My New Addiction to Photobook

I've been hearing a lot about Photobook. Seen quite a number of Photobooks -- but never had a chance to get down to compiling one for ourselves, although its been one of the many things on my To-Do list for a couple of years now!

So with about a hundred over photos filtered out from both our pre-wedding photography shoots now, I thought it would be the perfect kick-start for our very First Photobook! But of course procrastination always takes the better of me. I just realized I only find the urgency to do something if I am jolted out of my sleep at 3am and making a mental note to get it done by such and such a dead line.

So that got me going :P I recently surfed onto www.photobook.com.my, downloaded the software and started compiling our pre-wedding photos!!! Its pretty straight forward; nothing near rocket science, and its now become my new addiction -- although I must say, a rather pricey addiction if I continue at it. I find myself Photobook-ing at any spare time I can find... and even late into the night :D Mind you, I am that sort of person who sleeps before midnight... but Photobook keeps me awake!

Blast from the Past

Rummaging through old photos is a really good form of therapy. It helps relive precious moments from the past and amazingly jogs one's memory of stories/incidences relating to that particular photo.

For me, it brought a perpetual silly grin to my face and I couldn't stop giggling for most part of the night spent digging through our baby and childhood photos. Our video editor has limited us to only about 30 odd photos to include into one of our video montages, but as we looked through all our albums, it was hard to filter out just the 'good' ones. Up to date, we have scanned like 100 photos -- thus requiring ANOTHER round of filtering before submitting our final 30.

As we continue our wedding preparation journey -- counting down the last 100 days; preparations can get a little bit intense at times... there are days when we find ourselves at each others' necks :P ... So there!!! We found a good form of therapy! :)

Oops! We did it again... Capturing the Moment (Part VI)

Hafiz and Amru are two passionate photographers whom we met at the Extraordinary Louis Pang workshop back in February. Wanting to show us a Malay perspective of wedding portraiture, they generously offered to bring us on our 2nd pre-wedding photography shoot just recently in Tanjung Karang -- a serene li'l town just North of the famous Kuala Selangor. One Word to describe the location. Beautiful.

It was my dream come true! Although raised in the city all my life, I have always been fascinated with the beauty of the kampung. Vast paddy fields. Chickens running wild. Little bridges over streams... I didn't realize that our shoot lasted 10-hours under the baking hot Malaysian sun. I even came back with a sun burn! :D

Overall, we had so much fun! The duo's lively, happy-go-lucky nature truly takes the frustration out of the feeling of ETERNITY and immense HEAT of typical pre-wedding photography shoots. They were quick to spot good locations and come up with amazing shots. Can't wait to see all the photos in a couple of weeks time. But for now... another sneak peek!!!

Through the lens of Hafiz Ismail...


Through the lens of Amru The Storyteller...


Read Part I , Part II , Part III , Part IV , Part V here.

Pre-Wedding photo sneak peek!

Its been a month since we've taken our pre-wedding photographs and its been killing me to wait 30 days to see the results! The master copy is in our hands now, and we'll be spending the next few days combing through the photos to pick the ones which we will include in our album, and print on our invitation cards.

Its been a rather exciting journey of ups and downs; and Disappointments and satisfaction so far throughout our wedding planning... Four more months to go... :)

Here's a sneak peek of one of our photos taken in Carcosa. We've changed some pictures on our wedding website, so do check them. Patrick Low, our photographer has also posted them on his blog. He will be posting a couple more in the coming week -- so do tune in to his blog too.

p/s: The header of this blog is also part of our pre-wedding collection

Turning THIRTY

Seafoord dinner at Kepong with both families -- The picture looks more like it was MY birthday, rather than Irwin's :P

Irwin's last birthday as a bachelor was spent doing what he loves best (at this moment, at least) with 19 other photo-buffs and Louis Pang himself -- Malaysia's most awarded wedding photographer; at the Louis Pang Ordinary to Extraordinary Workshop this past weekend.

