all set and proper. "Renny don't hunch," "Renny smile more." Haha. Then after the whole nikah is over, and our parents sat on the pelamin and we took turns to salam but I didn't know who goes first. I asked Katt and she said, "From now on, your husband is always first and right. Unless you both arguing then you are always right." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Katt is so me tau. Same frequency!!! 

Then when I salam-ed Mama and of course, cried. Katt who has tons of brides who cried was coaching me how to breathe and what to do so that my tears will stop rolling and less damage is done to the make up/mascara. Hehehe.

Then here's me after changing:

I very gatal and wanted to wear the sanggul lintang mah. I have an oily face and was surprised my make-up is still going strong. Apparently, an oily face is so much easier to work with than a dry face. Katt is never selfish with her knowledge. She will recommend products that are good and long lasting as she is doing my hair and changing my lip colour.

See! Always there to ensure everything is tip top before they go to another area while we busy take pictures. I love their company. Kadang-kadang stories can be wild and we find ourselves kekek at the same time. Okay lah, one word to sum it all; GEREK. Boleh add 'nak mampos' at the end of gerek tak? Haha, I am very thankful to have them and be part of The Wedding Brocade brides.

Last look was the 'mohawk' hair, which I requested after their ambassador Dyan had in one of the photoshoots for their last collection. I have no ragrets (regrets but that movie kekek) about it when Baobei changed to his number 1 uniform. Didn't have a proper, proper picture but here's a few when we went back hotel. Okay a little secret, husband was in the toilet while I removed my dress and hair pins. Then teringat want to selfie so here it is.

This is taken with an iPhone 5 front camera and I think I look amahzeballs. Wished I could have taken a selfie so boleh put as DP butttttttttt my phone is crazy okay. It can die at 42% so yes, my phone was dead when we were at Gurame already. But this make-up stood by me since 4pm alllll the way until 11pm.

In conclusion, I knew that The Wedding Brocade was The One when it comes to choosing my bridal. This is a personal choice and knowing that I am the kind of person who runs from tradition but still want a small taste of it, The Wedding Brocade is perfect. Their kindness and how meticulous about every single thing, is an added bonus. Of course, the sama frequency when it comes to berbual ngan these 2 throughout. Best sey. Husband also loves them.

Here's some feed from The Wedding Brocade's IG

THIS IS THE "MOHAWK".

Remember the gut feeling I was talking about? It is always right.

To prove that I am not just having a biased opinions,

And a couple of makciks who asked Mama to recommend their daughters/future DILs. I don't need to advertise for The Wedding Brocade because Katt was also behind a celebrity's wedding, but her magic speaks for itself. Don't worry those future BTBs who didn't pick Katt as their MUAs for their wedding, because they are just as good. For Su, I really liked her make up she had on. When she helped with the touch ups, dapat look at her make-up up close. LAWAAA NYER. How come I cannot achieve that every day sey. HAHAHA. Nak beli jugak lah magic brushes and pots.

Anyway, when doing the "mohawk" for my last look, Katt asked me to ask husband mintak izin (ask for permission) if I can wear her upcoming collection and of course, if I am not preggers. I honestly thought it was a passing remark.

BUTTT,

When I saw this, I was "Tak kan my wedding that was 3 weeks back, baru nak tag me on their IG." Especially when they don't tag but just name the brides and grooms.

CASTING CALL!!!

So guess whose husband said yes and who got an email?

EXCITED NYAHHHH! My journey with The Wedding Brocade as bride has ended but who knows my journey with them is still not over? Whether I get it or not, that's a bonus. Just excited and a great excuse to go back to the room filled with pretty dresses.

PS: I have received Facebook messages, Instagram DMs and emails to rennyizzatie@hotmail.com asking me the price range, and let me make it clear that I will not reveal. Simple reason; Business is still business. There is a reason why they don't write the pricing on their social media, so we as clients must also respect that. But really, they are friendly people and will give you the price list and what it includes in their packages when you email them. Plus, it is always fun to receive emails when it comes to wedding. Even if you are "surveying", there's no obligation to take them up if the price is not within your budget or you eventually decide on someone else. But please don't ask me how much leh. Ok?

POST NOTE: Katt and I were chit-chatting and found out that since she spend so much time 2014 building up TheWeddingBrocade, whoever picked her this year onwards to be their MUA, she will be doing more of touch-and-go than stay until the last change. Her MUA who is assisting her on that day, will stay with you until the last change instead. I am not sure when that will take in place though. 

POST, POST NOTE: I had last minute family thing on the day of the casting call, so I missed a chance to even go for the Casting Call. Super disappointed.

The one where the Kakak-Kakak Kahwin/Tunang Clan dah kahwin lah...

If I had to do the 11 months prep all over again, I would do it. There is nothing I would differently. Anything to relive the moments of getting married again which now I totally understand when one of my gfs, Za, always says she wants to kahwin lagi. I ALSO NAKKK!

Okay, let me tell you what really went down with what happened on the day of the wedding itself without doing any in-dept reviews, with the exception of our Tok Kadi. If not this will be a very, very long post. Got your kopi and roti kaya ready?



Woke up at 8.17am due to nervousness and the moment I was up, I told myself "Okay Renny, this is it. You are getting married. Better believe it." Because I told myself the idea of being married will probably sink in during malam berinai after I shower myself with minyak kapak but it didn't happen. When all my relatives cameover the night before, also has not sunk in. So I was mentally preparing myself when I woke up because it is The day.

D (my ex colleague who left me to further her studies) fetched me at about 10.15am and we went to errands before checking into our room at Park Avenue Hotel and Suites which is at Changi since the Best Friend works there. We booked a total of 4 suites of which my family and the bridesmaids (which was later the room Baobei and I stayed in) took the 2 bedroom suite while Baobei's family and the groomsmen took the 1 bedroom suite.

My bridesmaids got 2 MUAs, Kak Fad (who did my engagement make-up) and Kak Yumi to do their make-up and hair/hijab. So they were getting ready one by one while the rest of us,

Apa lagi? Pop the sparkling juice lah. Hahaha.

We were super hungry so we decided to order MacDs for brunch. The groomsmen came up to take some stuff and since Baobei said to each other we only want to meet each other on the pelamin itself, I could only talk to him through the walls. But at one point we couldn't hear each other, so he looked in the room and I looked out at the corridor, CHAKKK! hahah! Then he was like "Why you look out?" Ehhhhh.

Katt and her assistant came slightly after 2pm and since the bridesmaids hogged the 2 rooms, I got ready at my family's room which is just opposite mine. I think even when I was getting ready, the feeling of going to kahwin has not sunk in yet (I know, very melampau).

1/3 done and my girls kept coming in to see if I am okay, so I decided to take this and send them this on the group chat. Hahah. Partly because I am curious how I looked like too. So far, loving it.

According to the itinerary, the girls are supposed to leave the hotel but I was only done by 4.20pm. Obviously I lost track of time doing this

ISN'T D LIKE AMAZEBALLS?

D kept reminding me to put my game face on.

Apparently two nights after, Baobei was doing his storytelling before our bedtime about how chaotic the boys were the night before the wedding and while getting ready. The boys only could leave after we left so, obviously we rushed after seeing how late it already was.

Arrived at Gurame and sat in the restaurant to wait for the boys to arrive before sitting on the pelamin. When the boys arrived, THAT WAS IT. It was sinking to me that I was going to get married. Nervous ada, takut ada. Hahaha! So I had to pick someone to sit beside me and I picked my oldest friend of 17 years, Izza. 

I was literally holding her hand very tight throughout the whole time. The boys came and Baobei settled down on the pillow that Ibu-Baobei sew, and slowly everyone started to crowd around the pelamin area. I was so happy when I saw that most of my friends came for my nikah.

Both our representatives started talking and then, we baca doa. Slightly after 5pm, our Tok Kadi arrived. We picked Ustaz Mohammad Irwan Shah because he stayed the nearest to Changi and we are really not picky actually. Both my gf, Za, and my secondary school mate who is also the genius behind the wedding cake, Hana, had Ustaz Mohammad Irwan Shah to do their nikah as well.

I have no complaints about our Tok Kadi except he talks really, really fast and he was pretty long winded. At some point of time, I thought it was going to be THE time but then he started talking again. When he spoke to me, he will turn to make sure we had eye contact and I did some sort of gesture or said something to acknowledge what he said. Due to the fact I took very long to process the Malay words and convert to English in my head, Izza had to feed me answers to Ustaz Irwan Shah's questions but one question he said something "Awak janji...." and Izza asked me to say "Setuju." HAHAHAHAH this is what you get when you put two of us together. (And no, I didn't say setuju.)

I honestly, couldn't have picked a better person to sit next to me. She held my hand tight, kept asking me if I was okay, and she even blew air towards my cleavage because I said I was perspiring on the inside and she couldn't wipe hahaha! In Baobei's words "Always this two!" Hahah. 

AHHHH SO MUCH LOVE!