I also had the opportunity to be a part of the workshop by being one of the 2 female models for Louis and his participants. At the end of the 3-day workshop, I realized that its not easy being a model. Its A LOT OF HARD WORK!!! -- Sweating continuously but still having to put on my most natural smile and pose of the camera.

The amazing professional makeup artist Lee Kuen who transformed me :) I love her to bits!


My beautiful gown compliments of Pretty In White's latest collection


My super duper AMAZING partner in crime Marilyn John who is a natural in front of the camera :)


This is Louis and the rest of the class singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Irwin. They made him stand up on the chair and ordered me to climb up next to him to give him a birthday kiss! :D


THE BIRTHDAY KISS! HAHA!


One for the camera!!! :) Post-Workshop dinner party at Madam Kwan's @ Pavillion

Capturing the Moment (Part V)

Our photography & videography team from EXES Studio; preparing the set for one of our many shoots.

When we decided on taking our pre-wedding pictures on the 2nd of February 2009 some time in August last year, it seemed so far awayyyyy. But before we realized, 6 months flew by -- and we; or at least I; am now finding myself in the most nerve wrecking period as we'll have to wait another month before we can see the results of our 10-hour shoot.

Did I tell you how God's been so good to us? :) Just a week before the shoot, we finally managed to get a letter of authorization from the owners of the beautiful park where we intended to have our shoot!!! It was truly God-given because there was no way we could have had such favor from the people that had authority to issue that letter, if it wasn't for His grace!

We also decided (last minute) to include an additional indoor location, and by the advice of Patrick Low (our photographer), we found ourselves going to Carcosa Seri Negara. We've previously heard high praises for this place, but have never visited it personally. So it was a first for the both of us.

We had quite a large photography and videography team -- a total of 6 of them; including May Lim from Wedding Isle; my personal makeup artist who was on the set throughout. She was perpetually powdering me and adjusting my hair because the Malaysian weather just didn't permit me to not sweat. It was really quite a challenge to be all decked up in my wedding gown... trudging through the heat and posing for the camera!

Here are some "behind the scenes" pictures that Irwin managed to take in between shoots.

May Lim -- touching up my makeup during our afternoon session


Our photography & videography team in action


Enjoying a good cup of Espresso at Carcosa the morning after :)

Read Part I ; Part II ; Part III ; Part IV here.

Capturing the Moment (part IV)

THIS is where we would like to have our pre-wedding pictures taken. Unfortunately, its a private property belonging to one of the more renowned developers in KL, and pre-wedding photography is absolutely prohibited.... unless you find other creative ways of applying for permission :P In one of the entries I read on the Malaysia Brides forum, a bride was supposedly asked to pay an obscenely HUGE sum of money to obtain permit for her pre-wedding shoot here. She didn't take up the offer in the end (of course). *DUH* It would have been daylight robbery!

Anyways, me -- being a person who never gives up before exhausting all possible options; was very blessed to come to know a lady from our church who works with this developer! She was very kind to help me channel my application to the right people at the top. So with the renewed HOPE, I spent an hour writing a rather detailed email to state the reasons why Irwin and I have fallen in love with this place and would like to have our pre-wedding pictures taken here. Upon signing off and clicking the "Send" button, I actually felt like I was submitting an entry for a writing competition!!!

Fingers crossed now :) Aunty K said that she has received my email and has forwarded it on to the right person. Pray for us! I have fallen in love with the 4 ducks swimming in the lake!!! And when I allow my imagination to run wild, I am actually THIS serious about renting a SAMPAN (wooden boat)... lugging it there (somehow)... and putting it into the lake -- so that we can take pictures on it with a hibiscus in my hair and my Chinese paper parasol. Try me. I kid you not :D

Here are some pictures on our recce to this pretty place this Monday :) We spent about an hour and a half snapping photos there before the heat took its toll on us. Pictures are all taken by Irwin :) His photography skills have vastly improved in the last 6 months, I'm impressed! (Check out my Facebook for all the pictures we took here)

Dimsum branch at Oriental Pavillion, Jaya 33

One of the main buildings within the park vacinity

Me and my lovely umbrella from Shanghai courtesy of Aunty Christine (Irwin's mom) I love it!

One of the few pictures taken by ME... of Irwin! :D

Read Part I ; Part II ; Part III here.

Capturing the Moment (part III)

Photo taken by Patrick Low; Exes Studio. www.exes-studio.com
Another struck off our wedding prep to-do list; 8390492043 more to go...

After many weeks of looking through a gazillion photographers' portfolio and quotations, we have finally decided to appoint Exes Studio to play (what I think is) one of the most important role at our wedding!!! -- to take our pre-wedding and actual day photography and videography. Patrick Low; the main creative photographer which we have engaged is an award winning photographer who specializes in taking wedding portraiture and capturing the events as it unfolds on the actual day. The above picture is actually his latest winning shot which he recently bagged at the WPJA 2008 awards for Most Creative Portrait. Check out his website to see his entire portfolio :)

Overall, we're very pleased with what he has offered us (although it comes with a really large price tag) and included in the contract which we signed over the weekend. We'll be taking our pre-wedding photographs in February next year... *EXCITED!* :P

Praying for the best! :-D

Read Part I & Part II here.

Capturing the moment (part II)

Picture taken from http://www.signaturephotographers.com.my/

Today was rather exciting :) We attended the Signature Photographers event -- an event bringing together 7 of (I dare say) Malaysia's more outstanding wedding photographers. It was held at the Sheraton Imperial hotel and for RM100 per couple, we got lots of vouchers from different types of wedding vendors and sponsors of the event (ie: flowers, car rental, decor, etc), a wide buffet range from the hotel's wedding menu and most importantly, first-handed tips from all 7 photographers. I thought it was quite a bang for our buck :) We even won a lucky draw! :D (and was called up onto the stage to be 'models' for Louis Pang) That was quite an embarassing bit though :P

Anyways, after weeks of research -- comparing portfolios and quotations; I sort of had a shortlist of photographers/videographers that I thought would be able to capture the styles that Irwin and I like. So this event put alot of things for us into perspective, making things a little clearer. We're quite close to appointing one of the most important 'players' for our big day! :P I just need to bring out my negotiating skills to carve out a good deal now!

Read Part I here.

Sometimes we pay to be tortured. Why?

This is Robert our personal trainer at Fitness First... who over the last 8 months has became more of a good friend to the both of us :) He trains us twice a week -- 1 hour per session, per person. Throughout the 7 years I've spent working out at different gyms (yes, I started when I was 19), I must say that he's one of the better trainers I've had because he really works you to the core. After every work out, my body 'suffers' from this bitter-sweet ache. Bitter because it feels lousy going around with an aching body... but sweet at the same time because it'll remind me of how hard I've worked to lose those fats! :)

Having said that, Irwin and I still occasionally wonder WHY we pay Robert to work us so hard, especially after a long and tiring day at work. It can get pretty torturous, I tell ya...

Ever since our engagement, Robert's been feeling rather stressed and pressured by us though :P Because Irwin and I are planning to have our pre-wed photo shoot by the end of this year, Robert takes it upon himself to ensure that we're in top form -- aesthetically :P His goal is to have Irwin build a bigger chest... (MUAHAHA!)... and for me to go on a 6-week diet to rid my thunder thighs and jiggly arms :P

Here's to good pre-wed pics at the end of this year! CHEERS! :)

Capturing the moment (Part I)

I think one of the more challenging tasks throughout wedding planning would be appointing a photographer and videographer who'll be able to capture all the priceless moments on your big day. A friend of mine who recently got married adviced me that the importance of securing a photographer comes right after you've set the date and venue.

From what I've gathered so far, getting a photographer/videographer is easy. Klang Valley will never run short of them. But getting the RIGHT one -- in terms of service offerings, photography styles, and of course price lah; seems challenging. Plus, its not a cheap affair either. YIKES. Anyhow, time is still on our side :) And we still have lots of opportunities to scout around. But I must say that I'm surprised to also find out that some of the top photographers are already booked out on the 11th of July. Hence we won't be able to appoint them, even if we wanted to. OMG! This is craziness!

Maybe I should have gone to photography school instead.