Ustaz Irwan Shah had a dry run with my 2 men (yes, Baba gave me away *wipes away tears*) in which he has an ipad with the words which they can refer to, whenever. I was more nervous for Baba since he was practicing at home and he mixed my name up with Kakak's by changing my second name to Izzawatie (Kakak's last name is Syafawatie). One point he changed Baobei's name to "Raja Saiful." Aiyoh. Hahaha. The akad nikah was sah on the second time because the first one, Baba missed out some words and he got a tad emotional (aiyah my Baba). But the second time, no hiccups and Baobei did it so very smoothly. Apparently he has been practicing with the boys at the hotel. So much love for my husband! One thing about Ustaz Irwan Shah is that he kept reminding us about the feelings we had just before the akad nikah and during, and remember this feeling when the tough gets tougher. Guess what? He is right, up til now I cannot forget the feeling.

This is literally one of my fabbret things being Baobei's wife.

At home, I will literally kiss his hand. Hahah, I mean time dating when holding hands, I will randomly kiss his hands but being his wife has so much more meaning.

Our Fairy's Inc rings are finally on our fingers!

That cheesy pose that every married couple does that we told ourselves we don't want to do it. Hahah but we succumb to peer pressure anyway.

Why I love getting married by the sea. Loving the backdrop.

We obviously ran over the time since the akad nikah took longer than we expected. And we wanted to catch the sun before it disappears.

We came out after mahgrib. You alls know how much I want to wear a sanggul lintang right? I requested Katt for a full one, and woah did I love it. Walked down with "Thank God I Found You" by Mariah and 98 Degrees. 

Decided to cut the cake first because we ordered 3 tier, all real from Hana and we wanted to make sure all our guests makan because we didn't want to bring any back. Found out the groomsmen carried the cake to the table and my bridesmaids cut the cake with lots of kecohness! Hahaha. It was very awkward because everyone was starring at us and we honestly had no idea what to do. I actually had no idea where to put my hands. Thank goodness Katt was around, she was "Renny 2 hands on the knife." HAHAHA. Too hilarious.

We took more pictures with our families and friends before making our way to have dinner (SUPER HUNGRY LAH). From the start, we knew that we didn't want VIP table where only both of us have dinner so we requested our version of VIP where our parents sat with us. D, who has been by our side almost the whole day also makan with us.

The last look supposed to be Baobei in his number 1 uniform and I changed hairstyle. We got a bit lazy by then but Baobei was getting a head cramp from the tanjak while I was getting a migraine from the sanggul lintang (already warned by all brides), so we changed. 

We walked down with our groomsmen and bridesmaids, this time with a instrumental version of Lessang's You're The Answer to A Guy Like Me. I did tell you that Baobei got very Korean right? Hahaha.

After last kopek of taking pictures with our guests, we had a lil time on our own

ALALALALA, I LOVE YOU LA OK.

It was slightly after 9.30pm and we decided to make our rounds by thanking our family members and dearest friends who are still there. Took more impromptu pictures.

Close to 10pm, we left the place in which Hisham drove us back in his uncle's Audi which was convertible. The moment we left the place, we were like, "Oh my god so tired!!!" The moment we reached back hotel, I took off my shoes. Bride tak bride, I survived in my Jeffrey Campbell's. 

When we got back to our room, Baobei sighed at least 30 times and said how tired he was. Hahahaha! We wanted to supper so the groomsmen ordered us food from SPIZE. That was already 1am and Baobei was already asleep after I closed his mouth from complaining hahaha. At 3am, the room phone rang which means one thing: FOOD! We woke up and ate but everyone was half asleep, and we didnt even hangout after. The boys left our room about 4am.

We got a late checkout. Supposed to have a photoshoot on Sunday but Baobei already told me to change it because he was tired and a bit under the weather. 

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I will do my thank you post to the orang kuats when I have our pictures. Getting all my wedding photos later today from D and I am super duper excited to see ALL. The best part about small and intimate wedding has to be the fact I can remember who came, who took pictures with us (and didnt) and when, and who are the people who matter to me most. I didn't cry when I became a Mrs but I remember crying when I salam-ed my parents especially Mama. I have grew up to be pretty rebellious when I was in secondary school but like what Katt said is true. You will get closer to your family after you get married.

My next entry shall be a photo entry but probably after we are back from honeymoon. I survived my first night without Baobei. Was so sad about it (life of an abang bomba's wife) that I whats'app-ed him and asked if he finished his 7000 words for the day. Haha! Because the kursus said that men only speak that amount of words a day and because Baobei is always so talkative before we sleep (something new I learned about my husband) until I cannot sleep, I always said he is finished with his 7000 words. But Baobei was at work and I was very lonely because no one popet to me and he was "I am left with 7000 words. Can bring forward." Step never talk the whole day at work ah. Hahahaha. I love my husband la. 

Please pray for our safety to and fro. We will be back 18th January. Thank you for everyone who have wished us via different social media, be it friends or strangers. We appreciate all the well wishes and doas.

xx, Mrs Rsn